Latest / State of the Union Addresses 1829-1836 / 017 - Andrew Jackson December 5 1836 part 1

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017 - Andrew Jackson December 5 1836 part 1 · State of the Union Addresses 1829-1836

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Speaker 1: Section seventeen of State of the Union Addresses eighteen twenty
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Speaker 1: nine to eighteen thirty six. This is a LibriVox recording.
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Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
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Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Andrew Jackson,
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Speaker 1: December fifth, eighteen thirty six, Part one, Fellow citizens of
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Speaker 1: the Senate and of the House of Representatives, Addressing to
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Speaker 1: you the last annual message I shall ever present to
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Speaker 1: the Congress of the United States. It is a source
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Speaker 1: of the most heartfelt satisfaction to be able to congratulate
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Speaker 1: you on the high state of prosperity which our beloved
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Speaker 1: country has attained, with no causes at home or abroad.
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Speaker 1: To lessen the confidence with which we look to the
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Speaker 1: future for continuing proofs of the capacity of our free
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Speaker 1: institutions to produce all the fruits of good government. The
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Speaker 1: general condition of our affairs may well excite our national pride.
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Speaker 1: I cannot avoid congratulating you and my country, particularly on
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Speaker 1: the success of the efforts made during my administration by
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Speaker 1: the Executive and Legislature in conformity with the sincere, constant,
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Speaker 1: and earnest desire of the people to maintain peace and
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Speaker 1: establish cordial relations with all foreign powers. Our gratitude is
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Speaker 1: due to the supreme ruler of the universe, and I
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Speaker 1: invite you to unite with me in offering to him
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Speaker 1: fervent supplications that his providential care may ever be extended
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Speaker 1: to those who follow us, enabling them to avoid the
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Speaker 1: dangers and the horrors of war, consistently with a just
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Speaker 1: and indispensable regard to the rights and honor of our country.
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Speaker 1: But although the present state of our foreign affairs, standing
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Speaker 1: without important change, as they did when you separated in
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Speaker 1: July last, is flattering in the extreme, I regret to
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Speaker 1: say that many questions of an interesting character at issue
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Speaker 1: with other powers are yet unadjusted. Amongst the most prominent
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Speaker 1: of these is that of our northeast boundary. With an
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Speaker 1: undiminished confidence in the sincere desire of His Britannic Majesty's
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Speaker 1: government to adjust that question, I am not yet in
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Speaker 1: possession of the precise grounds upon which it proposes a
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Speaker 1: satisfactory adjustment. In France, our diplomatic relations have been resumed,
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Speaker 1: and under circumstances which attest the disposition of both governments
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Speaker 1: to preserve a mutually beneficial intercourse and foster those amicable
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Speaker 1: feelings which are so strongly required by the true interests
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Speaker 1: of the two countries. With Russia, Austria, Prussia, Naples, Sweden
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Speaker 1: and Denmark, the best understanding exists, and our commercial intercourse
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Speaker 1: is gradually expanding itself with them. It is encouraged in
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Speaker 1: all these countries except Naples by their mutually advantageous and
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Speaker 1: liberal treaty stipulations with Us. The claims of our citizens
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Speaker 1: on Portugal are admitted to be just, but provision for
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Speaker 1: the payment of them has been unfortunately delayed by frequent
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Speaker 1: political tis changes in that kingdom. The blessings of peace
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Speaker 1: have not been secured by Spain. Our connections with that
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Speaker 1: country are on the best footing, with the exception of
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Speaker 1: the burdens still imposed upon our commerce with her possessions
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Speaker 1: out of Europe. The claims of American citizens for losses
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Speaker 1: sustained at the bombardment of Antwerp have been presented to
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Speaker 1: the governments of Holland and Belgium, and will be pressed
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Speaker 1: in due season to settlement with Brazil and all our
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Speaker 1: neighbors of this continent. We continue to maintain relations of
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Speaker 1: amity and concord extending our commerce with them, as far
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Speaker 1: as the resources of the people and the policy of
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Speaker 1: their governments will permit. The just and long standing claims
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Speaker 1: of our citizens upon some of them are yet sources
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Speaker 1: of dissatisfaction and complaint. No danger is apprehended, however, that
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Speaker 1: they will not be peacefully, although tardily, acknowledged and paid
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Speaker 1: by all, unless the irritating effect of her struggle with
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Speaker 1: Texas should unfortunately make our immediate neighbor Mexico an exception.
