Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-05-18

! Of the original states, without requiring
any thing whatever Of them to COULTER
balance it. Would this be 6 fair and
impartial Justice %
According to any correct view OF the
subject, it is manifest that the citizens OF
the original states, participate largely M
the benefits of the present reservations
for the support of education. But those
! Of the new states can have no such cor
respondent interest in the proposed do
nations. These are intended for the eX-
elusive benefit of the forner. Nor Is
any thing proposed in favor OF the latter,
as coun,erpoise, or equivalent, Tor this
wart Of reciprocity ard glaring incqua!-
ty-and surely, they who have reposed
in perfect safety, under the shade Other
own vines and Fix trees, at their native
homes, are not entitled to be placed in
more eligible situation in relation to the
national domain, than those who braved'
TIC dangers, encountered The difficulties,
and submitted 10 all the priyaIions Incl
dent 10 the settlement OF It.
1t is admitted, sir, that one c! the
principal objects of the reservations was
to encourage emigration, and the policy
of the measure, in that respect, IS not
questioned. Yet, it is commended, that
the right OF the original s'ates to an e9lal
portion OF the public lands, for the sup
port Of education, within their respective
limits, grew out of he adoption OF that
| .,y,,b nI M nt
all impaired bv the delay in asserting it.
But, really, s!l II appears To me that
those cases not only, DO not rest upon ,he
same foundation, but ina, the later rs
entirely inconsis ent with, and calculated
20 defeat the very policy OF the Former,
To adopt measure to promote cnlgra-
ton, and at the same time TO grant equal
advantages 10 all those who might not
choose to emierale, would DC very much
| like sport which mary Of Us have VIII
messed in our Younger days, Of building
Up with one hand for the mere pleasure
of knocking down with the other. No
| ore could be a,tractcd to remote will
| ,lerness, by advantages which he could
! equally enjoy without going there. III
this respect, therefore, the policy Of those
| measures is SO directly hostile TO each
| other, that thc one must necessarily eX
Cluds the other.
But, sir, with whatever objects or mo-
tives the present system Of disposing Of
the public lands may have been adopted,
let it be remembered, that though now
complained Of, rs if it had been the de-
cision of some partial, unjus', corrupt,
foreign tribunal, it was measure OF the
original, now complaining, states them
selves--and unless communities, when
The sole arbiters in their own cases, are
infinitely more liable than individuals 10
loose sight of their interest altogether,
and be unjust to themselves, Unjust have
been adopted for their own benefi,, and
fully have they realized all the aavanla
ges anticipated from it. Ii could not
have been intended to operate upon per-
sons who had gone to the public domain,
I if there were any such; bot only upon
those who could be induced TO % there.
All the advantages and inNuccme nts
which it rendered, were then, constantly
have been, and still are offered alike to
the free acceptance of every citizen of
the Union, and consequently ii was
in its origin, has continued to be, and still
is, equally fair and just, in relation to
all Of them. Nothing, therefore, can
be more unreasonable, than to consider
those reservations as partial donations
10 states that had no existence, or to a
territory unpeoped, but by saveges, to
be subdued and expelled.
Permi, me here, sir, to avail reyseifof
the example Of the honorable gentlemen
from Virginia, in referring to that por-
ton of the national domain which lies
upon the Pacific Ocean. In its pre-
sent situation, as a source CT revenue, il
is not now, nor san it ever be, ct any
manner of use to Us. As was correct
ly stated by the gentleman to whom /
refer, project for establishing colo
ny upon il, has already engaged the de-
libcralions of one branch Of the National
Legislature. Suppose, then, that Con-
gress, with view to revenue, to com
merciaI advantages, to the security Ct
our traders, and to prevent the en-
croachments of rival powers, should
determine to colini2c this section of our
territory, and for this purpose should
with universal consent and appreciation,
tender to every citizen of the United
States any ;aducemcnts whatever to
emigrate thi,her: For whose, bu, The
benefit of the Union, would this mea.
sure be adopted9 How, and in favor =.
whom, conld be considered unjust and
partial, even before the terms of it had
been accepted by solitary individual !
Ii fair and just in its origin, how could