The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-05-06

whether, in his opinion, the Government can, in
the present eXgency of its financial affairs, be car
red on without either recalling to its service the
revenue derived from the sales of the public do
main, and which, by an existing act, is set apart
for distribution to the States, or without drawing
from the people, in addition to their present taxes,
an amount equal 10 that revenue, and in conse-
quence of its distribution, by means Of increasing
the taxes now levied upon them in the form of Ia
riff duties; or by imposing new and direct tax
upon hem or by borrowing upon their credit, in
the form Of direct loans, or of Treasury notes, to
be paid eventually out of their labor and property.
And if, in his opinion, the Government cannot be
so carried on without thus recalling the land rev.
enuc, or increasing the taxes or the loans to an
amount equal to that revenue, and in consequence
Of its distribution, then which Of these alternatives
will, in his opinion, be the most economical to the
people the recall Of that revenue, the taxes, or
the loans. Also, that he be directed to lay before
the Senate the estimates and the reasons upon
which his opinions may be founded.
Mr. ALLEN said:
Mr. Presdent-For the second time have call
ed up this resolution, and now ask, the final ac-
ton of the Senate upon it. am obliged TO ad-
nit, however, that from the hostility hitherto man
Tested towards it by the majority here, am with
Vut Hupc W It's pUssuHc. uIiy WllIiUul UOpt
that shall be allowed thus TO obtain from the
Treasury Department those official estimates from
which it was my purpose TO prove this important
fact, that by the act of distribution, supposing that
act To continue, positive loss of nearly TWO mil
lions of dollars will be annually thrown upon the
great ,axpaying body of the American peope-a
loss to them as absolute as If their property to that
amount were each year taken and consumed by
fire. have asked for these estimates, not that the
official communication of them is,.at all indiSpensa-
Bile to my object but because, being official and
coming from source not likely 10 underrate the
blessings of the distribution act, they would be less
the subject of cavil, and, in the judgment of the
country, more conclusive evidence of the fact |
seek to establish
In the absence Of these official estimates, and
fearful that those who, in this body have the pow
er, will continue TO nterdct Them, ] shall proceed
with my own estimates, to make good if ! can,
this my charge of proiligacy and waste. But before
begin desire Senators on the other side to spe-
city, when have done, in what particular my es-
Inmates square not with the facts, and 10 show, if
practicable, wherein my conclusions are at all un-
sound
In the first place, then, there are three PROPOSE
tons in which, ] presume, all will concur: first,
that in consequence of the distribution of the three
millions annually brought into the Treasury from
the public domain, the Government, to supply its
place, must increase the taxes upon the people, in
the form of tariff duties; second that the effect up
on the people will be the same, whether this in
crease results from additional duties upon goods
how paying duties, or from the imposition Of new
duties upon goods now paying none, OF from duty
of trenty per cent upon one article, or Of one per
cent upon twenty articles; and hd, that If in order
to replace the three millions distributed, burdens
have to be imposed upon the people, in any form,
over and above that amount the surplus thus i'm
posed must be loss TO thelnu loss resulting sole
y from the distribution act. as from that act alone
arises the necessity fo such burden. These prop
ositions no man will dispute; and now it becomes
my duty to prove, first, the fact of this surplus, and
next Its amount. In doing this, shall be UNDER
stood well enough by the Senate but desire TO be
understood likewise by every citizen who may do
me the honor to read what speak. shall there
fore adopt mode of reasoning so plain, and so di-
rect, as 10 admit Of no bubble or obscury shall
make short, unambl,lous speech, beginning with
admitted facts, and ending with conclusions, proved
throughout, 10y the simple process of figures. With
this view of making the matter perfectly familiar
TO all, will take single article Of merchandise,
with given per cent. of duty upon it, and a SIN
, W. ~ ,,a",;" t I"' J,,., Ill.,;
. ..n -, WV c,I,'' w., " u"o u''' "''
First, then, the three millions distributed are to
We ,rp'a.ou III 'no i'c"su'! W "'" o.'os'
,u'', uny Is u"A uPo" ,.e peop'c' ann ~ 'e.'eu
~ '',e uoNt,ni''en' III ,.'s way hn nie'"an
neIc'uu ca,!eu an ''''po''eu' onu 'eS.'en' II, Que
of the Atlantic ces--l will suppose in the city Of
New Yoik-imporis into this, from foreign coun-
y'h'c'chlnu'sG-, WIN suppose co"ee, LOT WHICH,
M"o" pu''n's n' "o p,u' WIZ 'oPPoIo' "uo
nnJ hcCr, ho l. nllo,,od "a sol !, i ,,Lon ,o ho
Govern,ne,,,s o,ico in Tim, ci,v colled , cus,om.
bouse mr. i no, 60 ,be Covernmon,,s otf;cer c,lI.
oJ tho coI,oc,or roos m hand ,hs vessel befnro
,he co,lec i. landed In either case ,hc coller,or
proceeds 10 ascertain ,le kind. oualily and cost of
iho co,Iao ,"J ,,'taoo !, oamo , G Iom ,rh;s hona
dana be ,o1s ~ ,ho imnor,or .,hocn,o Won can hs
aIoueJ 70 cyl, ,hs ooe,I IN ho Trn;,od States Won
,,ns, mas, 90 ,,o VI" G., ,to ,sa 81 ,nn Coyarnn'cn,
o hpn md W doi,ar ,h,, Lo;n ,ho ,,r;g dm,y ~