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Speaker 1: It is already known to you by the correspondence between
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Speaker 1: the two governments communicated at your last session, that our
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Speaker 1: conduct in relation to that struggle is regulated by the
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Speaker 1: same principles that governed us in the dispute between Spain
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Speaker 1: and Mexico. Herself and I trust that it will be
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Speaker 1: found on the most severe scrutiny that our acts have
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Speaker 1: strictly corresponded with our professions. That the inhabitants of the
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Speaker 1: United States should feel strong prepossessions for the one part
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Speaker 1: party is not surprising. But this circumstance should of itself
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Speaker 1: teach us great caution, lest it lead us into the
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Speaker 1: great error of suffering. Public policy to be regulated by
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Speaker 1: partiality or prejudice, And there are considerations connected with the
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Speaker 1: possible result of this contest between the two parties of
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Speaker 1: so much delicacy and importance to the United States that
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Speaker 1: our character requires that we should neither anticipate events nor
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Speaker 1: attempt to control them. The known desire of the Texans
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Speaker 1: to become a part of our system, although its gratification
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Speaker 1: depends upon the reconcilement of various and conflicting interests, necessarily
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Speaker 1: a work of time and uncertain in itself, is calculated
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Speaker 1: to expose our conduct to misconstruction in the eyes of
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Speaker 1: the world. There are already those who indifferent to principle themselves,
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Speaker 1: and prone to suspect the want of it in others,
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Speaker 1: charge us with ambitious designs and insidious policy. You will
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Speaker 1: perceive by the accompanying documents that the extraordinary mission from
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Speaker 1: Mexico has been terminated on the sole ground that the
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Speaker 1: obligations of this government to itself and to Mexico under
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Speaker 1: treaty stipulations have compelled me to trust a discretionary authority
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Speaker 1: to a high officer of our army to advance into
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Speaker 1: territory claimed as part of Texas, if necessary to protect
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Speaker 1: our own or the neighboring frontier from Indian depredation. In
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Speaker 1: the opinion of the Mexican functionary who has just left us,
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Speaker 1: the honor of his countrary will be wounded by American
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Speaker 1: soldiers entering with the most amicable avowed purposes upon ground
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Speaker 1: from which the followers of his government have been expelled,
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Speaker 1: and over which there is at present no certainty of
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Speaker 1: a serious effort on its part to re establish its dominion.
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Speaker 1: The departure of this minister was the more singular, as
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Speaker 1: he was apprised that the sufficiency of the causes assigned
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Speaker 1: for the advance of our troops by the commanding General
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Speaker 1: had been seriously doubted by me, And there was every
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Speaker 1: reason to suppose that the troops of the United States,
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Speaker 1: their commander, having had time to ascertain the truth or
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Speaker 1: falsehood of the information upon which they had marched to Nagadoches,
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Speaker 1: would be either there in perfect accordance with the principles
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Speaker 1: admitted to be just in his conference with the Secretary
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Speaker 1: of State by the Mexican minister himself, or were already
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Speaker 1: withdrawn in consequence of the impressive warnings their commanding officer
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Speaker 1: had received from the Department of War. It is hoped
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Speaker 1: and believed that his government will take a more dispassionate
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Speaker 1: and just view of this subject, and not be disposed
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Speaker 1: to construe a measure of justifiable precaution made necessary by
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Speaker 1: its known inability in execution of the stipulations of our
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Speaker 1: treaty to act upon the frontier into an encroachment upon
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Speaker 1: its rights or a stain upon its honour. In the meantime,
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Speaker 1: the ancient complaints of injustice made on behalf of our
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Speaker 1: citizens are disregarded, and new causes of dissatisfaction have arisen,
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Speaker 1: some of them of a character requiring prompt remonstrance and
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Speaker 1: ample and immediate redress. I trust, however, by tempering firmness
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Speaker 1: with courtesy, and acting with great forbearance upon every incident
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Speaker 1: that has occurred or that may happen, to do and
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Speaker 1: to obtain justice, and thus avoid the necessity of again
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Speaker 1: bringing this subject to the view of Congress. It is
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Speaker 1: my duty to remind you that no provision has been
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Speaker 1: made to execute our treaty with Mexico for tracing the
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Speaker 1: boundary line between the two countries. Whatever may be the
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Speaker 1: prospect of Mexico's being soon able to execute the treaty
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Speaker 1: on its part. It is proper that we should be
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Speaker 1: in anticipation, prepared at all times to perform our obligations,
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Speaker 1: without regard to the probable condition of those with whom
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Speaker 1: we have contracted them. The result of the confidential inquiries
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Speaker 1: made into the condition and prospects of the newly declared
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Speaker 1: Texan government will be communicated to you in the course
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Speaker 1: of the session. Commercial treaties, promising great advantages to our
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Speaker 1: enterprising merchants and navigators have been formed with the distant
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Speaker 1: governments of Musket and Siam. The ratifications have been exchanged,
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Speaker 1: but have not reached the Department of State. Copies of
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Speaker 1: the treaties will be transmitted to you if received before,
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Speaker 1: or published if arriving after the close of the present
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Speaker 1: session of Congress. Nothing has occurred to interrupt the good
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Speaker 1: understanding that has long existed with the barbary powers, nor
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Speaker 1: to check the good will which is gradually growing up
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Speaker 1: from our intercourse with the dominions of the government of
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Speaker 1: growing of the distinguished Chief of the Ottoman Empire. Information
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Speaker 1: has been received at the Department of State that a
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Speaker 1: treaty with the Emperor of Morocco has just been negotiated,
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Speaker 1: which I hope will be received in time to be
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Speaker 1: laid before the Senate previous to the close of the session.
