The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1843-04-20
80.
FURTHER EXTRACTS
From CtrcHidr, addressed by the Hon
JANIS GRAHAM, 10 his Constituents.
PUBLIC LANDS.

tie sales Of the public lands, among the
States, has long been favored and cher.
ished measure with me. have changed
no opinion on this subject; bu, President
/ Van Buren, and his party, when IN power,
changed The condition and circumstances
/ Of the country. They came into power
With an oveIhowrg Treasury, aud without
any public debt; they went out OF power
leaving behind them heavy public debt.
They made largo appropriations, and did
not furnish the means 20 pay them. They
went out of power without ptoy ldiug suffi.
Client permanen, revenue to support the
Government. They resorted 10 temporary
eXpedenis, and lived from hsed TO mouth.
Like al cXtrayagaGi pfodigp, they spent
all tue money that came INTO heir posses
sion; then they borrowed more, aud run
~ debt by issuing Treasury uolrs.
10 the four years of Mr. Van Buren's ad.
m,nis'Faiiou, The aggregate expenditure
was over one hundred and forty one mil.
lions OF dollars, making au annual average
Of about thirty seven mI.lags. HIS friends
attempt TO apologize for tjat ounGmous OK
pcndllure, alleging that oil Gbore twenty.
eight millions Of dollars vas applied 70 az.
traordiadry objects. S.il every admins.
tratlon must be held responsible for all its
acts either ordinary or extraordinary, ard
therefore, think they are accountable for
the whole SUI. expended under their ad.
nlnis,Tatiou because, where the tax pay.
ing people pay their money INTO the Trca-
sury, they can look 10, aud bold, those re.
-ponslble who take il out, aud use il for
good or evil purposes. However, will
proceed nov upon The admission that twen.
ty.cisht (aud not thirty seven) millions was
tie annual average expenditure Of Mr.. Van
BUten's administration.
Twenty eight millions Of dollars is still,
IN my judgment, very extraordinary or.
binary. Ihesunull receipts nto The Tree.
surg dur,Ss same time, we're about
twenty 4 dollars SO tim, bis aver,
age peAcrsFc~every year erceeded his
average receipts about eight millions of
dollars. That is, IN four gears he spent
much moro Than enough 10 administer tho
Government fee years.
Thir,y.iwo millions sfdollars would have
been the amount Of the Van Buren, public
debt, but for the Government happening TO
have other funds beside the annual revenue
IN possession al ,hat tiac, which were used
and consumed by. that administration. |
ajiudc TO the SIX mIhons IeiI 10 the Trea.
sury by the deposite act 10 eight millions,
the Governments share, IN tho United
States bank when the charter expired; TO
nine millions, The fourth iuslalineni due tho
States under the deposite act. When such
scenes OF ptodiga extravaganza we're pre-.
sentcd 10 my mind when The General Go.
'ornmens vas involved by heavy debts, aud
large outstanding appropriations; when tho
revenue was utterly deficient, and rapidly
declining by the compromise act, under the
operation of which the Treasury was then
abou. to lose suddenly fire millions more
and when the Government could only 1.-Two
by borrowing, high sense Of public duty
forbade me al The extra session from voting
10 distribute the proceeds OF the sales of
the public lands among the States, until ire
had first Prorided By la,e for the support
OF tho Government, and the payment, OF tho
public debt. could not consen, 10 dis,ri.
butte near three millions Of dollars on ono
day, and on the next to borrow twelve mil.
lions of dollars to support the Government.
thought sc should be just before we were
generous; and that it was the prior and
paramount duty Of Congress 10 provide for
the General Government before il dis,ritu.
ted any thing among the States.
4 loan Of twelve millions Of dollars was
then authorized as temporary measure of
relief, until Congress could adjus, and pass
somo permanent system Of revenue. | yo-
b ted for that bill. Ii became necessary and
: indispensable, by the extravaganza, negli.
h goncc, deialcsions, wastase, and stealage,
!. permitted and perpetrated during the pre-.
r. cedlng administration.
> At tho next regular session (when the
u compromise act was about to exprel TEN.
porary revenue bill was passed by both
Houses OF Congress, proposing TO extend
4 the same rate OF duties as they existed on
tho first Of June, 1912, 10 the first of Au.
gust following; aud also proposing 20 post
Of pone the operation Of the distribution aci
.. Tor the same time, with view Of contlnu.
N ing the old tariff until some new and perma,
nem revenue law could be matured and
passed voted for that bill, but il vas We
toed by President Tyler IN July ls42; ant
r. then it appeared very doubtful whether We
d, had any law in existence 10 collect single
"a dollar to support the Government. In tina
% state of uncertainty aud confusion the re
a.. sources Of the Treasury remained for somt
7, time, when Congress passed second reve
IN me bill, and inserted clause In il TO re
- peal That part Of the distribution act which
suspended aud withheld distribution from
/. the States, whenever the rate Of duties, i'm
- posed aud collected by the GENERAL Gov
g etnmsnt, exceeded twenty per cent. vo
"a ted for that bill, and viii assign the reasons
he for II. When there. had been full time ant
ut opportunity to examine and understand Thu
& true condition OF the finances and obliga
- tons of the Government, all candid and in
tplhppnt mon ad,pipod that tho rpyanu