The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-09-03
Anticipated sarpius IN tho Treas

Whether flarge surplus Of money in the
vaults of the Federal Treasury should be
regarded rs a national blessing or ~ ma
tonal curse 10 question upon which poll
tciap and economists would seem not to be
unanimous. BY some of both these CLASSES
such IN accumulation Of money 10 regarded
rs little other than corruption fund.-" BY
which the eyes Of Congress IRE assumed to
be perpe,ually dazzled, and it's members ex-
posed TO the increased danger OF embarking
in wild and extravaganza schemes OF national
expenditure. By others the presence Of such
au amount Of ready capital in the hands OF
the Government 10 viewed in more favor
able light, as the means Of enabling it to
provide with greater liberality for the To-
climate wants of the people, and Of diffus-
ing more widely the advantages Of benef-
cent legislation. Both Of these theories,
perhaps, have a foundation in reason, and
the greater or less developement whichsat
different periods the one may receive 10 COM
pariscn with the other, will depend upon the
character Of those to whom the people en-
trust the public moneys. We allude to
their Representatives 10 Congress; for,
since by the express terms Of the Constitu-
ton i, Is enacted that emo money shall be
drawn from the treasury but in consequence
Of the appropriations made by law" it 10
manifest that no portion Of the surplus
revenues Of the country need DO wastcfully
appropriated, il the people are only true to
themselves in the selection OF the agents
whose duty it is made TO provide for their
disbursement.
But, whatever may be the advantages or
disadvantages Of such . plethoric treasury,
under either OF tho theories We have desig-
mated, the conditions Ut least for their de-
velopment and illustration At the next Con-
gress may be deemed to exist in the present
state of our national finances for it is now
generally conceded that the revenue Of the
present fiscal year, Notwithstanding tho re-
duced tariff enacted by the last Congress,
(perhaps we should rather say in consequence
Of il, will reach $50, 0O0, 900, including the
proceeds from tho sale Of public lacds. As
it is estimated that but little more than fifty
millions are necessary for the annual expen-
ditures Of the Government, there will re-
main at the close Of the present fiscal year,
| il these data should be found to hold good,
a surplus Of thirty millions to DO added to
the surplus of over twenty millions already
| lying in the treasury. So large sum per.
manently abstracted from the currency oil
| the country can hardly fail, ~ has been tru'
~ TetuUrkouy W Cfeat0 CUmuoICiol OMHbI
rassment and to paralyze the arm Of indus.
try.
1t will therefore remain for the wisdom
OF Congress to provide some means b,
which to remedy the evil Of too much pros
perity to our national finances and whether
that means shall be FOUND in the Distribution
Of such surplus among the several states, O.
In grants and appropriations to objects O.
national utility, it is to be hoped that th'
prosperity of the country viii be permanent
~ promoted by the decision which may b.
made in the premises.
The ssstrict constructionists," who believ'
that it is constitutional to distribute sur
plas of moneys in the treasury among th'
states Of tho Union, while holding It tn,
same time that it u unconstitutional thus Il
distribute the proceeds From the sales Of thu
| public lands, will doubtless be careful Il
| provide that no money! accruing from tn,
latter source Of revenue shall be counted il
such surplus, which, to be capsule Of appro
priation among the states, must be left Y
result wholly from the imposts on foreign
commerce. That there are some who holl
this theory of constitutional Interpretation
10 known to all, though for eur own part
We are much disposed, upon point Of q
much nicely, to think, with honest Horatie
in the play, that "'tis TO consider too GU
riously to consider so."-( National Intel.
Aug. 10th.