Farmers' gazette, and Cheraw advertiser. (Cheraw, S.C.) 1839-1843, June 09, 1841, Page 114, Image 2
W ?-?Po
rtion of Crops.?I seethiro is a I
premium offered for the best rotation of
c*op? ; therefore 1 shall make but a few
remarks on this subject. In no case
should a farmer take more than two crops j
< ffgrain off thin land before it putting j
ir down to grass, and whatever the rotation
may be plough in a green crop where
practicable, instead of an open fallow.
'Hiis will make the soil mellow and loose,
and add considerably to its strength.
In-conclusion, 1 beg leave to remark,
that there are many ways in which land
could be sooner improved than by' the i
plans I have just mentioned ; but I have
given the cheapest and easiest plan for
those who are deficient in means. Being
more accustomed to handle the plough
and hoe than the pen, I am aware that the
j:?r hnve jriven, might be put in
(iirciuui io i c
better form to appear to advantage ; but I .
I are it to the committee to make such
disposal of it as to thein may seem best.
Very respect filttv; Columbus' JIuLkud.
v jute&
Tub Sugar Bkkt.
Messrs Gay lord ane Tucker?I have
noticed ia the late numbers of the Cultivator,
Dr. Guthreie's and Mr. Bement's
attacks on the sugar beet, insinuating
that it is almost aworthless roolfor the feeding
of stock; and as the opinions of those
gentlemen, with partial experiments, are
directly at varience to those of the most
eminent agriculturists of France and Germany,
after an experience of more than
thirty years, aud to those of many of our
countrymen, after trying it with satisfactory
effect aboutfive years; ami as I hadthe
honor ofappearing in the last May number
of the Cultivator, strongly recommending
its production at d feeding, I feel bound to
make some comments on the commucacions,
and reiterate my own experience in
the feeding qualities, of what I consider !
one of the most valuable roots.
I am perfectly satisfied by Dr. G's statement
of the analysis that he made of the
beet. vol. viii. page 40, that h? was either
grossly imposed unon in the purchase of j
seedand had grown themangel wratzel in- !
stead of the white Silesian, or that he had |
planted it in 90 rich a vegetable soil as to
produces sorank a growth asto almost to.
tally destroy the saccarine matterthat is usuallyjfound
in it, especially when he adds, !
u the beets brought upon our table are to- ;
tallly destitute of sweetness." Now I j
not only my own taste for three years in
succession to prove that the sugar beets ;
raised in and about Buffalo, are exceed- J
ingly sweet and nutricious, but can also
bring a hundred witnesses any time to
corroborate the assertion, from their own
daily eating. The famous blood beet j
cannot compare with the sweet, tender
Silisian, and as for mangel wurtzel and '
other beets, they are almost tasteless af- ;
ler them : and they are never boiled in a j
pot by themselves, that there is not a
sweet syrup left at the botorn, almost of
thc:hickness and agreeable taste of sugar- '
molasses,"which, in my opinion, only |
wants to be clarified and graduated, to
make good sugar. So much for personal
siKte of experience; now foe that ot stock.
1 know that fed raw to cows, they considerably
added to the quantity and especially
the quality of the milk, making the
butter as sweet, and almost of yellow as
is produced on fresh summer's grass: they 1
also kept them, with the addition of hay
aione, in the best possible order;and the
yong stock fed on them, togetcr with hay,
were as fit and almost as fine and <j!ossy in 1
their coa>s. as when on the best of summer
pasture. I never tried them w ill horses, hut j
should hfrdiv think them hearty food enough I
for those at work. Not keeping sheep, of j
course I could not experiment witu them ; but j
others speak very flattering on this point, as ,
may have^been seen frora -om j'ommun ca io is
thai wen: : lie round til-' year past in most of
the agricultural papers copied, I think, from
the Phi adelphia Cabinet. Beets there were j
said to produce the best of mutton and the
finest of wool. * (
The most important use, howev- r, that I
have made of them, is with hogs. But as my
breeds embrace only the China and Berkshire,
it is i i reference to these superior ani.
lua Is alone that 1 can speak; and here it'
seems that Dr Gu'hries"- Berkshires did to)- j
crably well, while hi* others almost starved.
