Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-02-26

wards which, nevertheesS, -
with others to give aid. by dona.lo's OF 'a",.
1t is proposed to construct roao ~ VI 80
,he new STATES in which this Government
os....s. large Quantities Of land. Have the
FJn;,.d S,,Ies no right, as great and un'a1eo
r,',r;.,or. are they under no obligation to con-
,r;hp,. 70 an object thus calculated to promote
,hs common good Of all the proprietors, them'
seIv.s included! Ard even with respect 70
sd,ca,ion. which is the extreme case. LEI '"e
question be considered In the trst place, a'
we have seen, itfwas made matter Of compac'
with these States, that they should DO Inc"
mar, 10 oromo,e educ aiion. In the next p'a.e'
our whole system Of land laws proceeds On '"e
idea that education is for the common eoooi
because, in every division, certain Porioh Is
uniformly reserved and appropriated lot 'he
use Of schools And, finally, have not these
new STATES singularly strong claims, Iouho'o
on tn ground already stated, that the Govern
meat is great untaxed proprietor IN the o""
e,ship of the soil. II is q consideration OF
prea, importance, tina, probably there Is, IN no
=, p, or he country. or Of The world, so great
all for ,hr means of education as in those new
S,a,e.. owing 10 the vast number OF persons
within those ages in which education ana ~
struction are usually received, received al all
This i, the natural consequence OF regency u,
settlement and rapid increase. i ne census u,
these States shows how great proportion oil
the whole population occupies the classes DC
tween infancy aud manhood hese are 'he
wide fields, and here is The deep aud quick so''
for the st eds Of knowledge and virtue; and 'hlS
is the favored season, the spring ume ior so"
ing Them. Lev hem be disseminated, without
stint Let ,hrm be scattered, with bounh'ui,
broad cast. Whatever the Government can
fairly do towards these objects, in my OPINION
ought to be done.
These, sir, are the grounds, succincily stat
ed, on which my votes for grants OF lands ior
particular hjects resi-: while inain'ain' al tne
sane time, hat il is all a common fund tor
the common oen.h, md reas ms like these,
presume. have Influenced the votes OF Other
gentlemen from New England. Those who
have different view Of the powers OF the Go
yernmeu,. of course, come 10 diff, rent conc'u'
sions, on these, as other questions. l OBJ
served, when speaking on this subjec' before,
,ha, if we looked TO any measure, whether Tor
road canal or any thing else, intended Tor
the improvement, OF The west, il would be
found, that if the New England ayes were
struck cut of the lists Of woes the Southern
noe, would always have rejected The measure
ne truth Of this has not been denied, add can
not be denied In stating ibis, .hoogh' u
lust 10 ascribe il 10 the constitutional scruples
of the South, rather than 10 Ivy o'her less Ia
yorable or less charitable cause. Blu, no soon
er had done this, than The Honorable Gen'
,leman asks, If r. proach him and his friends
with their Constitutional scruplts! Sir, re-
proach nobody. stated fact, and gave the
most respectful reason for il that occurred 10
me- The gentleman cannot deny the fact; he
NAV If he choose, disclaim the reason. | is
no, long since had occasion, in presenting a
petition from his own State, to account Tor IT'S
being entrusted 10 my hands. by saying, that
The constitutional opinions Of the gentleman
md his worthy colleague, prevented them from
supportiog it. Sir. did state this as matter
Of -eproach1 Far from it, Did attempt TO
find any other cause than an honest ore Tor
these scruples? Sir, did not Il did not be-
Gene me 10 doubt nor 10 in ipua'e that the gen.
tleman had either chacged his sentiments, or
that re had made up set OF constitutional
opinions, accommo dated TO any par sic ular COM
bination Of polilical occurrences. Had done
so, | should have felt, that while l was entitled
to little respect in thus questioning other peo
Piles motives, ] justified the whole world In
suspec,ing my own. Bu' how has the gentle
man returned this respect tor others opinions!
His own candor and justice, how have they been
exhibited towards the motives OF othtrs, WhlIe
he ha. been at so much pains TO maintain, wha.
nobody has disputed, the purity Of his own
Why, Sir, he has asked ,ohsn, and HON, and
,ohy Nv England vores were found going for
me assures favorable TO theWesG he has demsnd
ed TO be informed whether all This did not be-
Gin in ls25. and whis the election Of Presidsnt
was still pend,ng9 Sir, to these questions re.
tor. would BIZ justi6c d.; and it is both is cogen',
and at hand. Nevertheless, ] will answer the
inquiry, bu, by facts. will ,ell the gentleman
when and ho,D, and ,ohy. New England has sup
ported measures favorable 10 the West. I
have already referred to The early history OF the
Governmen,-to the frs, 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 measures should not be
pard oned were TO 60 over that ground again.
Coming % more recent times, and 10 measures
of a less general character. I have endeavored
to prove that every thing Of this kind, design
ed for Western improvement, has depended on
the votes Of New England; all Ibis is true be-