Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-09-26

that he votes it away for custom>houses,
sc. It strikes me that the
democratic party of the last House Of Rep
resent tives proposedto reduce the reves
nue.. bring ii down to the standard of an
economical administration. and limit the
;expeld itnIes to The smallest amount, add
that the gentleman voted againstSit.
Mr.. Simmons. The peopleEwill never
consent to that.
Mr.. Letcher. The gentleman voted
against the reduction of the revenue, and
says now that the people will never con.
sent to it's reduction. He has told us to-
night that SO large revenue as we are
now collecting is corrupting the people
that it is one fthe means which politicians
use for the purpose of securing powerand
obtaining places Dan it be true. then,
that the people are unwilling to reduce
the revenue, and thus take away the means
Of corruption from the politicians ? Are
they unwilling to reduce tho revenue to;
the standard of ans economical govern
meRt ?. No, sir, it is the. politicians, like.
my friend from New York, who are op.
posed to this policy. They are tariff men,
and reduction of the tariff is at war with
their principles and policy. ii 475a, .s
Mr.Simmons. The gentleman does not
understand me. What 1 meant was, that
there,is too much money paid into She
treasury but that one branch of the goV-
eminent gets all, and the other none.
Mr.. Leicher. Which gets all p -a@a
Mr.. Simmons. The federal. .. .g!
Mr.. Letcher. It's the federal government
under our system, which is the collector OF
:he money; the government has no right to
collect more from the people than is Gb-
soluiely necessary to support an ecOnomi'
cal administration. This is the part of
wisdom upon our part. 1t is the part OF
duty to reduce the revenue to the lowest
point consistent with an economical expen-
diture by the general government. And
| how can this can be done in any other
way than by reducing the duties upon i'm
ports so as TO reduce the amount of reVe
nue. collected? .., ..r-.-.s-. -- -..
But, besides all this, what's the policy
Eof the gentleman from New York? He
proposes to have an army of agents en-
ployed by the general government, Who
|
the people which the government does
not need to pay its expenses, and which
is to be returned to the people again
through other paid agents, so that the
money is to get back to the people
diminished by the cost Of collec'
ton and the cost of distribution. Is that
wise policy ? Is not the democratic
policy far better, which leaves the money
in the pockets of the people, and collects
no more than is necessary for it's purposes
on strict principles of economy ?
Mr.. Simmons, 1t would be if the
States had the constitutional power to
collect duties on imports. Ny principle
is, that the government collect our reve-
npes by duties upon imports and If the
government sees fit, let it go into the
hands ofthe States as agents to make in
ternal improvements.
Mr.. Letcher. Let US sac how that
would work. The gentlsman's policy is,
that the revenues should be collected and
be returned TO the States for the purposes
ofinternal improvement. Is it not far better
to leave the peoplewith the money in their
pockets than to collect and return 1t 10
them diminished by the costs and charges
attending such process Besides,
what is the limit upon the federal govern
ment in the collection of revenue? Is 1t
not to pay the debts and provide for the
common defence and general welfare OF
the federal government, and not of the
States There is the power, and there is
the limitation upon its exercise but, in
stead Of that, the gentleman would have
this Limitation stricken out, and would
have this to be great central absolute
government, to collect what it pleases,
and distribute it as it pleases. And be-
sides that, after this revenue is collected.
could you return it in the same proper
tons to the pockets from which it came
Could those who paid this revenue into
the government get back the pro rata
share which they have paid You could
not return it in the same way and the
result would be, that you would collect
from the people of my State, (for exam
pie, and give to the people Of your State
that which is absolutely the property o!
my people, and which this government
had no right to demand from them. Il
could not be otherwise. Il is obliged to
be So; and whenever you place this fed
eral government in that position, would
not give that Swapping his fngerl for the
rights Of the States. But my friend,. l
take it, is q regular old fashioned federal,
list. How is that, nv friend?
Mr.. Simmons. Very likely.
Mr.. Letcher, I judged so. And I
judged SO from some bills which have
seen prepared by him in this House, which
shows that he is for breaking down the
State authority, and overriding it by the
power Of the federal government. AT
this very time he has q bill which he pro,
poses TO introduce into this House which
gives TO the federal nnyernmenk the DOW.