Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1848-12-07

PrfnenslNe SCnente OF Internal Improvements,
capable OF indefinite enlargement, and suih-
Gent to swollow up as many millions annu.
ally as could be eSacted from the foreign com
merce OF the country. This vas convent
eut and necessary adjuact TO a protective ia
riff. Ii was to be the great absorbent OF any
surplus which might at any time accumulate
in the treasury and of the taxes levied on the
people, not for necessary revenue purposes,
but for the avowed object OF afford,ng protec-
ton to the favored classes.
Auxiliary to the same end, il il was not
an essential part OF the system Itself, was the
scheme which at later period, obtained, for
the distribution OF the proceeds of the sales
OF the public lands omong the states. Other
exdedients were devised to take mone0 out OF
the Treasury, aud prevent its coming in, from
any other source than protective tar fl. The
authors and supporters OF the system were
the advocates OF the largest expenditures,
whether Tor necessary or useful purposes or
not. because the larger the expenditures the
greater was the pretext Tor high taxes, in the
form of protective duties.
These several measures were sustained by
popular names and plausible arguments, by
which thousands were deluded. The Bank
was represented to be all indspensa BILE fiscal
agent Tor the government, was TO equalize
exchanges, and to regulate aud furnish a sound
currency, always and everywherc OF uniform
currency. The protective tariff was TO give
employment to "Americon Labor at adyau-
oed prices; wos 10 protect "home Industry,
and furnish d steady market Tor the iarmer.-
Internal Improvements were TO bring trade
into every ueighborhood; enhance the value
OF every mans property. The distribution
OF the public land money was TO enrich the
States, finish their public works, plant schools
Throughout their borders, and relieve them
| from taxation. But the fact that for every
dollar taken out of the Treasury for these OBJ
| iects, much larger sum was transferred from
the pockets Of the people to the favored clas-
ses, was continually concealed. as was also
the tendency, il not the ultimate design OF
the system, to build up an aristocracy OF
wealth, TO control the masses OF society, and
monopoIize the political powef OF the coun-
| try.
The several branches Of this system were
S, in inately blended together, that in their
operation each sustained and strengthened
the others. Their joint operation was TO aid
new burdens of taxation, and to encourage
largely increased and wasteful expenditure a
public money. 1t was the interest OF the
bank that the revenue collected aud the dis
bursement made by the Government should
be large. because, being the depository OF the
public money, the larger the amount thu gfea
ter would be the bank profits BY its use. 1t
was tide interest Of the favored classes, who
were enriched By the Protective Tariff, 10
have the rates OF that protection as high as
possible; for the higher those rates, the grea-
ter would be their advantage. II was the In
terest Of the people oil all those sections and
localities who expected 10 be benefited Tor
internal Improvements, that the amount col
leeted should be as large as possibie, 50 that
the sum disbursed might also be the larger;
the States being The beneficiarirs in the dis
lrlbulion OF the land money, had an Interest
in having The rates oil tax imposed BY Pro-
tective Tariff large enough to yield sufhcl-
ent revenue from toat source, 10 meet the
wants of the Government, without disturbing
or taking from them the land iund, so that
each 81 the branches constituting system,
had a common intarest in swellipg the public
expenditures They had direct interest in
maintaining the public debt unpaid, and IN
creasing It's amount, because this would pro-
Iucp annual increase drains upon the Treasu-
rs. To the amount ot the interest, and render
augmented taxes necessary. lie operation
and necessary effect OF the whole system
were to encourage large and extiavagant ex-
pendiIures, and thereby toincreass The publt
patronage, aud maintain ID rich and splendid
government al the expense OF the taxed aud
Impoverished people.
Ii is manifest that This scheme Of enlarged
laxation and expenditure, had II continued to
prevail must soon have converted the govern
.aent OF the Union, intended by lis trainers 10
be plain, cheap and simple confederation oil
| States, united together Tor common protec-
lion, and charged with few specific du les,
relating chiefly 10 our foreign Affairs, into
consolidated empire, deprivlng the States OF
their reserved rights, aud the people OF tn IT
| lust D ywer aud control in the administration
oi their government In this manner the
whole form aud cha racler OF the government
would be changed not BY an amendment OF
the constitution. but by resorting TO an un-
warrantabIe and unauthorized construction ol
that instrument.
| That national bonk, proteciiue tariff,
| levied not 10 raise the revenue needed, but
for protection merely internal Improvements,
and the distribution Ut the proceeds OF the
sale OF the public lands, are measures with
out the warrant ol the constitution. would,
upon The malurest consideration, seem TO be
| clear. L, is remarkable thot no one oil these
measures involving such momentous conse
quences, is authorised by any express grant OF
! power in the constitution. No one OF them
is ..ncident TO, as being .cessary and proper
Tor the execution OF the specific power"
granted by the constitution. The horlty
ind which it has ben attempted to Iastiiy
| each Of them, is derived from nierences and
constructions OF the contribution, winch its
lie ter and whole object and design 10 not
warrant.
Great division of opinion upon the subject
existed in Congress. 1t Is well known that
| President Washington entertained s~sious
doubts both as to the constitu,ionahty OF aud
ex pediency OF the measure; and while the al
was before him for his official approval or dis
approval, 81 great were these doubts, That he
| required "lhe opinions in writing" oil the
members of his cabinet, to aid him IN arrl-
wing at ID decision. His cabinet gave their o.
pimon, aud were divided upon the subject
ienera Hamilton being in favor Of and Mr..
Jefferson and Mr.. Randolph being opposed to
conslitutiouality and expediency OF the bank.
1t is we'll known, also. that Presiden.
Washington retained the bill from Monday
the fourteenth. when twas presented 10 him,
until frdas, the twenty-htth OF February,
being the last moment permitted him by the
constitution TO deliberate. when he finally
yielded 10 it his reluctant assent, and gave il
his signature Ii is certain that as la;e as the
twenl, third OF February-being the ninth
day after the bill was presented to him-he
had arrived at no satisfactory conclusion; for
on that dag he addressed note to Gen. Ham
ilton in which he informs him that sthis bill
was presented to me by the joint committee
of Congress at 10 O'Clock, on Monday. the
fourteenth instant" and he requested his OPP
inion ''to what precise period, by legal ineer-
pretation OF the constitution, can the Presl-
dent retain il in his possession, before II be-
comes law BY the lapse OF ten days"
II the proper construction was. that the
day ON which the bill was presented TO the