LIBRARY OF CONGRESS D0DD5DE'^iai ^^•n^ V^- 0. . ^V .LI. V-^^ o A- * ^ ^ * •*• s « o " • ♦- o. > • » • ^^" '^ -> VV"- -^^ "-If ' * • « » " • ,, '^^ •^. ' • aN ^' . . v.. " ' - \y 4* -♦ o • f •^. 4 (^ '■4 ♦.■ « o .^* .' ?a.. ^^ . o . . . -?; :c*^. *. o. ► . the General Government. It gave to the same nine new States half a million of acres (}i choice lands for ir?ternal improvement, while it gave not an acre to the old States ; and this, too although the new SvflJf-s have heretofore received millions of acres of these lands for schools and colleges, roads and canals, jvfnle ihs o\i Stdtbt, hiVe received lilti'e or none. You perceive, therefore, that the distribution was neither equal nor equitable; but was bot/i unequal and unjust. "You know that I have always been opposed to the pre-emption system, by which the people of the new States are allowed to settle upon the public lands without any authority, and then take these lands at the Icwcst price, which is a dollar and a quarter an acre; although the same land, if sold at public auction, would often bring ten times that amount. This system has always been deprecated by tlie people of North Carolina, and especially by the "V^^hig party, as replete both with fraud and injustice; and yet this bill has established this abominable system. It is aa wuch y^ pre-emption or a 'donatio7i bill as it is a distribution bill; and all -who voted for distribution, eqtial/y voted for pre-em^inn nrnd tlonation. The bill contained other features equally olyectionahle. It admitted, i(.i express terms, the right of Congress, hereafter, to give awaj' these lands to the new States iia which they lie — a light always denied by the good people of North Carolina, and especially by the Whig party in the State. "These are some of the objection"' to the bill itself; but the condition of the treasury afforded an insuperable objection to any distril )ulion at this time. It was well understood before my election, that, in consequence of the exv^'^'^'li'i'^s of the late Administration having been much greater than the current revcnut woru'id meet, the Government was greatly in debt, and that the annual accruing revenue hci-eaff.er would not be sufficient for the support of the Gover)iment without a Vw.ifc increase^ ^-6 the tariff, or duty upon imports, at least to the extent provided for ir\ tiie compromise act of 1833.. I therefore stated to the people, in my circular, as well as in all my public addresses, that, while I fielieved Congress had the power to disti-'^Jite the^ proceeds of the sales of the public lands, and ought do so whenever the condition of the iriT.;;ury would justify it; yet that I could not consent to distribute any portion of the public .rcVenye gg \q^„ ^g jj^^ Government was in debt, without our being able to'know exactly when or how this debrwas to be paid. Whether, therefore, I was right or V7rong in the vote I gave, no one had a right to sup- pose I would give any other vote than I did. "I concur entirely in the views expressed by the President in his message to Congress, in which he recommends 'a distribution of the proceeds of the sides of the public lands among the States, provided such distribution does not force upon Congress the necessity of imposing upon com- merce heavier burdens than those contemplated by the compromise act of 1 833.' Let us- wait and see whether a duty of twenty per cent, upon our importations, as contemplated by the com- promise law of 1833, and as carried out by the law we have just passed, imposing a duly not exceeding 20 per cent, upon most of the luxuries of hfe, will raise revenue sufficient for the support of the Government. With economy, I think it will. If so, I am for distribution; but if not, I am opposed J- jt. I will never vote to distribute any portion of the public revp."rV if *;^^''e''y.I '■'ij^Jlie foundation of hfiother heavy protective tarifT, by which the commerc'rand ^,-;^sperity pf j^e South are to be criiipled, if not destroyed, for the benefit <:^[ ^\^q manufactures of the xVorth. I believe that many voted for that dklributiim, as they d^^ f^^ every extravao-ant appropriation of public money, tliat they may thereby have a better exc^sg f^^ violating the com- promise law, and imposing heavier duties upon imports than is conter^ [j^^gj j, ^^,^^ \^v^. These taxes, though burdens to you, are benefits to them; inasmuch as t'lpy increase the price of for- eign goods, and of course increase, in the same degree, the price ^f similar goods manufactured by them or their constituents. AVell, therefore, might Mr. Ad^ms exhort his northern friends 'to throw the compromise act to the dogs.' " The bill was accordingly amended in the Senate, by inserting a pro- viso, that no distribulioii should take place whenever the duties imposed upon tiic JjtOpiC SilOlitd exceed 20 per cerd.