Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-08-31

States;
Il il with unfsignsd regret that fiod
myself under the necessity of returning 10
the House of Representatives. with my
objections, a bill entitled " An act to pro- !
vide revenue from imports. and 10 change
and modify existing laws imposing duties
on Imports and for other purposes
Nothing can be more painful 10 any in
dividual called upon to perform the chief
Executive duties under our limited Con-
stilulion, than to be constrained TO with
hold his assent from an important meas
,ure adopted by the Legislature; yet he
would neither fulfil the high purposes of
bis station, nor consult the true interest,
or the solemn will Of the People. the COM
mon constituents Of both branches Of the
Gogcrnment, by yielding his well consid-
cred, most deeply fixed, and repeatedly
declared opinions on matters Of great pub
lie concernment. to those OF a coordinate
Department without requesting that De-
partment seriously TO re-exanine the SUBJ
ject Of their difference. The exercise of
some independence Of judgment in regard
TO all acts oflegislaiion. is plainly implied
in the responsibility of approving them
Al all times duty-it becomes q pecul-
iarly solemn and Imperative one, when
the subjects passed upon by Congress,
happen to involve as in the present in.
stance. the most mementous issues, to eff
feet variously the various paris of great
country, and to have given rise in all
quarters to such conflict of opinion, as 10
render il ilnmpossible to conjecture. with,
any certainty, on which side the majority
really is. Surely, if the pause for rehec-
ton. indented by the wise authors Of the
Constitution. by referring the subject back
10 Congress for reconsideration be ever
expedient and necessary, it is precisely
such case as the present.
On the subject OF distributing the pro.
eeeds Of the sales ofthe public lands, in the
existing state of The finances, it has been
my duty TO make known ms settled con-
victions on various occasions during the
present session of Congress. AT the
opening Of tho Extra Session. upwards Of
twelve months ago sharing fully in the
generally hope ofrelurning prosperity and
credit, recommended such distributor /;
bat that recommendation was even then
expressly coupled with the condition shat
the duties on imports should not exceed
twenty per cent. provided By the Com.
promise Act Of 1888. These hopes were
not little encouraged and these views
strengthened by the report Of Mr.. Ewing,
thea Secretary of the Treasury, which
was shortly thereafter laid before Congress
ia which be recommended the imposition
of duties at the rate Of 20 per cent. 0d ga
loren on all free articles, with specified
exceptions, and stated, "if this measure
be adopted, there will be received in the
Treasury from customs, in the last quar-
ter ofthe present year, (l64l,) $780,
900; in all of the year 1912, about $22,-
100000; and ia the year l843, after the
final reduction under the act Of March 2,
1888, about $40, 900, 000;" and adds, " il
is believed that after the heavy expendi.
lures required by The public service In the
present year shall have been provided FOR,
the revenue which will accure from that
or a nearly proximate rate Of duty will be
sufficient 10 defray the expense Of the
Government. and. leave a surplus to be
annually applied TO the gradual payment
of the national debt, leaving the proceeds
OF the public lands TO be disposed of as
Congress shall see 6t.n was most hap.
ply that Congress al the time, seemed en-
firely to concur in the Recommendations OIL
the Executive, and anticipating the cor.
rectncss OIL Secretary's conclusions, and
In view Of an actual surplus. passed the
Distribution act Of the 4th September last
wisely limiting its operation by two con-
ditions. having reference. both Of them. to
possible state of the Treasury, differen,
from that which had been anticipated by
the Secretary OF the Treasury, and to the
paramount necessities ofthe public service
It ordained that, If at any time during
existence Of that act. there should be az
imposition of duties on imports inconsist-
ent with the provision OF the act of the I'd
March, 1888, and beyond the rate OF du-
ties Fixed BY the act, TO wit, 20 per cent. on
the value Of such Imports or any Of them,
then the distribution should be suspended
and should continue so suspended until
that cause should be removed" Ry a
previous clause il had, in a like spirit Of
wise and.cautious patriotism, provided for
another case in which all are even now
agreed that the proceeds Of the sales ofthe
public lands should be used for the de-
encs ofthe country. It was enacted thai
the act should continue and be in force
until otherwise provided by law, unles:
the United States should become involved
ia war with any foreign power, in which
event. from the commencement of hostil
hies, the act should be suspended until lh'
Cessation Of hosii!ilies.
Not long after the opening Of the pres
ens session Of Congress, the unprececdent
I'd and extraordinary diffi;nlties that hav'
recently embarrassed the finances Of th,