Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-10-02
SPEECH OF WIN. COST JOHNSON
IN ST. MARTS COUNTY.
ST. MART's COUNTY, NO. ,
AUGUsr 25, 1913. (

ST. MAEr's cOuSrr. No.
AuGUsr 25, lSi3.
To the Editor Of the Baltimore Patriot .
ayailed myself of opportunity 10 attend " r,o.,
the people, on last Tuesday, 10th inst at Leon,rd,own
anu being highly grsthed myself have thought tba,
account OF the proceedings might not be unintercs,n .,
your readers. "
The County Court being in session. the occasion w,s
ken to bold a meeting, to which Mr. William Cos, I,hn
son was invited in order TO give his vieyvs mo, d.
the country, and his plan Of State relief The rno,;
was large and highly respectable. Among the crowd
observed the honorable Judges of the Court ex Gov r.
Ihomas' the Hon. Rchd Thomas the President of III. Sc
nate, Mr. Blackstone, Col. Heard Messrs Kew c,n.i
Harris, and many other gentlemen who have served in ~
Gus honorable stations in the State Mr. RacL;s,o, -,
duced Mr. Johnson to the assembly with few ns-;,
VINO coming at once to his subject proceeded to
us suoienee Tor more than hours in that man
~ osnned and collected manner of his, which, without
any striving after effect, makes him so truly nersp,si 81
eloquent IL would be impossible to give more ,b,, g.
points and outlines Of speech aboundinp trougbor, ~
interesting facts and happy illustrations
Inc nIs' nall hour was employed calling attention y,
M p ana present condition OF the country and of the
oules and IN the presentation general nrinc;nI. IS
Vernmen'al pohy. lie maintained that the recon, 1885,
ness oil me states was occasioned prea, deorse h. h
action oil the General Government Such wrs n.,,;i
case IN respect TO Maryland; for during Mr. Nonroe,s
administration, Maryland not only induced no ,h %
suaslon oil the General Government to eonn,nc I'm,
urge ue chesapeake and Ohio Canal unon an. a.,,a.
oil the General Government cAiefy hiding 20 oaIA. ::
M poIues, win Mr. CALHOUN At the head of the enoineer
c e uIeht Oh tne Government, urged the policy upon
Congress and the nation Of making comDete comurn
uon between the East and the West and fn,svs -;
oseer the two great divisions Of the country Ar ,h
commencement Maryland subscribed bu, half ILL.,;
dollars, but the General Government tool T 'h .,
authorised the District cities subscribe a million ard
half more. "i4H0h hho
But suddenly the policy of direct subscr;p,ons Of -
TO promote internal Improvements was abandoned an ~
par me General Government and, instead thereof Gen
H, n ms message oil December, 1880, recommended
OF the
Siates TO enable them construct roads and ~
accordance with this recommendation Congress- JiiI
million of dollars. 'u' 'iiii 'S-seNen
~, AGAIN the policy of the Government changed sbsueb
nae ha' Of dect appropriations specific works il beJ
OeeI sustained by men of all parties and the S,.es -,
suddenly thrown upon their own resources % -
P'gec'eu WORKS Many had already Commenced III.
tAu APehoeG large sums had progressed so far "a
Iehoet even an alteration their plans very dc,I, Is
not impossible They were Obliged to 90 on o. 80
PocKe' great losses, and forever forego all those bgb
clPauons which they had entertained No ,yondsr IT,
Ia '"ey enueaVored 10 meet the emergences-that thew
made every effort TO complete what they had nndeL
oil success, they exhausted their ready means
anu en Tesorted 10 loans, for the redemption Of which
ihey pledge that which should be ever held ablo I'll ~
the public faith and honor ~ P'e'
II Is 100 late as it is with true patriotism fs.J
W.T. Iohhson now TO dispute among ourselves who Az, -,
or least to involve this that State Capdor and ,h
10 l 70 say mat 50 far as Maryland concerned
,S pom oil me two great parties OF the country ana
Tue STATE were equally implicated. Let then botb n5r
unite with equal cordiaity in wise measures 10 ,,tat
e o'ae rom her present endorsements and but few
years VIII roll round before her credit and her rsDn.,i
VIII stand IN the high position in which 49, 80
years ago Let them but do this and NOT ONLY yv; h &C.
