Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-03-12

or the comparative injuries which such
an event would infict on States and sec
tons, even descending to this low and
narrow view of the mighty question:
All such calculations are at fault. The
bare reference to a single consideration
will be conclusive on this point. We
at present enjoy a free trade throughout
extensive and expansive country, such
a. the world never witnessed. This
trade is conducted on railroads and
canals, on the noble rivers and arms
of the sea which binds together the
North and the South, the East and the
West of our Confederacy. Annihilate
this trade, arrest its free progress by
geographical lines of jealous and hos
tile States, and you destroy the prosper
ity and onward march of the whole and
every part, and involve all in one com
mon ruin. But such considerations,
important as they are in themselves, sink
into insignifcance when we reflect on
the terrific evils which would result from
disunion TO every portion of the Confed-
c-acy, to the North not more than to the
South, to the East not more than to the
West. These l shall not attempt to
portray, because l feel an humble conf
dencc that the kind Providence, which
inspired our fathers with wisdom to
frame the most perfect form of govern
ment and union ever devised by man,
will not suffer it to perish until it shall
have been peacefully instrumental by
its example in the extension of civil and
religious liberty throughout the world.
Next in importance to the maintaince of
the Constitution and the Union, is the
duty Of preserving~ government free from
the faint or even suspicion Of corruption.
Public virtue is the VITAL spirit of Re
publics, and history proves that when
this has decayed, and the love of money
has usurpcd its place, although the forms
of free government may remain for a sea-
son, the substance has departed forever.
Our present financial condition is with
out aparallel in history. No nation has
ever before been embarrassed from too
large a surplus in its treasury This al
most necessarily gives birth to extrava-
CANT legislation. 1t produces wild
schemes of expenditures and begcts a race
of spectators and jobbers, whose ingen-
uity is exerted in contriving and promo
tingexpedients to obtain the public mon
ey. Party, through its official agents,
whether rightfully or wronSfully, is sus-
pected, and the character of the govern
mont suffers in the estimation of the pco-
pie. This is in itself a very great evil.
The national mode of relieffrom embar-
rassment, is to appropriate the surplus
in the treasury to great national objects,
for which a clear warrant can be found
in the Constitution. Among these l
might mention the e1tinguishmcnt of
the public debt, and a reasonable increase
of the Navy, which is at present made
quate to the protection of our vast tun-
mage ahoat, now greater than that Of any
other nation, as we'll as the defense of
our extended scacoast.
1t is, beyond all question, the true
principle that 10 more revenue ought to
be collected from the people than the
amount necessary to defray the expen-
ses Of a wise, economical and efficient
administration of the Government. To
reach this, it was necessary to resort to
a modification of tho tariff, and this has
been accomplished in such a manner to
do as little injury as may have been
practicable to our domestic manufac-
lures, especially those necessary to the
defense of the country. Any discrimi-
nation against a particular branch for
the purpose of bcneftting f~avoritu cor
porations, individuals Or interests. would
have been unjust to the rest of the COM
munity, and inconsistent with that spir-
it of fairness and equality which ought
to govern in the adjustment of a reve-
nue. tariff.
But the squandcrinS CT the pa5iic
money sinks into comparative insignif-
cameo as a temptation TO corruption, when
compared with the squandcring of the
!, public lands.
No nation in the tide Of time has ever
been blessed with so rich and noble an
inheritance as we enjoy in the Public
Lands. In administering this impor-
tant trust, while it may be wise to grant
portions of them for the Improvement Of
the remainder, yet We should never for
get that If is our cardinal policy to re
serve these lands as much as may be. for
actual settlers, and this at moderate pri-
ces. We shall thus not only best pro
mote the prosperity of the ncwStates by
furnishing them a hardy and independent
race of honest and Industrious citizens,
but shall secure homes for our children
and our childrcns' children, as well as
4 Luce cS1lSE t-SI IO-%iSn SHORES WHO
may seek in this country to improve
their condition and to enjoy the bless
ings Of civiland religious liberty. Such
cmigrants have done much to promote
the growth and prosperity of the
try. They have proved faithful both in
peace and in war. After becoming cit
liens, they are entitled under the Con-
stitution and laws to be placed on a per
feet equality with native born citizens,
and in this character they should ever
be kindly recognized.
The Federal Constitution is a grant
from the States to Congress of certain
specific powers and the question wheth-
er this grant shall be literally or strict
" construed, has more or less divided
political parties from the beginning
Without entering into the argument, I
desire to state, at the commencement of
my administration, that long experience
and observation has convinced me that
a strict construction of the powers of
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