The first winter mv < rown swine partly on j
potatoes, raw ; the second winter almost ex- ;
clusively on raw beets, thrown to them on the j
ground. 1 did not notice any difference ,
whatever in their appearance during these !
two seasons, but each time they were kept (
in as good flesh as 1 ever wish to have breeders,
and they were by no means allowed to
eat their fill of them either. The third winter,
(the last) have erected a steaming apparatus.
with a new piggery, i commenced cooking
the f<?od for my hogs, and have frequently
steamed beets alone and fed them to all ages, j
from the pig two months old, tip to the grown >
animal of tnnr vears To the last. I had to'
st nt them to a common water pail, half full j
twice a day, or say Irom eight to ten quarts,
or they would gel too fat for breeding ; and as
to the former, with the addition of a trifling j
quanti'V of corn, I never s*w animals thrive [
better, of more contented in my life. Tli^y J
would fill th? ir bellies ami he down in theii 1
straw, and dose away for hours together, as
contented as puppies and as whist as mice ; 1
and this stock thus treated, 1 am not afraid
to show, either for general sizenr fineness of,
point, against any thing in the United States, i
v .n-i lato i,niu,rivi i>,n arwl that onlv fori
??.jr ...v^ ? .
great weight the-elast being somewhat of a
larger class than is usual among Berkshire.
During ?hts same winter I steamed a mixture
of carrots and potatoes with the beets occasionally,
but in feeding I found that as a general
rule, the pigs would pick out the beets
first, the potatoes second, and only eat the
carrots when hungry at last ;*but if any one
were'o ask which I thought the most nutritious
I should say the potato without doubt.
My accommoda'i'ins are too limited, however,
to mike'the careful experiment as to the
relative value of roots, bushel for bushel, and
again in comparison with grain, as requested
by Ml\ Caton, of Illinois but I trust that the
above will be satisfactory to him and to others
go far as it goes, for it is experience and n >t
theory. I mint eav that I do not like this
jumping at conclusions from partial experiments.
( recollect reading an address, some
two years ago, by some one in Pennsylvania,
beforeagricultural society, in which the
Writer maintained?and he seemed to be an
imqfcgunt, aciexittic man?that ruta baga, by
H5IK 5535H55555SfiBHH^HH5|
analysis, was but little e'sfc than wood* and |
theref-re, as a food f?i*mas) and beast, it was I
almost totally worthiest Indeed f And yet J
thu sam* despised root, together witn ft little )
straw, makes most of the English beef and
mutton, and in som instances at times onefourth
supports its laboring population. Appropos
to th'fl, I recollect onre telling an intelligent
neighbor that I cultivated pumpkins
a good deal, and fiked thein much as food for
swine. " Well," he replied, "ihcy never did
anything for my hogs but scour them.'' The
fact was he had an inferior breed of animals.
Again, I shut up some Berkshire sows that
were quire poor, about three wpeks, to put
thein id condition ; they were allowed nothing
but pumpkins during tuis time, and were then
turned out,havmg got real'v, in that short,
time, almost too fat for good breeding. An
intelligent gentleman, who had seen ?hem previous
to thefr being shut up, and then?again
when they were let out, acknowledged that
nothu g but8eeing the thing with his own eyes
would have co-winm-i him of the truth of it.
and wound un by adding, (I do not jjive the
~ L * *L " ' - ? * -* itotni /)
words exactly, out tne wuy ma'can
of fatting them, then ino thv. have made th-tn
skole.on poor by this."?I am no chemist,
and therefore humbly ask, what would be the
analysis of clover T Not much, I fancy, but
water. And vot Berksbires, and in fact, all
good crosses of.the C"m* bug* k'fp fat
upon it in 'summer and grow well; 'and f wit
Conclude this long letter on stig tr beets bv
saying, that if their stock does not thrive upon
them, why (hen gentlemen have been deceived
in their seed, or they have not got the right,
sort, of animals to consume tne toots.
Like Judge Garnet!, of Virginia, I have oc.
casiaually eat Rohan potatoes; whether I
was in my " right senses" or not, at. the time,
I can't say, but thin is the conclusion that f
came to at the different times f partook o:
them, that they weieonly about a third-rate
table qualify. . *
Vours, A. B. Ausf.
