The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-08-17
vEToNo 4.
rrrn MESSAGE.


,,nJer tho necessitv of returning to the House OF
Renrocont,tives. with my objections. bill en-
1i,led "An act to provide revenue from imports,
and n change ard modify existing laws, lmPo-
sino du.ios on imports, and for other purposes" "
No1bino can be mere painful to any Individual
called nnon TO perform the chief executive d.
tics under our limited Constitutions, than TO be
CONSTRAINED TO withhold his assent from an inn
nortant 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 peopIe-thc common coHsa-
tuents of both branches of the Government-ny
Welding hi7 well-considcrcd most deeply hSed,
and repeatedly declared opinions, on matters :, o.
great public concernment, to those OF a co'orai-
nate department, without requesting mat oe
partment seriously 10 rc-cXanine the su2iYo' VI
their difference. The exercise o, some 'Ii"IpI"-
dence ofiudgment in regard to ali acts "i
Iation is Mainly implied in the responsibility oil
/; .nnrovinr them AT all times duty, it itbecomes
peculiarly solemn and impressive one when
the subjects passed upon by Congress happen to
involve, as in the present instance the most mo-
mentous issues; to affect variously the varIons
Darts ofa great country; and to have gwen rlse'
in all Quarters. TO such a conflict OF opinions as
N rendar if impossible to conjecture, WIN any
scerta;nty. on which side the majority really IS
Surely, if the pause for reflection intended by
sthe wise authors Of the Constitution, by referring
The subiect back to Congress for Reconsideration
he ever exped;ent and necessary 1t Is III precise
" such case as the present: r.
On the subject of distributing the proceeds ol
the sales of the public lands, in the existing state
of the finances, it has been my duty 10 MAKE
known nv settled convictions on various occa-
sions during the present session OF congress :
At the oneninr ofthe extra session, upwards o.,
twelve months ago, sharing fully in the general
hone of returning prosperity and credit, recon-
mend such distribution; but that recomnenda-
tion was even then expressly coupled with the
condition that the duties on imports shouia Hol
exceed the rate Of 90 per cent. provided oy the
compromise act of 1888. These hopes were not
a little encouraged, and these views strens'lleh-
ed, by the report of Mr.. Ewing, then secretary
of the Treasury, which was shortly lherea',eI
laid before Congress, in which ne recommehuea
theimpostion of duties at the rate OF ~ per cent
ad yalorem on all free articles, with sPec'Ieue%-
ceptions; and stated "if this measure be adopteu,
there will he received into the treasury from GUS
toms, in the last quarter OF the present yen1'
lS4l,) $5,300,000; in all OF the year l941'
about S22, 100000; and in the year lo43' AMER
the final reduction under the act OF March 2,lc-
AZ about $40 900 OOO;" and adds, sit is believed,
after the heavy expenditures required py the
nubjic service in the present year shall have been
nrovided for. the revenue which will accrue from
that. or nearly proyimate rate of duty, Will be
sufficient to defray the expenses OF the GoVern,
ment. and leave a surplus 10 be annually appheu
to the gradual payment of the national deot' 'eIv
psacesAs Of The nIhl!c lllGs e os as.
bappy that Congress- at the tlme seemed entire-
lv to concur in the recommendations of the Exc
cutive; and, anticipating the correctness OF The
Secretary's conclusions, and in view OF an actu-
al surplus, passed the distribution act OF the 4th
of September last, wisely limiting its operation
to two Notwithstanding reference, both OF
them, to public state the treasury, different
from that which had been anticipated ythc Sec
retary of the Treasury, and to the paramount ne
cessities of the pubic service. 1t ordained that
if. at any time during the existence oil that act'
there should be an imposition OF duties on I'M
ports inconsistent with the provisions OF the act
Of od March, 1888, and beyond the rate of duties
fixed by that act, Ito wit, 20 per cent on the val
ne of such imports, or any of them,) then the
distribution should be suspended, and should con
tinue so SUSPENDED, until that cause should De
removed By a previous clause 1t had, IN IKE
sprit of wise and cautions patriotism, proVideu
for another case, Gin which all are even no"
agreed) that the proceeds OF the sales OF the
public lands should be used for the defence OF
the country twas enacted that the act should
continue and be in force until otherwise proVi-
ded by law, unless the United States should be
come involved in war with any foreign power;
in which event, from the commencement OF hos
tilities, the act should be suspended until the
cessation of hostilities. H.,
. Not long after the opening'o the present ses-
sion of Congress, the unprecc cdented and. extra
ordinary difficulties that have recently emoar-
rassed the finances of the country. began to as M
sume a serious aspect. 1t soon became quite
evident that the hopes under which the act OF 4th
September was passed, and which alone JustI-
fed it in the ewes either Of Congress who I'M
nosed. or of the Executive who approved the
first of the two conditions just recitcd, were not
destined to be fulfilled. Under the pressure,
therefore, of the embarrassments which had thus
unexpectedly arisen, it appeared TO me that the
course to be pursued he'd been clearly narEed
ont for the Government by that act itself. The
condition contemplated in it, as requiring sus-
nension of its operation had occurred. ltbecame
necessary, in the opinions Of all, to raise the rate
OF duties upon imports above 20 per cent; and
with view both to provide available means to
meet present exigences, and TO lay the founda-
tion for successful negotiation of loan, felt
!. II incumbent upon me to urge upon Congress TO
raisethe duties accordingly, imposing them in
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