Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-08-23
".4ddress TO The People Of Tennessee, March 25th,
IS1lO

Address to The People Of Tennessee, March 25th,
1S4l."
Z" If the receipts from the sales of the public
lands, amounting to several millions annually, shall
be distracted from the Treasury and given to the
States, 1t follows that an equal amount must be
raised by an increase of the Tariff or by tax in
some other form, to supply the deficiency; and If
raised by an increase Of the tariff requires no ar
gument to prove that the tax will be paid in une
quail proportions, by the people of the different Sec
tons of the Unlon-the Southern and planting
States bearing much the greater part of The bur-
den. To avoid this objection, and 10 conceal from
the tax paying portion of the Union, the fact that
the ultimate effect, if not the main object of the
measure, will be to afford plausible pretext for
an increased PROTECTIVE TARIFF, it is said
that the increased tax may be levied on Wines,
Silks, and other luxuries. Still, it will be a tax
upon labor, and will naturally affect the value of
cur products given in exchange for them. Must
it not strike the advocates of distribution too that
the power of this argument is lost when they re
fleet, that fluxnres not sufficiently taxed that
the better plan would be to leave the monies ars-
ing from lands in the Treasury, to defray the pub
lie expenses as far as they will 90, and then to
Tighten the duties nocesslries and increase them
on Injuries.
In another view, the proposed distribution is a
tariff measure. lfit prevail, Massachusetts, YER
MONT and other States, containing within their
borders portion Of the public lands, will be i'm.
mediately vested with a local PECUNlARY
INTEREST IN THEM. The public lands, will,
in eject, be morgaged to the several states, in
proportion equal to their Federal Representation in
Congress, and they will have an interest in having
them sold at the highest possible rates They will
have an interest in opposing the graduation or re-
duction Of price, and in opposing the grant OF pre-
emp,lon at low rates to that hardy and enterprzng
race Of pioneer occupants who have gone with
thcir flm!lIes to the West built their og-cabins,
opened their little farms and settled upon them
because they would apprehond that the amount OF
their respective slivdends III the distribution would
be thereby diminished.
The MANUFACTURING States would have
peculiar interest in resisting the reduction OF price
the grant ofpreemption to settlers ct low rate,
because TO keep up the price of the lads, and
to with hold grants fpremption would be to check
emigration, retain the laborng population at home,
and thus reduce tue wages OF labor, and increase
the profits Of the capitalists engaged in manufac
lures. The manufacturing interests would be adj
vanced by II for another reason. They would re-
ceive their federal proportion of the distributions
and would not contribute in the same ratio in the
payment of the tax TO supply the deficiency
They would, in addition to this receive the boun
ties to their manufactures, which an increased ia
riff would afford, VIII list these bountles would be
paid by the South in EVERY VIEW OF THE
MEASURE, it is an auxiliary to the PROTEC-
TIVE POLICY. 1t is presented it is true, in tie
seductive, but at the same time, deceptive and dis
guised form, of giving money to the States out
Of the Federal Treasury, when il is, in truth, lay
ing new burdens on the people. The MANU-
FEATURING States so understand it, and hence
the Legislatures of VERMONT, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania. Delaware
and some other States, have, during the past and
present year, passed Legislative resolves instruct
| ing their Senators and requesting their Represen-
tatives in Congress to advocate the measure
| Al
such is her object by passing Resolves at the same
time instructng her Senators and Represenators in
Congress to resist by all Constitutional means
every attempt to destroy or impair the protective
policy" and 10 use their exerions to procure the
passage Of such laws will eiectually protect the
labor of this country, the manufacturing labor OF
course, is meant. The Legislature of Pennsyva-
MIA, in the month OF January last, avowed Iii direct
terms that increase of the tariff their object
They passed Resolve instructing their Senators
and Representatives to advocate and vote for the
distribution, and passed second Resolve in the
| following words, viz -
Resolved, That our Senators be further instruc-
ted and our representatives requested, vote for
such modification or adjustment of the tariff
may increase the revenue derived from imports
equal to the wants of the National Government, so
that at no time hereafter, under any preteXt what
ever, shall any money, arising from the sales of
the public lands, be used by the General Govern
ment."
All the Resolves referred to were passed by
Legislatures, majority of whose members were
the political friends and supporters OF the present
National Administration. They have all been Of
fcally communicated to the Executive of this
State, las suppose they have been to the Execu
tives Of all the States with request that the same
may be laid before the next General Assembly of
Tennessee. The States Of Alabama and MiSsss-
pp have passed resolves responsive to the resolves
| - 4 -
GROUND Of the South AGAINST the "PRO-
TECTlVE POLICY That this State will
maintain SIMILAR ground with her Southern
sister States, when the Resolves of Connecticut
come to be considered by her Legislature, CAN
NOT DOUBT; IN the face of this evidence be-
fore us, none can be BLIND as not to see that
the measure to distribute tie proceeds of the sales
of the public lands among the States, is but the
pioneer step 10 the revival oflne protective tariff.
JAMES X. POLK.