Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1830-03-02

.I
Of our land system on the prosperity of the I
West, pronounced an.extravagant elogium
on the paternal care which the Government
had extended towards the West, to which
he attributed all that was great and excel
lent in the present condition Of the New
States. The language of the gentleman on
this topick fell upon my ears like the almost
forgotten tones Of the tory leaders Of the
British Parliament, at the commencement
of the American Revolution. They, too.
discovered that the Colonies had grown
great under the fostering care of the Moth
er Country; and / must confess. while list
ening to the gentleman, I thought the appro-
pirate reply to his argument, was to be found
in the remark of celebrated orator, made
on that occasion :--a They have grown great
in spite of your protection" -
The gentleman, in commenting on the
policy of the Government, in relation to the
New States, has introduced to our notice
certain Nathan Dane, of Massachusetts, to
whom he attributes the celebrated ordinance
of '87, by which he tells us, "sIavery was
forever excluded from the New States north
of the Ohio" After eulogizing the wisdom
of this provision, in terms of the most ex-
travagant praise, he breaks forth in admira-
ton of the greatness Of Nathan Dane-and
great indeed he must be, if it be true, as
stated by the Senator from Massachusetts,,
that she was greater than Scion and Ly-
curgus, Minos, Numa, Pompillius, and all
the Legislators and philosophers of the
world" ancient and modern. Sir, to such
high authority it is certainly my duty, in a
becoming spirit Of humility, to submit And
yet, the gentleman will pardon me, when I
say that, it is little unfortunate for the
fame of this great legislator, that the gen
tleman from Missouri should have proved,
that he was not the author Of the ordinance
of ~, on which the Senator from Massa-
chusetts, has reared so glorious monument
to his name. Sir, doubt not the Senator
will feel some compassion for our ignorance,
when tell him, that so little are we &C.
quainted with the modern great men Of N.
England, that until he informed Us yester-
day, that we possessed Scion and a Lycur-
gus, in the person of Nathan Dane, he was
only known to the South as member CT a
celebrated assembly, called and known by
the name of "the Hartford Convention" In
INC pruOvvsiugs Ur uSs,s1ubiy, which I
hold in my hand, lat page 19] viii 80 found
in few lines, the history Of Nathan Dane ;
and little farther on, there. is conclusive
evidence of that ardent devotion to the in
terests of the New States, which it seems
has given him just claim to the title of
+" Father of the West" By the Cd resolu-
ton of the Hartford Convention" it is de-
clared, "that it is expedient to attempt to
make provision for restraining Congress in
the exercise of an unlimited power to make
New States, and admitting them into the
Union" So much for Nathan Dane, of Bev-
erly, Massachusetts.
In commenting upon my views in relation
to the publick lands, the gentleman insists,
that it being one of the conditions of the
grants that these lands should be applied to
"the common benefit of all the States, they
must always remain a fund for revenue; !"
and adds, "they must be treated as so much
treasure" Sir, the gentleman could hardly
find language strong enough, to convey his
disapprobation Of the policy which / had
ventured to recommend to the favourable
consideration of the country. And what,
sir, was that policy, and what is the differ
ence between that gentleman and myself, on
this subject? / threw out the idea, that the
publick lands ought not to be reserved for
ever, as ga great fund for revenue" that
they ought not to be "treated as great
treasure !" but, that the course Of our policy
should rather be directed towards the crea-
ton of New-States, and building mp great
ana fiourishing communities.
Now, Sir, will it be believed, by those who
now hear me-and who listened to the gen.
tleman's denunciation Of my doctrines, yes
book then lay open before
that he held it in his hand, and
read from it certain passages of his own
speech, delivered to the House Of Repre-
in 1925, in which speech he him
self commended for the very doctrines had
and almost in the same terms. I
Here is the speech ofthe Hon. Daniel Web
tier contained in the list volume of Gales &
seaton's Register Of Debates, (p. 251) deliv-
,red in the House of Representatives on the
9Th january, 1926, in debate on the Cum
'erland Road-th very debate from whish
he Senator read yesterday. I shall read
rom this celebrated speech two passages,
rom which II will aDnear that both as toll