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Speaker 1: You will perceive from the report of the Secretary of
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Speaker 1: the Treasury that the financial means of the country continue
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Speaker 1: to keep pace with its improvement in all other respects.
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Speaker 1: The receipts into the Treasury during the present year will
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Speaker 1: amount to about forty seven million, six hundred and ninety
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Speaker 1: one thousand, eight hundred and ninety eight dollars, those from
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Speaker 1: customs being estimated at twenty two million, five hundred and
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Speaker 1: twenty three thousand, one hundred and fifty one dollars, those
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Speaker 1: from lands at about twenty four million dollars, and the
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Speaker 1: residue from miscellaneous sources. Spenditures for all objects during the
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Speaker 1: year are estimated not to exceed thirty two million dollars,
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Speaker 1: which will leave a balance in the Treasury for public
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Speaker 1: purposes on the first day of January next of about
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Speaker 1: forty one million, seven hundred and twenty three thousand, nine
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Speaker 1: hundred and fifty nine dollars. The sum, with the exception
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Speaker 1: of five million dollars, will be transferred to the several
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Speaker 1: states in accordance with the provisions of the Act regulating
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Speaker 1: the deposits of the public money. The unexpected balances of
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Speaker 1: appropriation on the first day of January next are estimated
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Speaker 1: at fourteen million, six hundred and thirty six thousand and
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Speaker 1: sixty two dollars, exceeding by nine million, six hundred and
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Speaker 1: thirty six thousand, sixty two dollars the amount which will
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Speaker 1: be left in the deposit banks subject to the draft
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Speaker 1: after the treasurer of the United States, after the contemplated
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Speaker 1: transfers to the several States are made. If therefore, the
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Speaker 1: future receipts should not be sufficient to meet these outstanding
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Speaker 1: and future appropriations, there may be soon a necessity to
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Speaker 1: use a portion of the funds deposited with the states.
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Speaker 1: The consequences apprehended when the Deposit Act of the last
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Speaker 1: Session received a reluctant approval have been measurably realized. Though
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Speaker 1: an act merely for the deposit of the surplus monies
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Speaker 1: of the United States in the state treasuries for safe
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Speaker 1: keeping until they may be wanted for the service of
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Speaker 1: the general government, it has been extensively spoken of as
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Speaker 1: an act to give the money to the several States,
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Speaker 1: and they have been advised to use it as a gift,
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Speaker 1: without regard to them means of refunding it. When called for.
