Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1844-08-14

" For these reasons, and in strict cor
y nection with such q reduction Of the Ia
- riff as have suggested, should be wi
:, ling to see the distribution policy carrie
= out for few coming years. But no con
alterations could bring me 10 approve Q
"a quartering the States permanently, or 70
,, a long period, on the treasury, as pension
u ers or stipendiaries in any form. Such
;, measure would, in no greatlengih of time
u sap the foundations of our political sys
tenn, by altering radically and ruinously
i the character Of the relations between III,
General Government and the States
The relations between them. if it were
once understood that the distribution po
llcy was 10 be permanent, would rapidly
become OF that sort which must, in the
long run, always exist between the humble
receiver and the bounteous giver-rela-
tons, mean, of dependence, suppleness,
and yassalage. For our Federal, we
Ishould soon have an Imperial Republic !;
and subject provinces, in lieu Of sovereign
States.
Let not any man suppose that, if the
policy of distribution is begun, it would
soon, stop of ITSELF by the exhaustion of
the public. lands; and that, therefore, no
limitation of time need be enacted against
1t. The amount of the public lands still
remaining is immense, and sales must con
tinue to be made of them for an indefin.
itcly long time--even though we look not
to Oregon, which is already ours, unless
we shall determine TO cover and retire
from our own vast domain there, under
the growing of the audacious British
lion; or although we should lose sight of
Texas, which is certainly destined to our
embrace and possession, unless the in
estimable acquisition is rejected by the
dominant sectional maj ority Of this Union,
in Difference again to Great Britain, in
hatred OF Southern Institutions and gran.
deur, and in order TO perpetuate the su.
premacy of The non-sIaveholding portion
Of the Confoderacy over all the rest. For
hese, it cannot be doubted, are the con-
alterations that mainly control all the whie
party. and great many democrats, against
annexation, everywhere North of Mason |
md Dixon's line. i
The Distribution policy, rs compared s
With the system of Internal Improvement I
md Protective Tariff, undoubtedly pos
'esses one great merit-that Of greater
equality of operation. But at the same
ime, II Is policy, than which nothing |
IAN tend more strongly to emasculate, de. |
grade, and denationalizc, as it were, the '
States; for no Government can lay claim
o dignity, strengh, or indcpende nee,
which, instead of relying on itself and its |
'wn laws and action for income, leans on I
mother Government for its supplies. Pc (
;uniary dependence, either in individuals
n States, is, when it becomes 10 be a +
ystem, or habit of life, most debasng
nd enslaving influence.
But there is another Objectionable as. I
ect in which Distribution forces itself p
pom our examination. With all the I
rounds of objection against it fdoop and ),
Impressive as they are) at which have
lanced, party, nevertheless, urges it on .
he country as party measure--as a Il
leasure to be adopted and kept up per- p
at all events, without reference h
} the fiscal wants of the Union or the
tates. What does such measure mean,
'hcn thus made party question to this II
,ngth? What else can it mean, than a
irect and open offer Of distributions of n
ne public money in return for popular C
uifrages and support The language of "
uch party is, "I you piU put The Go. h
eminent an my hands, ,pM make per. c.
etual distributions of money among you
$ long as the public property lasts" So Ii
ne great demagogues Of ancient Rome, =
their struggles for power, were wont to
~ the heavy hand of taxation and extor- n
on on the provinces, in order to fill the p
ublic granaries with corn, for distribution O.
mong the voters of the imperial city y,
good deal Of this old Roman spirit is :,
ct extant in Republics, and has shown III
self not little, have thought, among CT
'me of our statesmen, in their schemes h;
r the gratuitous distribution Of the pub. So
: lands. l leave it to the people, gen
emen, to decide how far am right in
Illing it money-lure and money engine 81
The hands of those who insist on il as of
party question, and as reason why ia
cir party should be brought into power in
The three leading measures of wing re
'licy which have now noticed-namelv,
Protective Tariff, Internal improvements -
the General Government, and Dis. IN
button by that Government of the pro- 60
eds of the sales of the public lands
long The States--are all, paIpably, mea- To-
res having their origin in pecuniary
,tves Of the coarser sort; measures
pealing, barefacedly and powerfully, in as
ferent forms, to that love of money, and a. al