Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-01-18

the u. States, But, whatever might
he their title, the states had none. They7
had neither the usurfruct nor the fee Of
the land. The former was IN the set
tiers, by virtue of the original compact.
and if the latter did not belong to them
also. it remained in the government, and
was never parted with to the states.
That is now asked, therefore, by the
old states. as an e4oisaient for what the
new states do not possess, Another
difficulty equally insnperable presented
itselfto his mind ltwould De difiicult,
not to say impracticable, to make the
apportionment, even were the principle
secured. Mr.. q then adverted to the
three bases Of superintendent shat had
been proposed, viz: territory, population
and revolutionary disbursements, and
showed the extreme difficulties that
were attendant on each. 1t would be
impossible for human ingenuity to de-
wise plan that would not bear unequat
Wand such rule would naturally
produce jealousies and dissentisns.-
There we're already jealousies enough
among the members OF the Union, with
out adding to the causes that produce
them. There were also difficulties re-
speeding the location of the lands. The
different states would become entitled
| to unequal quantities. Della ware would
perhaps have but one-tenth ofthe guam
tity belonging to Virginia; yet, surely,
it would net do to turn off Delaware
with any convenient nook or corner that
m, ght suit the convenience OF the rest.
| Perhaps the least Objectionable course
! would be. to divide the lands into lots Of
a size no less than the quaint y to which
he smallest state would be entitled, and
the to equahze by drawing lots. in
! this way it might happen, that one state
] would own one portion at the mouth OF
F; the Mississippi, and another on lake
| Michigan. Land Offices must be open
! ed not only for each state, but for each
! parcel Of land. This would be SO ex-
pensive and burthensome as naturallyto
throw it back upon the General Land
| Office Commissioner, a. an universal
agent-from whom the states would re-
ceive the avails of the lands as they
should be collected, which would be
equivalent to receiving it from the
Treasury, or, in other words, to collect
ing by tax for The purposes of a SHOOT
fund. Mr.. Il. questioned the authority
of Congress to apply the public funds in
this manner; for it would be as correct
70 apply other monies In the Treasury to
| this purpose as this. 1t was obvious,
that if so applied, the general govern
ment would have no further control OF
it., and it might be applied to any other
purpose than that of education, if the
states thought proper SO to apply it. Mr..
! u also contended, that it would be a
manifest violation of the pledges that
had been given, no less than three times
of these funds to the payment OF the
public debt, and he could not see any
way, admitting all other objections were
removed, in which it could be done
without fragrant violation 0: the public
faith.
Mr.. Nelson Of Maryland, was unwil.
ling III this stage of the subject to de-
bate the question of It's merits. At a
| proper time he thought he should be
able to give satisfactory answer to all
the OBJ ections which the gentleman from
Massachusetts, MIR. Germany had urg.
ed. The proposition he remarked, does
not ask for commitment OF any prin-
ciple or any fact. 1t only csntemp lates
an inquiry, and he could not but hope
that this house would not turn Its back
upon the memorials of states, admitted
on all hands to be respectable, SO far as
to prohibit an inquiry.
Mr. Baldwin proposed to amend the
resolution by striking out all that part
of the resolution which proposes grant
| of land to those states which have re.
ceived none, and insert 1.-The several
states" SO as to make the grant general
among all the states.
The Speaker decided this motion to
be out of order, on the ground that it
was essentially substitute for the
original proposition, within the mean
| ing of the rule-inasmuch as it was in
compatible with the original PROPOSE
ton, and went to change its principle
and effect.
MIR. Bassett dissented from the cor
rectness of the decision of the chair, &
after some remarks, and reference to
several presidents, he appealed there
| from.
The Speaker,expiained at some length