WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1844
The provisions of the bill are such, in the estimation of the Execu- tive, as to compel him upon a due consideration of the State of the Republic and the 'ways and means to be provided for the support of the government, to withold his sanction. Could we calculate with certainty upon the continuance of peace, and were not means imperiously required to put the country in a proper attitude of defense for any contingency that might arise, the passage of .this bill might be admissible. But truth compels me to say, that instead of pi·oper preparation for emergencies, we are almost totally destitute of the most important, and I may say indispensable means, for defending the country against attack. We have no fortification upon our sea-board-we have no forts upon our frontier-our arsenals and magazines are empty, our artillery dismounted and out of repair-our vessels of war abandoned, and the most essential machinery of government almost stopped by the manifold obstacles continually presented to its successful action. We have important negotiations on foot, on every side, both in Europe and America; on the successful conduct of which much depends. Our pacific relations with the Indians, also, must be encouraged, completed and confirmed. For all of these purposes and a great variety of others which the laws have created, means must be provided. No government can be sup- ported without" a revenue-no country can be defended without arms and munitions of war-no people can prosper without peace. These in other countries are considered objects of the first magnitude. To us they are peculiarly so. A solvent currency is indispensable to give force and efficiency to our political organiza- tion; and the currency can only be sustained by providing for its redemption. The reduction of the rates of our imposts can have no other tendency than to weaken this support; the consequence of which would be that general ability would pervade all the 1·amifications of our political system. · How then are these important objects to be attained and this injury avoided? Experience has conclusively proven that we cannot rely upon even the punctual assessment of the direct taxes -not to speak of their collection. For the last year, out of upwards of forty nine thousand dollars assessed, but little more than thirteen thousand have been paid into the Treasury. It is very evident that the government could not have maintained its existence had it been compelled to rely upon this source alone for support. The receipts from the customs have constituted the very life blood of the government. Without them, it must have ceased its functions. To this source we must continue to look-at least
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