Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-02-06

expense Ofths survey, the they fen into
the hands o. the United States held up for sale tho
highest price that public auction at the most favora
Bile seasons, aud unfrequently a spirit Of the widest
cohppiiton could produce, with limitation that they
should never BE- sold below a certain minimum price
thus making II, as 1t would SEEM the cardinal point Of
our policy, not TO settle tie country and facilitate the
formation OF new States, but TO I'LL ccsis by coin
ing lands into gold.
Let us now consider for moment, Mr. PRECEDENT,
the Effect OF these two opposite systems on the condition
OF new State viii take the State of Missouri, by
way Of example Here is large aud fertile territory
coming into the possession Of the United Safes with
out any nhabitans but n.ians and wild bea.tsa ter
ri,o'y which il 10 be converted into sovereign and
independent State. You commence your operations by
surveying and selling out portion of the lands,
long credits, to actual settlers and. the population
progresses. you year alter year. making addition
al sales ON the terms; and this operation TO be
continued, as gentlemen tell US, for fifty hundred
years at least, if not for all time to The inhsb-
tants OF this State, under such system il is most
obvious, have commenced their operations under
load OF debt, the annual payment of which must
cessarly drain their country OF the whole profits Of
their labor, just so long this system shall last This
debt is due, not from citizens Of the State others
OF the same State-Gn which the money would
remain in the country)but il is due from tho whole
population OF the State TO the United States by whom
II Is Regularly drawn out TO he expended abroad Sir,
the amount OF this debt has, in every OF the
States actually Constantly exceeded the ability OF the
people to pay, is proved by the fact that you have
been compelled Gon time 20 tme in your gre libe-
raliy 10 extend the credits, and in seine instances
even TO remit portions OF The debt, in order TO protect
Iroin u9tcy dd fetal NOW,
MI President will submit the question any c,ndid
man, whether under this system, the people OF new
State, is situated, could, by any industry rxer;ou.
ever become rich aud prosperous. What has been
consequence, sr? Almost universal uovcrty-no money
hardly suii lent circulating medf1 for the crdna-
~ exchanges ofsocety-paper banks, rcli laws, and
the innumerable other evils, social, POLITICAL and mo-
raj, on which il is unnecessary TO- To dwell Sir,
under system by which drain like Ibis is constantly
operating upon the wealth Of the whole community,
the country may be truly said be afflicted with
curse which has been well erved il grievous
to be borne ''ilAn the harnesses Of the SOIL and the
inclemency OF the seasons" IL il said, sir, that
learn from msior,unes how feel Tor the suf.
terings OF ohers, and perhaps the present condition
The Southern States has served TO impress deeply
on my own mind, the gr!evous oppression Of sysem
by when the wealth ct country is drained of TO be
expended elsewhere. la tina, devoted re on sir in
which my lot has been cast il misfortune stand
IN that relation TO the Federal Government which sub
ects us TO taxation which it requires the utmost Ell
iors OF our industry 10 meet.
Nearly the whole amount Of our contributions is ex-
pended abroad; stand ards the United ) at $ in
the relation OF relanl u England. The fuis OF our
labor are drawn from ~ to enrich other and ia
vored sections of the Uaion; while with OF the
finest climates and the richest products in the world,
furnishing, wi ouelhd Of the population o-hrds
OF the whole experts of the county. c=.-..:. ,,-
eSr4c '"' w0nfariUi, and painful spectacle of
coun ry, enriched by the beauty OF God but blasted
by the cruel policy OF The rank grass grows
in streets, very fields are scathed b. the bani
bly, in less degree must have been the effects Of
kindred policy the fortunes of the West IL is not
wise.
Let gen lemcn pause and consider for mo-
IN mt what would have been the probable fleets an
opposite policy. SIrpost Sir certain portion OF the
State oil Missouri had been originally laid off and sold
to actual settlers Tor the quit OF 'Peppercorn
even for small price 10 be paid down cash. Then,
Sir, all the money that made in the ny would
have remained IN the counry all l. passing from hand
to hand would. like rich and abundant streams flow
ing through the land have adorned and iert2ed the
whole. Suppose, Sir, that all the sales that have been
effected, had been nde by the State and that the pro-
ceeds had goss into the treasury to be returned
back 10 the p olis in some Of The various shapes in
which a benceD local governm=n exerts powers for
the improvement OF the condition OF its citizens. Who
can say. how much OF the wealth and pro- ;rty, how
much OF Improvement IN science and the arts, how
much OF individual and social happiness, would have
been difus' d throughout the anG! have done Mr..
President with this topic.
Ga coming to the consideration of rhe great question.
what ought to be the III policy OF the Government
in relation TO the Public Land! ind the mos. OPP
posiie and irreconcieahle Unions betwe tho two
parties which have before described. On the one
sds is eonended that the public land ought be
served as permanent fund for reDcHlue and future
distribution among the States, while, the other,
il insisted that the whole OF these lands Of right beIone
to, and ought lie relnqushed the States in wcit
they lie shall proceed TO throw ideas ig
relation 10 the propose policy, that the public landh
ought to be reserved Tor these purposes. Ii may ban
question, MIR. President how Ear possible con-
vert the public lands into great source of revenue
Certain i; Is, that all he efforts here oIore made for
ibis purpose have most signslly failed The harshness
If not injustice Of the proceeding, puts those uron
whom IL 10 operate upon the alert, contrive me-
theds OF evadng and counler acng our policy, and
hundreds Of schemes in the shape Of appfop ations of
lands Tor Roads, Canals, and Schools; Y ants to actual
settlers, SC. resor;ed TO for the purpose control
ing our operations. But sir, let US take II Tor granted,
that will be able, hereafter, to resist these app-
cations, aud 10 the whole OF your lands for m
~ or for hundred years, for all lime 10 come, TO
fur nish great fund Tor permanent revenue is il de-
siI able that should do So? Viii IL promote the
welfare OF the UGited States TO have our dspo,al
Treasury, not drawn from the pockets of
he people, but to be derived from ufce indepeu-
dent Of them? Would il be safe 10 cOnhle such a iioa-
sure TO the keeping OF national rulers expose
the 10 the temptations insuperabe from the direction
and contro of fund which might be enlarged or di-
mnished aniosa pleasure, without impc sing bur.
thens upon u,s People! Sir, may be singular
have long enerainc that one Of the greatest safe
guards OF lib rty is jealous wdtchfulness the pare
VI the People the collection and expenditure OF
The public money! watehulhess hat only b, SCI
cured where the money is drawn by tax zion Cectly
rom the pockets OF the People. Every schems OF
by which rulers able TO procure the
command OF money by means unknown TO, unseen or
unielt by the People, destroys Thu security. Even
The revenue system of this country by which tho
whole OF our pecuniaTy derived from IN
fiy eel tdIafOH--lrOm duties upon impoftshas done
much TO weaken the responsibility Of our federal rulers
10 the People and has made them, in some measure
careless OF their rights, and regardless OF the high
ru # committed TO their Can any man believe
r that il S23, 600 900 per was now levied by
lirect taxation, or by an apportionmen OF the same
among States, instead OF being raised by an indirect
ax, Of the effect Of which few are aware. that