The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-05-25

Cipate in all the secrets ofour own and
all foreign Government. Almost eyerv
partisan newspaper; Especially those
called the "Whig" papers Of New
York, and some that confess to speak,
for no party in general but for each in
particularly gives Us some cabinet se-
crel, some dish OF diplomatic doings
obtained through 6rst-rate sources
Iron sources 10 be relied on from
one who knows.
A commercial treaty to settle the
tariff! Let us examine this. Ac-
cording to the political theory for
which the people of England rebegled
against Charles /, and the Old Th;r-
teen Colonies rebelled against George
Ill, the taxing power belongs to the
people, through their representatives.
This theory is duly set forth in the
Bill of Rights in Britain, and the de-
claration Of Independence in the Uni
ted States. According to the Federal
Constitution, Congress has the sole
power to lay and collect, taxes and
all "revenue bills, or bills for taxation
must originate in the House of Repre-
sentatives, According to the same
Constitution Congress has the sole
power of laying and coIlecti ng duties,
imposts, and excising, and of regula-
ting commerce Tith foreign nations; "a
mong the States, and with the Indian
tribes. The DeclaI atoms of lnde-
pendence and the constitution have
some authority-the one for a funda-
mental principle, and the other for
specific and clearly defined details. If
then we understand commercial trea-
~ to settle the tariff and regulate duties,
it is tax bill, a revenue bill, bill to
impose and collect duties and imposts
and bill to regulate commerce with
foreign nations, originating with, and
passed by, the Executive
Truly this is a very compendious
method of amending the Federal
Constitution, by transferring to the
Executive powers exclusively vested
in the Legislature generally, and sub
ject, i'll one very important point, to
the control of one Of its branches espe
ciaIly. Any regulations of duties and
imposts is an exercise OF the taxing
power, and is so more especially, when
imposts and duties are our principal,
| and with the single exception OF tae-
public lands, our only source of re-
venue. A duty upon any article Of
consumption is a tax to the consum-
err imposed upon foreign merchan-
disc it is a regulation of commerce
with foreign nations and collected
and paid into the treasury, this tax is
revenue. If the President can
manage all this the Legislature
can be abolished for one principal
object Of separating Legislative and ex-
ecutive rower-the protection ofprop-
erty against arbitrary power-is de-
feated. But If the Executive have
this taxing power at all. he has it TO
any extent and therefore he can eth
er abolish all duties, or render them
prohibitory. Let US suppose treaties
with all nations upon the principle OF
unlimited free trade, or in other words
treaties admitting their merchandise
without any duties. What becomes
Of our revenue? 1t is gone, and we
must resort to direct taxation. Gone
how /? Abolished by the President,
through commercial treaties Let
Ms suppose treaties imposing duties
at fifty or one hundred per centum'
giving sixty million Of revenue, when
thirty millions will defray all reasona-
| BILE expenses of the Government
WIZ this enormous taxation, and the
| consequent extravagant. expenditures
| Such is the will of the President, sig.
nified through commercial treaties
Rather ample powers are these ior
| the Executive OF republic /:
Rnt the Executive is authorized, by
| the Federal Constitution to conclude
treaties, two-thirds of the Senate
| consenting and therefore this power
70 tax. and regulate commerce. does
not belong to the President alone
! | We admit this. But as the Constltu,
|; lion, in the first article, has vestet
lin Congress, which is both the House
and the Senate. the sole power OF lay
ing and collecting taxes and duties
and regulating commerce. and IA
vested in the House alone the powe
Of origina ting tax bills, we know no
I how either Of these powers can De ex
erc;sed by the President and Senate
! under the second article OF that lnstfu
) ment. Yet such is the fact, if thes
authentic stories Of Cabinet movement
be true.
| IL 1870 zfffI