The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-08-25

Tothe House Of Representatives. fine I"i
ted States.


Tothe House Of Representatives. ofthe Jai
ted States:
II is with unfeigned regret that lind
myself under the necessity Of returning TO
the House of Representatives, with my OBJ I
jections, a bill entitled " An act TO provide
revenue from imports, and TO change and
modify existing laws imposing duties on
imports and for other purposes" eNoth-
ing can be more painful TO any individual
called upon to perform the chief Execu-
tive duties under our limited Constitution,
than 10 be constrained 10 withhold his assent
from an important measure adopted by the
Legislature yet he would neither fulfil the
high purposes of his station, nor consult
the true interests, or the solemn will OF
the People, the common constituents OF
both branches Of the Government by yield
ing his we'll considered, most deeply fixed,
and repeatedly declared opinions on matters
of great public Government TO those oil
coordinate Department, without request
ing that Department seriously 10 re.exam-
inc the subjec, of their difference. The
exercise of some Independence of Judgment
in regard to all acts Of legislation, is PLAIN
ly implied in the responsibility OF approx
ing them. At all times duty-it becomes
q peculiarly imperative one, when the sub
lects passed upon by Congress, happen to
involve, as in the present instance, the most
momentous issues, to affect variously the
various parts Of great country, and TO
have given rise in all quarters to such
conflict Of opinion, as TO render II impossl-
BILE 10 conjecture, with any certainty, on
which side the majority really is. Sure.
ly, if the pause for reflection, Intended by
the wise authors Of the Constitution, by re-
terring the subject back to Congress for
consideration be ever expedient and ne
cessaTy, it is precisely such case Us the
preseai.
On the subject of distributing the pro.
oeeds of the sales of the public lands, IN
The existing state of the finances, il has
been my duty to make known my settled
convictions on various occasions during the
pretent session of Congress. Atthe open
ing OF the Extra Session, upwards Of twelve
months ago, sharing fully in the general
hope of returning prosperity and credit, |
recommended such distribution; but that
recommendation was even then expressly
coupled with the condition that the duties
On imports should not exceed the rate Of
30 per cent. provided by the Compromise
Act Of 1888. These hopes we're not a
little encouraged and these views strength
ened by the report Of Mr.. Ewing, then Sc
cfeiary of the Treasury, which was short
/ " thereafter laid before Congress, in
which he recommended the imposition Of
duties al he rate of 90 per cent. O. palo
rem on all free articles, with specihed ex-
ceptions, and stated, "if this measure be
adopted, there will be received in the Trea-
sury from customs, in the last quarter Of
the present year, IS4D S5,300,000; in
all OF the year 1912, about S22 300, 900 (;
and in the year ls43, after the final re-
ducion under the Act of March 2, 1893,
about 1000, 000;" and adds " Ii is be-
Ieyed that after the heavy expenditures
required by the public service IN the pres
ent year, shall have been provided for, the
revenue which will accrue from that or a
nearly proximate rate of duty, will be sui
ficlent to defray the expenses of the Gov
ernmeu,, and leave a surplus to be annual.
" applied to the gradual paymen, Of the
national debt, leaving the proceeds Of the
public lands TO be disposed of as Congress
shall see fi." Twas most happy tha, Con-
gress, at the time, seemed entirely TO con-
cur in the recommendations Of the Execu-
tive, aud, anticipating the correctness Of
the Secretary conclusions, and in view
lion oct Of he 4tRIe 81 passed VIC 10,
" limiting its operation by two conditions,
having reference, both of them, to posi-.
bic state Of the Treasury, different from
that which had been anticipated By the
Secretary Of the Treasury, and to the para.
mount necessities Of the public service
II ordained that, " Il at any time during
the existence of that act, there should be
an imposition Of duties on imports incon.
sstent with the provisions Of the act Of
the 2nd March, 1888, and beyond the
rate of duties fixed BY that net, to wit, 90
per cent. on the value of such imports or
any of them, then the distribution should
be suspended and should continue so sus.
pended, until that cause should be remoy.
ed" BY previous clause it had, in
like spirit Of wise and cautious patriotism
provided for another case in which all are
even now agreed that the proceeds Of the
sales Of the public lands should be used
Tor the defence Of the country. II was
enacted that the act should continue and
be IN force until otherwise provided by
law, unless The United States should be.
come involved in war with any foreign
power, in which event, from the commence. +
ment OF hostiltIes, the act should be sus.
pended until the cessation of hostiitics.
Not long after the opening Of the pres.
ent session Of Congress, the unprecedcnt.
ed and extraordinary difficulties that have
recently embarrassed the finances of the
country began TO assume serious aspect.
1t soon became quito evident that the hopes
under which the act of 4th September was
passed and which alone ius,ifnd !, IN Tho (