Washington sentinel., 1854-02-01
what lost in the divided responsibility of a mul-

} what lost in the divided responsibility of q mul
titude of receivers.
Thirdly. Ii will secure successful appliea
ton of the taxes. '-
The object aimed at will be distinctly under
stood, the accountability OF officers and contrac
tors will be clear and immediate, and the in
terests OF the constituency will make them
watchful. Residence and daily observation
will give an accuracy Of knowledge which mere
study cannot acquire, and whichunaided science
is baitied in attempting to attain. There are
mighty laws of God which are hidden from hu
man insight, and the process Of whose work.
lngs science has not yet explored. The monu-
ments oftheir power are scattered around US,
but we comprehend not the mystery of their
birth; nor can we apportion, with scientific ex-
actness, the influence of each combining cause.
We know not by scientific investigation how
storms, and wind, and current, and OBJ
struction, natural and foreign, below the sur
face of the water, may work changes nor how
great those changes may be. AS the old sailor
IN the tropics will see the storm and toretell its
| track, when the mere scientific astronomer
would gaze only upon the beauty of the scene
and from its cloudless azure predict days of
coming quiet, so the weather-beaten mariner,
with daily and interested observation, will tell
YOU of changes which defy the splendid resources
Of science. Thus, by committing local inter
ests to local hands, you will secure an accuracy
of knowledge that you will not otherwise OBJ
| tain.
AS you circumscribe the limits within which
taxes are to be laid, you insure watchfulness
and accountability. As the object designed to
| be accomplished will be important, and as its
execution devolves upon those interested in it,,
| so the efforts will be continuous, sustained, and
N fail h, ,nla &c
internal improvements, you will secure sue
cessful application of the taxes, by securing an
accuracy of. knowledge, which will apportion
the means to the end, and the best mode of
| attaining the end--a rigid accountability and
| interested watchfulness, and a continuous and
untaling supply.
Fourthly. 1t will restore the government to
| its republican simplicity. ..
In a republic the basis of ofdespotism is money;
in an oligarchy its basis is land. The repubii-
can spirit has hitherto decayed through none
tary influence and corruption. Gold may buy tire
smiles of every divinity in the whole mytho-
logic circle, except those of the goddess of Lib
erty. Republican freedom fourishes and grows
hardy only upon an empty exchequer, as the
flower that is beautifed by storm and winter
grows only on the Alpine heights. Freedom
resides in the hearts ola people, and her only
throne is virtue. She must be worshipped too,
with loyal love and stainless devotion Sir, if
the American people would escape danger, they
must have scanty exchequer. The liberty of
republics has hitherto been buried in gold pits.
Money, sir, is an element of power every
| where, and in the hands of selfish and unscru-
puous ambition here, with a network of cleo
trio wires spread all over the land, it will pros
titute the Constitution, and wear away its qua
ranties. Sir, the money power absorbs all
other powers 1t involves taxation, too, and
| you can only reduce the two by reducing the
objects to which they may be applied.
The President Of the United States, in
recommending tonnage duties, recommends
the restoration of the government to its origi,
nal simplicity, by reducing the number of OBJ
| jects to which taxation and the finances of the
country shall be applied.
Now, sir, let us examine whether internal
Improvements made by the federal government
will secure, lst, economy in laying taxes; I'd,
in collecting taxes Sd, a successful applica
ton of them ,:.
The taxes, being spread over vast surface
and drawn by indirect and crcuitous means,
will prevent lively watchfulness and full un.
derstanding of their imposition. With power
ful interests struggling to enrich themselves
by increasing the taxes, and band of merce
nary partisans to satisfy, it will be to the ben
eft OF the government to be extravagant in
| taxation. Watchfulness is lost in the diffusion
of the burden, and accountability is drowned
in the clamor of struggling factions. Have we
| had economy in taxation Read the history of
our legislation, and you will find it to be one
of spoliation and wrong. Avarice upon power
and cunning has begotten extravaganza, and
the child has pandered to the lusts of its hate,
| fu parents History shows that internal i'm
provements by the federal government are
destitute of the commonest requirements of
economy. s.m..
Secondly. Will it secure economy in col.
| lecting taxes? With intriguing interests to be
enriched by lavish expenditures, and cohort
OF needy and adventurous supporters to be sup.
piled with places and fed out of the treasury is
it reasonable to suppose that the number of
places will be diminished and the money power
Of the government willingly reduced? The
history of the past throws light upon the fiji
| ture. .," ....
Thirdly. Will it secure successful applca-
ton of the taxes? Will the federal govern
ment possess the necessary local information
And will there be the necessary watchfulness
and accountability in the expenditure of the
iundS, and also q constant and uniailing
supply? | think have shown that it will not
have the necessary information, as this must
be derived from residence and daily and inter
ested observation. There will not be that
watchfulness and accountability which are in
dispensable, because the taxes will be dffused
over too great surface; and the government
will not inspect closely the accounts of needy !.
and clamorous partisans. Will there be a
constant and uniailing supply? With $780,
100000 to be struggled for in every presiden
tial canvass, with splendid Offices and high
honors at stake, will not local applications be
disregarded, when they interfere with the great
combination necessary to success in such
struggle? Have they not hitherto been disre-
garded? The very materials which have been
bought by the federal government to prosecute
works of internal improvement have decayed,
even while Congress was harassed with appi |
cations for further aid. Gigantic enterprises
have been begun in every quarter of the
union and been allowed to crumble and waste
away, while their recipients were clamoring at
Al. IL 4