Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-05-21

the puclic lands, and il addition 100000
acres of public land for purpose Of internal
improvement, ard then alternate sections
to Canals and other improvements, before
distribution could begin The expenses Of
preparing the lands for sale were also to be
deducted. A Wing Secretary IF the Treas
ury { Walter Forward) worked out the result
under this law for the half year ending June
30, t342. The gross proceeds Of the sales
of the public lands, for that period amount
ed to the slim Of 1897 ,2l6,70. Deduct
expenses, 1920. 279, SO, and we have left
S616, 937, II. Deduct fifteen per cent 90
$40, Sc, and We have for distribution the
sum of 1924, 396, 81. to be divided amongst
all the States and Territories, Qhe land
States included,) according to their re-
spective federal population" The working
Of this system gives about three-6fths to
the Northern or free States, and two-ffths
to the Southern OF. Slave States. Such are
the results Of policy which Virginlahs are
urged to adopt at this day.
When the proceeds of the sales of the
lands have been distributed, you must then
SUPPLY the deficiency in the federal revenue
thus created, by indirect taxes collected un-
der the operations Of d Tariff The result
is, that you must pay ole set Of agents to
collect and distribute the land proceeds and
then pay another set to collect sum sufi-
cient to supply tie deficiency, to which must
be added the costs Of distribution and of
collection. The fund is distributed to the
States, according to their respective fed
eral popIlati3n,' but is the deficiency suppli-
ed under Tariff, according to the same
rule? The frietds Of the act Of 1871,
knew that it was not SO supplied and hence
they declared that whenever the rate of du-
ty, fixed BY the Act Of July 18th, 1882,
went beyond ''twenty per cent on the calus
Of such imports or ong IF Men5; then the
distribution provided in this act shall be
Suspended" &c. Under the operation Of
the Tariff policy, what has been Che proper
ton of taxes paid on duties, by the South
and the North The gross amount Of duties
paid after deducting Drawbacks on foreign
goods exported; from 1871 to June S0th,
1915; inclusive; amounted to 1927 ,05O, OCT.
The amount paid on the ratio Of the exports
of their produce by the South, was $711.-
200, 900, while the North paid onlG $685.
s50,004. If this sum had been appcrticns
ed in the constitutional ratio, between The
South and the North, the South would have
paid $780,, 707 ,917 and the North would
have paid $3.50, 342, 1870. 1t is thus shown
that under the Tariff policy, the South con-
tributes to the support Of government, more
than three times as much as the North, while
under distribution the South wouFa OILY re-
ceive two, fjths Of the Land proceeds. The
Opposition are for distribution, because
they know it will create the necessity for a
higher tariff, and thus further their cher
ished idea of protection.
The government should collect no more
money from its citizens than is necessary to
carry on its operations upon an economical
scale. The Constitution invests Congress
with 'spower to lay and collect taxes, duties
infposts and excuses for the purpose Of pay
ing file debts, and providing for the COM
men defence and general welfare ofthe Uni
ted States" Wherever it collects more than
enough for these objects government become
unjust and oppressive TO its citizens and
transcends its powers and ddties.
AT Che time of the passage of the. Tariff
of 1857, its friends believed it would yield
in ordinary times fifty millions of reven.es.
The Secretary Of the Treasury that it viii
yield this year fifty six millions and the re-
ceipts so far confirm fully the accuracy Of
his estimatesr This sum together with the
proceeds of the sales of the public lands es-
timated at three al a half millions Of dollars
and the receipts from Miscellaneous sources
will make aggregate of, Receipts Of upwards
Of sixty millions Of dollars Enough in my
opinion to carry on the operations Of the gov
eminent successfully and efficiently.
| would like to present some views on
Government Expenditures, but this [ find
[ cannot do without making this address
unreasonebly long. AS representative Ct
the people, have voted against almost all.
the items of Expenditure complained Of in
the canvass, and have labored zealously to
secnre economy in public Expenditures.
BY my votes in Congress am willing to be
judged and to them [ refer the people, for
information as to my course. With these
general remarks on this subject, pass to
the
SLAVERY QUESTION.
The head and front of my offending in re-
gard to this matter is that in common with
many people in Eastern and Western Vir-
ginia in 1847 entertained the opinion that
Slavery was social and political evil"
[ have always admitted id the frankest
terms that I entertained and expressed that
opinion in 1877, and shat did not change
it until the fall Of 1919. At that time T
became satisfied, from an examination Of
the question, that my opinion was errone-
ous-I aVowed the change, and refer to
my Congressional record as furnishing con-
elusive evidence ofmy sincerity.
In 1850 became candidate for the Re-
form Convention, and in district largely
opposed to me Oh general polhics, was e.,
lected by majesty Of 1900 over such a.
man as A. H. Ii. Stuart, Esq, late Secre-
tary Of the Intericf under President Fill
more. In my own county my neighbors
and friends, who had known me from child
hood, who knew everything connected with
the debate in the Franklin Society, and the
publication Of the Rutf;tsr pamphlet, gave me
an overwhelming majority Of the vote polled.
En- TIE county Of Augusta, where my con-
nection with the Ruffnerf pamphlets was
sought to be nsed against ME, ana where
there was Wing majority Of Upwards Of
100, carried the c0antY. by a. majority Of
more than 800 votes: Both the counties of
Rcrkbridge and A sss,lsta were at that time, ::
as they are now, deeply interested i'll slave