PRESIDENT'S IttESSAGE.
On Tuesday June 1. the President of
the United States hankmittcd to both
Houses of Congress the following Mess,
age:
To the Senate and House of Represent a
tivcs'of the Unit el Slaves:
Fellow-Citizens : You have been
assembled in your respective halls of legislation
under a proclamation bearing the
signature of the illustrious citizen svho
was so lately called by the direct suffrages
of the People to the discharge of the important
functions of their chief executive
office. Upon the expiration of a single
month from the day of his installation, he
has paid the great debt of Nature, leaving
behind him a name associated with the
recollection of numerous benefits conferred
upon the country during a long life of
patriotic devotion. With this public bereavement
are connected other considerations
which will not escape the attention
of Congress. The preparations necessary
for his removal'to the seat of Government
in view of a residence of four years
must have devolved upon the late President
heavy expenditures, which, if permit,
ted to burden the limited resources of his
private fortune, may tend seriously to the
embarrassment of h ? surviving family;
and it is therefore respectfully submitted
to Congress whether the ordinary principies
of justice would not dictate the propriety
ofits legislative interposition. By
A'? rtinr|.j onto] 111 IV I
U1C Jjrovisiuna Ul mo luiiuiiiuomm >u
the powers and duties of the high station
to which he was elected have devolved
upon me, and in the dispositions of the
representatives of the States and of the
People will he found, to a great extent,
a solution of the problem to which our in- i
solutions are for the first time subjected.
In entering upon the duties of this office,
I did not feel that it would be bo.
coining in me to disturb what had been
ordered by mv lamented predecessor.?
Whatever therefore may have been my
opinion, originally, as to the propriety ofconvening
Congress at so early a day
from that of its late ad journment, I found
a new and a controlling inducement not
to interfere with the patriotic desires of
the late President, in the novelty of the
situation in which I was so unexpectedly
placed. My first wish under such circumstances
would necessarily have been to
have called to my aid in the administration
of public affairs the combined wisdom
of ihe two Houses of Congress, in order to f
take their counsel and advice at? to the
best mode of extricating the Government
and the country from the embarrassments
weighing heavily on bolfi. I am then
most happy in finding invselfso soon after
my accession to the Presidency surrounded
bv the immediate Representatives of j
the States and People.
No important changes having taken
place in our foreign relations since the
last Session of Congress, it is not deemed :
necessary on this occasion to go into a !
detailed statement in regard to them. I j
am happy to say that I see nothing to de- I
strov the hope of being able to preserve j
peace.
The ratification of the treaty with Por- I
tugal lias been duly exchanged between !
i.t?/-, r.'nui.rnmnnlij Tllltj finVPm. !
ment has not boon inattentive to the in. i
terests of those of our citizens who have ;
claims on the Government of Spain found- i
ed on express treaty stipulations, and a
hope is indulged that the representations j
which have been made to that Govern- J
ment on this subject may lead ere long to
beneficial results.
A correspondence has taken place be.
tween the Secretary of State and the \linl.'tur
o f Hop It r I tn n n i n Moinstv Rfprpflit. :
I VI liUI X/l liUIIIIIV/ 1*1 UJVO1 T M">v ' vv"*
ted to this Government on the subject of
Alexander McLeod's indictment and imprisonment,
copies of which are herewith
communicated Congress
In addition to what appears from these
papers, it may be proper to state that Alexander
McLeod has been heard bv the
Supreme Court of the State of New York
on his motion to be discharged from imprisonment,
and that the decision of that
Court has not as yet been pronounced.
