Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-03-30

gresS exceeds Its legitimate function
as defined in the fundamental law, an
which is hostile in its nature to til
ipower from which 1t is implied. Pro
lection may be carried to point whic]
would destroy all revenue; and if du
ties may De levied Cor other purpose
besides revenue, there can be no rea
son that no such purposes should no
be pursued to the extent of ptohibiin:
all importat:ons whatever. Indeed,
seems at one time to have been the in
tention Of its most distinguished advo
cate to carry prohibition TO such an ex
tent, that portion at least of the ma
tional revenues should be raised from
internal taxation. But, to whatevtj
extent the Tariff policy is carried, fur
Their than for objects of revenue, it i;
unjust and oppressive. Ii abridges
the ri Oh, Of the exporting States of the
Union to seek those markets which
their interests would designate as best
and it not only exrmpts the manufac-
!urer from supporting his due share Of
the public burlhens, bnt, by enhancing
the value of his products, it enables
him to reap an additional harvest, be.
cause it is necessary that public bur-
,hens should be borne by our people.
The Treasury Of the United States
derives extensive revenues from the
proceeds CT the sales of the public
lands. These revenues the Wing par.
ty wish to distribute among the sever.
al States, making them mere stipen.
diaries Of the Federal Government
and by diminishing the resources ofthe
pubic Treasury, they wish to force a
resort to higher duties for purposes OF
protection. But this is not the most
prominent measure whose tendency is
to drain the Treasury and extend the
perogatives Of The General Govern
mert. A gigantic scheme of internal
improvements has been advocated by
the Wing party, which is not confined
to objects Of national importance, but
extended to those of mere local con-
Germ. Under such system there would
be no limit to the power Of Congress
over taxation. The vast amount OF
expenditure which this scheme requires,
would furnish sufficient excuse fol
placing burthens on any interest with
in the broad limits of the country. A
combination would soon be formed oy
which a majority of Congress could be
secured, and that majority would OPP
press all to whom it did not owe allie
glance, and wiring their substance from
them by all the means and appliances
known to financial skill, in order to
squander it, in wasteful profusion, to
enhance the property and increase the
commercial facilities Of their constitu-
ents. Soon, all eyes would be fixed,
with an eager gaze, on the Govern
ment at Washington: as the great dis
perser of property. The States would
become powerless, for they, too, would
be embraced in the giant scheme
With their landmarks obli,erated, their
pride humbled, and their interests in
the grasp of greater power, they, 100,
would be forced to band themselves in
combinations, in order to monopolize
the public patronage. This would
soon put an end 10 the history OF the
Confederacy, and commence that of a
consolidated empire.
Such, fellow citizens, is brief out
line of the domestic policy Of the Wing
party, and TO this policy the Republican
party has ever been opposed. Believ-
ing that a strict construction of the
Constitution can alone preserve the
States from Federal encroachments, it
always looks to that instrument and
considers the ends and objects Of the
Union, before it consents TO the exer-
else of any power by the Government.
AS the fundamental law confers no au-
,hority on Congress 10 incorporate a
banking institution which must, If
successful, hold in its power, the cur
rency and commerce of the country,
and prove dangerous instrument OF
political power, system of collecting,
safekeeping & discussing the public m 0
MES, has been devised by the Democrat
ic party, which does not depend on any
forced construction of the Constitution,
which does not build up dangerous
corporation in our midst, but performs
the fiscal operations of the Government
with safety and economy. The merits
of the Independent Treasury are fully
established by its success. An unusu-
a. amount Of public money has been
received and discussed at remote points
without loss or trouble; ard even the
great financial embarrassments Of
Great Britain have failed to derange
the currency or check the national
prosperity. It is hardly reasonable to
suppose, that such a. state Of things
would exist, had National Bank been
in operation and used as the deposito'
nv Of the Government. Human sagac
isy cannot inform US Of the calalnities