^ as provided for in the com- promise lifi^^ This was some assurance to the people of the South that tne Compromise law was to be held "sacred and inviolate," as promised by the leaders of the Whig party in 1S40. If the compromise was vio- lated, there was to be no distribution. Bat it was evident, even at the extra session, that the great body of the ^Vhig party were determined to have a high tariff; and they cared but little for distribution, except as it created an excuse for such a tariif. Accordingly, no efforts were made at retrenchment, so as to bring- down the wants of the Government within its means; on the contrary, the appropriations for the year 1841, made by the preceding Administration, were greatly increased; thus adding to the amount of our indebtedness at least five millions of dollars — and this, too, although we had complained so loudly — and, in my opinion, so justly — of the extravagance of our predecessors. So far from an incYeas^e of expenditure, there were many reasons Vvhy there should have bten a large reduction. The Florida war, so long a sink of public m/oney, was justabout being terminated; the exploring expedition waf^Yeturning home; and most of the costly public buildings at the seat of Government were completed. There was, therefore, every reason for a reduction^ rather than an increase of expenditure. With these views, you may well sup- pose I voted against these extra appropriations, for which I was not a 6 little censured at the time. Tiiey wer«p coijsideied Whig measures; and all who did not toe the mark, were denounced as renegade Whigs. Re- solved, however, to do my duty, hard names had no terrors for me. I saw their object was a high tariff, and I woul'd not contribute to it. At the first regular session, therefore, ahnost the wliole party rallied for a high protective tariff. The compromise bill, whjch we were promised should be kept "sacred and inviolate," was "throu'.ii to the dogs;" re- taining only those parts most favorable to Northern interesvs-. Instead n/ 20 per cenL, the duties upon many of the most necessary articles of con- sumption were ruti up io more than 100 per cent., which is to be paid in cash; while all /-he drugs and dye-stuffs used in the manufactures of the North, are allowed to come in free of duty. But, under this bill, no dis- tribution could take place, without repealing the proviso in the distribu- tion bill of the extra session. This was done under party drill; and we had the strange spectacle exhibited in a free country, of imposing heavy and unequal burdens upon the people, that they might make an unequal dis- tribution to that same people; giving the least portion to that section upon whom was imposed the heaviest burden. If ever there was a bill of abominations in this country, this was one; and I rejoice that we had a President sufficiently honest and independent to strangle it by the exer- cise of his constitutional veto. PUBLIC DEBT. Our public debt, l^'itlnn two years, has run up from less than ten mil- lions of dollars, to abo!^*- thirty millions; while our annual revenue, both from lands and import?? ^oes not equal our annual expenditures. We must, therefore, continut^ to increase our public debt. If we make dis- tribution, that public debt must continue to increase more rapidly— and that, too, in time of a pr(»found p^acS. u^Aess, therefore, the people take the alarm, we shall have in this country what x\\^ English people are now groaning under — a permanent pvblic debt, so hostile to free institutions. There are other causes of alarm, which threaten slill mcrS 'tO OVer whelm us in public debt. A large party in both Houses of Congress stO(>cl ready, at the last session, to assume the payment of claims for French spoliations prior to 1800 — amounting to not less than twenty millions of dollars; while a more formidable party is growing up, especially in the indebted States, in favor of the monstrous project of the assumption of State debts by the General Government, to the amount of two hundred millions of dollars. Under all these circumstances, to think of making distribution of any part of our revenue, is the very essence of political folly. Wlio among you co\ild so manage his own private affairs, and sustain his character for honesty and integrity? What prudent man would give you credit, if you were found making distribution of your effects among your /•elatives and friends, while you owed large debts, and with an annual exT^iiditure greatly exceeding your annual income? The same rule ap- plies vto States that does Io iiidiyidnals; and, accordingly, we found the bonds of ihis Government hawked about in the markets of Europe and this country, V\/ilhout a bidder, until this reckless policy of distribution was abandoned. THE TARIFF. But