The Secretary of State has addressed
to me a paper upon two subjects, interesting
to the commerce of the country,
which will receive mv consideration, arid
. p .
which I have the honor to communicate to th
Congress. %. su
- So far as it depends on the course of &
this Government, ohr relations of good- sa
will and friendship will be sedulously cul- si;
tivated with all nations. * rue Amer- ex
ican policy w II -be found to consist in ah
the exercise of a spirit of justice to be de
manifested in the discha 'ge of all our fir
international obligations, to the weakest D
of the family of nations as well as to the
mast powerful. Occasional conflicts of an
opinion may arise, but when the discus- na
siona incident to them are conducted in Ih
the language of truth and with a strict re- mi
gard to justice, the scourge of war will nc
for the ntest part be avoided. The time an
ought to be regarded as having gone by rn
when a resort to arms is to be esteemed as Of
the only proper arbiter of national differ- 0(
ences. or
The census recently taken shows a 0(
regularly pr >gr< a ive icreases in our pop ,
ulation. Upon the breaking out of the G
war of the Revolution, our numbers {n
scarcely equaled three millions of souls; ou
they already exceed seventeen millions, (jU
and will continue to progress in a ratio ta
iarKir>ti rlnnlinufc ill a ruiruul ?f aKlIlt t Wen.
" "7" fw,r;u r iei
ty tnree-yeurs. I he old States contain
a territory suficient in itself to maintain ,pj
a population of additional millions, and
the most popuiouse of the new States may cri
even vet be regarded as but partially set- j
tied, while of* the new lands on this
side ofthe.Rocky Mountain tosaynothing
of the immense,region which stretches
from the base of the Mountain to the w'
Columbia river, about 770,000:000 acres, 'a^
ceded and unceded Still remain to be tiv
brought into market. We hold out to the est
people of other countries an invitation to thi
come and settle among us as members of | syj
our rapidly growing family; and, for the j f0i
blessings which we oFor them, we require th<
of them to look upon our country as their j10
country, and to unite with us in the great | j)e
lask of pn-serving our institutions, and j ^
hereby perpetuating our liberties. *?U
motive exist for foreign conquest. We ^
desire but to reclaim our almost' illimitable
wilderness and to introduce into their
depth the light of civilization. While we *?
shall at all times be prepared to vindicate ca
the national honor, our most earnest de- m
sire will be to maintained an unbroken ow
peace. . , - wi
In presenting the foregoing views, I .
cannot withhold the expression of the tjn
opinion that there exists nothing in the yja
extension of our empire over our acknow(edged
possession to excite the alarm of j
the patriot for the safety of our institutions
The Federalist system, leaving to each rev
State the care of its domestic concern, cu'
and devolving on the Federal Govern. onrl
ment those of general import, admits the ?P<
greatest expansion, but, at the same time, Up
I deem it proper to add that there will be nei
found to exist at all times an imperious cy
necessity for restraining all the function- inij
aries of this Government within the range t)f,
of their respective powers, thereby ppeser- ma
vingajust balance between the powers g0
granted to this Government and those re- ^
Nerved to the S a e or the people. ^
From the report of the Secretary of the ^
Treasury, you will perceive that the fiscal
means present and accruing areinsuffieient
to supply tho wants of the Government U!M
for the current year. The balance in the an<
Treasury on the fourth day of March last me
not covered by outstanding drafts, and th?
exclusive of trust funds, is estimated at or
$860,000. This includes the sum of ito
$215,000 deposited in the Mint and its pit
branches to procure metal for coining j t0
and in process of coinage, and which I t0
could not be withdrawn without incon- j ^
venience; leaving subject to draft in the |
various depositories the sum of $045,000.
Bv virtue of two several acts of congress
the Secretary of theTr'easurv wasauthori- ^,n'
" p 1
zedto issue, on and after the fourth day of
March last, Treasury notes to the amount s,t
of $5,413,000 making an aggregate avail- mn
able fund of $5,058,000 on hand. ,
Bat this fund was chargeable with out. I
standing Treasury notes redeemed in the i CC!
current year and interest thereon to the ' ot*
estimated amount of five million two hun. 1 p'i
dred and eighty thousand dollars. There of
is also thrown upon the Treasury the pay. dc<
rnentofa large amount ofdemands accrued I St.
in whole or in part in former years which to
will exhaust the available meant of the the
Treasury, and leave the accruing'revenues sta
reduced as it is in amount, burdened with (ec
debt and charged with the current expen- | .
ses of the Government. The aggregate ^
amount of outstanding appropriations on f
the fourth day of March last was $33,429,- m
(116 50 of which $24,210,009 will he rc- un
quired during the current year; and there P,a
will also be required for th3 use of the War j nc'
Department additional appropriations to a*'
the amount of two million five hundred the
and thirty-two dollars and ninetv-eight ter
cents, the special oojecr or winch will De i coi
seen by reference 10 the report of the Sec- bai
rctary of War. we
The anticipated means of the Treasury pjG
are greatly inadequate to this deinend.? ma
The receipts from customs for the last {- (
three quarters of the last vear, and the .
