The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-08-30
MIDDLEBURY VT. AUG. 80, 1912.

proceeds of the sales of the lands shall b
levied as part of the same revenue, and ap
proprlated to the same purposes? The aP
proPlation of the proceeds OF the sale
OF the public lands 10 defray the ordi
nary expenditures of the Government i
believed to be system of fiscal manage
ment unwise, inipohtic, inpfov ident, ant
unjust; and it is precisely for that reason
that the bill now before the House provide
that they shall be so appropriated.
The public lands are the noble and ap
preciable inheritance of the whole nation
The sale of them to individuals is not ia,
upon the purchaser, but an exchange of e
quivalents scarcely more burdensome to the
/ grantee than il. he should receive it as /;
gratultous donation. To appropriate tht
proceeds of sales to defray the ordinary ex
penses of the Government is to waste and
destroy the property. This property is held
by Congress IN trust. MIR. Tyler speaks
of the distribution as if it was giving alcay
the property. 1t is precisely the reverse.
1t is restoring it to the owner To aPpro-
pirate the proceeds to defray the current
expenditures is to give 1t up to dilapidation
and waste. 1t is in political economy pre-
cisely the same as if an individual land
holder should sell of, year after year, par
GELS of his estate, and consume its proceeds
in the payment of his househould expenses.
The first principle of political economy
necessary for nation is to raise by taxation
within the year the whole sum required for
the expenditures of that year. Every de-
parture from this principle is step in the
path of national bankruptcy and ruin. The
daily demands of the treasury must be sup
piled by the income derived from taxation
by the year and not by the dissipation of the
common property.
The second reason Of the President for
Directing to the passage of this bill is not
more ponderous than the first. 1t is the
destitute and embarrassed state of the
Treasury, and the impolicy, if not uncon-
stltutionallty, of giving away fruitful
be seized by the Government and applied
to meet itsdaily wants. But the President
had Just told us that this fruitful source of
revenue was subject wholly dissmiar in
its character from that revenue raised by
duties of impost-so dissimilar that the
union of them formed in his mind an insur.
mountable objection to the passage of the
bill. 81 most respectfully submit (says the
message) "whether this is time to give
away the proceeds of the land sales, when
the public lands constitute fund which of
all others may be made most useful in sus-
tanning the public credit" And how could
it be made thus useful? Precisely by Civ.
ing them away. By giving them away
forever! For if the principle be once es-
tablished that the proceeds of the sales of
the public lands shall be substituted III the
place of revenue by taxation TO defray the
ordinary annual expenses of the National
never more will the people of
any State in this Union have the benefit
of one dollar from this richest of mines of
wealth, bestowed upon them
by their bountiful Creator for the improve
ment of their own condition. But given
,way-yes, to the last cent given away,
forever, TO pamper the reckless extrava
yance of Government forever preaching
and economy, and forever
leaping million upon million of annual ex-
1enditures ito suckle armies and dry nurse |
he land"
The committee submit to the House their
opinion that the appropriation
IF any part Of the proceeds Of the sales of
he public lands TO the ordinary annual ex-
,enditures would be the only eifectual and |
rretrievable giving dtoay of that great and
nestimable Inheritance Of the American
People. That, if once that growing ana
nexhaustible fund shall be doomed to form
he whole or any part of the rays and means
or the annual estimates of the receipts and
expenditures of the National Government,
he People NAV bid farewell, long fare.
veil, 10 every hope of ever receiving dol
ar's useful improvement from that gift of
Tod to them, thus cruelty and perfduously
1rested from their hands.
Nineteen of the States of the union, in
he ardent, perhaps, in some cases, incon-
ideately ardent pursuit of this improvement
f their own condition, have become invol
ed, in debt. The greatest portion Of this
ebt has been contracted for the accom-
lishment of stupendous works to expedite
nd facilitate the intercourse of travel and :
trade between the remo:est extremes of I
lis great Republic, swarming. from year to
ear, with redoubing millions ofpopulation.
is no exaggerated estimate of the value |
these works to say, that the saving of l
me, of labor, and of expense to individual i
tizens of the Union, enjoying the benefit t
these public works, more than repays, in c
very single year, the whole cost of their c
l
But while these immense benefits have |
ZEN thus secured to the People, as a com
unity of individuals, the States which ?
them have contracted burden :
liabilities heavier than they are able to Il
ar They need the assistance of friend
and powerful hand. and where should
ey find it but in the sympathies of the =
ational Government In their fidelity to =
e trust committed to their charge in this e
,mense and almost boundless public do u
ain? The application of the proceeds OF
e public lands to alleviate the burden OF
csc debts pressing upon the people OF al
Al Ill