Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-05-29

AZ the G0vernment Is not ~ ms time receiv-l
ing quite enough for it's support, even with the
addition to the taxes Of the proceeds Of the land
sales such measure as this would if carried into
effect require increase of the present rate Of tax
alton. Let US see.s then, what will be the result ~
The effect of tariff duty tax is to make the ar
ticle higher to the consumer. When, for example,
hundred dollars worth of railroad iron or sugar
is imported if the duty be thirty per cent, then
cost being one hundred and thirty dollars for the
WHOLE the second purchaser has to give so much
the more for the articles When, therefore, the for
egn article is thus raised in price, those persons in
the United States who make railroad iron or sugar
get higher price likewise for their own pro
auctions. This is what they call being projected
that is enabled to get more for what they manufac
ture than would he its natural price in market
Suppose, then, that while one half Of the railroad
iron and sugar imported from abroad, the other
half be made in the country; then, while the Gov
eminent is getting one million of dollars the manu-.
facturers likewise get the same amount and thus
the people are obliged to pay double much as the
amount Of taxes realized by the Government
Hence if one million Of the land money be taken
from the Treasury We have to pay back much
larger sum in the form Of taxes The case is in fact
than this, because the retail merchants add
large per centsge in the way of profits, as to
make the amount which the consumer in the coun-
try pays much greater than the sum realized either
by tho Government or the manufacturers. Besides
this. he different collecting and disbursing officers
pocket large centage for their fees and salaries
while handling this revenue.
If be tre. therefore, alleged that portions Of
the public lands have heretofore been squandered it
is the more important that what remains should he
faithfully applied to keep down taxation. There is,
however, great exaggera,on in these statements
1t is easy to show that in fact the Government
tanned very little loss by the grant of the swamp
lands to some of the States in which they lie. and
by giving alternate sections to certain railroads.
while the remaining sections have been doubled in
nrIc AC n fha nj IF thoSo lopA vphi
was made to the soldiers of the different wars,
have | think no reason to complain. doubt If
there are many districts in the Union to which
larger share of this land went than to onrs
Our State also realized very large sum of money
from the sale Of the Cherokee lands in our western
countless which were obtained for by the Federal
Government at great expense to itself 1t cannot
be said therefore, that State has been deprived
of all share in the public lands, when, in addition to
these things, it is remembered that all the money paid
from the land sales into the pubic treasury helped
to keep additional taxes off of u.s.
have said this much merely as to the expediency
Of such proposition but there are, perhaps more
weighty objections to it.
The Fedtral Government is authorized to collect
taxes for certain purposes mentioned in the COnsti
tuition, among which distribution is not found. On
the contrary, the original cessions of land by the
various States were expressly made to the Govern
ment to meet its expenses. and prevent, as far as
they would 90, the necessity Of calling the States
for taxes The land since acquired has been bought
with money from the Treasury. Of course, there
fore, it stands the same footing with the money
derived from the taxes on the people Is It not
clear, then, that the Government has no right to
impose taxes except to obtain enough to meet its
expenses if the property it already holds is not sui
fcient? Such is the force of this argument, that in
1s4l, when the bill for the distribution of the pro-
ceeds of the public lands passed, provision
was inserted in it, that the distribution should be
stopped # the rate of tariff duties should ever be
raised above twenty per cent.
The object Of this clause, inserted on the motion
of prominent southern statesman was to keep the
taxes at low rate 1t is true it failed to answer
the purpose, because the same Congress- against the
united votes Of the southern members Of both par
ties. raised the duties by the passage Of the tariff
act of 1912, and thus stopped the land distribution
in less than year after it was begun. ] may add
that, as the duties are even now higher than this
rate of 20 per cent, upon the principles of that act
not single OF those statesmen would, if living,
advocate distribution at this time.
1t may be said, however, that l. in conf junction
with all my colleagues, voted, during the last SEES
sion, for the deposit-a measure similar to the act
passed in General Jackson's administration
Our justification, however, was placed on this
ground. Though the Government had right, in
our opinion, to raise more money than it really
needed for the purposes of the Constitution yet,
We found it had already done So, because efforts
previously made to reduce the tariff act had failed,
people, held that the best remedy for this wrong
would have been to return the money to those who
had paid it. If that had been practicable But SINCE
account Of the indirect manner Of collecting these
taxes such course was mpraciicable, it seemed to
advisable, the next best thing, 10 turn over the
r,oney to the States. At the same time. however,
passed to reduce the taxes for the future.
In like manner, if sheriff in of our counties
should take from any person more money than his
taxes, he would be bound, on discovering the mis-
take to return it. But he would not be justified in
forming plan to collect habitualy more than The
taxes due, to be able to pocket a larger per
centsge for his fees collector, even though he
intended always to return the surplus remaining.
AS fellow. citizens, very little Of the money of the
Federal Government is expended for our immediate
benefit and little or advantage from protection
to manufactures is derived by U.S. it is obviously our
interest," as we'll as duty. to insist on the Gov.
ernment's using all the land money fo' its support,
| and keeping The taxes as low as possible. Those
who concur in this view are mainly to be found in
the Democratic party.
There is to US however. a stronger and higher
reason for standing by it. 1t to its organization
and efforts that, in the last presidential contest,
owe the defeat Of Fremont, and an escape from q
| probable revolution Of the Government. In its
ranks in the North are to be found almost all of
those who are willing to do justice to section.
BY giving to it, therefore, steady support, We shall
encourage and nvgorate its supporters in the North
who, as national men, are willing to do justice to all
| sections of the Union
As, on the day Of battle. you would not refuse to
march against the enemies Of your country, because
the general in command was not the person Of your
choice, in struggle to preserve the Constitution
ITSELF well as the rights Of your own section you
should not allow old party associations and preJu-
dices to cause you to hesitate in sustaining any ad:
ministraton that is willing stand by the great
| terests of all portions OF the Union.
While closing, fellow citizens. my connection with
you immediate representative, you will, trust
pardon few words az to past personal elstons.
Neither in my first election, nor in any subsequent