r 10!
first quarter of the present year, amounted (
to $2,742,450; showing an average reve- a
nue from both souices of $1236,870 per ?ra
month. A gradual e.\ pens ion of trade
growing out of a restorafian of confidence, ex<
together with a reduction in the expenses ; del
of collecting officers, may cause an addi- the
tion to the montoly recepts from the i wil
customs. They are estimated for the res-1 wh
idue of the year from the fourth of March j put
at ?12,000,000; the receipts from the j pri,
public lands for the same time are estima- $2
ted at ?2,500,000; and from miscellane- ajt.
neous sources at $ 170,00 I; making an ag- j
gregateof available fund within the year of
$15,670,000; which will leave alprobable
deficit of $11,406,132 9S. To meet this ne>
. . pnf
some temporary provision is necessary,
until tbe amount can be absorbed by the cro
excess of revenues which are anticipated yec
to accure at no distant diy. * pur
There will fall due within the next ren
' 0 ^ \
ree months Treasury notes of the isc
of 1840, including interest, -about
?,850,000., There is chargeable in the j
me period for arrearages for taking the i
tth census, $294,000; and the estimated ,
penditures for the current service are
out 88,100,000, making the aggregate
mands upon the Treasury, prior to the
st of September next, about 11,310,000
oils.
The ways and means in the Treasury '
id estimated to accrue within the above
Lined period, consists of about 6 94,000 (
oils of funds available on the 29th ulti* 1
a; an unissued Balance of Treasury !
>tes authorized by the act of 1841. i
nounting to 1.955.000, Dolls and estiated
receipts from all sources of 3, 800,>0
; Dolls making an aggregate of about
? A n v>/Y ].?kft?fin/? n A Ck e%% t
\j \r\j, cljiu jratiiig a piunauic uculii
i the 1st of September next of $4,835,. (
K).
In order io supply the wants of the
overnment, an intelligent constituency
m ' ' * I
view of their best interests, will, withit
hesitation, submit to all necessary
irdens. But it is nevertheless impor.
nt so to impose them as to avoid de- ^
ating the just expectations of the conny,
growing out of pre-existing laws.?
ric act of 24th March, 1833. commonly
lied the compromise act, should not be
Jefed except uttder urgent necessities, j
lich are not belinved at this time 10 exist
le year only remains to complete the series
reductions provided for by that law,at '
lich time provisions made by the same '
v, and which then will be brought ac- '
elv in aid of the manufacturing inter.
- . t
ts of the Union, will not fail to produce
s most beneficial results. Under a 1
stem of discriminating duties imposed f
purposes of reve nue, in union with (
3 provisions of existing laws, it is to be
ped that our policy will, in the future, '
fixed and permanent, so as to avoid c
ise constant .fluctuations which defeat 1
5 very objects which they have in view. '
e shall best maintain a position which, '
ule it will enable us the more renddy s
meet the advances of other countries 1
Iculated to promote our trade and com. '
srce, will at the same1 time leave in our r
n hands the means of retaliating
th greater effect unjust regulations.- *
In intimate connexion with the ques- g
n of revenue is that which makes pro- J
ion for a suitable fiscal agent capable
adding increased facilities in the coltion
and disbursement of the public r
renues, rendering more secure their ^
itody, and consulting a true econiy
in the great multiplied and delicate
jrationsof the Treasury Department. .
ion such an agent depends in an emiit
degree the establishment of a curreii*
r
of uniform value, which is of so great 1
portance to all the essential interests
society ; and on the wisdom to be
nifested in its creation much depends, '
intimately inte;*woven are its opera- ^
ns, not only with the interests of in. .
iduals, but with those of the States, J
it it may be regarded in a great de.
