The Democratic pioneer. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1845-1853, 1848-12-29

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be1efted by theNexpenditdres of inter
( nal Improvements, that the amount col.
3 lecied should be as large as possible, so
J that the sum disbursed light also be the
4 large J, tile States being the benehc aries
Lin The distribution Of the land money, had
an interest IN having The rates-impose
| BY a protective tariff large enough TO
n WELD a sufi cient revenue from that source
to meet The wants Of the government
without disbhrsing or taking from them
the land fluids; so that as the branches
we're CO lituted, he system had common
4 interest in swelling the public expendi,
ture. They had a direct interest in
mAintainins the public debt, unpaid and
increasing its ampunt because others
would produce auannually increased drain
upon the treasury, TO the amount olthe
/ interest,", and render augmented taxes
necessary. The operation and necces
sary effect Of the whole system were TO
encourage large aud extravagant expen.
dituras and thereby to increase the pdb :
lie patronage, and maintain a rich and
expensive government at the expense Of
a taxed and impoverished people.
Ii is manifest that the source of en-
larged taxation and Expenditures, had
they continued TO prevail, must soon have
converted the government Of the Union
intended by its trainers to be plain,
! cheap and simple confederation of States
united together for common protection
and charged Will few specific duties,
relating chiefly TO our foreign affairs, in
4 consolidated empire, depriving the
States If 'beir just power and control in
he administration Of their government
10 thus manner the whole form and char
acDer Of the government would be chan.
ged, not by an amendment of the Consi
tulion--but by resorting to an nnwar-
rantable and unauthorizad construction
Of that Instrument.
The Indirect mode Of levyiug the taxes
by duty on imports, prevent the most
of the people from readily perceiving the
amount they pay, and has enabled the
few who are thus enriched, and who seek
to WELD the political power OF the ooun,
try, to deceive and deIude them Were
axes a more direct levy upon the people,
as is The case in the States, this could not
occur,
The whole system was resisted from its
inception by many Of our ablest states-
men, some Of whom doubted its constitu-
tionality aud expediency while others
believed il was, 10 all branches, fla.
grant and dangerous infractlon of the
Constitution.
That National Bank, Protective
Tariff, levied not TO raise the revenue
need bat for protection merely--in-
oi the proceeds Of he aes Of pub ic lands
are without the warrant Of the oonstitu
tlon would upon the maturest considera-
ton seem 10 he clear. /, is ascert aimed
that no one of these measures, involving
such mumentous consequences, was au.
thorzad by any express grant of the Con,
been necessary aud proper for the exer
else Of the specific powers granted by the
constitution. The authority upon which
it has been attempted TO justify each OF
them is derived from inferences and con,
structlons of the constitutions, which its
letter, and whole Obj ect and design do not
immense powers would have been left by !
the framers of The constitution TO mere
Inierences and doubtful construction!-
Had il been intended TO confer them on
the Federal Government, it is but rea.
souahle to conclude that it would have
been done by plain and uneqnivocal grants
This was not done, but the whole str uc.
iure Of which the American System con.
sisted was reared on no other or better
foundation that forced interpretations and
interierenoes of power which its authors
assumed might be deducted, by cunstrcc
lions from the constitution.
But it has been urged that the Nation.
al Bank, which constitute so essential a
a branch of this system of measures, W as
not new measure, and that its cons titu.
tonality had been sanctioned in 1891,
and had the ofic ial signature of President
Washington. A few facts will show the
just weight TO which this precedent should
be entitled, as bearing upon the question
of constitutiouality.
Great division Of opinion on the Sub
ject existed in Congress, 1t is well known
that President Washington. entertained
serious doubts both as TO the constitution.
ality and expediency Of the measure.--
And while the bill was before him for his
official approval or disapproval, SO grea,
were his doubts, that he required 'lhe
opinion in writing Of the members OF
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