Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-05-23
NEW sERIEs.-voL. III. NO.43,

views Of policy different in their charac.
ter, and which may properly be embraced
in such a measure.
Otthe constitutional power 10 m.ke
determinations, have no doubt. Equal.
y clear it is that the practice of making
them has existed from the Commence.
ment OF the Government, and consti.
tutea a feature in every principal tariff
bill which is 10 be found upon our stat.
ute book. They are indeed indispensa-
BILE to the successful operation Of every
revenue bill, whether the design be to
guard against smuggling on the one hand,
when the nature Of the article ia such as
TO afford facilities for that practice, or on
the other to prevent loss TO that treasury
BY the imposition Of duties higher than
the value Of the article will bear, and thus
prohibiting its introduction into the coun.
try. IL il be at any time deemed neces-
Sary, or conducive to the safety Of the
country, TO encourage the manufacturer
at home of the articles necessary to its
defence in war, nothing canbe more prop
er than TO do SO by discrimination in fa-
vor of their domestic manufacturers, in.
asmuch as the object in view is 10 pro.
mote the safety Of all at the expense of
all. Determinations have constantly
been made in favor of articles imported
for the use Of philosophical or literary
societies, for the encouragement Of The
fine arts, or for the use Of seminaries of
learning, specimens in natural history,an-
imals imported TO breed, &C., &c, &C.,
all founded on the same principle, in re.
specific the universally of the benefits
designed to be secured at the common
expense. But above all, is the power TO
make them Of ineslimable importance, as
the only means Of relieving the poorer
classes from the unequal operation Of this
mode Of collecting the public revenues,
and Of partially realizing Mr. Jeferson's
beautiful idea Of wise and frugal Gov.
eFnment-one which "shall restrain men
from injuring one another,and shall leave
them otherwise free TO regulate their own
pursuits OF industry and improvement,
and shall not take from the mouth Of la.
bOr the bread it has earRed." The man
Of wealth, when he pays a tax in the
form of impost, which enures incidental.
10 the advancement of special inter.
est in which he is not concerned, is in a
degree reco1ciled by the reflection, that
if the amount paid was NOT collected in
this form, Il weuId be assessed upon him
in anOther-by which the amount Of his
contribution, in comparison with those
Of his less affluent neighborS, would be
materially enhanced. But to the poor
man, no such consolation is Afforded
The system which operates thus faVOra'
ably to his more fortunate neighbor, in.
creasss his taxes in an inverse ratio to
his ability to pay. Every additional mouth
that he has to feed, adds 10 the contri.
button he is obliged TO make for the sup
port of Government. 1t is only by dis
ordinations in favor of articles necessa~
~ TO his comfort, that the injustice TO
which he IS exposed can be mitigated.-
tits, therefore, power, the constant
and faithful exercise of which is, in my
judgment, demanded by cOnsidera.
tions Of justice, humanity, and sound pol
icy. 1e
lam satisfied with the veto power as
il exists BY the Constitution, and opposed
10 any modification which shall mate.
rally change the principle upon which it
rests. raa
70 fame an organic law for the estab-
lishment Of one General government for
thirteen independent Rovereignties al.
ready in existence, and accustomed to the
use ofpower, with satisfactory provisions
for the admission Of new States, TO be
thereafter carved out of the national do.
main, was work Of great difficulty
To obstacles, uRavoidably attendant up"
on such an undertaking upon circumstan'
ces the most favorable, were, in our case
tobe added embarrassments of the gra-
vest character. These consisted, smong
others, Of diversities Of climate, and con-
.sequently OF staple prOductions-in the
facilities for the prosecution of foreign
commerce, and other business pursuits
which belong to different portions OF the
country, and to no incOnsiderabIe extent
also, to differences in their origin, and
/ in the political preferences Of the inhab'
| itants of the respective States-Preter'
ences rendered inveterate BY the Sc.
verities ofa bloody and prOtracted clVU
war.
The success with which this great work
was Notwithstanding accomplished by Its
immortal authors has surpassed even
their own most sanguine exPectatIons'an 'and
elected the admiration and applause OF
the friends of freedom throughout the
world, lthas given stability to reP1bll-
can principles, multiplied and strengthen
ed the proofs OF the capacity OF man ior
selfsgoTernmsnt, and disappointed the
hopeS of the enemies Of free institutions
No Instance of written constitution i:
TO be found which has undergone so lit
tie change since it came from the hand:
Il ofita framara oF which noasAssea in &C