;e as'controlling both. If paper be
;d as the chief medium of circulation s
d the power be vested in the Govern- s
mt of issuing it at pleasure, either in
; form of Treasury drafts or any other, J
if banks bo used as the public depos- '
rics, with liberty to regard all surisses
from day to day as so much added ^
their active capital, prices are exposed Q
constant fluctuations, and industry to J
'ere suffering. In the one case, politiI
considerations, directed to party purses,
may control, while excessive ^
pidity may prevail in the other The
blic is thus constantly liable to impo- ?
ion. Expansions and contractions
iy follow each other in rapid succession V
s one engendering a reckless spirit of, P
venture and speculation, which embra- ^
s States as well as individuals: the
o
icr causing a fall in prices, and accom- ^
shing an entire: change in the aspect ^
affairs. Stocks of all kinds rapidly j .
cline?individuals are ruined, and j
ites embarrassed even in their efforts i ?
meet with punctuality the interest on |
lir debts. Such, unhappily, is the
te of things now existing in the UniI
States. These effects may readily ^
traced to the causes above referred to. i
1 pi
ie public revenues, on being removed K
m the then Bank of the United States ?!
CI
rler an order of a late President, were
ced in selected State banks, which, j
uated by the double motive of concili- g
ng the Government and augmenting ^
sir profits to the greatest possible ex- t|
it, enlarged extravagantly the'r dis- tc
jnts, thus enabling all other existing'. n<
iks lo do the same. Large dividends ui
re declared, which stimulating the cu- ai
ity of capitalists, caused a rush to be fi<
de to the Legislatures of the respec- r
b States for similar acts of incorpora- Ct
n, which, by many of the States under n<
temporary infatuation, were readily al
mted, and thus the augmentation of se
? rirr.ulatinff medium, consisting almost
p , 0 -- t0
dusively of paper produced a most fatal
usion. An illustration, derived from ar
land sales of the period alluded to, ^
I serve best to show the effect of the y<
ole system. The averagd" sales of the hs
)lic lands for a period of ten years w!
or to 1834, had not much exceeded be
,000,000 per annum. In 1834 they m
ained, in round numbers, to the amount
$6,000,000. In the succeeding year, ar
1835, they reached 816,000. And the w'
ct year, of 1836, they amounted to the a?
irmous sum of 825,000,000. Thus 1
Stt
wding into the short space of three ^
irs . upwards of twenty-three years'
chase of the public domain. So appat
had become the necessity of arresting j
this course of things, that the Executive
Department assumed the highly question,
able power of discriminating in the fiipds
to be used in payment by different classes
of public debtors?a discrimination
which was doubtless designed to correct
this most ruinous state of things by the
exaction of specie in all payments for the
public lands, but which could not at once
arrest the tide which had so strongly set
in. Hence the demands for specie became
unceasing, and corresponding prostration
rapidly ensued under the necessities
created with the banks to curtail
their discounts, and thereby to reduce
their circulation. I recur to these things
with no disposition to censure pre-existing
administrations of the Government,
but simply in exemplification of the truth
of the position which 1 have assunped. If,
then, any fiscal agent which may be created
shall be placed, without due restrieoifkni*
in Ko n/lo nf Hia Qflminicfrn. I
liujl^f r'tliivi hi iiuii\io vi uiv uuiiuiii^bi vtors
of the Government or those of. pri- (
vate individuals, the temptation to abuse j
will prove to be resistfe.ss. Objects of po. ,
litical aggrandizement may seduce the
first, and the promptings of a boundless
cupidity will assail the last. Aided by
the experience of the past, it will be the
pleasure of Congress so to guard and fortify
the public interests, in the creation of
any new agent, as to place them, so far,
as human wisdom can accomplish it, on
i footing of perfect security. Within a
few years past three different schemes
tiave been before tire country. The char:er
of the Bank of the United States ex)ired
by its own limitations in 1836. An
ifiort was made to renew it, which rejeived
the sanction of the two Houses of
Congress, but the then President of the
[Jnited States exercised his veto power,
md the measure was defeated. A regard
o truth requires me to' say that the
President was fully sustained in the course
le had taken by, the popular voice. His
tuccessor in the Chair of Statejinquali.
iedly pronounced his. opposition to any
lew charter of a similar institution; and
lot only the popular election which |
irought him into power, but the elections
;hrough much of his term, seemed clear,
y to indicate a concurrence with him in
lefitiment on the part of the People. After
He public moneys were withdrawn from
he United States Bank, tficy were pla.
