Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1842-04-12

ReSoLUed, "T'hat the Secretary of the
+ Treasury be directed to inform the SEN
ate, as soon as practicable, whether in
his opinion, the Government can, in the
present exigency Of its financial affairs,be
carried on without either recalling to its
service the revenue derived from the sales
oflhe public domain, and which, by an ex-
isting act, is set apart for distribution TO
the states or without drawing from the
people, in addition to their present taxes
an amount equal to that revenue, and in
consequence of its distribution, by means
of increasing the taxes nov levied upon
them in the form of tariff duties; or BY
imposing new and direct tax upon them
or by borrowing, upon their credit, in the
form Of direct loans, or of treasury notes,
to be paid eventually out of their lator
and property. And il, in his opinion, the
Government connOt be 90 carried on
without thus recalling the land revenue
or increasing the taxes on the loans to an
amount equal to that revenue, and in con.
sequence of its distribution, then which
of these alternatives will, in his opinion
be the most economical 70 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 such his opinions
may be founded" d
Mr.. ALLEN SAID:
Mr.. Presdent-For the second time
have called up this resolution, and now
ask the final action upon it. am obliged
10 admit, however, that from the hostility
hitherto manifested towards it by the ma
jOrity here, am without hope of its pass
age. am, sir, without hope that shall
be allowed thus to obtain from the Trea-
sury Department those official estimates
from which it was my purpose to prove
this important fact, that by the act of dis.
tribution,. supposing that act to continue,
a positive loss Of near two millions ofdOl-
lars will be annually thrown upon the
great taxpaying body ofthe American peo-
plea loss to them as absolute as if their
property to that amount were each year
taken and consumed by fire. have ask
ed for these estimates, not that the o.
cial communication of them is at all in
dspensable to my object, but because,
being official, and coming from a source
not likely to 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 10 establish,
In the absence of these official esti-
mates, and fearful that those who, IN this
body, have the power, will continue to
interdict them, | shall proceed with my
own estimates, to make good, il | can,
this my change of profigacy and waste.
But before begin; | desire Senators on
the other side to specify, when ] have
done, in what particular my estimates
square not with the facts, aud TO show, if
practicable, wherein my conclusions are
at all uAsound.
In the first place, then, there are three
propositions in which / presume, all will
concur; first, that in consequence of,the
distribution ofthe three milliens annual,
ly brought into the Treasury from the
public domain, the Government, to sup
ply its place, must increase the taxes
upon the people, in the form Of tariff
duties; second, that the effect upon the
people will be the same, whether this in.
crease be made 10 result from additional
duties upon goods now paying duties, orr
from the imposition Of new duties upon
new goods now paying none, or from a
duty oftwenty per cent. upon one article,
or ofone per cent. upon twenty articles;
and third, that ifin order 10 replace the
three millions distributed, burdens have
to be imposed upon the people, in any
form, over and above that amount, the
surplus thus imposed must be a loss to
tbem-,-a loss resulting solely from the
distribution act, as from that act alone
arises the necessity for such BURDEN
These propositions 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, Ishall be uh-
derstood we'll enough by the Senate, but
desire to be understood likewise BY ey-
ery citizen who may do me the honor 10
read what speak. / shall therefore
adept mode Of reasoning 50 plain, and
90 direct as TO admit Of no qGibble OF OBJ
scurity. shall make short, unambi-
tious speech, beginning with admitted
facts, and ending with conclusions, pro.
ven throughout, BY the simple process Of
figures. With this view ofmaking the
matter perfectly familiar to all, / will
take single article ofmerchaDdiSe with
d given per cent, Of duty upOh'it, and
single individual to represent each Of
The several agencies in the process Of col
lecting the duty This will illustrate full
'ly the whole opsFati0n. sAe As
First, then, the three millions distTibu-
ted are 10 BE- placed in the Treasury BY