Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-03-25
NO. XVII.
Buchanan on Distribution.

The following is an extract from speech de.
llivered by President Buchanan in the United
States Senate, on the 28th of February, 1897:
am sorry now to believe in the truth OF the
declaration of the Senator from Missouri, Mr..
Benton that the land bill is lifeess corpse. !
hare clung to that measure, through good report
and through eril report. until 1t has been ADAM
doned Jy all its other friends, and am tett os
tie only mourner Of its unhafpy .tate. Dead
and gone, as it appears TO be, shall not do lts
memory so much injustice as to compare It with
the system of distribution which its former
friends have now adopted in its stead.
The land bill uouM be the safety catre, the
regulator of our system Of rerenue and erpendi-
tire, @ittout inJ7icting any Of the eeaS on Me
Federal Government achich must fo@ from an
nual distributions Of the surplus IN the Treasury.
| What is the theory Of our Government under
the constitutions Congress possesses the power
to levy and collect taxes. For what purpose
To accomplish the great object specified in the
constitution. This power of levying taxes ear
ries with it an immense responsibility. The
Representatives of the people, when they know
that all the money they appropriate must be ta-
ken from the pockets Of their constituents, will
be careful to expend it with economy and dis
cretion. But we possess O vast reservoir OF
wealth in our public lands, so irregular in its
current that, in one year. it pours into the pub.
| lie Treasury twenty millions, and in the next 1t
contributes but one-tenth of that sum. This de-
ranges all our legislation, and renders all great
interests of the country fuctuating and insecure.
| 1t encourages extrayagant appropriations ny
Congress- aud banishes economy from our legs-
lation. 1t leaves every interest in doubt and
uncertainty. In one year, when we have more
money than we know how to expend, we hear
the cry that the tariff must be reduced the rev.
enue must be diminished to the necessary ex-
penditures OF the Government; protection must
be withdrawn from our manufactures. The next
year, perhaps there may be reaction. Specu,
aton in the public lands may have exhausted
itself, and the receipts Of the Treasury from this
source may be greatly diminished. What comes
then? The tariff must be raised; the dufles on
imports must be increased to meet the necessary
wants of the Government. Thus the public
mind is kept in perpetual state of excitement.
No domestic interest can calculate upon any ilx-
ed and steady protection. We are in state OF
continual doubt, public opinion tluctuating with
the fluctuations in the sales of the public lands.
None of the great interests of the country can
ever flourish, unless they can calculate, with
some degree of confidence, upon some steady
and certain course of legislation in relation to
themselves. Nou, sir, a distribution Of the pro- .
ceeds Of the public lands among the States acouid
reaaedu all these euils and correct all these anon
lilies of oar system. 1t aeould drdw OF from the
General Government this eccentric source Of rere-
nue., and distribute it among the States. WE
SHOULD THEN BE LEFT WHERE THE CONSTITUTION
INTENDED TO PLACE Us. The CONVENIENT
WOULD THEN BE ADMINISTERED on ITS ORIGINAL
PRINCIPLES. All our expenditures would then
be derived from the taxes which we might inn
Al. 1o,la fba riff
rendered fixed and certain. Whatever protec-
ton might then be afforded would be stable
Under the circumstances, an incidental protec-
tive duty, comparatively small, would be of
more real value than o much larger one, subject
to all the risks and uncertainty which now exist.
A manufacturer, whilst embarking in business,
would not then dread lest the policy of Congress
might change before he could get into successful
operation. There would then be no taxes raised
from the people to be distributed among the
people. We should hear no moro OF surpluses.
Combining some such disposition OF the pro-
ceeds of tho public lands with an arrangement,
as to the lands themselves, which would be sat-
isfactory to the new States, the system might
thereby be rendered perfect and permanent.
am strongly impressed with the belief that 3
plan might be devised which would meet the
appreciation of all reasonable men 10 the new
States, whilst the just rights of the old States
would be amply secured. But all hope OF such
d consummaton has almost departed. The
friends of the land bill have cast it aside. Ecen
the Senator trou, kentucky has abandoned the
promising child mhich he has aelopted and nursed
80 long and so tendwly, and is no1 earessing and
chsrislsing tile iU:tarored 6antling Shieh is noe
before the Senate.--Register Of Debates in Con-
gress, pages 10O4,-5.