Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-04-03
coouists elsewhere The atmosphere in this latitude
Is hurtfpl TO the constitution o! ali such bipeds.


DISTRIBUTION-LETT FROh GOV. WISE.
The proposition for distribution of the proceeds
Of the public lands among The States, has, at inter-
va!s, engaged the attention OF the greatest nellocts
our country has produced. 1t has been repeatedly
exploded as unconstitutional, inpolitic aud imprac.
tcabe. Ard now, aftor being often dismissed from
the arena OF politics, an efete and obsolete ISSUE
ii is again e1humed aud parsded before the people,
a, the sheet anchor of their safety from bankruptcy
and ruin. Volumes have been spoken ana written
in regard to it. But we have Yet TO aee i's merits
and deneri,s, more luclliy and torcioiy eApounoeu
and exposed, compressed with such sen'entlousnes'
into so small c1mpass or more arguinehta'''e'!
analysed thaa in the following letter from Governor
| Wise.
With tha. comorshsn.ivness, vehenence, and re-
rislless logic. linking thought With thought ana
welding fact into tact in an unbroken chain OF elo
quencs and augmentation, so characteristic ot biz
genius, he has made it evident to the most oo'use
understanding that there is prther reason nor
right in the proposition for distribution. But TO the
| letter.
To the Editors ofMe enquirer:
RlcHsosp, Va, April lat, 1857.
Gentlemen viii you DO mo the fsvor, which
RELUCTANTLY ask, 10 re pah.h my letter 10 Mr. Banke
n. published the manuscript correo;Iyas was given
70 hi,r; but in tbs hurry at preparing the ofet on
"Depotil aud Distribution" the matter h.Ionylng 10
the act of 1911 transposef 10 nht ot iooo. Inc
accompanying correction will chow SIMPLY cnanRe
Of colocatiou with few verbal alterations 10 cores
pond, and the addition Of one lins only OF new mat
ter. You're, truly, hLHKf a. "i'h'
RlcHaoSD, March 26, 1857.
Dr.p Stp. presume thar no Onh is
chinerical enough to think of proposing re d,vson
ef tte public iaada fhem'e'ves Such propoSitloh at
this rne would oy virtually IL commence 10 dissore
The Union. X would be mprac!!cst!", II inwu, ahc
the latter is unttnahte Ia the tirner' 2as'' lnere
je dissolution # the Unioa opposed I" ms
oocause opposed TO d-union. The Question mus; be
treated, them as proposition to dI,pse "t fhe pro-
ceeds Of land and customs IN The treasury nnGls!in'
guishabe mdsseS 81 mo"ey there, as Il surplus from
time 10 time rnsy ar But two modes ot disposng
of ,urplus in H.: treasury, other than is pointed out
in the Constitution have b-en proposed and zach has
been tried. Deposit with The S,aes ard Distribution
10 The States Tile objections 10 both Gre nsupnrab-
Moaeyin the treasury IS "o' d.'tinsuen"n,e oy-
l., The son a. rom whence il cnrnes. Whether II
come. from land or customs, lis use is defined by the
Constitution, AID il is common lund !or Hati0nal
appropriation
l.t Ce-sons-deecs by States to the Y. >.
I'd. Acquisitions, by
lot. Purchase, or
Tn. deeds expires, ths. the object Of their cession
is, Tor the gsH,rdl charge GId cIps"dttnTs "a
phrn.e "a uivalent to the provision OF the Constu
nn redpecting custJmS, 10 provide tor tho common
defence ard general welfare, &C.
| And the acq dsiiions were gsurray and originally
made by expenditures out OF tue Ifea'ury from
money solicited from cus:oms-ctrtninIy from com
/ nun fund Of money IN tho tsc lot common genera
and federal ends. ,,,
I'd. Norris money in the Treasury dstingulshable oy
| ~. Tn. ends OF the powers Of Government.
! The land power is 10 make All needul rue: and
regulations respecting The terruOry and OK ouS, S
nroperty OF tho United States" The cardinal end OF
this po~er is the great object OF settlement ot terri
tory. Tie end Of ths revenue power Is Tue reSWd'
Ton Of commerce. Money TO pay debts even Is &c.
condary To that grea, end OF the customs.
