Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-28

Suppose for example, that such system be adopted
nis and under the authority Of the State
vessels arriving at that port what abuses win NOT
out oft! AS an illustration Of the universal and ney
table consequences OF such policy, might cite the ex-
ample already afforded by New city even
now as am informed under the color of for
the repair of the evee has imposed tax amounting to
more than "a 900 per upon q single vessel and
under the ordinance Of the CITY, the after renar
ing the evee is appropriated to the paving and improy
ing her streets Thus the Of sister States il
taxed for the improvement Of the city
This an abuse of legitimate power But il the gen.
ea proposed be instituted then under the auho
rity OF the State Of Louisiana and by the municipal gov
ernment OF New Orleans may of right be imposed
upon the produce Of Kentucky and upon the
Of the whole Mississippi valley in the manner and
perhaps for similar purposes Sir this system involves
precisely the principle against which our ancestors re-
beled was not because they were unwilling to be
taxed in legitimate manner and for proper purposes but
because they would not submit taxation without repre-
sentation-they would submit to a tax imposed mon
them by parties irresponsible Them Sir the carrying
out OF this system involves precisely the principle
1t Is besides even II it were just and proper in princi-
pe utterly impraccable 1t would be impossible to ar
range distribute fairly and satisfactorily the
of taxation among the different States and sections of the
country, and to determine the localities requiring ex
penditures " endless and irreconeabe iealouses and
difficulties would arise, with common arber to deter
mine them.
Let examine how the Senator from Illinois proposes
to obvate the difficulties arising under conflict as to the
amount Of taxes to be imposed and the localities
where those taxes shall be expended He proposes that
subconfederaces shall be formed consisting one case
Of the nine States that line the banks Of the Mississippi
and in another of the six States that border upon the
Ohio, to settle and harmonize all those difficulties Did
the honorable Senator forget for the me that this great
confederacy, this common partnership under which we
now live was formed for that very purpose reconcile
such difficulties, and to make taxation equal and uniform
throughout the country? Sir under this common part
nershp millions have been expended in the older parts
Of the conederacy because the necessity there
before the commerce Of the Mississippi valley had
isence and now that like necessity has arisen for
similar expenditures in the Mississippi valley we are
told that the localities must raise their own money
for their own necessities Is not this confederacy de-
vsed by the wisdom of revolutionary fathers good
enough to accomplish every purpose which the Sena-
tor from Illinois proposes accomplish in his pet scheme
of sub-confederacies and ub-partnersEps? To whom
does he propose to transfer that highest attribute Of
Government the power of taxation, in the exercise Of
which the greatest abuses may grow up AID out Of which
more conflicts between Governments and their citizens
have arisen than in the exercise Of any md all other
powers To whom is it proposed that this highest attr
butte of any Government shall be transferred? Let me
read from the speech of the Senator:
presume said he THAT each of those nine States would
agree by compact lis he weary of the compact already
that each State should appoint commissioner that
the nine commissioners should constitute board for the
action of business, and be inrested rs the poe Of laying
tonnage duties prescribing the mode Of their collection
pending the tmds" ....
From this House Of Representatives. composed Of re-
presentatves of the people from every district in the
country from the Senate Of the United States composed
OF the representatives of sovereign Sates from these
two Houses with the guardian and experimenting care
Of the Executive who has the power impose his veto
upon all unconstitutional hasty and unjust laws it is
proposed to take this great of the Government and
to transfer it into the hands of nine commissioners.
From this Government established upon the compromises
of the constitution which devised by almost super
human wisdom, but which the gentleman no longer
confde in he proposes to transfer that high power to
n ere prciae
the power OF Congress in imposing taxes but absolutely
exercise in addition the Executive power of expending
the proceeds power far transcending that which we
exerclse-a monstrous power rather combination Of
powers-the power to levy taxes and expend the pro-
ceeds at their discretion The temptations to cor
rupon thus afforded nine mortal commissioners that
were ever yet created would could resist Is it not
monsrous proposition that this Confederacy this great
Union, which we have been taught to admire-eyen to
love, sir-whch have been taught to look upon-f it
were not profane, would say almost with the wonder
and admiration with which contemplate the harmo-
nious movements of the solar SYSTEM where many
fictng forces harmonized and reconced-that this
great Confederacy to be broken up and in is place the
gentleman is to substitute little mechanical nanetarum
Of his own device Laughter This old slip-of.state,
launched amidst hurricane and storm, whchhas proudly
and safely batted with the elements throughthreequar
ters of century and strong in its Smbers now
as it was the day and hour it launcheds we have
good reason to believe from the which she has
brayed recent storm, terrific enough to appathe stout
est hearhe would tear her plank from plank and with
boat of his own architecture 'a .s
Sir, these nvasons upon the constitution must be re-
PEELED | know, l feel how poweress am in such
cause seem to myself to see, even with my limited
vsion the long train Of evils which are before
u.s. to be consummaed perhaps at last by the desruc
ton Of this ongrevered Confederacy ofours Advocated
and urged upon this policy is by of such emil
nence, distinction, and influence the Senator from ILL
nos, recommended by the Executive with all the power
and influence which he command, feel how power
less am and how powerless those who cooperate
with me under q party name upon this floor. / know
that we can but feebly combat with party who in their
dominant and transcendant supremacy despse
and influence; but sir fight behind the ramparts
of the constitution and may invite from that
party itself to aid in its defence know that Presi-
dent, upfted upon that huge towering heap Of gold,
counting up to fifty millions per annum, whose golden
flash upon the eyes of starving patriots like the very
hues Of the celestial city know that from that
height he hunts out his victims with the shafts Of Ex-
ecutive prescription in every retreat he
mortals in the valley beneath like Jupiter Tonans
from the summit Of Mount Olympus hurling the thun-
derbots of heaven know the power of his nod to
and command But, like the Titans of old, will srug
gle, though struggling in vain and in such
this defy even the gods of political power.
FEARFUL LEAP AND MARVELLOUS RESCUE.
JAxu rdov Tar