Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-04-03

ulu,ion. aud improve the country, wantony 10 eff
feet my ruin. And should this ball become law,
the former purchasers who have paid full value,
woU! IN consequence OF the depreciation OF the pro-
pcr;y occssioncj by the enactment have be ter G.
Guitabe right TO remuneration for losses by the gov
eminent than mary Claimants whose demands
annually Equidated here without hearing u note
oil rcmonsirance against ihem This bill has been
pending here for the last four years. aud the dspuS
sltion evinced to entertain il rs "a subject
for futaIe decision, has cherished expectations
which arc sedunusly encouraged by ruinors in
the West that ITS provisions VII eventually be
adopted IL my information be correct, and Western
gentlemen near mo can bC1r witness that it is So
anticipatons have been too generally INDUCED that
these lands WILL before long, be offered for nothing.
This must tend 10 impede sales and perhaps
TO some oStcnt 10 suspend the settlement of our Yves.
tern frontiCr-a result suppose tn b. deprecated
by none more deeply than by the gentleman from
Missouri Mr.. Bcnton) himself In the meantime
without the finai action OF Congress the subject
the illusion Is every year ncrcasing and 10 add
has bcen already atvertcd 10 in this dcbntc-,hat
these lands of right belong TO the new States
within which they situated The gentleman
IRON Missouri, IN reference tn the charge Of hostility
To the West, TO prove or disprovc which would
not myself now offer single remark. has chosen
to inform US that hs Inns never cbiant 1 hero more
thun s'nglc vote for his graduation bill from the
representatives of all The States northeast of the
PotoInac-and he adds, that vote was given in 1928
BIZ i''rmer Senator from the State which have the
honor IN part "a represent here For this good deed
the gentleman from Missouri proceeded TO pronounce
panegy ric ON that Senator, which was mcr,tcd ~,
stronger grounds. Though readily according in the
Justice which imputcs the most correct motives to
that gentleman, who is my nsighbpr. and with whom,
live on terms of friendly intercourse cycrcisnr as
he doubtless did his conscientious indignant on thn
case. yet with my views, TINS briefly explained am
constrained to say that cannot vote tor this bill
According tn my mode "t considering IT. i, is a promo
sit'on tn give away tie brhrlght OF our people for
nominal sum; and AN vet To learn that tho ctz. ~
al Inv in,i-a 8
regard TO II differing from that expressed in the y;
referred 10, When with single exception all the
Senators representing StGics north rf Nason'S and
DiSon's l:nc, opposed The measure. Thcv do no,
lock To these lands as has been unusy stated with
the eye OF nm uuiecling landho!d.r who pats wsth
his acres as miser parts with his gold They vicv,
the now States rs younger sisters IN the same family
upon an Equal footing with themselves, and cniul.d In
an equal SHIRE oil their patr uuny hut haviur children
10 educate. and numerous wants To be sl!ppcu tlSy
WIFE think u ungenerous, unjust and upurcsSiv.
should these younger sisters take away the tcAole
Sir, 1t rs the inheritance winch descended from our
iurea hers who wrested part of II from the British
crown at the expense of their blood and treasure and
paid for the rest of 1t by the earnings Of their abur
IT Is not Tor me 10 say what the feelings of the
people ui the Middle States on this subject. Ii is
their privilege speak for Themselves nd thov will
doubtless, when they think it necessary, exercise
that privilege But will say that flhov entertain
the s"ntimcnts OF their fathers, they will never con.
sent To ccde away hundreds Of millions of ceres of
lana for nominal considerations or rra,uiton " re-
linqlish them 10 any State, however loudly She
may lDsist on the measure due to her rights and
her Sovereignty, or however boldly he may threaten
tn defy the Federal Judiciary and d. eide r ccntro
versy by her tribunals in her own favor These
who are conversnnt with revolutionary history
VIII remember that the exclusive Claims of Virgin:a
anu oil Other members OF our political family. to the
pubic lands, were warmly resisted by the Slatcs of
New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland as soon as
those claims were ovowcd after tho rnDiure with tho
mother country: The articles of Confederation were
not signed on the part Of New Jersey until the o5.h
OF November, 778, although she had bcd freely in
the cause of American liberty from the Commence
mcnt OF the struggle One of the principal objections
which caused this delay in the ratification OF those
articles will be found the able representation O, her
Legislature, presented By her Delegates 10 Congress
before she accoded TO the Union. "The ninth article
said they provides that State shall be derived of
territory for the benefit of the United Stacs Whc-
Their to understand that by territory is intend
cd any land, the property of which was heretofore
vested in the OF Great Britain or That no
mention of such land is made IN The Confederation
we arc constrained TO observe that tic present war
as we always apprchendcd, was undertaken for Tho
general dc once and interest Of tho confedcrating
COLONIES, tho United Staics. II was ever the
Confident expectation Of this State that the benefits
derived from successful contest were 10 be reuergi
and PrCportionnie md that the property ofthc com
mon enemy, failing in consequence Of prosperous
lrsuc OF the war, would belong TO the United States
and be appropriated TO their use. We are thereCre
greatly disappointed In finding provision made in
tDC SJIlcucI0LlOH TOT empowering the Congress o
dispose OF such property, but cspe cialy the vacant
and unpu'ented lands, commonly called the crown
lands, fof defruyng the expenses of the war and Tor
such other public and general purposes. The Iurls-
dctIon ought IN every instance to belong To tic re-
spective States within the charter or determined
limits ri which such lands may BIZ seated but reason
ana justice must decide, that the property which x
lsted IN the crown Of Great Britain. previous % tho
present revolution, ought belong to the Con
gross IN trust for tho and benefit Of the u States
They hare fought and Jled far il in prop,ytion 10
hefr resPecttvc abilities md therefore, Ge Yeward
ought not tn he PrsditectionaUy djsiriJu,eL" And
when III November, l718, the Legislature Of New
Jersey determined to attach her to the Union, thcy
dad IT, as they then expressed "in firm reliance that
The candor and Justice of the several Stntes would in
due time, rcm"vc the subsistng Inequality" vet still
insisting OH the justice ofthcr objections then stately
stated ond sont TO the General Congress-" So too
DeInwarc oDd Maryland, for the came reasons re-
fused TO join the Confederation until still later nc
nod the former rntyIng the articles on the 2ed Of
February, 1870, and the latter on TIC let Of March
1871. The Siate which have he honor in part to
represent here, had, on the ist Of Fc byuarv tz7q