Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1865-12-23

moval of the monopoly Of slave labor is a
pledge that those regions will be pcopled by .
numerous and enterprising population, which
will vie with any in the Union in compactness,
inventive genius, wealth and industry.
Our Government springs from and was made
for the people-not the people for the govern
ment. TO them it owes allegian SO; from them
it must derive its courage, strength and wis
dom. But while the government is thus
bound to defer to the people, from whom it
consideration of its origin, be strong in it's
power of resistance to the establishment of in
equalities. Mopopolies, perpetuities and class
legislation are contrary+to the genius of free
government, and ought not to be allowed;
Here there is room for favored classes or mo-
nopolies; the principle Of our government is
that of equal laws and freedom of industry.
Wherever monopoly attains a foot-hold, it is
sure to be source of danger, discord and
trouble We shall but fulfil our duties as leg
islators by according equal and exact Justice
to oil measS' special privileges to none, The
government is subordinate 70 the people; but
as tile agentand representative Of the people,
it must be held superior to monopolies, which,
in themselves, ought never to be granted, and
which, where they exist, must be subordinate
and yield to the governments %i
The Constitution confers on Congress the
right to regulate commerce among the several
States 1t is of the first necessity, for the
maintenance Of the Union, that that COM
merce should be free and uKsbstructed. No
State can be justified in any device to tax the
transit of travel and commerce between States.
The position Of many States is such, that if
they we're allowed to take advantage of it for
purposes Of local revenue, the commerce be-
tween States might be injuriously burdened,
or even virtually prohibited. 1t is best, while
the country is still young, and while the ten
denc5 to dangerous monopolies of this, kind is
still feeble, to use the power Of Congress so as
to prevent any selfish impeachment to the free
circulation of men and merchandise. A tax
on travel and merchandise, in their transit,
constitutes one of the worst forms Of monopoly,
and the evil is increased if coupled Yith'a de-
NAL of The choice of route. Whef the vast
extent of our country is considered, it is plain
that every obstacle to the free circulation Of
commerce between the States ought to be
sternly guarded. against by appropriate legislas
ton, within the limits of the Constitution !.
The revenue system OF the country Is a
subject of vital interest to it's honor and pros
perity, and should command the earnest con-
sideratipn Of Congress. The Secretary Of the
Treasury will lay before you a full and detailed
report of the receipts and disbursements of
the last fiscal year, Of the first quarter of the
present fiscal year, of the probable receipts
and expenditures for the other three quarters,
and the estimate for the year following the
30th of June, 1866. | might content myself
with reference to that report, in which yoN
,will find all the information required for yoaiir
deliberations and decision. But the para
mount: Importance of the subject go presses
itself on my own mind, that I.cannot but lay
before you my views Of the measures which
are required for the good character, aud I
might almost say for the existence, of this
people. The life of republic lies certainly
in>tbe energy virtue and intelligence of its
citizens; but it lis equally true that a, good
revenue system is the life Of an organized gov
ernment. [ meet you at time when the
nation has voluntarily burdened itself with
debt unprecedented in our annals. Vast as
is its amount, it fades away into nothing,
when compared TO the countless blessings that
will be conferred upon our country and upon
man, by the preservation Of anation's life
Now, on.thc first occasion of the meeting of
Congress since the return Of peace, it's of
the utmost Importance tepinaugurate Just
policy, which shall at once be put in motion,
and which Shall commend itself to those who
come after us for it's continuance. We must