Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-02-21

for the purpose of prosecuting their works
What is the value of these bonds in the mar
ket now? What is the value of the bonds
of the best and most solvent Of the States
| think may safely say from my own OBJ
servation, that there is not one State in the
Union, which has so loaned its credit to inn
provement companies, that is now receiving
the par value of it's bonds in the market
WHY is this A short time ago, when there
was no surplus in the Treasury, We know
that these bonds would command their par
value, and were eagerly sought after and
promptly purchased. We found that money
matters were at that time easy throughout
the country; that you could borrow money
readily in almost all places that the banks
flourished, and were able to accommodate their
friends But since this accumulation in the
Treasury. and the consequent Withdrawal
of specie from circulation, we find the banks
/ themselves so embarrassed that, even in the
State which have the honor in part to re-
present here, they prefer making their dis
counts to those who will agree to pay in
some of the cities of Baltimore, Philadel-
phia, and New York, in order to protect
themselves from anticipated dangers and
well-grounded apprehension of serious diff
culties in monetary affairs. This provident
care on the part of the banks should admon
ISL the people that the storm is impending
and prepare them to withstand its fury.
say that these facts show that there is an
unhealthy condition in the monetary affairs
of the country which we, the Representa-
tiyes of the people, ought to seek in some
way to correct and relieve. Is there any
better mode chat can suggest itself to the
mind Of any man amongst us, than to de-
plete the Treasury; to collect no more from
the people than is absolutely necessary to
ienable the Government to carry on It's ope-
lratons On an economical scale? \ wise and
great man, has said. with force and truth
1.-The United States profess to legislate
for the benefit of the many, Or in other words,
to do justice to all. This is all that ever is
desired by the many, Or could ever be for
their benefit. Justice is the oaly righteous
object of all legitimate Governments.
Are you legislatiug for "tlle benefit OF
the many" by adopting the bill Of the ma
jority of the Committee of Ways and Means?
Are You doing '.justiee to ally Are you
securing the righteous object of "legiti-
mate Government % The present tariff alb
stracts from the pockets Of the agrcultur-
lists, the laborers, the mechanics, the arti-
sans, and others who make up society, what
the Government does not need to tlefray its
Expenses; it with,lraws that money from cir
cuation it denies 20 them the right TO use
it for their own profit, and for the increase
Of their own worldly estate, and this is for
no needfal governmental purpose. When
lever Government goes beyond a point nee
Iessary to meet its wants on an economical
scale, it becomes unjust and oppressive to the
people; and the sooner you set about to cor
rect the evil the sooner you will restore the
Government to its original principles, and
the great end which it was designed to Sc
cure. Justice is the only righteous object
of legitimate government. desire to see
this righteous object carried out by protect
ing every man in tins broad land in the en-
fioyment of the avails of his labor, and re-
leying him from every burden which may
be unnecessarily imposed upon him.
l lay down the proposition that all tariffs,
arranged for the purpose of projecting do
nestle manufactures, 90, in fact, take from
one man or class of men in the community
the proceeds of his or their labor, and apply
those proceeds to the benefit of other par
ties without compensation to the party whose
property is thus taken from him by govern
mental power | maintain that this propo-
Isition is incontrovertible. I maintain, fur
ther, that while this Government has the
right to arrange its scale of duties, for the
purpose of supplying its Treasury with so
much as may be necessary to carry on its
operations economically, it has no right, in
laying those duties, to look to any other OBJ
iect than the acquisition of needful revenue;
that whenever it undertakes to lay them, not
with an eve to revenue, but with an eye to
protecting any one class of the community,
either manufacturers or others. it does so in
violation of Its obligation to the many; it
robs the majority for the purpose of placing
money in the pockets Of the minority; there
fore it is not in consonancc with the spirit or
with the terms of the Constitution, but is
utterly subversive of every principle of JUS
tice and fairness in legislation Equality is
the great principle with us and in dispos-
ing of the burdens of Government, these
burdens should be SO distributed that they
may fan as nearly equal as possible on all
classes of the community, and on all the in
terests of the community.
4 wise, GOOD, and great statesman of
my own beloved Commonwealth, who filled
various important positions within the gift
of her people, as Governor, Senator in Con
gress, member of this House, and others of
less Importance, and ably and faithfully dis
charged the duties of ALL allule to Gov
ernor Giles--laid down these doctrines in
regard to Government, its powers and du-
ties l ask for them the attention Of the
committee
cit should never be forgotten that gov
eminent itself is an evil, but to certain
extent necessary one. Beyond that ne
cessary extent every movement of the Gov
eminent is in derogation of common right
and becomes Il common curse to the people
Every enactment is in derogation of common
right; and every enactment beyond the ne
cessary limits of governmental powers is an
act of despotism. 1t is a usurpation Of TIE
rights of the people"
Again, Mr.. Giles says. speaking of the
rights surrendered and the rights retained
by him when man in his individual charae-
ter went into state Of government:
"Whenee, then. the derivation Of the GO