though the clause making distribution was abandoned under the veto of the President, all the other odious features of this tariff bill were revived. We of the South had been induced to believe this exciting question was forever settled by the compromise law of 1833. That law was the result of mutual (concessions on the part both of the North and the South, for the purpose- of securing reciprocal advantages. This com- promise provided for fx gradual reduction of duties from 1833 to the 30th of June, 1842;, slowly at first, but more rapidly as it approached its termination, After June^ 1842, all duties were to he laid for revenue jy'arjAj^e^ only^ and were not to exceed 20 per cent, ad valorem, or on fj'^ amount of their value. This was a concession to the Soiith. But, as a further security to Northern manufactures, it was agreed, that this duty shoidd be paid in cash, and that dye-stuffs^.^ and other druQS used in manu- facturinSi should come in free of duty. Thus stood the matter up to the year 1842; the South all the while patiently submitting to this slow re- duction of duties, under the assurance that, after June 1842, no duty was to exceed 20 per cent. During the whole of this period, no considerable party in this country ever intimated a disposition to violate this compro- mise. The late Administration, under all its financial difficulties, held the compromise sacred; and the whole of the party, with very few excep- tions, voted against its recent violation. During the campaign of 1840, both parties contended that the compromise act was to be held "sacred, and inviolate.''- Mr. Clay, its distinguished author, in a speech delv;^red in Buffalo in 1839, used the following emphatic language: '•If the compromise he mviolabb/ maintained, (an /think it ought to ^g ^ I trust that the rate of duty fur -which it provides, in conjunction -with the stii.ulation for (.qs/i duties, home vUluation, and the long list of free articles inserted for the benefit of tf^ manufacturing interests, wiU insure its reasonable and adequate protection^' General Harrison, in his Zanesville letter, hr,i(js still stronger language: "lam (says h&) for siipportiiig [l^;,rf-;^^pQ-uise act, a«j,„7;„erer agree to its being al- tered or repealed. I will APPj^^yj^ j,„ j^^^ which goks to alter ok bep&al the act OF 1833." If that greSt Slid good man had lived, I believe he would have kept his faith to the country. But how has it been kept by the Whig party? Like the wolf keeps the lamb — to be devoured. As soon as they came into power, with John Q,. Adams, that arch enemy of Southern rights and Southern institutions, as their leader, they determined "to throw it to the dogs;" and you have nothingof the compromise remaining, "6w^^/ie cash duties^ and the long list of free articles inserted for the benefit of the manufacturing interests.^^ Instead of the 20 per cent., which was intend- ed for your benefit, you have to pay from 40 to 100 per cent., and even more, upon" many of your necessary articles of consumption. Before God, I do not believe there can be found, in the history of party warfare, so flagrant and shameful an instance of political treachery — not only to party, but to the whole people, and especially to the people of the South; and yet your party leaders and party presses, instead oi denouncing it as such, turn round and approve the act, aud invoke your indignation against those who could not be induced thus to join in betraying you, I am aware that the reason assigned for this violation of the compro- mise was the wants of the treasury. But these wants were created in part by themselves, and, as I believe, to create an excuse for that viola- tion. They made a large increase to the appropriations made by Mr.. 8 Van Buren's Administration for the year 1841, and added very largely to the navy — both in its officers and men; 33 well as the number of ships to be put in commission: and this, too, when that department was under the direction of a gentleman admitted by all to be "every inch a Whig." But the wants of the treasury, tliough great, and made still greater by themselves, "was no sufficient excuse for departing from the compromise; for it was admitted by their most experienced statesxiien, that, for revenue purposes only^ the compromise was better than the bill which was passed, although the duties were doubled. Subsequent facts have shoWR thk opinioii to h?ve been correct; because the amount of our imports, in con- sequence of these high duties, has so much declined. The amount of revenue for the two first quarters of the year 1842, under the compromise, ■when the duties were lowest, was i^l0,739,545; while during the two last quarters, after the passage of the bill of abominations, it was only $5,770,670 — but little more than half So of the last quarter of the year 1841 : under the compromise, the revenue was $4,936,063; while for the corresponding quarter for the year 1842, under the high tariff, it was only $2,465,164. So you see an increase of duty does not always increase the amount of revenue; but, on the contrary, when the duty is very high, it diminishes it, and may be put so high as to amount to absolute pro- Jiibition, and entirely destroy the revenue; and this constitutes the true diati'2Ction between the friends of free trade and those of protection. Both are in layor of some duty on iuiports; and whether the duiy be low or high, it must tO that extent, afford encouragement to the manufactures of this country. But the friend?