Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-04-25
MULTIPLICATION. TARIFF. &c.

| Mr.. SIMMONS, oil Rhode Island, in late speech
IN the Senate on MIR. Clays resolutions, has
some Of the best and strongest hits and illustra-
tons that we have seen for a long time.
The first we copy is this ht al Nulliication, and
! Mr. Cahoun's mode OF explaining 1t:
"Thls suggestion ofihe honorable Senator from
N. Ii. brings to my mind an illustration of the
doctrine of Modification, presented to me by a
distinguished Senator who is supposed to be mas
ter Of The subject aud have his authority for re-
peang IT, tie says his doctrine is, that Stale,
II 1t thinks general law IS unconstitutional or OPP
pressive, has right to cog The tcheels and stop the
machinery Of Government This was his first
mode of illustration; but this morning am told
it is that the Senate has right to uncog and throto
The wheels out Of gear. This, according to my I'M
derstanding, has the same effect.
| "Such a mode OF explaining his theory 10 me
does credit TO the honorable Senator's dscernment
and taste. lie knew was acquainted with the
operation of machinery, and that he could, in this
mode, make me comprehend his doctrine; and
he has also discovered that did not perplex my
self with mere abstract theories. la this he was
right; and thing can discover that his doctrine,
illustrated either way is destructive, if put in prac
tice to the entire machinery OF our system of Gov
ernment.
"This could easily show, think, mechanical
ly; but as other senators may not be as familiar with
the operations OF wheels and gearing as am will
take another mode Of illustrating this doctrine
|
right to place an obstruction on the railway, and
throw the engine and cars off the track, and down
the bank, if there happens to he one, whenever
the individual thinks the cars travelling at
greater speed than suils his taste or notions Of
safety. This may be a peaceful remedy in theory,
but in practice il would not be very satisfactory 10
any who travel aud hare neeks to break"
Our next quotation is a reiuaion OF some OF
MIR. Culhoun's superfine theories, ridiculous these
seem to us if they were not mchievous } respec-
ting the alledged unequal operation of duties in
the South and the North:
6" is affirmed that the South suffer from the
mode ofimposing the duties upon imports, because
it imposes an undue proportion OF The burdens
upon them; and also by the unequal distribution
of the disbursements of the Government, which
| follows from it,
| "Ths last point was deliberately argued the last
summer by the honorable Senator from South
Carolina, MIR. Calhoun,l who attempted TO prove
that the distribuius administration of the moneys
of this Government was unequal and oppressive,
and must be 30 and that This inequality might
he carried 50 far as to ruin the South. This was
illustrated by ,supposng that two nelghboring
counties, Loudon and Fairfax, should unite and
| form a Republic under form of Government
like ours that Loudon had 100000 people, and
Fairfax ten more, so as TO give il a majority that
their annual profits were three hundred thousand
dollars each, making an aggregate OF six hundred
thousand, and the disbursements two hundred
thousand a year-each alike contributing one
hundred thousand that Fairfax, from its major
ity of ten, should expend the ,Ohole sum contribu-
ted in that county the result, he said would be
that, at the end of the year, Fairfax would have
four, md Loudon two, of the six hundred thou
sand dollars and by repeating this Tor three
years, Fairfax would have the whole currency"
When he had concluded, friend who sits
near me remarked, "That's very clear" The
honorable Senator has taken another method to
illustrate il, and shorter one. committee Of
nine. five sitting on one side of the table and four
lon the other-ihey each take FIVE waters repre-
sen,jnp The wealth OF the community one wafer
each 10 be the annual contribution. The FIVE on
one side the table, outyoting the other four, order
this contribution 10 be laid out among themselves,
for the expenses OF the government. To continue
this for five years, would transfer the whole
wealth among the five Each mode of stating the
process he thought conclusvely proved the cor
rectness of his theory.
GAN this may be very good abstract theory
hut in practice, there is no soundness in IL. As
practical matter, it's error is, in supposing that
these minorlss do nothing, while the majority
earn the public money, by employment ON the
public works or in the public offices.
| "In the case put by the Senator, Of the two