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Speaker 1: Such a suggestion has doubtless been made without a proper
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Speaker 1: attention to the various principles and interests which are affected
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Speaker 1: by it. It is manifest that the law itself cannot
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Speaker 1: sanction such a suggestion, and that, as it now stands,
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Speaker 1: the States have no more authority to receive and use
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Speaker 1: the deposits without intending to return them, than any deposit
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Speaker 1: bank or any individual temporarily charged with the safe keeping
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Speaker 1: or application of the public money, would now have for
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Speaker 1: converting the same to their private use without the consent
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Speaker 1: and against the will of the government. But independently of
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Speaker 1: the violation of public faith and moral obligation which are
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Speaker 1: involved in this suggestion, when examined in reference to the
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Speaker 1: terms of the present Deposit Act, it is believed that
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Speaker 1: the considerations which should govern the future legislation of Congress
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Speaker 1: on this subject will be equally conclusive against the adoption
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Speaker 1: of any measure recognizing the principles on which the suggestion
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Speaker 1: has been made. Considering the intimate connection of the subject
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Speaker 1: with the financial interests of the country and its great
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Speaker 1: importance in whatever aspect it can be viewed. I have
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Speaker 1: bestowed upon it the most anxious reflection, and feel it
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Speaker 1: to be my duty to state to Congress such thoughts
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Speaker 1: as have occurred to me, to aid their deliberation in
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Speaker 1: treating it in the manner best calculated to conduce to
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Speaker 1: the common good. The experience of other nations admonished us
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Speaker 1: to hasten the extinguishment of the public debt. But it
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Speaker 1: will be in vain that we have congratulated each other
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Speaker 1: upon the disappearance of this evil if we do not
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Speaker 1: guard against the equally great one of promoting the unnecessary
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Speaker 1: accumulation of public revenue. No political maxim is better established
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Speaker 1: than that which tells us that an improvident expenditure of
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Speaker 1: money is the parent of profligacy, and that no people
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Speaker 1: can hope to perpetuate their liberties who long acquiesce in
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Speaker 1: a policy which taxes them for objects not necessary to
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Speaker 1: the legitimate and real wants of their government. Flattering as
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Speaker 1: is the condition of our country at the present period,
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Speaker 1: because of its unexampled advance in all the steps of
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Speaker 1: social and political improvement, it cannot be disguised that there
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Speaker 1: is a lurking danger already apparent in the neglect of
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Speaker 1: this warning truth, and that the time has arrived when
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Speaker 1: the representatives of the people should be employed in rising
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Speaker 1: some more appropriate remedy than now exists to avert it.
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Speaker 1: Under our present revenue system, there is every probability that
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Speaker 1: there will continue to be a surplus beyond the wants
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Speaker 1: of the government, and it has become our duty to
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Speaker 1: decide whether such a result be consistent with the true
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Speaker 1: objects of our government. Should a surplus be permitted to
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Speaker 1: accumulate beyond the appropriations, it must be retained in the
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Speaker 1: treasury as it now is, or distributed among the people
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Speaker 1: or the states. To retain it in the treasury unemployed
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Speaker 1: in any way is impracticable. It is, besides, against the
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Speaker 1: genius of our free institutions. To lock up involves the
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Speaker 1: treasure of the nation. To take from the people the
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Speaker 1: right of bearing arms and put their weapons of defense
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Speaker 1: in the hands of a standing army would be scarcely
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Speaker 1: more dangerous to their liberties than to permit the government
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Speaker 1: to accumulate immense amount of treasure beyond the supplies necessary
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Speaker 1: to its legitimate wants. Such a treasure would doubtless be
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Speaker 1: employed at some time, as it has been in other
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Speaker 1: countries when opportunity tempted. Ambition to collect it merely for
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Speaker 1: distribution to the states would seem to be highly impolitic,
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Speaker 1: if not as dangerous as the proposition to retain it
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Speaker 1: in the treasury. The shortest reflection must satisfy everyone that
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Speaker 1: to require the people to pay taxes to the government
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Speaker 1: merely that they may be paid back again is sporting
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Speaker 1: with the substantial interests of the country, and no system
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Speaker 1: which produces such a result can be expected to receive
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Speaker 1: the public countenance. Nothing could be gained by it, even
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Speaker 1: if each individual who contributed a portion of the tax
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Speaker 1: could receive back promptly the same portion. But it is
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Speaker 1: apparent that no system of the kind can ever be
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Speaker 1: enforced which will not absorb a considerable portion of the
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Speaker 1: money to be distributed in salaries and commissions to the
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Speaker 1: agents employed in the process, and in the various losses
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Speaker 1: and deprecations which arise from other causes. And the practical
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Speaker 1: effect of such an attempt must, ever, be to burden
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Speaker 1: the people with taxes, not for purposes beneficial to them,
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Speaker 1: but to swell the profits of deposit banks and support
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Speaker 1: a band of useless public officers. A distribution to the
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Speaker 1: people is impracticable and unjust. In other respects, it would
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Speaker 1: be taking one man's property and giving it to another.
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Speaker 1: Such would be the unavoidable result of a rule of equality,
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Speaker 1: and none other is spoken of or would be likely
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Speaker 1: to be adopted. Inasmuch as there is no mode by
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Speaker 1: which the amount of the individual contributions of our citizens
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Speaker 1: to the public revenue can be ascertained, we know that
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Speaker 1: they contribute unequally, and a rule therefore that would distribute
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Speaker 1: to them equally would be liable to all the objections
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Speaker 1: which apply to the principle of an equal division of property.