^ of free trade contend that the Govern- ment ought not to lay anT di^^y but such as shall be laid for revenue only; while the friends of a protective tariff desire to cripple trade by duties so high as shall give them tP^ control of the home market, without regard to the amount of revenue noised. To use their own language, they wish to render the country independent (;f ^l[ foreign riations, by laying such duties as shall exclude foreign goods from competition with similar articles manufactured by themselves. You perceive, therek ^j if ever this sys- tem should obtain complete success, there must be ancliu to re^onue from imports — at least fi'om the importations of such goods aS are manufactured in this country. To supply the place of this revenue, wC must resort to direct taxes, which must result from persevering in this system of protection. It is, therefore, protection, and not free trade, that is most likely to lead to direct taxation. But high duties, diminished importations, and the loss of revenue, are not the only evils which this system inflicts upon us. There is another lawof trade, which is as certain as anything can be. It is, that the amount of your exports must depend upon the amount of your imports. For a series of years they must be equal, or nearly so. Ycni cannot expect to sell to other nations, unless you buy of them. Whatever, therefore, dinainishes lliQ fimount of our imports, must, to the same extent, diminish the arxiount of our exports. And we of the South, who produce most of these exports, will find theffi growing less and less valuable to us, until we shaU be compelled to abandon their production, or submit to the :slavish condition of allowing the Northern manufacturers to fix their own terms — both for what they sell to us, and what they buy from us. We find such to be the effects of the heavy duties imposed by the new tariff. Our imports and exports have both fallen off; the price of manufactured goods has risen; while the price of cotton, the great staple of the South, and upon which almost every othsr business depends, will hardly bear its transportation to market. Truly may it be said of this system, that it makes us hewers of wood and drawers of water for the benefit of our Nordiern brethren. Yoti perceive, therefcre, that the increase of the tariff v/as not for reve- nue, but protection— protection, not against violence, but against low prices, which !he manufacturers wish to increase by an increase of duty; lc?rfteffcfiow full well that the price of imported goods depends .upon the amount of duty imposed upon them. Otherwise, you would not hear their continual clamor for high taxes upon ail such imported goods as they manufacture, at the same time that tney ask to import free of duty such goods as they use and do not manufacture. Let us examine into the secret cause of this extraurdinary zeal for high taxes. If the increase of price were connned alone to the foreign article, they would be as much opposed to high duties as we are; but they know that the price of their own manufactures must depend upon the price of the foreign article, which depends upon the amount of duty imposed upon it. AVhen you consume a foreign article with the duty laid upon it, the increased price caused by the increase of duty, is paid for revenue, because the duty has already been paid into the treasury by the importing merchant, and, of course, laid o^ th6 .g-oods. But when you consume don:;,p„5,tjc. goods, equal in price to simitar goods imported with the duty qr,, the increased price is paid as a bounty to the manufecturer, and goeg jnto his pocket. This bounty, paid by the people, is what tuoV call ^protection. The peo- ple of this country, tlieretbre, everywhere, upon I^lost of the goods which they consume, pay a large part of the price, either for revenue or for boun- ty. When duties are low, and your trade is free and flourishes, the pro- portion of what you pay for reverme increases, and that for protection di- minishes; but when the duties are very MgVi, and your importations are small, the amount paid, by you, on account of this