Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-06-16


and t'e pretext for disingeuuous ATTEMPT 10 dis
affect the people Of Missouri towards the Executive
Administration OF that Government both past and pre-
seat
DECLARE it my solemn conviction sir that whale
vcr # excitement exists in Mssou<i, or among the
people OF the est either upon the ect of our pub
tic land STEM of the of our ines and
sanes dd not originate there, among the people them
selves, but originated here where most other popular
e"ci'eeIS OF Tue Cniteu States got up of late
in these halls, when they degraded into wLa, we
nave heard SO much Of at this sesson-a mere .seec-
pioneering stump" from which to hapangue and mis-.
ieau the puDhc mind TO promote the views of the de-
claiIuer.
too, Sir. President deprccaie the idea of the ITn;
ca states ultimately holding and leasing out 10 banA
oi tehaGiry, the great mineral district in Missouri
That is ntither their interest nor their ipeption
too believe as unwisc in Il republic, as in a monarchy
f1r the Government 30 engage these schemes of mo-
hey inakinS which should be left TO ndiv daa entes-
Pr|c ne proposition to sell those mines hereto
orc before the Senate. and they though! then as the
committee think that general circu lation
o' Information respecting those mining districts should
rS' oe hSu otherwise, instead of in, ting population
industry and capital, TO the countrv the mines would "a
INTO ihe hands of comparative few no ,you3 be mn,
abe TO "oik them |" the advantage of the public and
NItN would lie almost unknown and unproductiv.
aS they were urder The Provincial Government If
I Spain
at former session submitted n proposition to in
uire INTO The cNped'ency OF selling the lead nine but
IL was evident Iat the Scaae thought more general IN,
formation respecting them Indispensable pre rror,
10 that known opinion.
" i'in few years past the two last administrations
have TUNED their alton the subject and nr,h in
formation has been obtained. We have already yajn
abe report from The Agent employ ed by the United
States Iii the mineral districts of Illinois and Missouri
and presume the information contained in that Report
has been duly circulated by the members of Congress
among thclr cons iuents. More will be obtained and
circulated. Aud venture 10 predict that by the time
The people at the new western sha II have dsem
baiIasscd themselves, and prepared TO enter the market
the United States will have obtained such information
TO enable them dispose OF their mines with eouoI
justice 10 all concerned.
liut the State of>Rssour has been depicted bv nv
co"eague as grooming under Kind of military despu-
ts because the two last atninisir ions have emnnv
ed scientific geneman-mho happens TO be an officer
III our tt!e army and served the country through the
last war-o explore those mining Districts, and give To
o Ci%es lAclpent leases, subject 10 ratification by
The PRESIDENT Of lie United States This is pronoun
ced an unconstitutional usurpatun of power in viola
Ton OF The rights and Sovereignty Of the State. New
The Whole matter Is simply this: BY act OF Congress-
oil Che year 1907 the President is authorized to lease
lead mines. That law received practical construc
ton after its adoption ard has been carried into
executions occasionally 10y every administration since
mat tine NO man suppose that tie Chief RIagis
rac Of our country is bound under that law 10 90 in
person TO Illinois and Missouri plore the public nil
crai lands make contracts with the Miners working
them, and execute the necessary writings those pur
poses An agency Of kind must be empIoyed be
tween The President and the lessces. Under former
administration, the Recorder of Land Titles, at ST.
Louis, was employed.
Such haying been the known construction and nrac
tee and years having elapsed without any alteration
amendment, or repeal of the law, the late President
Monroe, or the proper Department under him. deemed
II duly 10 put that law into execution, upon appca-
ton for such leases, and, accordingly employed the
present Agent III that service.
The present Executive has had no other agency I'm
the leasing of the bic lead mines than TO continue
system winch he found IN operation when he came into
( Office.
Although do not expect much pecuniarv dvantaee
TO the United States from these leases yet do anlic-
pate much advantage from the information be obtain
ed by the Agent. 1t will give satisfaction TO the other
states upon The subject the mines and IT IS manifest
That the! deem that indispensable prerequisite TO 4
final disposition of them.
The atioas of salincs end lead mines having
5eca made by law, cannot comprehend how that should
be cause ct ce<suTe oil the Executive Officers Of our
Government. Ii the law be wrong repeal it. and not
dcnounce The Department bound to observe and exc
cute M SO long as Il shall remain in force If the law
be doubtful or defective, explain or amend it. and ncr
attempt b rouse the feelings of the West against our
Government no matter who may compose The Execu-
tive Department for the time being.
SO iUng the act OF 1917, with the practical cen
stTucon OF 1t by tie General Governments shall re-
nIin, So long viii each successive administration feet
bound to grant leases 10 any qualified citizen who may
apply, whatever may be thought Of The wisdom Of the
law.
Tie most singular and far sought opic of denuncia,
ton Of the present Administration, which my colleague
has discovered, the late proclamation of the President
for the sale OF lands, III June next, Jackson i'm tue
Cape Girardcau district, in Missouri which my COL
IcagHe has read to the Senate.
That is district Astounding in iron ore of the best
quality. There is Chain Of little mounraus perhaps
hundred feet above the surrounding Country running
between The waters of ST. Francois and those of the
Mcrrimack rivcTs full Of Ills ore. One 90
nose h:ou"ta'fs, popularity dominated Tho iron
Mountain" IS almost solid Of ore, yielding
about scyeny-ive per cent. of IRON. There is irou
enough IN that District TO pave it, if and capital
we're tIsrc TO manufacture The The President
has thought proper not to place all this District in the
market a The same time but the exercise Of the dis
erection given him by law has reserved from immediate
sale number Of alternate sections and this is denoun-
ced as an usurpa'ion of Powcf-a reservation without
jaW!
DO not stand here Mr. President, TO defend the ad-
mlpistraou nor do believe it stands in any need Of
beng pFoPpcd up. do not know who has be honour
OF being the author of the proclamation in question:
whether The PRECEDENT tie Secretary of the Treasury
or tle Commissioner Of the General Land Office bnl
Will not pay so poor a compliment 10 the common