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Speaker 1: To make the general Government the instrument of carrying this
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Speaker 1: odious principle into effect would be at once to destroy
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Speaker 1: the means of its usefulness and change the character designed
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Speaker 1: for it by the framers of the Constitution. But the
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Speaker 1: more extended and injurious consequences likely to result from a
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Speaker 1: policy which would collect a surplus revenue for the purpose
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Speaker 1: of distributing it may be forcibly illustrated by an examination
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Speaker 1: of the effects already produced by the present Deposit Act.
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Speaker 1: This Act, although certainly designed to secure. The safe keeping
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Speaker 1: of the public revenue is not entirely free in its
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Speaker 1: tendencies from any of the objections which apply to this
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Speaker 1: principle of distribution. The government had, without necessity received from
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Speaker 1: the people a large surplus, which, instead of being employed
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Speaker 1: as heretofore and returned to them by means of the
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Speaker 1: public expenditure, was deposited with sundry banks. The banks proceeded
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Speaker 1: to make loans upon this surplus, and thus converted it
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Speaker 1: into banking capital. And in this manner it has tended
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Speaker 1: to multiply bank charters, and has had a great agency
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Speaker 1: in producing the spirit of wild speculation. The possession and
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Speaker 1: use of the property out of which this surplus was
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Speaker 1: created belonged to the people, but the government has transferred
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Speaker 1: its possession to incorporated banks, whose interest and effort is
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Speaker 1: to make large profits out of its use. This process
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Speaker 1: need only be stated to show its injustice and bad policy.
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Speaker 1: And the same observations applied to the influence which is
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Speaker 1: produced by the steps necessary to collect, as well as
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Speaker 1: to distribute such a revenue. About three fifths of all
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Speaker 1: the duties on imports are paid in the City of
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Speaker 1: New York, but it is obvious that the means to
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Speaker 1: pay those duties are drawn from every quarter of the union.
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Speaker 1: Every citizen in every state who purchases and consumes an
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Speaker 1: article which has paid a duty at that port contributes
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Speaker 1: to the accumulating mass. The surplus collected there must therefore
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Speaker 1: be made up of money or property withdrawn from other
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Speaker 1: points and other states. Thus, the wealth and business of
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Speaker 1: every region from which these surplus funds proceed must be
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Speaker 1: to some extent injured, while that of the place where
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Speaker 1: the funds are concentrated and are employed in banking are
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Speaker 1: proportionably extended. But both in the making the transfer of
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Speaker 1: the funds, which are first necessary to pay the duties
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Speaker 1: and collect the surplus, and in making the retransfer, which
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Speaker 1: becomes necessary when the time arrives for the distribution of
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Speaker 1: that surplus. There is a considerable period when the funds
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Speaker 1: cannot be brought into use, and it is manifest that,
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Speaker 1: besides the loss inevitable from such an operation, its tendency
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Speaker 1: is to produce fluctuations in the business of the country,
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Speaker 1: which are always productive of speculation and detrimental to the
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Speaker 1: interests of regular trade. Argument can scarcely be necessary to
25:04
Speaker 1: show that a measure of this character ought not to
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Speaker 1: receive further legislative encouragement. By examining the practical operation of
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Speaker 1: the ration for distribution adopted in the Deposit Bill of
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Speaker 1: the last session, we shall discover other features that appear
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Speaker 1: equally objectionable. Let it be assumed, for the sake of argument,
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Speaker 1: that the surplus moneys to be deposited with the States
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Speaker 1: have been collected and belong to them in the ration
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Speaker 1: of their federal representative population, an assumption founded upon the
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Speaker 1: fact that any deficiencies in our future revenue from imposts
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Speaker 1: and public lands must be made up by direct taxes
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Speaker 1: collected from the states. In that ration. It is proposed
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Speaker 1: to distribute the surplus, say thirty million dollars, not according
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Speaker 1: to the ration in which it has been collected and
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Speaker 1: belongs to the people of the States, but in that
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Speaker 1: of their votes in the colleges of electors of President
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Speaker 1: and vice president. The effect of a distribution upon that
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Speaker 1: ration is shown by the ennext table marked A. By
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Speaker 1: an examination of that table, it will be perceived that
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Speaker 1: in the distribution of a surplus of thirty million dollars
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Speaker 1: upon that basis, there is a great departure from the
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Speaker 1: principle which regards representation as the true measure of taxation.
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Speaker 1: And it will be found that the tendency of that
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Speaker 1: departure will be to increase whatever inequalities have been supposed
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Speaker 1: to attend the operation of our federal system in respect
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Speaker 1: to its bearings upon the different interests of the Union.