:nd in deposite with Slate banks, and the
esult of that policy has been "before the
:ounlry. To say nothing as to the quesion
whetberf.that experiment was made
inrlnr nrnmtirma (ir nJvprap I
t may safely be asserted that it did re- r
:eive the unqualified condemnation of; J
nost of its early advocates, and it is beieved
was also condemned by the popular
entiment. Tiie existing sub-Treasury
ystem does not seem to stand in higher c
iivor with the People, but has recently g
teen condemned in a manner too plainly ii
ndicated to admit of a doubt. Thus, in r:
he short period eight years, the popular; c
oice may lie regarded as having succesively
condemned each of the three 1
chemesof finance to which I have ad- *
erted. As to the first; it was introduced f
,t a time (1816) when the State banks; *
hen comparatively few in number, had C.
>een forced to suspend specie payments
iy reason of the war which prevailed with
Jreat Britain. Whether if the United a
kates Bank charter which expired in (
811, had been renewed in due season, it ^
rould have been enabled to continue t
pecie payments during the war and the i
isastrous period to the commerce of the 1 'I
cuntry which immediately succeeccd, is [ a
a say the least, problematical; and j n
whether the United States Bank of 1816 v
reduced a restoration of specie payments ?
r the same was accomplished through a
he instrumentality of other means, was ?
matter of some difficulty at that time to ; ^
cterinine. Certain it is that, for the I
rst years of the operation of that Bank, I t|
s course was as disastrous as for the! 0
reatcr part of its, subsequent career it j e
ecame eminently successful. As to e.
le second, the experiment was tried w
rith a redundanr Treasury, which con- w
nued to increase until it seemed to be d
- * * . A. I
le part of wisdom to distribute the Stir- 11
lus tevenue'among the States; which
perating at the same time with the sj>e- a
ie circulart and the causes before adver- Sl
*d to, caused them to suspend specie psiyicnts,
and involve the country in the '?
reatest embarrassment. And, as to the
lird, if carried through all the stages of ?'
ie transmutation, from paper and specie *r
> nothing but the precious metals, to say ~
othing of the insecurity of the public l!'
lonevs, its injurious effects have been *
nticipated by the country in its unquali- P1
ed condemnation. Wh?* is now to be J
sgarded as the judgment of the Ameriin
People on this whole subject, I have st
3 accurate means of determining but by
ipealing to their more immediate reprentatives.
The late contest, which ter- c*
inated in the election of Gen. Harrison
the Presidency, was decided on princi- n<
es well known and openly declared} Pl
id, while the sub-Treasury received, in te
e result, the most decided condemnation,
;t no other scheme of finance seemed to
1 h
ive been concured in. lo you, tnen
ho have come more directly from the
?dy of our common constituents, I subit
the entire question, as best qualified Vl
give a full exposition of their wishes
id opinions. I shall be ready to concur '
ith you in the adoption of such a system at
you may propose, reserving to myself e*
e ultimate power of rejecting any mea- tu
re which may, in mv view of it. con- as
ct with the Constitution or otherwise ai
spard the prosperity of the country; a
wer which I could not part with even if n
would, but which I will not believe any P1
I > act
of yours will call into requisition,
I cannot avoid recurring, in connexion
with this subject, to the necessity which M
exists for adopting some suitable measure
whereby the unlimited creation banks
by the States may be corrected in future.
Such are|sult can be most readily'achievi d
by the consent of the States, to be ex;
pressed in the form of a compact among
themselves, which they can only enter
into with the consent and approbation of
this Government; a consent which might,
in the present emergency of the public
demands, justifiably be given in advance
of any action by the States as an induce,
ment to such action terms welt defined
by the act of tender. Such a measure,
addressing itself to the calm reflection of
the States, would find in the experience
of the past and the condition of tne pre*
sent much to sustain it. And i! is greet*
I v to be doubted whether any scheme of
finance can prove for any length of time
successful while the States shall continue
in the unrestrained exercise of the power
of creating banking corporations. Tbii
power can only be limited by their ton*
sent.
With ndmf ion nf a financial a<ren.
cy of a satisfactory character, tfn& hope
may be indulged that the co untry may
&nce more return to a state of prosperity.
