The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-03-18
- 0 ! ft&ca L.
Speech Of AIr. Calhoun, CT s. c,

speech OF Alr. Calhoun, CT ). t.
IN Senate, Wednesday, February 3, lS4l-O
mr. Grundy'S report in relation 10 The QSsumJ
ton Of The debts Of The States By The Fedora
Government
Mr. CALHOUN said: When have heard it rs
Serted again and again, in this discussion, that tai
report was uncalIed for; that there was no one i
Favor of the assumption of States debts, and lha
the resolutions were mere idle. abstract negatives
OF no sort Of Importance; could not but ask my
self II all this be so, why this deep excitement
and, above all, why the great anxiety to avoid
direct vote on the resolullons' To these Inquire
could find but one solution; and that is dlsguis
ii as you may, there is in reality, n! the bottom,
deep aud Hgilaling question. Yes, there is such
question. The scheme OF assuming the debts 70
the States is no idle fiction. The evidence of II,
reality, and that ii is nor iRogtQiion bursts from
every quarter, within aud without these walls, OF
this side and on tho other side of the Atlantic; not
indeed, a direct assumption, for that would be too
absurd; and harmless because too absurd but il
form far more plausible and darSerous-an as
sumption, in effect, by dividing The proceeds of the
sales Of the public lands among the States shall no
stop TO show that such distribution, under existing
circumstances, with The deep Indebtedness and EN-,
ou''hNsH'h'S VI h'hhf VI 'hC NOulu Dc, u
reality, nn'assumplion. We all know, that with
out such Indebtedness and embarrassment, the
scheme of distribution would not have The least
chance for adoption, and that it would be perfectly
harmless, and cause no excitement; but plunged
as The States are, in debt, it becomes a question
truly formidable, and on which the future politics
of the country are destined for years to turn If,
then, the scheme should be adopted, it must be by
the votes of the indebted States, in order to aid
their credit, and tighten their burden; and who is
so blind MS not to see that it would not be in truth,
what have asserted it to be in effect, 10 that ey.
tent, an assumption ofIheir debts
Here, then we have the real question at issue,
which has canscd all this excitement and zeal--a
question pregnant with the most important consc
Guences, immediate and remote. What now pro-
pose is, to trace rapidly and briefly some Of the
more prominent which would result from this
scheme, should it ever become a law.
The first; and mos, immediate, would be 10 sub
tract from the Treasury sum equal TO tue annual
proceeds of the sales Of the public lands. do moi
intend to examine the constitutional question
whether Congress has or has not the right TO make
the subtraction, aud to divide the proceeds among
the States. 1t is not necessary, The committee
has cOnclusiyely shown that it has no such power;
that it holds the public domain in trust for the
States in their Federal capacity as members Of the
Union, in aid of their contribution to the Treasury;
md that 10 denaiiona2e the fund, Of may use
he cxpression,) by distributing il among the States
for their separate and individual uses, would be
NANTES, violation of the trust and whoIly I'M
warranted by the Constitution. Passing, then, by
he constitutional question, intend 10 restrict my
INQUIRY to what would be lis fiscal and mOneyed
Effects.
Thus regarded the first effect Of the subslrsction
would be 10 cause IN equal deficit in the revenue
need not inform the Senate that there is not Il
surplus cent in the Treasury; that the most rigid
economy will be necessary 10 meet the demands on
| during the current YEAR, that the revenue, 50 far
rom being on the increase, must he rapidly re-
luccd under existing laws, in the next two years.
md that every dollar Withdrawn, by sublracting
he proceeds Of the public lands, mus, make cor
deficit We are thus brought TO the
question, what would be the probable annual a.
nout OF the deficit, and how is it TO be supplied
The receipts from the sales of the public lands,
would suppose, may be safely estimated 1t five
Millions Of dollars at least, on IN average, for the
ieXt ten or fifteen years. There were about six
Millions the last year. The first three quarters gave
within a fraction of five and half millions. The
stimate for this year. is three aud half millions;
making the average of the two years but little shor,
# five millions. if, with these data, we east our
yes back on the last ten or fifteen years. we sha Il
0me 10 the conclusion, taking into consideration
'ur great increase Of population and wealth, and
he vast quantity of public land held BY the Gov
rnment, that the average | have estimated is not
90 high Assuming, then, that the deficit would
'e five Millions the next inquiry is shall it be sup
lied There IS but one way; n corresponding
Increase of duties on imports. We have no other
ourcc Of revenue. but the Post Office. No one
would think of laying it on that, 10 raise the
Mount by internal taxes. The result, then, thus |
ar, would to Withdrawn from the Treasury five
Millions of the proceeds of the sales of the public |
lnds, TO be distributed among the States, and 10
impose an equal amount of duty on imports, to
make good the deficit. Now would ask, what is |
he difference, regarded as fiscal transaction, be-
ween Withdrawing that amount for distribution,
nd imposing similar amount Of duties on the i'm
orls, 10 supply its place, and that of leaving the
roceeds of the sales of the land in the Treasury,
nd imposing an equal amount of duties for dslrl-
ulion 1t is clearly the same thing, in effect, to
eiain the proceeds oithc public lands in the Treas
ry and 10 impose The duties Of distribution, or to
islribute the proceeds and thereby force the inl-
osillon of the duties 10 supply the place.
II is, then. IN reality, Il scheme 10 impose five
billions of additional duties the importations Of
lie country, to be distributed among the Siates;a nd
now ask where il the Senator who will openly
vow himself an advocate of such scheme | put
re question home, solemnly, 10 those on the OPP
nsite side, do YOU not believe that such IA scheme
ould be unconstitutional, unequal unjust, aud
And can you; as honest men, do that
effect, up indirect means, which, If done directly
'nulI hn plaa riv Iiubn IN nm ~ tlpsn nh