The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-03-08

oo not fcncmper that gave any vote last winter upon any constitutional ques- tion."
 Ne, colonel, there's no mistake. Though live here in the backwoods and seldom go from home, take papers from Washington and read very carefully all the proceeding of congress. My papers say that last winter you voted for bill to ap- propriate S2o 900 to some sufferers by a fire at Georgetown. Is that true ?'' Certainly II IS, and thought that was the last vote for which anybody Tn the world would have found fault with
 Well, colonel, where do you find in the constitution any authority to give away the public money in charity!'
 Here was another sockdologer for when began to think about it. 1 could not remember thing in the constitution
 that authorized il. found that mus,
 take another track. so said:
 1 Well, my friend, may as we'll own
 up. You have got me there But cer-
 tainly nobody will complain tha, great
 and rich country like ours should give the insignificant sum of Seo ooo 10 relieve it's suffering women and children, par,icu- larly with full and overlowing treasury, and am sure, fl you had been there. you would have done just did"
 It IS not the amount, colonel, that I complain of; ii Is the principle. In the iirst place, the government ought to have Tn the treasury no more than enough for
 lis legitimate purposes. But that has nothing to do with the question. The power of collecting and disbursing money at pleasure is the most dangerous power that can be intrusted 10 man, particular y under our system of collecting revenue by tariit. which reaches every man in the country, no matter how poor he may be. and the poorer he is the more he pays Tn proportion to his means. What IS worse, II presses upon him without, his knowledge where the weight comes, for there IS not man in the United States who can ever guess how much he pays to the government. So you see that while you are contributing to relieve one you are drawing II from thousands who are even worse of than he. If you had the right to give anything the amount was simply matter of discretion with you. and you had as much right to give Seoo,- 600 as 70 600. If you have the right 10 give to one you have the rightto give to all. and, IS the constitution neither de hnes charity nor stipulates the amount. you are ai liberty to give to any and everything which you may believe or profess 10 believe. is a charity. and to any amount you may think proper You will very easily perceive what wide door this would open for fraud and corruption and favorltism, on the one hand. and for robbing the people on the other. No. colonel, congress has no right ;o give charity. Individual members may give as much of their ONT money as they please, but they have no right to touch a dollar oi the public money for that pur- pose. If twice as many houses had been burned m thIs county as in Georgetown neither you nor any other member of congress would have thought of appro- prlaiing l dollar for our relief There are about 10 members of congress. II they had shown their sympathy for the sufferers by contributing each one weeks pay Il would have made over SI3ooo There are plenty of wealthy men in and around Washington who could have gwen s.o.ooo without depriving them selves of even a luxury otllfe. The con- gressmen chose to keep their own money. which. If reports be true. some of them spent no, very crediiabl, and the peo- pie about Washington, do doubt. ap- piauded you for relieving them from ihe necessity of giving by giving what was TO, yours to give. The people have dele gated to congress, by the constitution. the power to do certain things To do these Ii Is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Every thing beyond this is usurpation and a violation of the constitution"
 have given you. continued Crockett, in imperfect account of what he said. Long before he was through 1 was con- vlnced that had done wrong. He wound up by saying
 So you see, colonel. you have violated the constitution in what I consider vital point. l. IS preceden, frauch; with dan l ger to the country, for when congress i once oegins to stretch is power beyond l the limlts of the constitution there is no | iimt to II and no security for the people ! have no doubt you acted honestly. bu, [ that does not make t any better. excep, as tar as you are personally concerned. ! and you see that cannot vote for you. |
 tell you felt s,reaked. saw ii | should have opposition and this man should go to talking he would set others I to talking, and in that district l was a | gone fawn-skin. l could not answer him | and the fact IS tha, was so fully con- | vineed tha, he was right did not wan, to. But l must satisfy him. and I said to him
 Well, my friend you hit the nail upon the head when you said had not sense | enough 10 understand the constitution intended to be guided by il. and thou1 h, ] had studied i, fully have heard | many speeches in congress about the powers of congress. bu, what you have said here a, your plow has go; more hard ! sound sense in 1t than all the fine speeches ever heard. If l had ever taken the view of l, that you have Iwould | have put my head into the fre before ! l would have given that vote, and if YOU "iii forgive me and vote tor me again Ii | i ever vote for another unconstitutional law l wish may be shot"