Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-12-15

potoh 10 DC received by the favored classes, would
as general rule, be increased in proportion to the
increase OF the rate CT tax imposed, and diminished
as those rates reduced TO the standard
| required By the wants of government.
The rates required 10 produce sutfc tent revenue
Tor the ordinsry expenses of government for
sIry purposes, were not likely to give the private
partners in This scheme profits suiicen> to satisfy
their cupidity; and hence variety Of expedienIs
am p?cieSlS were reSorted to, for the purpose of
enl 'rsmS the eXpsndiues, and thereby creating a
necessity Tor keeping up a high protective tariff
he ELECT OF this policy to introduce artificial
restrictions upon the natural course OF business and
trade, and to advance the interests Of large capital
lists and monopolists, at The expense Of the great
mass OF tie people. who were taxed 10 increase
their we'd h.
Another branch Of Ibis system. was
comprehensive scheme Of internal improve
mcnis, and capable of indefinite enlarge
mGnt, and sufficient 10 swallow as many
millions annually, as could be eXacted from
the foreign commerce Of the country
IhIs was a convenient and necessary adj
Junct OF the protective tariff. II was the
great absorbent of any surplus that might
at any time accumulate in the Treasury,
and OF the duties levied on the people not
tor necessary revenue purposes, but for the
ayowed object Of niorcing protection to the
favored classes.
! Auxiliary to the same end, if it was not
an essential part Of the system itself, was
The scheme, at a later period, obtained for
The distribution of the proceeds of The sales
oi the public lands, among the States
Other cNpedirnts were devised To take
money out OF the Treasury and----
than the protective tariff. The authors
ana supporters OF the system were the adj
yocatss Of the largest expenditures, whether
Tor necessary or useful purpose or not be
cause the greater was the preleXt for high
taxes, III The form Of protective duties.
When several measures were sustained
by popular names, and plausible arguments
The several branches of this system were
50 admirably blended together that in their
operation each sustained and strengthened
! me other: their JOINT operation was to add
new burdens OF taxation, and to encourage
alargey increased and wastciul expenditure
| 'tpubIlc money. 1t was the interest Of the
! Bank that the revenue and the disbuysg-
ments made by the government should be
large, because, being the depository the
public money, the greater would he the
banks profit by its use. |, was the inter
est Of The iayred classes, who were enriched,
to have the rates Of that protection as high
as possible, for the higher these rates the
greater would be their profits. 1t was the
interest Of all these sections and localities
which expected to be benefited by expcn.
dinTes for internal improvements, that the
amount collected should b: rs large as pos
sl5Ie, so that the sum Gisburscd might also
be large, end the States being the bcaelcia-
RES in the distribution of the land money,
had az interest in having the rates imposed
by protective tariff large enough to yIe!d
sufficient revenue from that source 10 meet
The wants OF the government, without dis
turbng or taking from the land fund so
! Ihat each branch constituting the system
had common interests in swelling The public
expenditures. they hada direct interest in
making the public debt, and increasing the
amount because it would produce an annu
al increased drain upon the treasury to The
amount OF the interest, and render augmcn-
ied taxes necessary. The operation and
necessary effect Of the whole system was
to encourage large and cxtravagant expcn-
d'Wres; and thereby increase the public
patronage, and maintain rich and expcn~
aiye government at the expense of a taxed
and impoverished people.
1t IS manifest that this scheme ofcnIarced
taxation and expenditures, had it continued
to prevail, must soon have converted the
government Of the Cnon, intended by its
trainers to be plain, cheap conlcIerary Of
States, united together for common protec-
uon, and charged with a few specific duties
relating chiefly to our foreign affairs, into a
consolidate cmpire-depriving the States
OF their reserved rights, and the people of
their just power and control in the admin
istration OF their government. In this way
the whole form of govern ment would be
changed-not by an amendment to the con
sttuuoE, but by rcsorting 10 an unWarrant-
able and unauthorized construction.
The indirect mode Of lowing revenue bv a duty
Oh imports. prevents the mass OF the people iroin
readily petc"Iving the amoUmt they pay. and has
enabled lew VINO are thus enriched, and who seek
to wIed the political power Of the country to de-
ceye and drIadc them. Were the taxes a direct
levy upon the people, as is the case III the States
TINS could no, occur.
The whole system was resisted from its inception
b. many Of our ab.cSt statesmen. some Of whom
doubted It's coastitGionality and ezprdcncv. while
others believed Il wa< in al It's branches, a fragrant
ard G1ngaroua iutractou q. the Constitution.
That 4 protective tariff levied, not 10 raise the
revenue, bat protective merely, internal improve
ncnis and distribution Of the sales OF pubic lands
are measures without TIE warrant of the con>t.tu-
u"n, Woad. upon the maturcst considerations seem
to De- clear. 1t Is remarkable that no one of these
measures. involving such momcntoUs Consequences,
IS authorized By amy express grant Of power in the
constitution. Ne one OF them IS -- to, - as
beng necessary ard proper o. the execution Of spe-
enc powers granted By the constitution. The au-
tao NY under which it hos Been attempted to Justify
each Of them, is derived from inference and con-
stncLon ol the constitution which It's whole object
and design do not warrant is It 70 ha conceived that
such immense powers would have been left by the
Trainers 81 the constitution 20 u.egcuccs and doubt
t'd constructions! Had il been intended TO confer
t'en on the federal government, it is but rcasona-
be 10 conclude that il would have been done by IN
eIuIEocai grants This was not done bat the
whole structure Of which the .tncreaJ system con-
s.stcd, was reared on no other foundation tha fore
cd implications and differences. which H. author as
stunned might be dydJccd fcoIn construction Of the i
constitution.
Bat it has been urged that the National Bank |
which constituted 50 essential branch of that |
a