The North-Carolina standard., 1844-09-11

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] /, The Address of the Democratic Central Com
mittee, published in our paper of to-day, presents
lin Strong and powerful light the unprincipled
conrse ofthe Federal party sLetall the people
read and profit by its truths. Itshows that the
Protective system--a system which that partyhave
been denouncing for the last fifteen ars-has
suddenly become, under the d5esation5of Henry
Clay, their own measure and that the good old
Constitution of our fathers, under which we have
lived most happily and prosperously for fifty years,
has become so " anti-repu6licGn" that by the COM
mand of the Dictator, 1T must be altered. We call
this the unmigated slavishness of party, and eve
ry true Reppblican in the land should stand forth
to resist i. What do the people Of North Caro-
lima think Of these thngs2 Are they, after having
all along entered their protest against high taxes,
preparedsnow tovote in favor of a tariff tax, which
not only burthens their industry, but raises twenty
millions ofdollars per annum more than is needed
to pay the expenses of the Federal Government
Are they willing 10 cast their votes for man aoho
IS pledged to alter the Constitution
We were engaged, however, last week in point
ing out to the people of North Carolina the fruits
OF federal majorities in our State Government
bitter fruits, which the people must soon cal, and
Especially those of the West-and we will not be
diverted from the task.
We had supposed that the equal distribution of
the proceeds of the public lands had been so often
promised, without bona .tfde effort to perform
the promise that the Federal party would have
been glad to avoid that topic. But it seems that
the stereotyped defamation upon this subject is
again reproduced and blazoned over North Caro-
lima. The last Fayetteville Observer says:
sour hopes for an Appropriation aid of Rail
Road from the seat Of government to Favettville
and good Turnpike Road TO The West are based
on the certain triumph Of the whig measures 3
when North Carolina shall receive, as she is most
justly entitled TO do, her share of the rich domain
Of the public lands, and thus create fund for the
purpose of improving her internal condition"
Is the Editor willing to go to the halls, of Con
gress and beg for money to build TuruYikes and
Rail Roads? But grant that the proceeds ought
to be distributed-why was it not done when your
party triumphed in 184O2 The bill which then
passed was grossly unequal. Contrary TO the ex-
press directions of North Carolina, the bill gave
pre-emptons to settlers Our State Treasury re-
ceived less than 25 O0O under this BILL and it was
then suspended by provision in it which declar-
ed that if the Taxes of the people should be in
creased above the rate of the Compromise Act the
distribution should cease until the taxes were re-
duced. Now if the Federal leaders be in earnest
about dividing the land money, why do they
refuse to reduce the Tariff Why do they not
lower the taxes 10 the Compromise standard, and
let the money be distributed by the law as stands
now2 The act of 1S41 TO distribute the land
money has not been repealed, but is suspended BY
the Tariff Act Of 1912 Reduce the Tariff, and
0iU not do The Observer will never witness
the fulflnent of his" hopes" ifthe Federalists
are permitted to obtain and hold power But it
is to North Carolinians we speak, and without GO
ing into the general policy of distribution, we
would invoke their attention to another view of this
question.
In 1886, and just before Gen. Jackson retired
from office it will be recoIlected more than twenty
millions ofsurplus revenue were distributed among
the States. North Carolina took her share
What has become gift? The General Govern
ment paid to the State Treasury the sum of
a million and half of fdolfars-what went with it? |
Did the people get any oft Did it diminish
their State taxes2 Did it introduce easy timessa-
mong them? Did the people of the East get
share? Did the West get share2 Wisely or
unauiscly we do not stop to enquire, but one mil
lion of the sum went in to the Banks to pay for
Stock, and therest was invested in Rail Road in
partnership with Individuals Since that peri
cd, and by the Legislation of General Assemblies
in which the federal party had majorities, debt
of million of dollars has been contracted for
Rail Road corporations. These corporations are
insolvcnt and the State must now take the Bank
stock and pay off the debt, or t0r the people intOl
erably high. This has been the fruit of the first
distribution; and though it may stimulate the ap-
petite of Rail Road corporations to ask, like Oil
yer, for more" it would seem to US to be full of
warning to the people. The Bank stocks, if sold,
will leave the school Fund almost bankrupt-at
all events toosnall to be worth censderatios and !
if not sold, the State must tax the people to pay
the Rail Road debt.
Bit in addition to this we feel called upon to-
say to the people of Western North Carolina: who
have done most and gone farthest to demand
distribution of the Federal Treasury, that they
have pro6ted less by it than any other Sec
Trba1, fho bor tor 9TH fo