The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-28
THE PRESIDENTS LAST MESS AGE.


THE PRESIDENTS LAST MESS AGE.
Our readers wlobserve from this very able do
cument, that the President, whilst he recognises
the fairness and proprely of distributing the
proceeds Of the sales of the public lands among
the States, under the circumstances that exist
ed at the time when the law to that effect was
passed, is OF opinion that the peculiar state Of
our domestic and foreign relations demands a
suspension Of It's operation for the present
When the Distribution law was passed, there
was reasonable ground for believing that there
would be surplus in the National Treasury,
arising from duties on importations and other
sources. The country was then in state Of
peace, and there had transpired nothing to JUS
tty fear that any contingency would arise
which would render the fund in question indis-
pensabe to the support OF the national credit,
or honor, Under such condition OF affairs,
nothing could certainly be more just than that
the States which had struggled for the lnde
pendence of our country, should enjoy the ben
eiits accruing from the sale Of their common
property This view of the case acquired
increased force from the fact, that the States
had incurred debts TO vast amount in the pro-
secuton Of their internal improvements; debts
10 the discharge Of which, their current means,
Independently OF direct taxation, were con-
iessedly inadequate. The Compromise bill, as
II is called had moreover been, as was sup
posed, settled on permanent basis, by which
tpenty per cent. had been recognised as the
mdrinum rate of duty to be levied on any one
article. Well founded as the hopes of the coun
lry appeared TO be, that the rate above named
the expenses of the Government, subse-
.quent experience has proved that these
hopes were fallacious The depressed condi-
ton OF our monetary concerns at home, and 81
miar difficulties abroad have so far reduced the
amount of the revenue, as to provethat, with ex-
lsling duties, the nations means must fall short
OF its expenditures, and it is now universally
conceded that recourse must be had TO higher
rates TO produce revenue sufficient TO meet the
lected that the Distribution bill contained pro-
expenses OF the Government. Ii will be recol,
ylso by which its operation should cease in the
event Of the adoption of tariff calling for
more than twenty per cent. in any one case.
IT, then, il be necessary that new scale of du-
ties be adopted, exceeding the rate above named,
il must follow, as matter of course, that the
operation of the law of distribution shall cease.
The views of the President are stated with
manliness and clearness that do him honor, and
will, we doubt not be sustained by the country
at large. OF the causes that have led to the pre-
sent amentable condition of affairs i IS
not deemed proper here to speak
The outstanding liabilities of the Government
are not the offspring of any profuseness on the
part of the present Administration, Of which it
may with justice be said, that ii has not been
permitted to become responsible for any med-
sures, its suggestions hdring been suffered TO
remain unattended to on the desks Of The House
OF Representatives. Had the great measures
for public relief, offered by the President and his
advisers, been taken up and passed by Congress,
there cannot be doubt hatthey would have been
attended by the happiest effects, and consequently,
the responsibility that attaches must belong to
that body On this question THE PEOPLE
WILL DECIDE, and we at least. as friends
Of the Administration, are willing cheerfully to
abide the result. If the States will have been
deprived Of the advantages of the Distril ution
bill, they must look to the House of Representa-
lives, which has frittered away its time for four
months in discussing frivolous points of order,
&C., instead of adopting the Exchequer or some
other practicable plan of relief, while the credit
Of the country has been dishonored to such
degree that the public lands must be offered as
pledge on which to borrow money. If the
COMPROMISE BILL, Of which SOME
POLITICIANS have been so proud, is to prove
nugatory, and high tariff IS TO be instituted
Nth rier 10 necessary rerenue, the gentle
men who have chung with so much pertinacity
10 Bank, as the only means OF regulating the
currency, will OF course, receive as they are en-
llted to do, all the honor. We ask for none of ii.
Conscious that the Administration is not, in
Justice, TO be blamed in this matter, and that
"f Rome must fall, We at least, are innoce. t.,
we feel no disposition to indulge in hs,rd
thoughts, but call upon Congress- even at this
late hour. to do all that can be done to rescue the
national honor. We implore the representa-.
ttyes of the people, without distinction of party
as AMERICANS, to rally around the stap dard Of
their country, and sustain the President il
plucking the credit Of the nation from the grasJ
Of ruin OF what avail will il be to cry out 70
this or tina, candidate for the Presidency, whsr