increased price, is much greater; but mbstof it is for bounty, and but little for revenue. Tii« late census tables enable us to form some estimate of the relative amouvA paid for revenue, and that paid for protection. The amount of i.Kiported goods upon which protective duties are laid, is put down by a ' very accurate gentleman at $45,000,000; and the amount of similar goods, manufactured in this country, and increased in price to the consumer by the duty upon the foreign article, is put down at $400,000,000. This dis- proportion has been greatly increased by the high duties in the late tariff. It may, therefore, be put down at this time, as one to ten. While $10,- 000,000 is paid for revenue, $100,000,000 is paid for bounty or protec- tion. This vast burden does not fall alone upon the people of the South, but falls upon consumption everywhere; and the people of the JNorth, not under the influence of manufacturing establishments, are rallying witl} us against this unjust system of oppression. To us of the Souihj hjgh duties are peculiarly oppressive; for while ,they irnpose heavy burdens upon our consuraption, they cripple commerce, and destroy tbf value of the products of our soil, upon which our prosperity msrnly depends. You see, too, why the manufacturers are so clamonnis for high taxes. To them, taxation is a blessing; for if they pay one dollar upon imports for revenue, they get ten for bounty in return. You see, too, why those who represent that interest always favor ejitravagant appropriations of 10 public money, oppose retrenchment of expenditures, and go for distribu- tion, or anything else that shall keep up this necessity for high duties. You see, too, why those who represent the farmers and planters, who are the principal consumers in this country, ought to oppose distribution of any portion of our revenue, which is to be made up by an increase of duties; for while you get one dollar from the revenue in this way, you have to pay ten times that amount for revenue and bounty. As soon, therefore, as the manufacturers found they had a majoritv in the 27th Coiigress, they began to pave the way for a protective tariff. T"rjBy coYi- trived to malii? it a Whi^; measure, and either decoyed or denounced most of the party iniP its support.- Their orators and presses represented it as the great panacea for a suffering country. Even the bank was secondary to it. The National Intelligencer, printed at the seat of Government, and the great organ of the Whig party, thus introduced the tariff bill to the notice of its readers: "It will to-day" (says the editor) "be laid before the President, with whom the solemn respon- sibility will then rest, either to sign the bill and give relief to a suffering people, or, shutting his eyes and his heart to the public distress, refuse his assent to the bill, and plunge his countiy into hopeless misery." Such was the common language of the Whig party in 184*2. But sup- pose they had used such language in the campaign of 1S.40, and had told you that thG p^^^ relief they had in store for VQur sufferings, were high taxes, without which you must rernairi iCrever in "hopeless misery:" would you have fjiHied as yo;] Jid to their standard? Would you not have rejected sucn' proffSred relief with scorn, and trampled it under your feet? I think yoil would. You labored for relief, and they im- posed additional burdens.. You asked for a fish, and they have given you a serpent. Another argument resorted to in fgyorof high taxes, especially in JNorth Carolina, is retaliation. They say, because the British Government imposes high duties upon many articles, some of which we produce, (such as breadstuffs and tobacco,) that, therefore, we shoiild retaliate by laying high duties upon her manufactures. Stripped of all sophistry, the argu- ment is simply this: that, because the British Government, with ay im- mense public debt, and king and lords to provide for, oppresses her sutj- jects by high taxes, therefore we should oppress our people; and this, too, not for revenue, as in Great Britain, but for bounty or protection to a favored class of people. Our system, therefore, finds no justification even in the British system. The most of the large revenue which she raises, except what is raised from excise and direct taxes, is raised from a few articles only, which are not and cannot be produced in Great Britain — such as tobacco, coffee, sugar, tea, wine, spices, and perhaps silks. These duties, therefore, are laid alone for revenue, and are paid for reve- liue onlyv- Almost the only high protective duty laid by Great Britain, is l?