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7 IGNORANT AND DEORADRD OF EVERY NATION OR CLIME MUST BE ENLIGHTENED, BEFORE OUR EARTH CAN HAVE HONOR IN THE UNIVERSE."
VOLUME 1.
GREENSBOROUGII, N. C. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1829.
NUMBER 32.
Til E
C3RRBNSHOUOUGII PATRIOT.
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IMTED STA TES
TVhru J.itn-ny, r-Jrrft vr thr fieri tfhraven'
In flint wif Hh ul hiT Au aad -tMrcvi
' -'' in. fit ,djiO'i, or dtovr inrcaiiu back.
without a considerable surplus in the Treasury,
beyond what may be required for its current ser
vice. As then, the period approaches when the ap
plication of the revenue to the payment of debt will
cease, the disposition of the surplus will present a
subject for the serious deliberation of Congress ;
and it may be fortunate for the cojntry that it is
yet to be decided. Considered in connexion with
the difficulties which have heretofore attended ap
propriations for purposes of internal improvement,
and with those which this experience telh us will
certainly arise, whenever power over suh subjects
may be exercised by the General Government,
it is honed that it mav lead to the adoutiou of
some plan which will reconcile the diversified in
terests of the States and strengthen the bonds which
unite them. Every member of the Union, in peace
amtio war, will be benefitted by the improvement of
inland navigation and the construction of highways
in the several States. Let us, then, endeavor to at
tain this benefit in a mode which will be satisfactory
to all. That hitherto adopted has, by many of our
fellow-citizens, been deprecated as an infraction of
the Constitution, while by others it has been viewed
as inexpedient. All feci that it has been employed
at the expense of harmony in the legislative councils.
To avoid these evils, it appears t6 me that the
I most safe, jus(, and federal disposition which could
v-Trrm,i be made-jof tho surplus.rcveimu, would be its appor-
uoumeni among trie several oiaics aecoruiiig 10 iner
ratio 01 representation ; ami should. this measure not
be found warranted by tile Constitution, that it would
PtiLblDhM 'S AlEhSAGE. ' - be-eKjedient to propose to the States an meidrnent
On the 8, mst. at 12 o'clock the President of the U. authorizing it. 1 regard an appeal to the source of
States ommuni. attd to both Houses of Congress the lol- poWer j Casc9 0frea doubt, and where its exercise
lowing message
(Conlimtt (!.)
is deemed indispensable to the general welfare, as a-
inoni' the most sacred of all our obligation. Ul-
n -
The agricultural interest of our country is so cs- on this country, more than any other, has in the prov
ien . iy connected ith every other, and sosuperi- jdence of God, been cast the special guardianship of
oi in importance to thtm all, thai it is scarcely ne- tiie great principle of adherence to written constitu
cissai) to .niie to it )our particular attention. It tious. If it fail, here, all hope in regard to it will be
i? principally as manufactures and commerce tend ; extinguished. That this was inttnded to be a Gov
to increase the value of agricultural productions,! t., met of limited and specific, and not general
and ij extend their application to the wants and j powers, must be admitted by all; and it is our duty
comtorts of society, that they deserve the fostering to preserve for it the "chancier intended b i(s fh
Caie of government. mers. If experience po'mN nit the necessity' for an
Looking lorward to the period, not lar msiam, enlargement o( thine pimvrs Id us applv f r it to
when a sinking land will no longer be required, the
duties on thoe articles ot importation which cannot
r..iiie in competition, are the first that sliould engage
tlu attention ot Congress in the modification of the
Tai ilt; Of these, tea andxottee are the- most pronv
incut ; they enter largely into the consumption of
tiie country, and hav become articles of , necessity
to all elates. A reduction, therefore, of the exis
ting duties, will be felt as a common benefit; but,
like all other legislation connected wilh commerce
to be eflicaciout., and not injurious, it should be grad
ual and certain.
'1 he public prosperity is evinced in the increased
revenue arising Irom the sales ot the public lands,
and in the steady maintenance ol i that pi oducud by
imposts and tonnage notwithstanding the additional
duties imposed by the act of 1 9th May 1828, and
the iisu.il importations in the early part of that ) ear.
'i he balance in the Treasury on the lt of Janua
ry , lb29, was five millions nine hundred and seventy
two thousand four hundred and twenty five dollars
and eighty-one tents. The receipts ol the current
year are estimated at twenty-four millions six hun
dred and two thousand two hundred and thiiiy dol
lars; and the expenditures for the same tune at
twenty-six millions one hundred and sity-tour thou
sand hve hundred and ninety-five dollars ; leaving a
balance in the Treasury on the 1st of January next,
of four millions lour hundred and ten thousand and
seventy dollars and eighty -one cents.
