Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-03-27

| IuhSuj VIII pSiIilit'
So that you will ultimately have to
compromise upon terms not better than
those at present proposed, or to resort
to the odlons alternative of enforcing for
textures, and taking from those people
an immense sum OF money, without
rendering them the slightest equivalent
for 1t. This, sir, would indeed be so
much like parent robbing his own
children, and SO repugnant to the best
feelings of the human heart, as we'll as
to all the maxims ofjustice, that it would
be very difficult to persevere in it against
the constant petitions of those people,
backed and supported as they now are,
and hereafter will be, by their respective
states, whose influence, if it should bear
any proportion 10 their rapidly increasing
population, will not be altogether un-
availing, in Just cause, some ten years
hence.
Mr.. President, depend upon it, sir,
public sentiment never will, under the
whole circumstances of this case, sane
ton the exaction of such forfeitures from
the brave and patriotic defenders of our
frontiers, when the necessity for them
can be avoided without any real sacri-
flee, and upon such just and equitable
Pterms. And, though the time may rot
yet have arrived, am persuaded it is
not distant, when relief will be granted
to those upon whom forfeitures have al
ready been enforced. / confess that, for
/ u tn -
time, believing, as l sincerely do, that,
while liberality and justice recommend
it, good policy does not forbid it, because
it is as intrinsically wrong in govern
ment, as it would be in an individual,
unnecessarily TO take, or TO keep, SOME
thing for nothing. The sum forfeited is
a serious punishment for SO slight an in
discretion. The object of punishment
itself is not vindictve. The necessity
of example has ceased, since the law up
on which it was intended to operate has
been repealed; and the aggregate
amount of those forfeitures is a serious
loss to the western country itself, which
contributes SO largely to the public reve-
nue., and participates SO little in the ex
penditure ofpublic money. l therefor,
would not hesitate, particularly in time,
of such universal distress, which tn,
government has unquestionably contri
buted TO produce, TO grant to these per
sons certificates receivable in paymen
FOR public land, to the amount which the
have respectively forfeited; whereof
they would get only the value of ,hei
money, while the government would No
part with an acre of land for which
would not have received full equiva
lent. But, be this as it may, the solici
tude which the western states now feel
and are most strongly manifesting upol
this subject, as appears by the petition.
now upon your table, sufficiently ind
Gates that, unless suitable relief shoule
be granted, you may annually expec
petitions, memorials, and remonslrances
against all future forfeitures; and it is
not to be doubted that nothing less thar
the most judicious management can pre-.
vent this enormous debt from becoming
the fruitful source of much future diff
Guilty and trouble, intermingling itself it
all elections, and producing political eff
fects which no one could regret more
than myself.
l therefore trust that enough has been
said TO demonstrate the expedicncy oil
diminishing the debt, not only by per-
hitting the accomplishment of part OF
the land, but by Offering just and proper
inducements to make prompt payment
for ahe balance.
This being a measure of sound policy,
as well as of justice, its object will be
most effectualIy attained by making
those inducements as liberal as the pub
lie interest will permit. And, as the
success OF the measure must depend up
on the ability as well as the inclination
of the debtors, they should not only be
allowed suitable deductions to create the
necessary incentives to make prompt
payment, but reasonable time to render
it practicable for them to do so.
can see no difficulty in deciding what
deduction ought, in sheer justice, to be
made; for, if the government, by the re-
duction of the price of its own lands,
has imposed upon itself any equitable
obligation Whatever in favor of those
debtors, (Which all admit it is to allow
them deduction equal to the difference
between the price contracted to be paid
to the government for those lands, and
the value to which they have been re.
duced by the government, which, whe.
Their considered in reference to the actua
depreciation of the land, or appreciation
of the money, cannot be less than 37I
per cent. for the land heretofore sole
at two dollars an acre will not now com