Measures auxiliary thereto, and, in some
measures, inseparabljvronnepfed with its
success, will doubtless claim the attentioo
)f Congress. Among such, a distribu.
tion of the proceeds of the' sales of the ^
public lands, provided sach distribution
ioes. not force upon Congress the necessi*
ty of imposing upon commerce heavier
)urdens than those contemplated by the
ict of 1833, would act as an efficient re.
medial measures bv being brought directly
n aid of the States. As one sincerely
ievoted to the task of preserving a just
lalance in our system of government, by 4
he maintenance of the States in a con.
lition the most free and respectable, and
n the full possession of all their power,
[can no otherwise than feel desirous for
heir emancipation from the situation to
vhich the pressure on their finances now
tubjects them.' And, while I mustrepu.
liate as a measure founded in error, and
vanting constitutional sanction, the sligh.
est approach to an assumption by this
Jovemment of the debts of the States,
iret I can see, in the distribution adverted,
o, much to recommend it. The com.
)acts between the proprietor States and
his Government expressly guarantesto
the States all the benefits which may a.
ise from the sales. The mode by which
his is to be effected addresses itself to the
liscretion of Congress as the trustee for
he States; and4 its exercise, after the
most beneficial manner, is restrained by
lothing in thegrants or in the Constitu*
ion so long as Congress shall consult thai *
quality in the distribution which the
compacts require. In the' present con*
lit ion of some of the States, the question
if distribution may be regarded at tub*
tant?ally a question betweert direct and
ndirect taxation. If the distribution be
lot, made inaoine form or other, the no*
essity:, will-daily. become more urgent
vith the debt<* Stated for a resort to an
ppressive system of. .direct taxatioti, or
heir credit, and necessarily their power
nd influence, will be greatly diminished*
rhe payment of taxes after the most inonvenient
and oppressive mode will be
xacted in place of contributions for the
nost part voluntarily made, and therefore
omparatively unoppressive. The States
re emphatically the constituents of this
jovernment, a >d we should be entirely re[ardless
of the objects held in vie# by
hem in the c feat ion of this Government
f we could be indifferent to their good,
fhe happy effects of such a measure upon
II the States would immediately be
nani tested. With the debtor States it
vould effect the relief, to a great extent,
f the citizens from a heavy burden of
irect taxation which presses with severity
n the laboring classes, and eminently
ssist in restoring the general prosperity,
in immediate advance would take place
i the price of the. States securities, and
le altitude of the States would become
uce more, as it should ever be, lofty and
rect. With States laboring under no
xtreme pressure from debt, the fund
hich they would derive from this source
ould enable them to improve their con
Itrwn in an aminrtnl rlrrrroo fin fmw mm
IHWII ill Ull VUIIIIVIU O v t mi
lis Government is concerned, appropriaons
to domestic objects, approaching in
mount the revenue derived from the land
lies, might be abandoned, and thus a
astern of unequal and therefore unjust
tgislation would bo substituted by one
ispensing equality to all the members A"
f this .Confederacy. Whether such dis- ;
ibution should be made directly to the ' tatcs
in the proceeds of the sales, or in
ie form of profits by virtue oftheopent* '
on of any fiscal agency having those
-oceeds as its basis, should such measures
; contemplated by Congress, would well
iservd its consideration. Nor would
ich disposition of the proceeds of the
iles in any manner prevent Congress
om time to time from passing all ne
issary pre-emption laws for the benefit
' actual settlers, or from making liny
;w arrangement as to the price of the
lblic lands which might in future be e*
eroed d sirable.
I beg leave particularly to call your at.
ntion to the accompanying report from *
e Secretary of War. Besides the proof
state of the war which has so long
Ricted the Territory of Florida, and the
irious other matters of interest therein
fend to, you will learn from it that the
scretary has instituted an inquiry into
>uses, which promises to develop gTOM
lormities in connexion with Indian tret
3s which have been negotiated, ar weH >v
i in the expenditures for the rentorfcl
id subsistence of the Indians. He rfep* ''
sents, also, other irregularities of a seous
nature that have grown up in the" "
actice of the Indian Deg?rtinenii wtuctT