^-id upon breaaStuffs, for tlie protection of the farmer. Upon manufac- tured goods the duty is very low— seldom e.icceeding 15 per cent., and often niucVi less. Thus, you see, the policy of the British Government is the very revers'S of what is here contended for. Most of her heavy duties are laid upon the mxuries of life; while we tax luxuries very lightly, if at all. If England lays protective duties, they are mainly for the benefit of the farmer; while we tax the farmer for the benefit of the manufac- turer. We impose the highest duties upon the necessaries of life; while 11 in England, those duties are verj^ low — the declared policy of her present ministry being to enable her people "to buy cheap." This is my policy, has always been, and ahvrys will be; and I can never consent to act with any party who adopt a d'fferent policy. I am willing to be taxed to any amount for the support jf the Government; but not a cent beyond, or for the avowed benefit r-t any other section, or any other class of people. "KiTilons for defence, but not a cent for tribute." I^uch are my views of this protective policy. With me, it 'jj t^j^ great question in politibs; for upon it must depend tVie charact^^i- of every ad- ministration. You cannot expect, from, iiny party who believe high duties a blessing, anything but scheihes of extrava&ant appropriation and wasteful expenditure to k«ep np the necessity for" such duties. They are the natural fruits of such 3. policy. Even xMr. Clay, in a recent letter to his Whig friends of New York, declared he considered it fortunate that the wants of the treasury made high duties necessary. Under the influ- ence of such a principle, it is vain to expect either economy in our pub- lic expenditures, or reform of public abuses. THE BANKRUPT LAW Was anotliPr measu^^ 'lt, a buotheii, a sistkii, or family connexion as aji in- mate; and that all tiicir visible property belongs to said inmate or family connexion." 12 THE VETO POWER, AND THli HIGHT OF INSTRUCTION. These have not been questions of legislation., but they have been fruit- ful subjects for party discussion and party denunciation. No man is now considered a true Whig, who does not denounce, the veto power as the ONE-MAN power, and the right of instruction as <. ridiculous absurdity. I hold to both these powers, and especially the veto ptswer, as essential to ths reservation of the riglits of the people — particularly t'ue ppople of the Somh. Tne ^^^^ power is entirely a conservative power. It may protect us at^ainst the oppression Gf bad laws, but can never oppress us. If a good law is vetoed and the people, lipon full discussion, are against the veto and in favor of the law, ail the veto does is to suspend or postpone the meas- ure for a few years, till those in favor of it come into power. It there- fore may, and does often, protect us againSi wicked atid oppressive laws, but it can never finally defeat a good one. Why, therefore, should this great constitutional power be abolished? It is no more the one-man pow- er than is the Senate or Supreme Court, where one man may, and does often, defeat (for a time at least) the popular will, however strongly express- ed. These salutary checks and balances of power have been found, in all times, to be essential to the preservation of liberty; and, without them, this Federal Government would soon swallow up the,^,g^]fs both of the States and ot^ the people. This power was freely giiercised by W^jshmg- ton and Madison, vas well as by .Tackpon and! the present Chief Magist"^^!?: If the latter has beeiJ compellec? to exercise it more frequently than any £»ther, it is because evei'V o.Vier President has had a party in one branch of Congress or the other, to shield him against the unpleasant duty. In the case of Mr. Tyler, no such protection has been afforded; but, on the con- trary, bills have been passod in known opposition to his principles, under the hope and expectation th^at, if yetoeu, both the President and the power exercised would be rendered odious to the people. But it should be re- membered, that, in every instance heretofore, froiri the foundation of the Government, public opinion has settled down on the ?ide of jhg V3t0; and the measures vetoed have been abandoned. In my opinion, such will be the result of public opinion in the more recent exercise of this great c^ti" stitutional right. But, whatever may be my present differences with my Whig friends, 1 trust I have shown that I have not been inconsistent with my Ibrmer principles, or my promises to you. 1 wish now still further to show that my opinions are in perfect harmony with those of General Harrison, who was the head of the party in 1840. I hope I shall be excused for these frequent references to his opinions, because on his great influence and known Republican principles, and those of the present Chief Magis- trate, I mainly relied for the success of Republican measures under his A^^mini§,^rati62:- 111 his letter to She^od Williams, he says; "Among