'1 here will have been paid, on account of the
public debt, during the present year, the sum of
twelve millions four hundred and five thousand and
five dollars and eight cents ; reducing the whole
debt of the government, on the first ol January next,
to forty eight million five hundred and 65,000
four hundred and six dollars and fifty cents, including
seven millions of five per cent- stock subscribed to
the Bank of the United States. The payment on ac
count of the public debt, made on the first of July
last, was eight millions seven hundred and. fifteen
thousand four hundred and sixty two dollars and
eighty-seven cents. It was apprehended that the
thrfirawal of Ro laive a sum from the banks in
M mm 7
which it was deposited, at a time of uuusual pressure
in the money market, might cause much ii.jury to the
interests dependent on bank accommodations. But
this evil was wholly averted by an early anticipa
tion of it at the Treasury, aided by the judicious ar
rangements of the otlicers ol the Bank ol the United
Stales.
'1 his state of finances exhibits the resources of the
nation in an aspect highly Haltering to its industry
and auspicious of the ability of Government, in a
vt T) short timet to extinguish the public debt. When
this shall be done, our population will be relieved
from a considerable portion of its present burthens,
and will find, not only new motives to patriotic allec
tion, but additional means for the display of indi
vidual eutcrprize. The fiscal power, of the State
will also be increased, and may be more extensively
exerted in favor of education and oilier public ob
jeets, while ample - meant will remain m the Fedcra
Government to promote the general weal, in all the
modes nennitted to its authority. .
Alter the extinction . ol the public debt, it is not
prbabierthat any7 ajnwinf
ciples sdtislactory tolhcr-Vode-t;f-ihc Uttronf-wth,
until a remote period, il ever, leave the Government
those for whose benefit it is to be exercised ; and not to
undermine the w hole system by 'a resort (o overstr li
ned construction!!. The. scheme has worked well.
It has exceeded the hopes of Unw who devised it,
and become an objectof adritmiiMMv iv ;tl? . wmld..
We are responsible to onr roinlrv, a:d to llio ylori
ous cau&eol telf-gmcrnuieut, for iUe preservation ol
so great a good. The great mass of legislation rela
ting to our internal .affairs, u intended to be left
where the Federal Convention found it in the .State
Governments. Nothing is clearer, in my view, than
that we are chielly indebted for the success of the
Constitution under which we are now acting, to the
watchful and auxiliary operation of the Slate author
ities. 1 his is not the reflection of a day, but belongs
to the most deeply rooted conviction of my mind. I
cannot, (heretore, loo strongly or too earnestly, for
my own sense of its importance, 'varn you against all
encroachments upon the legitimate sphere of State
sovereignty. Sustained by its healthful and invigora
ting influence, the Fcdaral system can never fall.
In the collection of the avenue, the long credits
authorized on goods imported from beyond the Cape
of Good Hope, are the chief caue of the losses at
present sustained. If these were shortened to six,
nine, and twelve mouths, and warehouses provided
by Government, sutlicient to receive the goods olfer
ed in deposit for security, and for debenture ; and
if the ri'dit of the United States to a priority of
payment out of the estates of its insolvent debtors
were more effectually secured, this evil wolud, in a
great measure, be obviated. An authority to construct
such houses is, therefore, with the proposed alteration
of the credits, recommended to your attention.
U is worthy of notice, that the laws for the col
lection and security of the revenue arising from im
posts, were chiefly framed when the rates of duties
on imported goods presented much less tcrrptation
for illicit trade than at present exists. There is rea
son to believe, that those laws are, in some respects,
quite insufficient for the proper secuntv of the rev
enue, and the protection of the interests of those who
are disposed to observe them, the iniunous and
"... . . m
demoralizing tendency of a snccesMul system ol
o v
sniuwIiiiL'. is so obvious as not to require comment
and cannot be too carefully truarded airainst. 1
JO .
therefore suggest to Congress the propriety ol adop
however, as much as possible, every unnecessary
infringement of individual liberty, and embarrass
ment of fair and lawful business.
On an examination of the records oftheTreas
ury, 1 have been lorcibly struck With the large
amount of public money winch appears to be out
standing. Ol the sum thus due from individuals to tin
Government, a considerable portion is undoubtedly
desperate; and in many instances has probably been
rendered so by remissness in the agents charged witl
its collection. - By proper-exertions a great part, how
ever, mav vet be recovered: and whatever may be
1 WW
the portions respectively belonging to these two clas
-,cs, it behoves the Govenment to ascertain the rea
tatc of the fact. This can be done only by the
proinpt adoption of ludicious measures for collection
of such as mVibe made available. It is believed
that a vcrr'hTge arnmtias'-bterrrlost through- the
tnadeqtracy- of the metms provided for the collection
oldtbt9 due to the public, & that this- inadequacy
lies cluefly in the want of legal skill, habitually
and constantly employed in direction of the agents
engaged in the service. It must, I think, be admitted,
that the supervisory power over suits brought by the
public, which is now vested in an accounting, officer
of the Treasury, not selected with a view to his
legal knowledge, and encumbered a3 he is with
numerous other duties, operates unfavorably to the
public interest.