eeSt OF her debt be paid punctuay but every bond will
oe uSchaIged al the Of not before nnar,r;, NJ
Johnson then went into examination of The vnrons i
proposed TO pay the interest and principal of the debt OF
one plan' he said, was to dispose of the public
"CiNs IL mad iaAed Another TO pay interest and
principal by direct taxation and this also had nor q %
proved successful As TO that relief which was souob nv
TePudlauon II should be mOnstrou even 10 be en,;o
me uhn hal
ADMITTED INTO the councils Of the State and been
IN part with her honor ami political power Happily for
e honor as wei as interest of the State the advocates 81
epudaton were but few, and that man must no hind -,
OO' VINO does not that if carried out instead nj Lee
senlng the evil, 1t will but increase IT, In regard 10 The
measure oil rehei to be derived from the division among
e States OF the annual proceeds of the sales of the nb
Iahus would afford some aid some of the States hpt
10 Maryland II could bring ADEQUATE relief b NJ,
portion 10 which she would be entitled vopld M, ~ .
h'he OF the annual interest her debt He had ever dy
tue justice OF such measure times past but now
ne was convinced that the plan must be cbanged-tbe
eflsis demanded amore instant more eectual remedy
a ooaoer and more general system be adopted to en-
sure perfect and enduring relief
Mr.. Johnson said he had ALWAYS tr,ed animal J..-.L
non o the revenues OF the public lands and had the policy
oeeh adoPed few years ago. had the distribution hill
~ nc reported 10 the House OF Representatives at the
last extra session ut Congress become law had II be
come Jaw as he reported ne advocated IL and IA !,
passed e House would have done much 10 sustain tho
eredit OF the State, and gone relieve them from
ing embarrassment The history Of that measure is how
ever known to all; it is virtually repealed Mr. John
son sad ne mad predicted that annual distribution failed
At e extra session. the States would forced 10 present
he demands and TO enforce their rights in more mnos
ing form Standing Congress as Representative Of tho
teoPe was ms duty to examine the condition Of the
whoie country, and ne embarrassmep,s comm,
on from every quarter II his duty to originate II m
one else would, some plan OF general relief lie coud not
SIT si and fold his while nothing was done much -
Coud ne advocate measures which ne believed TO be worse
han nothing, or patiently wait the Trial of experiments of
governmental pohy which in his conscience ne believed
to be futile, II he did fear them 10 be detrimental =
with these views, and mpeled bv sense of bigb nnb.
Gu nc had presented plan Of relief az once reasonable
easbie' and Just. That plan nothing more nor less
man Tor the General Government TO authorize upon a
pledge OF the great pubic domain, Of two hundred
millions OF stock to be credited oil the States and Ter
n0ries upon fair and equal basis bearing three per cen,
interest With their respective dstrbutye portions Of tb
stock the indebted States could make exchange. on the
books OF the Treasury with their bondhoders nv ,Sbic,
means they would at get rid Of their debts and as
consequence, OF direct taxation whilst the States not ia
ooOteu could draw their proportion interest on the ao1
10 which each should be entitled and their proportion
PhnePa "hen gradually hqudated; and with a sinking
luu OF one per cent the entire principal could bs maid m
about forty year,; Of per cent in half tat i,r cb
SAID MI y, was the simple and effcacious plan which be
had proposed lie knew IL would be assaed before IL was
eNamlned' lie Knew that when any truth In phoso
Phy ethcs, or politics, advanced n was enser 10 a.
sail aud deny than confufe ~ but reason in time womb
examine and the public Judgment would confirm IT,
tie was happy believe that the preJudiccs with which
the plan was met being removed and that the propo
suon has already awakened deep and abiding intercs,
which Is bringing ia aid strong and Jealous suppor,c al
ready had been sustained by Of TIE most pusp
ua and enlightened presses OF the countrv-beep bol,
and zeai0usy advocated IN legislatures; been ab
sustained oy many intelligent members: our own by ma
ny snd by none more than eloquent gentleman tben
before Nun, (Mr Causin) And although when he 6r,t
brought forward his plan upon the floor Of Congress he b
stood almost alone, making his temey the thee Of r,;
ca yet he was proud to know that scheme for the
n u uhaNm