the principles proper to be adopted by any Executive sincerely desirous to restore the Government to its original simplicity and purity, I deem the following to be o\ prominent im- portance: 'That, in the exercise of the veto power, he should hmit his rejection ol bills — 1st, to such as, in his opinion, are unconstitutional; 2d, such as tend to encroach on the rights of the States, or individuals; 3d, such as, involving deep interest, may, in his opinion, require more mature deliberation, or reference to tiie will of the people, to be ascertained at the succeeding elections.' " 1*^ o In his address to the people oCOhio, he says: "I deem mj'self a Republican of w'nat is commonly called the old Jefferson school, and believe in the correctness of that interpre'iation of the Constitution which has been given by that en- lightened statesman, who was at ♦the head of the party, and others belonging to it — particularly the celebrated resolutions of the, Virginia J^egislature diiriiiff (he presidency of John Jldams. '•I believe in the tendency /of a large public debt to sap the foundation of the Constitution, by creating a moneyed aristocracy, whose views and feelings must be in direct hostility to the mass of the people. I deer^a 'it'the duty, therefore, of the Representatives of the people to extinguish it as soon as 'f^Ussible, by making every retrenchment in the expenditures of the Goverrjjnferit that a proper performance of the public business will allow. . ■■ •. , "I believe in the right of Ui.e people to instruct their Kepresentative; and, iX he has sufficient evidence that the instructions come from a majority of his constituents, he is bound to obey them, or resign, and give them an opportunity of electing another Representative whose opinions would accord with their own." Such was the Republican faith of the lamented Harrison. It is in harmony with that of the present Chief Magistrate. Under such leaders, and with such avowed principles, the Whigs conquered in 1S40. Whether they will succeed in 1844, under another leader, and with op- posite principles, remains to be seen. APPROPRIATIONS AND EXPENDITURES. Appropriatiorjs are made by Congress commonly a year in advance, ^[i^ are expended, by thc Executive in pursuance of such aj;p;-jpriat'ions. Expenditures, therefore, can HCVCr exceed, but do often \^{\ short of, the appropriations. I give the appropriations, because Oongress alone are responsible for them. I exclude appropriatiCPS for trust funds and for the public debt, but include the Post Office fund. ! do so, because it is so stated in the report of the Committee of Ways and Means, and may, therefore, be considered most favorable to the Whigs. I give them for the four years of the late Administration; and for t'le two years since; during which time, the Whigs have controlled the appropriations. 1S37 - $34,128,807 185s - 33,138,371 18-39 23,862,560 1840 . . v - - - 21,733,116 1841 ....... 25,888,272 1842 - - - - - ■ - 23,177,921 The appropriations made by the Van Buren party for the expenditure of 1841, were much less than for 1840; but they were added, to by the Whig party as soon as they came into power, at the extra session, by an additional appropriation of $5,043,705; making the sum above stated for the year 1841. It will be seen, therefore, that the appropriations for the years 1841 and 1842 are far less than for the two first years of the Van Buren Administration; but they greatly exceed those of the tj^o iist yeay^. It is true the appropriations for the year 1843, and h-:Vitthe year 18^4, are below the standard of 184?/, bvVi, ^?, CcVi^resi convenes long l">5ioie the expiration of the period appropriated for, they can add to the appropria- tions to any amount, as was done in 1841. You see, therefore, that, instead of continuing to reduce the appropria- tions, as the people had a right to expect, the )?higs, as soon as they came into power, greatly increased them. There has been no retrench- ment in the number or salaries of officers, and very little reform of abuses. It is true the number of men in the army has been reduced; but thc num- 1 4 ber of officers (which is the great sou\rcc of expenditure, as well as ol patronage) remains the same; Avhile the n-dry — both in the number of its officers and men, as well as of its ships — has been very greatly increased. It is also true, the House of Representatives (often by a union of both par- ties) passed bills to reduce the officers of the anJiy as well as the men; to reduce the navy to what it was on the 1st of Jai?uary, 1841; and, gen- erally, to reduce the number and salaries of officers i\9 .suit the hardness of the times, and the embarrassed condition of the treasury. But these various meci^ures did not meet with favor in the Senate, and were lost. The House, too, degSrVC? great