It is important that this branch of the public ser
vice should be subjected to the suppervision ofsuch
professional skill as will give it efficiency. The ex
pense attendant upon such a modification of the Kx
ecutive Department would be justified by the
soundest principles of economy. I would recom
mend, therefore, that the duties now assigned to
the Agent of the Treasury, so far as they relate to
the superintendence and management of legal pro
ceedings, on the part of the United States, be trans
ferred to the Attorney General, and that this
ollicer be placed on the same footing, in all respects
as the Heads of the other Departments, receiving like
compensation, and having such subordinate oniccr
provided for his department as may be requisite
for the discharge of these additional duties. The
professional skill of the attorney General, employed
in directing the conduct of 'Marshal and District At
torneys, would hasten the collection of debts now
in suit, and, hereafter,' save much to the Government.
of all criminal proceeding for offences against the
United States. In making this transfer, gre;lt care
should b taken, however, tiut. the power necessary
to the Treasury Department be not impaired: one
of it greatest ec.urities consisting in a control over
all accounts, until they are audited or reported for
suit.
In connexion with the foregoing views, I would
"V'ggest, alo, an inquiry, w hether the provisions of
tl ',act of Congress, authorizing the 'discharge of the
persons of debtors to the Government , from impris
onment, may not, consistautly .with the public in
terest, be extended to the release of the debt, w here
ihe conduct of the debtor is wholly exempt from the
imputation of fraud. Some more liberal policy
than that which now prevails, in reference to ibis
unfortunate clas of citizens, is certainly due to
them, and would prove beneficial to the country.
The continuance ol the liability, after the means to
discharge it have been exhausted, can only serve to
dispirit the debtor, or, where his resources are but
;rtinl the want of powci in the government to cpin
proiniM', and release the demand, instigates to fraud,
a the only resource lor securing a -support to his
fimily. He thu siuks into a state of apathy, and
becomes a useless drone in society, or a vicious mem
her of it, if not a feeling wn::ess of the rigor and hu
manity of his country. All experiaiice proves, that
oppressive debt is the. bane of enterprise ; and it
should be the care of a Republic not to exert a
grinding power over misfortune and poverty.
Since the last session ol Congress, numerous frauds
, i t i it'll
on the treasury have been discovered, vvtucu i
thought it my duty to bring under the cognizance
of the United. State' Court for this District, by a
criminal prosecution. It was my opinion, and
that of able counsel who were cousulted, that the ca
se came w ithin the penalties of the act of the 17th
impress, apprved hd Marc , 18J.. provided for
the punishment offr. ids committed on the Govern
ment of the United States. Either frcm some de
fect in the law, or in its administration, every clhrt
to brinir the accused to trial under its provisions
proved ineffectual, and the Government was driven
to the necessity of resorting to the vague and inad
equate provisions of the common law. It is therefore
my duty to call your attention to the laws which
have been passed for Ihe protection of the Treasury.
t. indeed, there be no orovision by which those
1 I'
who may be unworthily entrusted with its guardian
ship, can be punished tor the most flagrant violation
of duty, exteuding even to the most fraudulent ap
propriafion of the public funds to their own use, it
is time to remedy so dangerous an omission. Or,
if the la w has been perverted from its original pur
poses, and criminals, deserving to be punished under
its provisions, have leen rescued by legal subtil
ities, it ought to be made so plain, by amendatory
provisions, as to baffle the arts of perversion and
accomplish the end of its original enactment.
In one of th U. ; J lascs. the Court deci
ded that the prosecution was barred by the statute
which limits prosecution for fraud to two years
In this case, all the evidences of fraud, and indeed
all knowledge that a fraud had been committed
were in possession of the party accused, until after
the two years had elapsed, Surely, flic statute ought
not to run in favor of any man w hile he retains all
the evidences of his crimes in his own possession ;
and, least of all, in favor of a public ollicer who
continues to defraud the Treasury & conceal the trans
action, for the brief term of two years. I would
therefore, recommend such an alteration of the law
as will give the injured party and the Government
two years after 'the disclosure of the fraud, or
after the accused is out of olKce, to commence
their prosecution, - -
In connexion with this subject, 1 invite the attention
ofCongress to a general and minute inquiry into
the condition of the government, Willi a view to
ascertain what officers can be despensed with, what
expenses retrenched, and what improvements may
i made intheraraiiiiirtrtion""'"'of rts-'Vrii-"-paH5ti to
secure the proper -reiipobility -of public-agents, aiid.
promote clliciency and justice m all its operations,
The report of the secretary of War will make you
acquainted with the condition of our Army, Fortifi
cations, Arsenals, and Indian Affais. The proper
discipline of the Army, the training and equipment
of the Militia, the education bestowed at Weat Point,
and the accumulation of the means of defence, ap
plicable to the Naval force, will tend to prolong the
peace we now enjoy, and which every good citizen
more especially those who have felt the miseries '
of even a successful warfare must ardently desire
to perpetuate.