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Speaker 1: In making the basis of representation the basis of taxation,
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Speaker 1: the framers of the Constitution intended to equalize the burdens
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Speaker 1: which are necessary to support the government, and the adoption
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Speaker 1: of that ratio. While it accomplished this object, was also
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Speaker 1: the means of adjusting other great topics arising out of
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Speaker 1: the conflicting views respecting the political equality of the various
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Speaker 1: members of the Confederacy. Whatever therefore disturbs the liberal spirit
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Speaker 1: of the compromises, which established a rule of taxation so
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Speaker 1: just and equitable, and which experience has proved to be
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Speaker 1: so well adapted to the genius and habits of our people,
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Speaker 1: should be received with the greatest caution and distrust. A
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Speaker 1: bare inspection in the ennexed table of the differences produced
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Speaker 1: by the ration used in the Deposit Act compared with
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Speaker 1: the results of a distribution according to the ration of
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Speaker 1: direct taxation must satisfy every unprejudiced mind that the former
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Speaker 1: ration contravenes the spirit of the Constitution and produces a
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Speaker 1: degree of injustice in the operations of the federal government,
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Speaker 1: which would be fatal to the hope of perpetuating it
28:15
Speaker 1: by the ration of direct taxation. For example, the state
28:19
Speaker 1: of Delaware, in the collection of thirty million dollars of revenue,
28:23
Speaker 1: would pay into the treasury one hundred and eighty eight thousand,
28:28
Speaker 1: seven hundred and sixteen dollars, and in a distribution of
28:31
Speaker 1: thirty million dollars, she would receive back from the government
28:35
Speaker 1: according to the ration of the deposit bill, the sum
28:38
Speaker 1: of three hundred and six thousand, one hundred and twenty
28:42
Speaker 1: two dollars, and similar results would follow the comparison between
28:46
Speaker 1: the small and the large states throughout the Union, thus
28:49
Speaker 1: realizing to the small states and advantage which would be
28:53
Speaker 1: doubtless as unacceptable to them as a motive for incorporating
28:59
Speaker 1: the principle inn as any system which would produce it,
29:02
Speaker 1: as it would be inconsistent with the rights and expectations
29:06
Speaker 1: of the large states. It was certainly the intention of
29:09
Speaker 1: that provision of the Constitution which declares that all duties, imposts,
29:14
Speaker 1: and excises shall be uniformed throughout the United States, to
29:20
Speaker 1: make the burdens of taxation fall equally upon the people
29:23
Speaker 1: in whatever state of the Union they may reside. But
29:27
Speaker 1: what would be the value of such a uniform rule
29:30
Speaker 1: if the monies raised by it could be immediately returned
29:34
Speaker 1: by a different one, which will give to the people
29:37
Speaker 1: of some states much more and to those of others
29:40
Speaker 1: much less than their fair proportions. Were the federal government
29:45
Speaker 1: to exempt, in express terms, the imports, products and manufacturers
29:51
Speaker 1: of some portions of the country from all duties, while
29:54
Speaker 1: it imposed heavy ones on others, the injustice could not
29:59
Speaker 1: be greater. It would be easy to show how, by
30:02
Speaker 1: the operation of such a principle, the large states of
30:06
Speaker 1: the Union would not only have to contribute their just
30:10
Speaker 1: share towards the support of the federal government, but also
30:14
Speaker 1: have to bear in some degree the taxes necessary to
30:19
Speaker 1: support the governments of their smaller sisters. But it is
30:23
Speaker 1: deemed unnecessary to state the details where the general principle
30:27
Speaker 1: is so obvious. A system liable to such objections can
30:33
Speaker 1: never be supposed to have been sanctioned by the framers
30:37
Speaker 1: of the Constitution when they conferred on Congress the taxing power,
30:42
Speaker 1: And I feel persuaded that a mature examination of the
30:46
Speaker 1: subject will satisfy every one that there are insurmountable difficulties
30:52
Speaker 1: in the operation of any plan which can be devised
30:56
Speaker 1: of collecting revenue for the purpose of distributing it. Congress
31:00
Speaker 1: is only authorized to levy taxes to pay the debts
31:05
Speaker 1: and provide for the common defense and general welfare of
31:09
Speaker 1: the United States. There is no such provision as would
31:13
Speaker 1: authorize Congress to collect together the property of the country
31:19
Speaker 1: under the name of revenue, for the purpose of dividing
31:22
Speaker 1: it equally or unequally among the states or the people. Indeed,
31:28
Speaker 1: it is not probable that such an idea ever occurred
31:31
Speaker 1: to the States when they adopted the Constitution. But however,
31:36
Speaker 1: this may be the only safe rule for us in
31:39
Speaker 1: interpreting the powers granted to the federal government is to
31:43
Speaker 1: regard the absence of express authority to touch a subject
31:48
Speaker 1: so important and delegate as this as equivalent to a prohibition,
31:54
Speaker 1: even if our powers were less doubtful in this respect.
