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

.hs loan to be seven millions of dollars,
IS proposed by the honorable Secretary
of the Treasury, (and ilatter myself we
shall not want half that amount ltwould
0niy be at the rate of seventy cents each.
And can it be conceded to be impos-
sible" for the whole population OF the
Union, or even that OF the southern and
western states in general, to pay at the
rate of seventy cents each, and, at the
same time, be supposed that a hart OF
the population OF Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Alabama, Mississippi, and two land dis
,rlcts in Missouri, with the few purcha-
sers of public land which the present
year may produce, will be able to pay
swo and a half millions of dollars, which
IS the sum estimated to DC received from
them
There must, indeed, sir, be fallacy
IN supposing that the whole people of
the Union are unable to do so little, or
that SO inconsiderable a part oil our whole
population will be able 10 do so much {:
and hope you will not adopt the latter
opinion i'll the present case, and the
former one when we come to act upon
the proposition for loan, whatever may
be the amount required; fer deem it
all-important that we should not mlstak e
IN our estimate of what it is in the power
OF the debtors for public land to per-
form.
The debt of Alabama di, ided among
her white population would not be less
than one hundred and twenty dollars
each, which, divided into ten annual in
stalments, would be twelve dollars per
annun, to be paid by each. Deduct
one half the debt, it would reduce the
proportion, as before stated, to SIX dol
lars but strike off three -fourlhs of the
dcbi, (and, presume, greater reduc-
ton could not be safely calculated on,
1t would still leave 10 be paid, for ten
years in succession, at the rate OF three |
dollars per annum for each one of her
whole white population. And can it be |
supposed that Alabama, which has no
sound paper circulation at all, is capable
OF DING more, and yet that 1t is imhos-
si6ie for the whole population of the
Union to pay at the rate of seventy cents
even for one year only? But | will not
pursue the subject further.
had indeed, sir, intended to have
awaited myself much more at large OF
the reasoning and statements contained
in the Treasury report; but the fatigue I
which l myself feel admonishes me not ,
to respass longer upon the patience of S
the Senate, which fear is already ex t
hausled. Therefore, hoping that every /
III -nlber of this honorable body feels the a
OF putting this momentous t
SUBJECT to rest, will conclude by bare t
ly remarking, that this truly desirable 9
object can only be accomplished by duly c
what those debtors for pub c
lie land are capable Of performing, with a
reasonable eXertions, and requiring no t
more of them: for, without this, they
viii Oe encouraged to petition you again I
and again; while you yourselves will t
not, cannot be inheXi5le, unless you S
shoI sd feel the most perfect conviction 7
shal you had done all, or rather more ,
tha4 ought to have been expected of l
you; and if, for the want of due liberali- :
~ u the present occasion, it should be-
co'Io necessary to grant further relief, ,
at some future session of Congress, God
only knows when the business will end
Were l to judge from wha, have wit
messed in similar case, | should Ger
tainiy suppose, not until large MAORI
ty of thi, house shall have taken their
eX.l Tor another world. Therefore. as
we'll to discourage and prevent future
applications for relief, as to fortify your
own determination to adhere to the
measures you are now about to adopt,
believe me, sir it is better TO require TOO
Ittie than 100 much.