Accordingly, the .a-ds have been Go administered
"a. 10 b- sold al price cheaper hon eeads so low
as 10 Weld no reveuI-; Or, where revenue has accn
nula;td from the settlement OF territory, 10 on t'e
Dtter great end Of reSGl1!!1g commerce, redHcihg
torsS, aud unisttcrng trade
! Congress insn Yhe,her we look 10 the sources OF
! rsyenu. or 10 the ends of governmental powers
ran del no more ndh tand finds than '',h CUSTOMS
fgnd.. II they may give away ine '"ruief''n may
! tie latter.
of public lands. Debt ara credit, cost OF purchases
| Indian uars, InGnn titles surye,e, 'eS''crinH re-
ceirny pensions, alternate seclion system &C. ac
On the one side snd proceeds or the other auo inc
an. in 1855, even Mr.. Clay conceded that there
va. no surplus from land aud be resorted to deP'''s
! Tor even be obliged 10 concede, also that sa'
| nu, from customs couldn't 5e diatr'onitd or ger
aJsoiutsiy a,ony. Tier the supposed surplus wss 81
| racns; % millions were distributed: arc oeI"re
1910 there wa~ Efficiency. under MIR: Van Bnren, OF
&c millions. Ta- -nrplus soon feu oeIoW I'VE n'
! ,;un- and the ith iustallnert we erreatsd.
| Again:
5b In 1871, the parties distributed defciescy J.! e.
passed distribution bill, arhen there ras no surplus
in the Treasury showing that aeacr surplus nor US
want .rl restrain fhs abuse OF power IRON making
deficiency itself larger to increase protective taru
| e,l TO defeat both line ends OF the revenue power
free trade; and of the land powell :he settlement o'
the West. The act was mace Rsrpe.ual e., un OF ua
ir.s the Tariff Compounds OF 1857 - y as cs'Croeo
This condition unfortunately, carried Dir. Cslhoun.-
WHIST 70 lowedl The Tariff CcnprcC'ise was iinne'
da,ely proksu ana tbe distribution :Se' aTresteo.-
virginia refused 10 accept my portion OF her snare
of il. Ancthe. par, o: the rystem vas that 10
case of war. or deficiency or any emergency
relurned to the Treasury. Wns with Mexico
which made the country bleed at purse and every
pore ca;ue aud though debt and dehciency run up 70
l20 milliops, ye. not breath aoou
! 10 the treasury was ever heard Of The unrepeaiea
law is d. lad and unrIecuted on the statute oook, aho
there the pruvsun sri sta!es US out OF conntenancs
tn chow lis immortality, that il was 10 i'1 very incIP-
ton .in frauJer, Cons!,lut'oHi'
.,
as 10 give tkcm away, 80 they may "oIne' prope'y'
| for the two stand together IL he ssms category,
| 7rh. The system stimulates estravagsnce ana GU
c-nders corrupou il the States Il: we'll as al asn
ng,un. virginia got s2l95,oU0 from her three In
.tnm.nte in 1886. What became OF III Did II oi
mini-h taxation Futile and foolish was inc nope;
S249GnO only went to State expenditures sna
81 Y5S OUO went to Bank loans, at time when Inc
/ amount wac upprecisnls in comparison win state
debt and sbillrs; eud it initiate appfop,iatons 60
that we ran w. our Stale debt from about lU or u 10
IS millions Take. increased largely from that very
date, and have been steadily rising ever slnos. -,
9Th. TIE oral ala-snment againot loohiog 10 .oe gu
erai envurnmcn Tor its surplus-and !. neeos every
dolIar il nov has and more and general nationa
ohiscts-the moral argument against calling upon ief
cues TO put his shoulder the wheel lr stronger 'nan
all the material reas ous put together Teach people
10 dsoend un that mode of making their great "orks
of Tightening their tax burthens and OF paying i0e
public debt; and every nerve 81 seit'reiaues auu W
manly sef.exertiou will at once be relaxed: 1o' VIII
ennscuiaie your people .,
This i. but an spi,ome Of what have not time 10
elaborate You have but 10 90 back 10 the journals
of Congress to ses my Bpssches aud votes, ano my
opinions there have not changed, but been iol'n'o
by time. LASTLY and respectfully,
Your obedent servan'. -,
HENRY a. WI.E.
W1ELAyn, OR THE TRANSFORMATIONS. By Charle'
Brockd.u BcnSII-wiih memoir OF The huthor: 800
ARTHUR MEKvYS, OR MEMLIRs OF THE fEAh 80 80
p.t, ll III. y