Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-12-13

IN cases OF emergency. The corrupt power of such
a political engine is no longer matter of spccua
,'on' having been displayed in numerous instances.
but most sgnally in the political struggles " 1899
So IN opposition to the public will represented
ny fearless and patriotic President.
nut me bank was but one branch Of the new
system. public debt OF more than one hundred
and twenty millions of dollars existed and It is moi
10 I've disguised that many of the authors of the new
system did not regard its speedy payment as essen
t'ai 70 tire public prosperity, but looked upon IFS
continuance as no national evil. Whilst tha debt
existed 1t furnished aliment 10 the national bank
a"o rendered Increased taxation necessary to the a
mount OF the interest, eXceedsg seven millions of
dollars annually "
I! MS operated in harmony with the next branch
| VI .Ee new system, which was high protective
'ariii i his was 10 afford bOunties to favored class
es and particular pursuits, the expense of all O.
'ners. a proposition To tax the whole people for
The purpose of enrichng few was too monstro,,s
TO be openly made The scheme was, therefore.
veIled under the plausible but delusve pretext of
measure TO protect "home industry - and many Of
| our people We've, for time led to believe that
tax which in the main fell upon labor was for the be
neht OF the laborer who paid it.. This branch of
Inc system involved partnership between the Go
vernment and the favored claSses-the former re-
ceving the proceeds of the tax imposed on articles
imported and the latter the increased price of SINH
lar articles produced at home, caused nv such ,ox
II is obvious that the portion to be received by the
| favored classes would as general rule Se increas
cd IN proportion to the increase of the rates of tax
| imposed. and diminished as those rates were re-
duccd to the revenuestandard required by the wants
OF the Government. The rates required to produce
sufficient revenue for the ordinary expenditure of
government, for necessary purpose s. not like
" to give to the private partners i'm this scheme
profits sufficient to satisfy their cupidity; and hence
variety OF eXpedlents and pretcXts were resorted
To ior the purpose OF charging the expenditures,
ana thereby creating necessity for Keeping up a
high protective tariff. The effect Of this policy
was 10 lnterpose artificial restrictions upon the nat
ura course of the business and trade of the country
and to advance the interests of large capitalists and
monopollss, at the expense of the great mass of the
people, who were taxed TO increase their wealth
Another branch Of this system was comprehen-
slve scheme of internal Improvements, capable OF
indefinite enlargement, and sufficient to swallow I'M
as many millions annually could be exacted from
the foreign commerce of the country This was
convenient and necessary adjunct Of the protective
tariff ii was TO be the great absorbent Of any sur
plus which might at any time accumulate i'm the
Treasury, and of the taxes levied on the people, not
Tor necessary revenue purposes, but for the avowed
object OF afording protection to The favored classes
Auxiliary TO the same end, if it was not an es-
sental part OF the system itself, the scheme
which, at later period, obtained for distributing
the proceeds of the Sales of the public lands among
the States. Other expediens were devised to take
money out OF the Treasury, and prevent its coming
in from any other source Than the protective tariff
The authors and supporters of the system were the
advocates OF the largest expenditures, whether for
necessary or useful purposes not, because the
larger the expenditures the greater the pretext
for high taxes in the form of protective duties
these several measures were sustained by pom
ular names and plausible arguments by which thor
sands were deuded. The bank was represented
to be an indispensable fiscal agent for the Govern
ment was TO equalize exchanges, and to regulate
ana furnish sound currency, always and eyery
where of uniform value. The protective tariff was
to give employment 10 american labor'' at ad-
vanced prices was TO protect s'home industry. ,,
and furnish steady market for the farmer Inter
nal improvements were 10 bring trade into every
neighborhOod and enhance the value of every mans
property The distribution of the 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 eff the Treasury for these objects much
larger sum was transferred from tie pockets of the
people to the favored classes was carefully conceal
ed, as also the tendency if not the ultimate desipn
Of the system to build up arisocracy of wealth.
to control the masses of society, and monopolize the
political power of the country.
The several branches of this system were 50 in
timately blended together that in their operation
each sustained and Strengthened the others The
joint operation was to add new burdens of taxation
and to encourage largely increased and wasteful
expenditure of public money 1t was the interest
OF The bank that the revenue collected and the dis
bursements made by the Government should be
large, because, being the depository of the public
money, the larger the amount the greater would be
the bank profits by its 1t was the interest of
the favored classes, who enriched by the pro-
teclive tariff to have the of that protection as
high as possible; for the higher those rates the
greater would be their advantage. 1t was the in
terest OF the people OF all those sections and local
ties who expected to be benefited by expenditures
Tor internal Improvements that the amount collect
ed should be as large possible 10 the end that
The sum disbursod might also be the larger The
States, being the beDeciares in the distribution of
the land money had interest in having the rates
OF tax imposed by the protective tariff large enough
TO yield sufficient from that source to
meet the wants of the Government without dis
turbing or taking from them the land fund so that
each OF the branches constituting the system had
common interest in swelling the public expendi-
lures They had direct interest in maintaining
the public debt unpaid and increasing its amount.
because this wOnd produce annual increased drain
upon the Treasury TO the amount of the interest,
and render augmented taxes necessary. The ope
ration and necessary effect Of the whole system
were, TO encourage large and extravagant expendi.
lures; and thereby to increase the public patronage
ahG maintain rich and splendid Government at the
expense OF taxed and impoverished people.
1t is manifest that this scheme of ENLARGED taxa
ton and expenditures, had it continued TO prevail
must soon have converted the Government Of the
Union, intended by its trainers to be plain, cheap,
aud SIMPLE Confederation Of States united torelh-
err for common protection, and charged with a few
specific duties, relating chiefly to our foreign at
fairs, into consolidated empire deprivinU the
States of their reserved rights and the people of
their just power and control in the administration
of their Government In this manner the whole
form aud character of the Government would he
changed, not by an amendment of the constitution