Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1844-03-02
Vol. A..
J. C. EDWARDS letter is dated "Jef.
con.nr. Snr,a IaAnO

ferson, Sept. 81, 1913"
Let me begin with questions Of national
policy. ! am opposed TO United States
Bank, both on grounds Of expediency and
constitutional grounds. The Independent
Treasury is the best and safest plan of keep
ing and disbursing the revenue now before
the country.
am against distributing the proceeds Of
the public lands. We have no power un-
der the constitution TO do so; and if we
had, no project could be more silly and
unwise, than the distribution of any part
of the money in the treasury of q govern
ment already largely in debt, and borrow.
ing money in the receipt Of less money an
nualy than meets her expenses. ] am OPP
posed also to an assumption Of the State
debts, a project both Unconstitutional and
inexpedient.
am opposed to tariff for protection.
A tariff for revenue merely, gives pro-
lection enough for any description Of man.
ufactures which can be made profitable in
our country. The time is not far distant.
when we shall be compelled TO discriminate
for revenue, or also abandon the tariff as
the means of raising supplies and resort TO
direct taxation.
The General Government has no consti-
tutional power to carry on system of in
ternal improvements in the States; but as
one of the best means Of providing for the
defence Of the country, she can and should
Union, such as the Missouri the Mississip.
pi, the Ohio, the Arkansas and others; and
portion Of the fifteen or twenty millions
expended annually on our navy should be
Withdrawn from them and applied to the
improvement of our great navigable rivers.
am in favor of prescriptions; and a
liberal law, and permanent law, should be
passed on this subject. l am in favor of
graduating the price of the public lands
which have been in market and subject to
sale for some years. After the surveys are
made, and sometimes before, the best lands
are selected, and they are purchased as soon
as offered for sale, and the government
gains nothing by letting her refuse lands lie
unoccupied. She loses, she lies out of the
use Of the money for which the lands are
injured by tresspassers who destroy the tim
Der, the chief value of poor lands.
am opposed to losing any portion OF
our people, and yet we should encourage
emigration to Oregon, and provide for the
occupation of the country at once. An
immense improvement in the condition OF
the world, would result from the accom-.
plishment Of this object. A railroad must
eventually connect the highest convenient
navigable point on the Missouri, with the
highest convenient navigable point on the
Columbia river. This will make route
and through one country--from the Pacific
to the A,lantic-from Canton to Liverpool
from China to Europe. The work is entirely
practicable. Its importance is incalculable
Three continents are deeply interested in it
Europe, Asia, America-and each should
contribute to the work.
In the next and last place let me give yo,
my opinions in reference to subjects o
State Policy. Among these consider TIT
encouragement of common Schools tn,
most important. The first duty of every
Government, is TO provide the means of ed
ucating all her children, and TO apply then
properly. In a government like ours, eve
rything depends upon the intelligence o
the people, and everything desirable in SO
ciety and valuable in a government, mus
follow a general diffusion of knowledge
Our State should bend her energies to TIT
support OF common Schools.
We should encourage internal improve
ments as enioined by our State constitution
The State governments, and not the Unitet
States, are the governments to make them
Our State should advance her improve
ments as fast as she can attain the means o
paying. The most profitable improvement
should be first made; and no more shoul'
be commenced at time than we have IN
means Of completing.
Our State would act wisely to purchas
snag- boat, and from the inventor the RICH
to use it, and TO undertake at once the wor
Of removing the snags from her own grea
rivers, independent of the government q
Washington. She can do this work ches
per than the United States can. A porto
Of our means expended in this way, wOul
advance our wealth much more rapid,
than any servile dependence on Congress
especially when we calculate the della
which must follow such dependence an
, the modification Of the frequent failur,
we must meet in begging money from th'
source after all our humble cringing.
think the United States should impro,
, these rivers; but for one, should be wilir
to cease to beg Congress for money.
am in favor of limiting the tenure
| our judicial Office to some short period, l
matter what. would prefer limit to fo
c years; but any limit, say nnder ten yea
4 Is preferable TO a tenure for life. su
n ported the amendments proposed in IS:
g, and if my opinions have undergol
;, any change on the subject since then III,
e are strengthened, not weakened, in favor
Q limiting the tenure. ! am in favor of