Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-02-25


himsef-and he all of bis friends who would
vote for these resolutions would willingly pledge them
selves--tha whenever temporary majority siaii care
TO violate the Constitution Icy enactins such oes.ruc'
tive law, he and his friends would unnr'nsy ana un
ceasingly wage against such obnoxious a" un'ii
they should succeed in expunsng II from The statute
book. He submitted his amendment
Fit was the as, al a subsequent stage OF the
proceedings, became substantive proposition, nae
pendent Of MIR. McDue's resolutions, as stated IN
their proper place.
Mr.. McDUFFIE accepted the amendment as mo-
difcation of his resolutions.
On the resolutions, as modified, the yeas and nays
were demanded.
Mr. ALLEN begged leave TO ask the Senator from
MARYLAND one question: il was, whether the sort OF
distribution Of the proceeds of the public lands which
he meant did not involve the proposition TO issue tue
stock of the General Government for those projects:
Mr. MERRlCK said hiss proposition was 10 d's'Ii-
butte to the States the proceeds OF the public lands
He did not want gentlemen to make any other issue
for him.
Mr. ALLEN asked if the Senator's proposition com.
pretended the issue of Government stock.
Mr. MERRlCk said, no. lie had nothing to do win
the issue of stock.
Mr. McDUFFIE asked the Senator from Maryland
10 suspend his motion to amend, till he (Mr McDut'
he) made correction as 10 the MODIFICATION he hau
accepted
Mr. MERRICK suspended his motion to amend.
MIR. McDUFFlE then withdrew his acceptance OF
The modification offered by the Senator from Mississippi
fMr. Walker
Mr Wake Withdrew his resolutions as an amend
ment.
Mr. Merrck's motion to strike out and amend being
then renewed,
Mr. ALLEN next addressed the Senate. He com.
menced by saying that nothing was more obvious than
that there was disposition to make the Federal Go
vernmen responsible for the debts Of the States The
word assumption definite mode of expression-
1t was clear mode of avowing the object and there
FORE the suspicion of the thing to be avoided oy
T,o lie landslide
distributing their proceeds-was held up as olino,
behind which The principle Consumption ives concealed
The income Of the public lands was spread before the
people as fund which could be used TO relieve them
from fcu!,y; when il taxation alone-the use 81
the taxing power Of The Federal Government-wh'ch
could be resored TO in order to oford relief The first
step in the system Of relief, he maintained, was cppTes
sion The grievance under which the country no"
abored, was taxation TO excess upon the people, IA or
der to meet the outstanding debts due by the States
In order TO relieve the people, system was proposed
the first act of which 10 increase the very burdens oil
taxation under which the people now groan!
Let US (sad MIR. A analyze this thing which bows
down the heads, and hangs SO heavily and SO grew
ousy upon the hearts of the people. What is II: Debt
debt. What the items composing that debit
These are six in number, and shall name them in their
order:
First The indebtedness of individuals to indigi-
duas.
Second The indebtedness of private corporations.
Third The Indebtedness Of chartered cities and
towns.
Fourth The Indebtedness Of counties.
Fifth. The indebtedness of the States.
Sixth The indebtedness Of the Federal Government
itself
These, Sir, are the six elements which enter INTO
and make up the sum of Indebtedness under which the
people suffer. Congress has taken the matter IN
its hands, regards the first class OF debts, oy
means of the Bankrupt law. Not daring to put ITS
hands into the pockets of the people, and absolutely
take away their money; i. passed the Bankrupt law,
which, by great stroke, repud'aed Inc great oooy
of the FIRST description Of cebts-those between man
and II is now proposed that Congress shaii 'ake
charge Of the remaining five items. The same reason
which urged in favor of assuming the State deos is
still better for the assumption OF city and county cebis
These city and county debts all contracted under
express authority given by express acts OF the states
all of them authorized BY special acts OF lhe state
Legislatures They nearly all contracted Tor pub
lie benet-o build public edces, constrnc, roads, and
pave the streets of towns. How would assumption
work. The State debts would be assumed trst, and
the States would then become free from debt But
what would become of the county debts: Would the
assumption Of Stale debts relieve them:
He knew how it was in Ohio, and he presumed IL
was so in other States: nearly every town and county
had lis debt. Let see how the system would worR
Would assumption of State debts relieve Inc ci'les
Certainly not What, then, would be the next propo-
siiion? The counties would De applied to, to assume
the debts of the cities. What would the people OF
n county say il application was made 10 Their comins-
the Geats oil ;ae c!y W..niH me oo
ders Of the county lie would pu, IL TO the pcope,o
his own county Of Ross, in tie State OF Ono 10 say
whether they would be willing to assume the debt OF
the city Of Chlco.he: That county, like many others,
was in debt lie spoke OF his own State IN iilustrat'
inr the positions he had maintained because he was
more familiar with its localities and the facts connect
ed with them. He would ask the people Of that great
State what they would think if they were called on TO
paw the debts of the counties.
But to proceed with his argument What would be
AZ Exe, fart
debts, The position Of the States would be that OF
freedom from debt, whilst the cities and counties sui
remained involved The States would, of course, be
called TO assume TIE city aud county debts. And
why: Because the States having assumed these ctcts,
1t would be easy roll them all oil the yielding back
ofthe General Government The spongimg and Tepud'-
acn Of debts would become common and Obligations
between man and man no longer be held sacred. The
other FIVE items Of debt 10 which he referred would te
concentrated in vast pile and packed on the frea
sury Of The Union.
But, he continued, what would the people gain by
these operations Their situation would be The same
as that of two Yankees who shut themselves up IN
room TO trade coats-after trading all day with each
other they both con.ended that they had made so
a piece. What would the people gain Simply a
change Of the form of ta3lton. They would merely
be giving the General Government the power 10 put
its hands into their pockets Would the scheme d.
minish their debts What the Federal Govern.
ment ?-anything else than the mere breath ot The
States and the people which created it, What, he re-
peated this Government but the visible existence
Of the people in The States Now at this very mo-
men, it begging aims at the doors of the people,
and crying aloud, 'Feed ne, or III die !" What next:
This same Federal Government, the moment after
wards, tells the people of the States, ." will relieve
YOU of your debts" How By going to their corn
cribs, and taking part of their crops and their labors
TO pay their debts with it
The Senator from Maryland mr. Merrickl had al
luded to what he said former occasion IN relation
TO the ownership OF the Stale stocks. What he had
maintained WINS that debt burdensome TO a coun-
try according neres, had TO be paid at home or
transmitted abroad. The foreign debts Of The States
fell little short of S2O0o0O,ooo and, including the
corporation debts the whole foreign deb, OF this corn
try amounted 10 a20 or $3.50 goo The heavy pres
sure in this country was caused by the fact tins; The
intercs, on this immense debt had be sent abroad
paid as tribute TO foreign nations, without anything
in return; and, therefore, equivalent TO destruction OF
SO much property and a subsraction OF so much irom