Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-03-23
admit, sir that hi. Government is Government OF

him, when he applies the notion of checks AMI balances
othe Interference of different ornments He argues,
mat II we trnnsgress, each State, as a State, has
right 10 check US; does he admit the converse OF the
proposition, that we have right check the States
me gemtelman's doctrines would give strange
tumble of authorities and powers instead of Govern
nents OF separate end defined powers II il the part
oil wisdom, think, to avoid this; aud 10 keep the Con
eral Government and the S'ato Governments each i'm
ITS proper sphere, avoiding, carefully as possible,
every kind of interference.
Finally sir, the honorable gentleman says, that the
States VIII not interfere, by their power 10 preserve
the Constitution. They win not destroy IT, ,hay will
not impair it,hey will only save they will only pre-
serve they will only strengthen III This bu, the old
story. All regulated Governments, all free Govern.
men's' have been broken up by similar disinteresed
aud wedisposed interference! 1t the common pre-
tence. Blu, take leave of the subject.
SPEECH OF MIR. WOODBURY.. OF N II.
On MIR. Foor's RESOLUTION, FEB. %, 1880.
MIR. Woodbury. said:
Mr. PREsrDENT: Perhaps could best repay the
the kind indulgence of the Senate yesterday, in adj
ournrg 20 earlv 10 accommodate me- by an entire 81
lenee to-day But il was my lot, possibly my misfor-
!uhe 10 offer an amendment TO the resolution, which
mas oceasoned such long, and in some respects un-
pleasant dsbsts. The amendment wa. offered 10 that
spirit oil Kindness towards the West, which had rath-
Ell practice. than merely profess, aud, alter opinions
en- the subject had become conover,ei, ii offered
with view to elicit fully the real dpo,on felt In this
body concerning the surveys sales of the public lands
ne unexpected motion 10 pone both the resolution
ana The amendment, evidently tends 10 defeat dis
nct expression oil opinion upon either, anil has opened
The door to course OF argument, and latitude Of dis
cusson, believe somewhat unprecedented in this DO.
ny Uieems TO have metamorphosed the Senate, not
iuo Committee Of the Whole the State of the u
nlon but on the State of the Union in all time past pre-
sent end 10 come So be tiff gentlemen please This is
not alluded to 10 the spirit OF rebuse against either side,
az every Senator in such is doubtless at liberty
10 pursue The dictates Of his own Judi meut, aud i.
doubtless able TO yindcae his own course 10 hi. con
situens and his conntGy.
But IN one visw, this wide range Of discussion ha,
proved sabject Of deep regret to me individuality s
If has led gentlemen iuto remarks Oh the amendment
aud on matters ami things in general, some of which
tore personally on myself and on that portion OF my
constituents with whom had the pleasure 10 act in the
late r. edenal elecion s. which remarks if unnotced
may lead to msapprehension OF our r.al opinions on
questions OF public moment--which opinions, disdan TO
conceal 80 tar as regards myself, and to npuaiioDs
mose constituents utterly derogaOry and utterly
mered. lmp1taiioDs, about which cared little, il
hung IN We scavenger slang OF the day myself a.
lone, becsuse have long been Injured to ih.m from
certain quarters, like all other men In the East who
refuse to bow the knee there certain political Dagons;
oot impuhtlons, against which, when gravely made by
CoDscrlpt tahers and extended 10 large 10 ~ Of my
constituents feel ii my duly defend them boh here
q el'ewhete-now aud hence FORTH while have power
LEFT TO defend any thing.
Firstly, to advert moment TO the amendment
offered by me TO this resolution and opinions on IL,
subject matter. The amendment has been ue1trd
by some IN lie BATE and roundly asserted in the numer
Gus hbss that issue from the epi''oary minis in thi,
cuy-those manufactures eIoibitantly protested 10
1e ,ub.tansially proposition TO give away the whole
public domain of the Union Whereas, in truth il cen
templates nolhng beyond Inquiry Tor tia, light aud
Information so earnestly urged by otberss mere in
curry IN less ptionsble less questionable shane
iD,o the expectancy of making rapid survey aud
sale OF The public lands.
The reasons for that inquiry have before he stated
and need not he repeated observe. that they
rest on The facts OF increasing competition in the sales
OF land ny other governments OH our Northern aud
Southwestern iTonier-on the vast quantities yet TO be
surveyed and sold by ourselves; and duties 10 the
new States equally, in respect 10 the survey sale aud
settlement Of our unaNed domain within their respcc
tive boundaries. To discharge such duties-to give
wider sphere for choice TO the enerprising yeon,nry
from the East. s. the middle States, well as the Wet
o obisn sooner the for x,ipguishing the public
debt that great mill stone the neck Of every popular
government-slI will admit TO he L. Ultimate objects.
and an anne ndment seekinr these objects could bnt
tend TO fulfil promptly and justly the condition on which
most Of these lands were originally and generously ed
edio the Union This is the whole length, breadth, and
depth OF the amendment. Bat, when travel beyond
The amendment and The resolution. 10 sneculae nm what
has been done and wha, shall be done with the sc land. in
future time. alter paying The public debt-and the
ands becoso the apple OF discord-then we omen
Pdndora box Of fears, eslouscs and fierce collisions
On this point have heretofore said nothing in this dis
custom; and should say nothing now hal not my vie
on the dsro'i'ion Of these lanLs been msrepresenteJ
snd some Of my votes al former sessions perhaps misun.
drrsiood
BY the terms Of The grants. had always supposed
that az all lands north nf the Ohio expressly
fanrd Tor the common benefit and support Of the u
nioras Congress had resolved they shal he di,nos-
ed OF for the common benefit Of the United Siaies-
and az tho residue Of our lands purchased by our
common funds, doubt could exis, tia, they must he
used and granted only in way be benefcsl to The
whole All sales or them, al reduced pfccs and
whether 10 States " divduNis world alwpys In nv
onnion, I've tins beneficial, If competition was open TO
all because all would participate in the purchase mo-
ney obtained and all could embark in ibe purrhas H.
self The hardy but entctpi'ine ysomsnty ofthe E~t
and the middle States no seem almost entirely have
been forgotten in This debate would then find constant
ly opened to The ambition of themselves ami sons,
the benefit of lands AT prices within their frugal means
and under democratic institutions Of their own choice;
and every valley and river Of The Wet would, In rlrt
become AZ many OF them now, vocal with New Tnx-
land tongues, and would in part be improved and glad
densd by New England industry. 50 division NJ the
lands among all the States, who ne i1nt propfie,ors
whether divided for specified general objects would
seem to me dpo.ition of them for the "comon bene
hl;'-bu whether il would ever in other respects be
iudciou' deposition Of them. considering The now re-
laions and dependency it might create between the
General Government aud the States, s grave ques-
lion. not material TO me TO discuss. On our CHIN
expressed decisive opinion, ani one from which
h've yet seen nm sufficient reason 10 Dissent (Nile'
Reg. p 391-Aug Is, 1921
June 22 1921 " For az much, therefore, as the pro.
perty and jurisdiction Of the soil acquired by the
common means Of all, il is conended that the public
lands, whether acquired by purchase. nv force or by
acts deeds Of cession from individual States are the
common property Of the Union and ought 10 snure to
the common and beneh, Of all the States i'm lust
proportions and not TO the benefit Of any parcu-
nr State or Ststes 10 the exclusion Of the others and
that any partial appropriation Of them for state nurpo
SEES IL violation Of the spirit Of our national compact
ell a. IL.