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


hold them in check, but by making them directly re.
sponsib'e. But the effect Of lhs system would be TO
destroy all responsibility.
Upon the question of expediency, be would ask
what favor was 1t they were about 10 confer upon
the States Of this Union' The worthy Senator from
Maryland had been pleased TO speak Of the paternal
character of this Government, and the obligations in
cident TO that character The paternal character of
the Government This not the first time, by
many hundreds, that he had heard this language used
Whenever the Government were about To do aoy
wrons-w henerer they were about TO violate The
rights OF any portion Of the peope-,hey always as
srmed this palernal character. It was a remark OF
Junius, (Which was capable Of specific application
nefe) That whenever ne saw a Scoichman smile, he
nvo!nn,ariy PIT his hand upon his pocket" When
he (Mr. Med heard the pa,ernal character of this
Government spoken of he disposed 10 regard tho
proposition by which such declaration was accompa.
med, with more than ordinary suspicion He asked
what was the practical character of the proposition,
Did gentlemen mean to nculcate upon the people of
The U. ). that this Government was endowed las
sort OF godike power) with wealth'-a sort of inhe-
rent wealth, which it did not derive from the people
that this pnernai Government was about 10 relieve
the States by giving them money, Were they, like
children, to he deuded with such nm absurd picture
as this: Give money 10 the people,
Why, nil that this Government possessed they de-
rived from the people. They had not single dollar
that was mot drawn from the pockets Of the people, and
yet this Government proposed to relieve the people by
,
States supposed to worship This Government as the
PeTsans worship The SUM- God forbid Let them
meet the question plainly aud fairly Every dollar that
was given to the States, must rst be taken from the
people OF The States; and for every collar that thew
received in one form, they pay at least dollar
and twenty five cents in another form. This was the
inevitable cGnsequence-and il could not be avoided
lie asked Senator's if they willing give this mo.
ney 10 The States 10 be squandered by them and there
by place themselves under The necessity of calling
thp upODla for Snnnlips, Tho =
relieving the States by granting them money, was
drawing distinction between the Governments of the
States and the people OF these States which was to-
tally destitute of all practical foundation To be sure
the idea OF many, he knew, was that the money To- be
appropriated To the States TO be collected in an
direct form-by system of indirect taxation-reliev
ing them from the burden Of direct taxation; but The
distinction totally destitute of foundation Did
gentlemen suppose that, with bankrupt treasury
while this Government was living from day 10 day
upon the miserable shift Of borrowing money and after
commerce had been cut down that il would not
even sustain the ordinary expenses of the Government
1t could nevertheless, sustain the enormous expense
Of granting s2o0 100000 10 The States: In less than
single year, if this system were adopted, they would
have To resort 10 direct taxation.
But there another view of the subject which
claimed their oiten;ion The measure was proposed for
tie purpose Of relieving the Stat. of this Union but
in order 10 do this, II would be necessary do some
thing more Suppose stock to the amount Of $500 OO0-
eco be issued. What would be Tie portion TO which
The State o; Pennsy lvana would lie entitled 1t would
not be sufficient 10 pay anything like half the
amount Of the debt of that State. How would il be
with Missouri Missouri, lie belief we'd, owed no debt at
ALL She would be entitled, nevertheless TO her distri
buve share Of So 00O0 00 and S. Carolina 10 81 OOO
600. With a bankrupt treasury, and heavy debt
hanging over US, without the Of paying that debt
il proposed to throw upon tie world stock to the
amount Of 900 600, bearing interest Of but three
per cent What would the stock be worth? The State
nf had fick
worth in the truly economical and exemplary State
Of North Carolina, What would Government stock at
three per cent? be worth in the markets Of the world,
You could rot adopt etIeclua mode to dc.
grade this Government, already bankrupt, than by is
suing stock the extent Of 5000 COO 000-double the
whole amount of the debt contracted during the last
war with Great britain! Why, it would be exrava-
CANT to suppose thy when the Government Of the IT,
States could not sell its six per cent stock oil par al
though lis dit was then much better than now
il would be extrayagat to suppose that this three per
cent stock would sell for that fifty dollars in the
hundred. 1t would not be worth more. So that in
order 10 accommodate the indebted States, all those
indebted would be forced to receive par Government
stock, not worth fifty dollars in The hundred and yet
they would have TO pay their full proportion of the
alton consequent upon the issue of this stock lie be.
lcved it would be calamity TO nil the States
He had ceapa.tcuarly after the recent Expression
Of opinion the par; Of the Senate-thdt foreigners
would take this stock upon any condition whatever
ne CeUlS o lHe S'Gtes, lie ueleFcu. WUClu,
eventually, be strictly redeemed. An idea, no doubt,
prevailed throughout the country :at these debts
never 10 be paid-that the ntercat only 10 be pro-
vided ror but it was mistaken idea. These bonds
for which Of the Suites would not receive more
than fifty dollars in the hundred-would have TO be
deemed by immediate posterity. Upon them would
fall The whole burden Of paying the $500 0000 600, in
dependenily OF the current expense OF So 0O0 000 per
annum, by way OF interest Was there any sound po
Icy in :hs : that immediate descendants should be
A., cpcI mi,
amount of taxat'on--transcendng he sad before,
nearly 10 one, the dsbt incurred By this Govern
ncnl during the aie with Great Britain, Nothing
in his cpinicn, could be unwce, if they had even
uuquestuEable right TO exercise the power. No
thing could be unl us 10 many parts Of the Union
Nothing could be more mcnstrocs!y unjust 10 the unn
dehted States.
But, as he believed the Senate was now fell, and
prepared 10 vote be had disposition 10 press the
argument further. He, however, felt it to be his
Tenn duty, before he sat down, to make dec!aration
by which he was prepared 10 stand fall; and he
hoped That every Senator who entertained with him,
desire that the creditors Of the S'a.es-the holders
o. State stocks in Europe-might not be deceived,
would be prepared TO make a similar declaration. IL
was his solemn opinion that this Government had no
power issue stuck for any such purpose as that in
dcled in the resolution lie soemny believed that
he paper which contained promise 10 pay $500 &c.,
$50, the faith Of this Government, on be halt Of
the Slaes would No. b. worth the paper which the
not hold himself any bound by it tlan he would
TO pay forged note. And, if the stock should
be 'ssucdifcre should ever be, accidentally, party
in power in this country, by whom such stock would
be issued he pledged himself to make against 1t
to the last extremity, whether in Congress out Ct
it. And whether il might lie called publication or re.
pn!ia,ion, or by whatsoever OF odium his oppo
nents mi h; choose 10 designate his conduct he would
perseverc in his resistance 10 wha he conceived to be-
an unconstitutional exercise of power. And in every
form in which his vote could have effect influence,
he would resist the enforcement OF airy and all such
claims upon the Government Of the l.. States. II.
made This declaration TO the wcrld- holding, MS lie did,
the l'.li of tie Government conSuonoiy pie dyed 10
be sacred and inyciabr; AID H. in lie !ace of hs de
carnt'on, Stale s,ockboGefsin Europe should imagine
mat their debts woud be better secured BY obtaining
Ihe pledge OF The ui'h If The General Goyernme nj;
they we're al liberty 10 make Tie experiment.
Mr. WALKER wished 10 submit on umcndme nt
for the purpose Of embodyng and placing on record
upon The journal of the Senate tie opinions which he
had expressed on this subject, when the former reso
lations were under discussion. He not only wished
them 10 be pre- erved in deareble FORM but ih5
The vote Of Senators them should lie recodcd,l t
may be perfectly understood by al who coun.