Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-02-09
2OIfRlaMlSa


me- Ebsr Err of Masssrh usetes .ad, on rising that
ho'hing had been further from his Intention, than to
take any part in the dscu sion of mi, resolution IL
proposed only an inquiry, subject Of much impor-
lance ana one IN regard 10 which il might strike the
mind oil the mover sDd ID other gentle nouiry
and invest alton would be Useful Altbou,b (s,id Mr..
am one OF those VII" do perez i've any
utility in insti'ung the inquiry have nevertheless.
not that harm would I've likely 10 r.sutt fran a
doping the resolution. Indeed it gives no new powers
and hardly imposes any new duty on the committee
All that the resolution propoes should he done tho
committee IL quite competent, without the resolution,
Wuo oy virtue oil it, binary powers But Sir, although
have eli quite Indifferent about the passing Of the
o'ut'on, yet opinions expressed Yesterday on the
general subject OF the public lands, and on some
mer SUBJECTS, by the gentleman from South Carolina,
90 widely different from my own that am not willing
to let the occasion pass without reply IL DEEM
Oh the resolutions a. originally proposed hardly neces-
sary still less, do think either necessary or expe
dient 10 adopt it, since second branch has been add
ed to 1t today. BY this second branch the COMMITTEES
Is 10 DE instructed to inquire whether il he expedent
TO adopt TO hasten the sales and tend move
rapidly tho surveys of the public lands
NOW, II appears, that in forty years. Mr.. President,
we nave sold 40 more than about twenty millions of a.
cres OF puoic iand' The annual sales do not
eeeu, ana never have exceeded, million Of acres.
million year il ling to our experience a. much
"a the increase OF population can bring into settlement
hn"' appears also, thai we have, at this moment,
SIR surveyed an in the market, ready for sale,
hundred and ten millions acres or ahout All
THIS vast mass. at this moment Lies our hands, for
mere want OF purchasers. Can any man, looking TO
l.
ou'ly think OF inquring, whether ought no, still
a'er 10 hasten III public surveys and bring still
more and more rapidly. other vast quantities into the
market The truth il, that RAPIDLY IA population has
increased he surveys have erthele.s our
wants There are more lands ihan purchasers They
are now sold at low prices taken Up fast as the in
cre.s- people furnishes hand'to take them mp. tis
OBVIOUS mat no artificial regnlaien 10 cling of sales,
no giving away the lands eveu can produce any great
and sudden augmentation of popn a'ion The ratio of
increase, though great. has yet lis bounds. Hands
/ tnr lab al. .,I..
lands cannot BE- settled bat by settlers: nor faster than
settlers can be fonnl. system, il now adopted, Of
forcing sales AZ whatever prices, may have tie effect
oil throwing large quantities into the hands of indiydu.
Az VINO "ouii In this way, in time, become them
selves competitors will The governm-n t IN the sale IS
Ian'. NV own opinion has uniformly been, that the
pubic ENDS should he 'tered freely, and low prices:
40 az 10 encourage settlement and cultivation az randi
W az The increasing popnlsOn Of the country is CONNIE
tent to extend settlement and cultivation.
Every actual settler should he able buy good land
al cheap rate; but, tn other hand speculation by
individuals, large scale, should not be encouraged
nor should The value OF all lands sold and unsold be
reduced II nothing, by throwing and vast quanti-
iirs into The market at prices merely nominal.
now proceed, Ts, 10 some Of the opinion. expressed
bv the g:ntler,an from South Carolina. Two or three
topics touched by him. in regard TO which he ex
pressed sentiments 10 which 10 not at al concur
In the ct place, sir the honorable gentle man spoke
Of the whole course and policy OF the government to-
wards those who have purchased and settled the pnh
i'c lands and seemed to 'hink his policy wrong He
held TO have BEEN from the frat hard and rigorous.
he was Of opinion, thai the United States had acted
towards thos- who had suhdusd the wessn wilder
nes' in the spirit Of stepmOthsr; that the puhicdo-
main had been improperly regarded az source of res
venu'; anl that had rgidly compelled p,ynrnt for
that which ought 10 have been given away. He said
we ought to have followed the analogy of other gov
ernnrnt-, which had ac'el on a mu ch more liberal
svs'"m than our', in planting col MES. He dwelt,
particularly, upon the settlement Of America by colon
i'Is from Enrspe and reminded ia, that their yoy-
ernwents ! al no. exaced from those ,loniss nav
IN xyt Ia I, 4
thought, that the conquest Of the wilde wa, it.
self4n equiv len' for The soil and he ed hat we
had not followed that sxmple, and pursued the same
liberal course towards emigranfs to he West
Now, sir, deny altogether that there has been anv
thing harsh in the policy of the Government
towards the new States of the West. On, the contrary
maintain that ii has uniformly pursued towards these
States, liberal and Heightened system such a its own
duty allowed and required; and such their interests
and welfare demanded. The Government has been no
step mother to the States: She has not been care
less OF their interests, deaf their REQUESTS: buf
from the first moment, when the Territories which now
form hose States were coded to the Union, down to the
tme IN winch am now speaking, it has been the inva-
rabe object OF the Government. 10 dispose of the soil
according 10 the true spritof the obligation under which
IT received it; to hasten its settlement and cultivation as
lar az practicable; aud to the communities into
equal and independent States the earliest moment of
their be hg abfe, by their numbers, TO form a regular
Government.
do not admit sir, that the analogy to which the rem
tenan refers US, IL just o. that the cases are at ali s
mar. There Is 10 resemblance between the cases nm
on which the statesmen can found an argument. The
original North American Colonsts either fled from En-
rope, ike our New England ancestors TO avoid persecu
non, or came hither at hc' charges and often az
The ruin oil their fortunes, IA private adventurers Ge-
morally speaking, they derived neither succour NOT bfo.
lection from their Governments at home. Wide ipdeef
Is the difference between those aud ours From
the very origin of the Government these Western lands
AMI the just protection Of those who Had settled on shou
settle ON them have been the leading object. i'm o,r mo-
Icy, and have led TO expenditures, both of blood and
treasure, not nconsderable not indeed exceeding tho
Importance OF the object, and yielded grdgnelv or
reluctantly, certainly but yet nconsiderabo t6ouob
necessary sacri fees. made for high proper ends The
Indian title has been extnguished az the expense of
many millions. Is that nothing There is still a much
more material consideration
These colonists, f TO cell them co. IN pessin
the Allegheny, did not pass beyond the and pro,
ieciioh OF their own government Wherever thew
went, the public was still stretched over them
parental government al home still ever mindful
OF their condition. ar their wants; and nothing was
spared Which Just fllrir nec-s settles reonir.
d. j. II forgotten, that II Of the most arduous
duties OF The Government Units earliest years 10 do
end the from iers against the north western Jndi.r,y
Afe the suffering mislotUnes sn!er Harn,ar and e.
Clair net worthy to b. emem5eted9 Do the occntrsn
counn c'ed with thes" military efforts sheyv an nm.
feeling gect o. western in erssts2 And here or ,b,t
becomes 1t The 'ntlerh ms analogy! VIVA, HngI,sb ar
ies acc0nnaui 81 or ors TO clear the otest of
bsharous ioes W. treasures Of The Excbeduer werc
expended IN buying mp the original ifle 10 the so2
what governmental arm held lie lItzis over our IA
thers heads, ~ hey pioneered their way in the will
detnesH Sir, " was not tll Gen Wa,nes vfciorv In
1914, that " cOdld be said we had CONQUERED the o..