31:58
Speaker 1: As the Constitution now stands, there are considerations afforded by
32:03
Speaker 1: recent experience which would seem to make it our duty
32:07
Speaker 1: to avoid a resort to such a system. All will
32:12
Speaker 1: admit that the simplicity and economy of the state governments
32:17
Speaker 1: mainly depend on the fact that money has to be
32:21
Speaker 1: supplied to support them by the same men or their
32:24
Speaker 1: agents who voted away in appropriations. Hence, when there are
32:30
Speaker 1: extravagant and wasteful appropriations, there must be a corresponding increase
32:35
Speaker 1: of taxes, and the people, becoming awakened, will necessarily scrutinize
32:42
Speaker 1: the character of measures which thus increase their burdens. By
32:47
Speaker 1: the watchful eye of self interest, the agents of the
32:51
Speaker 1: people and the state governments are repressed and kept within
32:55
Speaker 1: the limits of a just economy. But if the necessity
32:59
Speaker 1: of life levying the taxes be taken from those who
33:02
Speaker 1: make the appropriations and thrown upon a more distant and
33:07
Speaker 1: less responsible set of public agents, who have power to
33:11
Speaker 1: approach the people by an indirect and stealthy taxation, there
33:16
Speaker 1: is reason to fear that prodigality will soon supersede those
33:21
Speaker 1: characteristics which have thus far made us look with so
33:25
Speaker 1: much pride and confidence to the state governments as the
33:29
Speaker 1: mainstay of our union and liberties. The state legislatures, instead
33:35
Speaker 1: of studying to restrict their state expenditures to the smallest
33:39
Speaker 1: possible sum, will claim credit for their profusion and harass
33:44
Speaker 1: the general government for increased supplies. Practically, there would soon
33:50
Speaker 1: be but one taxing power, and that vested in a
33:54
Speaker 1: body of men far removed from the people, in which
33:58
Speaker 1: the farming and mechanic inns interests would scarcely be represented.
34:03
Speaker 1: The states would gradually lose their purity as well as
34:07
Speaker 1: their independence. They would not dare to murmur at the
34:11
Speaker 1: proceedings of the general government lest they should lose their supplies.
34:17
Speaker 1: All would be merged in a practical consolidation, cemented by
34:22
Speaker 1: wide spread corruption, which could only be eradicated by one
34:26
Speaker 1: of those bloody revolutions which occasionally overthrow the despotic systems
34:32
Speaker 1: of the old world. In all the other aspects in
34:37
Speaker 1: which I have been able to look at the effect
34:40
Speaker 1: of such a principle of distribution upon the best interests
34:44
Speaker 1: of the country, I can see nothing to compensate for
34:47
Speaker 1: the disadvantages to which I have adverted. If we consider
34:52
Speaker 1: the protective duties, which are in a great degree the
34:55
Speaker 1: source of the surplus revenue beneficial to one section of
34:59
Speaker 1: the US Union, and prejudicial to another, there is no
35:03
Speaker 1: corrective for the evil, and such a plan of distribution,
35:07
Speaker 1: on the contrary, there is reason to fear that all
35:11
Speaker 1: the complaints which have sprung from this cause would be aggravated.
35:16
Speaker 1: Everyone must be sensible that a distribution of the surplus
35:20
Speaker 1: must be yet a disposition to cherish the means which
35:24
Speaker 1: create it, and any system therefore into which it enters
35:29
Speaker 1: must have a powerful tendency to increase, rather than diminish,
35:34
Speaker 1: the tariff. If it were even admitted that the advantages
35:39
Speaker 1: of such a system could be made equal to all
35:42
Speaker 1: the sections of the Union, the reasons already so urgently
35:46
Speaker 1: calling for a reduction of the revenue would nevertheless lose
35:50
Speaker 1: none of their force, For it will always be improbable
35:54
Speaker 1: that an intelligent and virtuous community can consent to raise
35:59
Speaker 1: a surplus for the mere purpose of dividing it, diminished,
36:04
Speaker 1: as it must inevitably be, by the expenses of the
36:07
Speaker 1: various machinery necessary to the process. The safest and simplest
36:12
Speaker 1: mode of obviating all the difficulties which have been mentioned
36:17
Speaker 1: is to collect only revenue enough to meet the wants
36:20
Speaker 1: of the government, and let the people keep the balance
36:23
Speaker 1: of their property in their own hands to be used
36:27
Speaker 1: for their own profit. Each state will then support its
36:32
Speaker 1: own government and contribute its due share toward the support
36:36
Speaker 1: of the general government. There would be no surplus to
36:40
Speaker 1: cramp and lessen the resources of individual wealth and enterprise,
36:44
Speaker 1: and the banks would be left to their ordinary means.
