Thirty Years' View (Vol. 2 of 2): or, A History of the Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, from 1820 to 1850Benton, Thomas Hart
History
Thirty Years' View (Vol. 2 of 2): or, A History of the Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, from 1820 to 1850
Benton, Thomas Hart
United States -- Politics and government -- 1815-1861
"We are to consider that this money, according to the provisions
of the existing law, is to go equally among all the States, and
among all the people; and the wants of the Treasury must be
supplied, if supplies be necessary, equally by all the people.
It is not a question, therefore, whether some shall have money,
and others shall make good the deficiency. All partake in the
distribution, and all will contribute to the supply. So that it
is a mere question of convenience, and, in my opinion, it is
decidedly most convenient, on all accounts, that this instalment
should follow its present destination, and the necessities of
the Treasury be provided for by other means."
Mr. Preston opposed the repealing bill, principally on the ground
that many of the States had already appropriated this money; that is
to say, had undertaken public works on the strength of it; and would
suffer more injury from not receiving it than the Federal Treasury
would suffer from otherwise supplying its place. Mr. Crittenden
opposed the bill on the same ground. Kentucky, he said, had made
provision for the expenditure of the money, and relied upon it, and
could not expect the law to be lightly rescinded, or broken, on the
faith of which she had anticipated its use. Other senators treated
the deposit act as a contract, which the United States was bound to
comply with by delivering all the instalments.
In the progress of the bill Mr. Buchanan proposed an amendment, the
effect of which would be to change the essential character of the
so called, deposit act, and convert it into a real distribution
measure. By the terms of the act, it was the duty of the Secretary
of the Treasury to call upon the States for a return of the deposit
when needed by the Federal Treasury: Mr. Buchanan proposed to
release the Secretary from this duty, and devolve it upon Congress,
by enacting that the three instalments already delivered, should
remain on deposit with the States until called for by Congress. Mr.
Niles saw the evil of the proposition, and thus opposed it:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account