The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-03-10


any other cause than an honest one for thes
scruples? Sir, did not. II did not becom
1 me to doubt, Tor to insinuate, that the gentle
man had either changed his sentiments, or tina
he had made up set of constitutional opinions
accommodated TO any particular combination
of political occurrences. Had l done so,
should have felt, that while ] was entitled t,
little respect in thus questioning other people,
motives, justified the whole world in suspect
ing my own. But how has the gentleman re
turned this respect for others opinions Hi
own candor and Justice, how have they beer
exhibited towards the motives of others, while
! he has been at so much pains to maintain, wha
nobody has disputed, the purity of his own
| Why, sir, he has asked Vhen, and hOso, and
,chy, New England votes were found going for
( measures favorable to the west; he has de-
manded to be informed whether all this did
not begin in 1925, and while the election Of
President was still pending2 Sir, to these
! questions Tetort would be justified; and it is
both cogent and at hand. Nevertheless, will
answer the inquiry not by retort, but by facts
will tell the gentleman when, and how, and
why, New England had supported measures
favorable TO the west have already referred
to the early history of the goyernment--to the
first acquisition of the lands-to the original
laws for disposing of them, and for governing
the territories where they lie ; and have shewn
the influence of New England men and New
England principles in all these leading meas
ures. / should not be pardoned were | to go
over that ground again, Coming to more re-
cent times, and to measures of less general
character, have endeavored to prove that eve
ry thing of this kind designed for western i'm
provement, has depended on the votes of New
England; all this is true beyond the power of
contradiction.
And now, sir, there are two measures to
which will refer, rot so ancient as to belong
TO the early history of the public lands, and not
so recent as to be on this side of the period
when the gentleman chartably imagines new
direction may have been given to New Eng
land feeling, and New England votes, These
measures, and the New England votes in sup
port of them, may be taken as samples and
specimens of all the rest. In 1920, (observe
Mr.. President in 1920, the people of the West
besought Congress for a reduction in the price
of lands. In favor of that reduction, New Eng
land with delegation of forty members in the
other House, gave thirty three votes, and only
one against it. The four Southern States, with
fifty members, gave thirty-two votes for it, and
seven against it, Again, in 1921, Observe again
sir, tho tlme,) the law passed for the relief of
the purchasers of the public lands. This was
measure of vital Importance to the West, and
more especially to the Southwest. 1t author-
lied the REIMBURSEMENT of contracts for land
which had been entered into at high prices, and
a reduction in other cases, of not less than
37a per cent. on the purchase money. Many
millions of dollars six or seven, believe, at
least, probably much more, were relinquished
BY this law. On this bill, New England, with
her forty members, gave more affirmative votes
than the four Southern States, with their fifty
two or three members. These two are far the
most important measures, respecting the public
lands, which have been adopted within the last
twenty years. They took place in 1920, and
1921. That is the time aoheR. And as to the
manner ho,o, the gentleman already sees that
it was by voting, in solid column for the requir.
ed relief; and lastly, as to the cause schy, tell
the gentleman, it was because the members
from New England thought the measures just
| and sautary; because they entertained towards
the West neither envy, hatred, or malice be-
cause they deemed it becoming them, as just
and enlightened public men, to meet the ext
gency which had risen in the west, with the
appropriate measure of relief; because they
felt it due to their own characters, and the
characters of their New England predecessors
in this government, TO act towards the new
States in the spirit of liberal, patronizing
POiANys ~ AhhCh, cAt3 lOl thc
cause arhy; and hope that by this lime, sir
the honorable gentleman is satisfied if not
do not know tohen, or hOic, or aohy, he ever
will be.
Having REQUIRED to these two important
measures, in answer to the gentleman's in
quiries, Mr.. w. said he would go back a
little further to show how little reason
there was to insinuate that political hopes
or party associations were the grounds o
New England votes. He said that the gov
eminent, up to the peace of 1915, had beer
so much engaged in providing for the pub
lie debt, in preserving domestic peace, ant
attending to its foreign affairs, growing on
( of the belligerent state of Europe, that i
had had no opportunity to turn its attention
to the development of its vast internal re-
sources, and to its constitutional power t
effect such objects.
The peace, Mr.. President, brought about al
entirely new and most interesting state o
| things; it opened to US other prospects, ant
suggested other duties we ourselves wer,
changed, and the whole world was changed
The pacifcation of Europe, after June, 1916, as
sumed firm and permanent aspect The ma
tions evidently manifested that they were dis
posed for peace some agitation of the wave,
might be expected, even after the storm hat
subsidized, but the tendency was, strongly ant
rapidly, towards settled repose.
! 1t SO happened, sir, that was at that time
member of Congress, and, like others, natural
turned my attention to the contemplation of tn
newly altered condition of the country, and O
the world. 1t appeared plainly enough, TO me
as we'll as to wiser and more experienced men
that the policy of the Government would neces
sariIy take start, in new direction becaus
new directions would necessarily be given I
the pursuits and occupations of the people. w
had pushed our commerce far and fast, unds
the advantage of neutral flag But ther
were now no longer flags, either neutral or bel
ligerant. The harvest of neutrality had bee
great, but we had gathered it all. With tn
peace of Europe, it was obvious there woul
spring up in her circle Of nations, revived an
invigorated spirit of trade, and now activit
in all the business and objects of civilized lif,
! Hereafter, our commercial gains were to
earned only by success in close and intens
competition. Other nations would produce 70
| and cnrrv FIR aalv and m IN n