Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-02-05
CONGRESS-.
IN SENATE, Jan. 10.
PUBLIC LANDS.

Mr. SMITH of Marylara, said there was no nc
ccssy Tor the amcndWent us the committee had al |
ready The same powers it proposed To confer. Al
though he was opposed to the measure which the
resolution of the gentleman from Connecticut Mr.
Foot,) purported TO have in view. yet he should
for the resolution. Whut would be said If This reso
luton were rejected? That we were afraid of inou
rY AT the first stage of the admin ,raiion re
would wish avoid the ciurgc of being hostile to
any Investigation 1.-THE resolution goes to u con-
mitcc they will make report and he sait it was de-
sirable to put down the jcalousies which contrary
course would excite. The excitement of one mart Of
the Union against the other if prevalent, OK
tremeiy unfortunate. Mr. s. stated that the porcv
of the government i'll all proiccts havnr reference. To-
the Western States has been indulgcnt. He said ho
would vote against the amendment us being unaeces-
sary, and in support of the resolution for the
stated. a gentleman had hecE alluded to nv the
gentleman from Missouri (NIr. Benton) in The course,
Ut his remarks, OF which he (Nr S though, it ne
cessary to tulc-notice. Tha; gentleman said ailu-
ding to distinguished character, that he had csdnd
by negatiation, fair portion ound belonging to the
United States Mr. S. said he had been an actor on
That occasion, and was well acquainted with the
subject; that he had bcen informed Ut tlc time that
Il quarrel had taken pluce between the n,L,,non n
luded to and Don onia, the Minister on the part or
Spain, and they had separated to meet ara,n on
the subject: tut quarrel arose us he .vns I,if,rn,
ed and believed, the determination IF tho hr,ar
lcan ognai or t'la. the Colorado mast and s:,oud
be the boundary line; that The ncgo ators met ni,
at the request of mutual friends what passed afcr-
Wards he did no, know, further than that he could
assure the Senator from Missouri lt the cntirnlan
alluded to by him net 'ho frs, to rrccde 10 fic
Sabine as the boundary Of the United States
MIR. LIVINGSTON said In all drI;berIiiye as
| scmblIes with which have been acn,,aot,d tI,cr
ure two modes Of deciding res luton rcuufrinu
the OPINION OF committee on the c,Spcdiency of
proposed one, the most t)-rn,rr ami rom
! lar mode, directing the reference as n mu,,rr nj
course, which mode gave rise to TO prcs1mptio, Of
the opinion of the house the measure D-onoscd h,,
the resolution; me other mode is that OF opposing
the inquiry as useless, by investigation of the
subject, showing THAT it would be improper to ground
any measures Oil such result OF the inquiry us seem
1 Gu 10 be expected by the res1luticu-I say seemed
TO be expected. because the mover certainly vouI
not have wished for inquiry merely to satisfy en-
roslty, end the phraseuogy Of the resolution evident
y shows the object to be- that the sales of lands shall
DE restricted to those already SURVEYED. The de-
bate, then, moi having turned on the necessity of an
inquiry, but on the propriey of the measure itself
which vas to be made the subject of nquirv-i, was
as competent to the Senate To decide now wbeth.r
such restriction of the sale OF lands was an advisable
measure, as they would be on the report cf com,
ntee; for such report could give us no facts thu, we
were act IN possession o!-and, ailer tho turn the
debate bad taken, vote Of reference to = commit
tee Wonid DC considered as acquiescence in The
propEiety OF the measure contemplate ed hy the reso
luton. Therefore, although should have voted
Tor the reference II the measure had taken i,s rsr
al course, cannot do SO under cx;stincr c;rc,,n
stances. The State whose interests I advocate
and parity represent, has suffered too much fron,
the delay IN the sale of public l9nds already not
to render th's proposition of restraining them still
further, faia one to her interest With ponua,ino
! OF 100000 inhabitants 10 hear ell the charges of
Government her increase has been cbecte,i7 c, ..
years; during which, according the natural course
of things, that population ought to have bear at
least doubled. The lands of the JJnied S,,to
mounting TO 81 100000, are not only exempt from
taxes, but the inhabitants forced thoy W; To
keep up communication between themselves in some
OF the settlements and to protect their proertv from
inundasion to make roads bridges, and enbank,nopts
Oh the public lands lazy to restrict the sales of
public lands to those already SURVEYED ,eould ba o.
4uivalent to law to ste? them altogether for al
though of the 81 100000 of acres owned by the II
States 700 900 have been SURVEYED ve, ,,n ,,h
part Of that quantity has been sold and of wbot r
mams not tenth part will sell; it il norass or
pine barren. Therefore, law to stop the SURVEYS
YOU'D be equivalent TO law to put stop to the
further increase of the State and entainr upon ts
present inhabitants and their descendants the bnr
aen o! al the taxes and oil the services required for
defending and improving the lands Of the United
states. mere are two views in which the suhiect
may be considered; one, that in which the Deconiarv
interest CT the u. States is alone consdered-the
other, that IN which the infinitely more itnportnnt
political interest of the States is concerned
In the first view considering the u Sta es sip,nv
as q great iandholder what are its interests, RIO
sell as speedily and for good price az thew can.
Ds .ne Ghoice you give 10 settlers, the more
speedily 1t evident that you SELL and the beter
land you throw into the market evidently the Better
p'ce you can command This only be done BY
coalinuing your surveys. The political view of the
question Is one that would require an investigation
not now necessary to be gone into The stren6,h Of
me Union depends on the population, wealth re-
sources; and industry of the States, its component
paris Whatever champs them restrains the general
welfare, AMI reduces its strength. The ,oonaS ~ ~
drawn from the sale Of the lands is bnt eal,er in
the scale OF great national policy; and if the popnls
on OF the States would be increased by disposnr of
tate. ~ " "'''
In another point of view tie surveys are hiol,lv
important. Ihey give accurate kIiowledrs.
not Only OF tbe SITUATION but the quality and value OF
our land lis facilities for Involvement nv roods
caias and proximity to market; and even if tic saes
were stopped, The surveys ought to 20 on. What
great ianded proprietor who does not BEGIN bv this
operaton! And shall tile greatest Of all landhuders
fron' fear OF expense, neglect il? These are some
OF the advantages resulting from perseverance, IN
he Judlcous plan which has been adopted in reinfi,
ehec;s which would result from abantIouno r. {VLnf
are The benefits expected from change? have NOT
heard sifcle one suggested. bIy vote viii be 90
Vsrned by these considerations 81
Mr. SPRhGUH suggested f!,e rrnorf,,,, or ,.or
bnino both of TIC rrT,,ses,e; IL fiop1'SLy Oh COM