36:49
Speaker 1: Whatever agitations and fluctuations might arise from our unfortunate paper system,
36:55
Speaker 1: they could never be attributed justly or unjustly to the
37:00
Speaker 1: action of the federal government. There would be some guarantee
37:04
Speaker 1: that the spirit of wild speculation, which seeks to convert
37:08
Speaker 1: the surplus revenue into banking capital, would be effectually checked,
37:14
Speaker 1: and that the scenes of demoralization which are now so
37:18
Speaker 1: prevalent through the land would disappear. Without desiring to conceal
37:25
Speaker 1: that the experience and observation of the last two years
37:28
Speaker 1: have operated a partial change in my views upon this
37:32
Speaker 1: interesting subject. It is nevertheless regretted that the suggestions made
37:38
Speaker 1: by me in my annual messages of eighteen twenty nine
37:41
Speaker 1: and eighteen thirty have been greatly misunderstood. At that time,
37:46
Speaker 1: the great struggle was begun against the latitudinarian construction of
37:51
Speaker 1: the Constitution, which authorizes the unlimited appropriation of the revenues
37:57
Speaker 1: of the Union to internal improvements, with than the States
38:01
Speaker 1: tending to invest in the hands and place under the
38:04
Speaker 1: control of the General Government all the principal roads and
38:08
Speaker 1: canals of the country, in violation of state rights and
38:12
Speaker 1: in derogation of state authority. At the same time, the
38:16
Speaker 1: condition of the manufacturing interest was such as to create
38:21
Speaker 1: an apprehension that the duties on imports could not, without
38:26
Speaker 1: extensive mischief, be reduced in season to prevent the accumulation
38:32
Speaker 1: of a considerable surplus after the payment of the national debt.
38:36
Speaker 1: In view of the dangers of such a surplus, and
38:39
Speaker 1: in preference to its application to internal improvements in derogation
38:45
Speaker 1: of the rights and powers of the States, the suggestion
38:49
Speaker 1: of an amendment of the Constitution to authorize its distribution
38:53
Speaker 1: was made. It was an alternative for what were deemed
38:58
Speaker 1: greater evils, a temporary resort to relieve an overburdened treasury,
39:05
Speaker 1: until the government could, without a sudden and destructive revulsion
39:09
Speaker 1: in the business of the country, gradually returned to the
39:13
Speaker 1: just principle of raising no more revenue from the people
39:17
Speaker 1: in taxes than is necessary for its economical support. Even
39:22
Speaker 1: that alternative was not spoken of. But in connection with
39:27
Speaker 1: an amendment of the Constitution, no temporary inconvenience can justify
39:32
Speaker 1: the exercise of a prohibited power not granted by that instrument.
39:37
Speaker 1: And it was from a conviction that the power to
39:40
Speaker 1: distribute even a temporary surplus of revenue is of that
39:44
Speaker 1: character that it was suggested only in connection with an
39:49
Speaker 1: appeal to the source of all legal power in the
39:51
Speaker 1: general government, the states which have established it. No such
39:57
Speaker 1: appeal has been taken, and in my opinion, a distribution
40:01
Speaker 1: of the surplus revenue by Congress, either to the states
40:05
Speaker 1: or to the people, is to be considered as among
40:08
Speaker 1: the prohibitions of the Constitution. As already intimated, my views
40:13
Speaker 1: have undergone a change so far as to be convinced
40:17
Speaker 1: that no alteration of the Constitution in this respect is
40:20
Speaker 1: wise or expedient. The influence of an accumulating surplus upon
40:26
Speaker 1: the credit system of the country, producing dangerous extensions and
40:30
Speaker 1: ruinous contractions, fluctuations in the price of property, rash speculation, idleness, extravagance,
40:38
Speaker 1: and a deterioration of morals, have taught us the important
40:43
Speaker 1: lesson that any transient mischief, which may attend the reduction
40:48
Speaker 1: of our revenue to the wants of our government, is
40:52
Speaker 1: to be borne in preference to an overflowing treasury. End
40:57
Speaker 1: of Section seventeen