credit for having purged many of the abuses heretofore practised by itself. It greatly reduced the amount of its contingent expenses; reduced the number of its officers and other persons employed about it; and discontinued the large and unauthorized extra allowances heretofore made to such officers and other persons over and above their lawful salaries; while all these abuses remain untouched in the Senate. But the Senate, to their great honor, refused to share in the shameful practice of the House, in expending large sums of public money to buy books, as an extra allowance for themselves. I do not speak of these things for party purposes; for I doubt not many of both parties will be found united, as well in the abuse as its correction; but simVA"" to call the attention of the people to reforms that h3ve been made, and others tlu?.t ought to be. It is vain for ij^' {o complairl of abuses in other departments of the Govemmp^t, while we practise them ourselves. "First cast out the b^^am that jg [^ thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out i^e fnote that is in thy brother's eye." Another extra allowance made at the close of the last session, deserves reprehension. The pric3 of public printing was fixed by law in 1819. Since that time, in consequence of the improvement in machinery and other causes, the expense of printing Vias been greatly reduced. At the Congress before the last, therefore, Whig printers proposed to take the public printing at 20 per cent, below the price fixed by law; but the party then in power gave it to Blair y the foregoing resolutions urging the distribution of the pro- ceeds of the sales of the public lana;i, this General Assembly doth not mean, m fl?n/ event, to infringe the act of Congress passed the 2d March, 1833, for the settlement of the tarifl", com- monly called the compromise act; dut on the contrary, it hereby declares and resolves that the said compromise act should be held sacred and inviolfHteP ""~" I have referred to these opinions of the President, to show the great in- justice with which he has been treated by a portion of the Whig party. If he vetoes a bill, believing it unconstitutional, he is denounced as a despot for defeating the popular will; and if he sign a bill, believed by him to be of doubtful authority, and ventures to state that he does so in deference to the legislative department, thereby following the example of til? illustrious Washington,— they immediately raise hii indignation committee, and denounce him as a disorga^izer. Under ah tUGse cir- cumstances, the \Yonder is, that thQ Administration has been able to ac- complish so much of good to the country; and yet it may well com- pare v;ith any that ha5 gone before it. To have settled honorably and successfully our numerous difficulties with Great Britain, some of which have existed for half a century, is honor enough for any one Administra- tion. Under wise and prudent counsels, this apple of discord has been happily removed, and we have now before us the pleasing prospect of a long and uninterrupted peace with all tho nations of the v/orld. At home, our domestic affairs (so for as they depend on Executive administration) have been managed with equal fidelity, if not with equal success; and I do not believe there has been a period, since I have been in pubhc life, when the various executive departments of the Government were in the hands of more able, faithful, and indefatigable public servants. They, at least, without the aid of party, and under circumstances the most difficult and discouraging, have done their duty to the country; and I doubt not, when the rancor of party spirit shall have passed away, that country will do them justice. Such are the reasons for my opposition to these measures and principles of the Whig party. I submit them to you for your calm and careful con- sideration. I cannot hope they will be satisfactory to all of you; but I trust they will satisfy every unprejudiced mind, that, though I may be in error, f.iiave not violated my duty to you, or acted at all inconsistent with the prin- cipieii! I have always professed, and which I have seen no good cause to change. I have expressed myself {"reely. Truth and justice required it. But I hope I have done so without giving oflTence to any one. Ii only remains for me to thank you — which I do most sincerely — for your past kindness; to assure you of my best wishes for your happiness; and most respectfully and most kindly to take my leave of you. ABRAHAMJaENgpER. Washington, March 13, 1843. W ^ v) o"«, "^O ^/' J' \ ''^^/ ^^ ^^ \ <> '••'*'• ^^ % ♦/'XT' A <^ 'o,\* o Ao, •o r^ A- ♦"fl^i:?^'. '^^^ .^^ *:. "*- c'JL ♦ o. r .,v.. • A. o " '*bV^ ,>, "<^ ^'^..r'^^ JO ■ •^o V* ^■^.u ' WERT ' BOOKBINDING CrantMlle Pa Jan fed 1989 Af 'f 0^*'"* ^Oi-^C