The returns from the subordinate branches of this
service exhibit a regularity and order highly credita
ble to its character; both officers and soldiers seem
imbued w ith a proper sense of duty, and conform to
ihe restraints of exact discipline with that cheerful
ness which becomes the profession of arms. There
is need, however, of further legislation, to obviate th
im onveniances specified in the report under consid
eration ; to some of which it is proper that I should
call your particular attention.
The act of Congress, of the 2nd March, 1321, to
reduce and fix the military establishment, remaining
unexecuted as it regards the regiments of artillery,
cannot now be deemed a guide to the Executive
in making the proper appointment. An explanatory
act, designating the class of officers out of w hich
this grade is to befiiled whether from the military
list, as existing prior to the act of 1821, or from it,
.a,iwlwm4i-
difficulty. It is also imporfanTthat their law's ""regu-"
I ting the pay and emoluments of officers generally,
should be more specific than they now are. Those,
for example, in relation to the Paymaster arid Stir
geon General, asign to them an annual sallary of
two thousand live hundred dollars ; but are silent as
to allow ances which in certain exigencies of the ser
vice ma be deemed indespensable to the discharge
of their duties. This circumstance has b en the
authority for extending to them arious allow ances
at dillerent times under former administrations : but
no uniform rule has been observed on the subject.
Similar inconveniences exist in other cases, in which
the construction put upon the laws by the public
accounts may operate unequally, produce confusion
and expose officers to the odium of claiming what
is not their due.
1 recommend to your fostering care as one of our
safest means of national defence, the .Military Acad-
"iny. I his institution has already exercised Ihe
lappfest influence upon the moral and intellectual
character of our arm; and such of the graduates as,
from various caoses, may ,Jpt pursue the profession
of arms, will be scarcely less usefull as citizens."
riieir konwledge of the military art will be advanta
geously employed in the militia service; and in a
measure, secure to that class ol troops the advan
tages which, in this respect, belong to standing ar
mies.
I would also suggest a review of the Pension law,
for the purpose of extending ita. benefits to every
Revolutionary soldier who aided in establishing our
liberties, and who is unable to maintain himself in
comfort Those relics of the War of Independence
have strong claims upon their country's gratitude and
bounty. The law is defective, in not embracing
within its provisions all those who were, during the
last war, disabled from supporting themselves by
manual labour: Such an amendment would add but
little to the amount of pensions, and is called for
by the sympathies of the People, as well as by the
considerations of sound policy. It will be per
ceived that a large addition to the list of pensioners
has been occasioned by an order of tbe late admin
istration, departing materially from (he rules which
had previously prevailed. Considcrinn it an act of
legislation, I suspended its operations as soon as I was
informed that it had commenced, t Before this pe
riod, however, applications under Ihe new regula
tions had been preferred to the number of one hun
dred and fifty four ; of which, on the 27th of March,
the date of its revocation, eighty-seven were admit
ted. For the amount, there was neither estimate
nor appropriation: and besides this deficiency, the
regular allowances, according to the rules which
have governed the Department, exceed the estimate
of its- late Secretary, by about fifty thousand dollars :
for which an appropriation, is asked.
Your particular attention is requested to that part of
the report of the secretary of VVar which relates to
the money held in trust for the Senica Tribe of
Indians. It will be perceived that without legisla
tive aid, the Executive cannot obviate the embar
rassment occasioned by the diminution of the divi
dends on their fund ; which originally amounted to
one hundred thousand dollars ; and has recently been
invested in United States' three percent, stock.
The condition and ulterior destiny ol tne In iian
Tribes within the limits of our States, have become
objects of much interest and importance. It has
long been the policy ol tiovernment to introduce
among them the arts of civilization, in the hope of
gradually reclaiming them from a wandering life:
This policy has, however been coupled with anoth
er, wholly incompatible with its success.' Protti
sing a desire to civilize and settle them, we have,
at the same time, lost no opportunity to purchase
their lands h thrust them further, into the wilderness.
By this means they have not only been kept in a
wandering state, but been led to look upon us unjust
and indifferent to their fate, Thus, though lavish
in its expenditures upon the subject, Government 'has
constantly defeated its own policy, and the Indian.
"ifrgiWwl iTeditt!-furilMr tlH- W csVii&u; atal .i&sL.-.
LUuiic:sa.vage.hab,its., ...A . portion. howem':ttLlM
Southern tribes, having mingled much with the while
. X