Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-03-05
GQN@M@SSIOMAAs
SECOND SPEECH OF MR.. WEBSTER,
ON MIR F0Or'S RESOLUTION.
In SENATE, January &c, 1880.
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We approach. atengh, sir, TO a important part
oil the honorable genilemans observations. S,nce II
does not accord with my views Of justice aud policy TO
give away the public lands altogehc mere matter
OF grauy, am a-ked by the honorable gentleman
what ground 1t is, that vote them away in
particular ins'ances' How, he inquiries do l recon
ciIe with these proiessea sentiments, my support OF
measures arpropratng portions Of lands rarcu
lar roads, particular canals rivers, and parti.
cular institutions Of education in the West This leads
SIR TO q real AMI wide difference in political or Mons
between The honorable gentleman and myself On my
part, look upon all these objects as connected with
the common good fairly embraced In its objects and Its
terms; be on the contrary deems them ALL IL good al
all, only local good This is difference The in
,r,oga,ory which he projected to put, NJ once ex,
plains this difference. What interests, asks he,"
has South Carolina in Canal in Oho.' Sir, this very
question is ulIof significance. 1t develops the gen.
ucinan's whole political system; and its answer ex-
pounds mine. Here we differ, toto Gallo look upon
road over the Allegheny, Canal round the Falls OF
the OHIO, Canal or Railway from the Atlantic to
the Western waters being objects large and extern
five enough TO be fairly said to he Tor the ben
eft The gentleman thinks otherwise, aud this is The
eminent He may well ask, upon his system, what in
teresi has South Carolina in Canal in Ohio. On that
sysen,, II is true she has interest. On that sys
ten, Ohio and Carolina different Governments, and
different countries, rcted here, il true, by some
slight and -dehned boni Of Union, but in all main
respects separate and diverse On that system, Caro-
lima has no more interest in Canal in Hindo than in
Mexico. The gentl .man, therefore, only follows out
his own principles he does than arrive at The
natural conclusions oil his doctrines; he only
noinces the true results OF that creed which lie has
adopted himself, and would persuade others to adopt,
when he thus declares hat Sou Carolina has inter-
est in public work in Ohio. Sir, minded
people OF New England do reason thus. Our no.
ton OF things Is entirely different. We look upon the
States not separated, but united We love TO dwell
ON that Union, and on the mutual happiness which it
hes so much promoted, and the common renown which
it has atty attributed acquire Ia
plation Carolina and Ohio parts of the
try; States, united under the same General Govern
men' having interests, common, associated, ntermin
eed In whatever is within the proper sphere of the
constitutional power OF this Government, look upon
The States as one. We do not impose geographical H.
mits, to patriotic feeling regard; do follow
rivers and mountains, and lines of iatule find bcun
dan les bevond which public improvements do not bene
TIT ne. We who come here, agents and representa-
,ives OF those minded and selfish men of New
England, consider ourselves bound TO regard with
equal eye, the good of the whole, in whatever is with
in power OF legislation Sir, If rail- DAD csna
beginning in South Carolina and ending in South Car
olina, appeared 10 TO be OF national importance and
national magnitude, believing L do, that the power
OF Government extends TO the encourage of works
OF that description IL stand up here, and ask
what interest has Massachusetts, in rail road in South
Carolina. should not be willing face my consiitu-
ents. These same narrow minded men would tell me,
that they bad sent act for the whole country and
that one who possessed too little comprehension, either
OF intellecto feeling, one who not large enough,
IN mind and heart 10 embrace the WHOLE not fit 10
be entrusted with the interest of any part Sir, do
not desire 10 enlarge the powers of the Government by
unjushable construction? to exercise any with
in fair Interpretation But when it is believed that
power does exist; then it is. in my judgment, 10 be
exercised for the general benefit of the whole far
az respects the exercise of such power. the States
Ii the very object OF The Constitution Gre
ale unity Of interests 10 tho extent Of the powers Of
Tie General Government. In war and peace, are
one; in commerce. one; because the authority of the
Gene al Government reaches 10 and peace, and Re
the regulation Of commerce. have never seen any
more difficulty in erecting light .hou.es the Lakes
than on the Ocean; in improving the harbors Of inland
than if they within the ebb end flow OF the
tide; OF removing obsuciisns in the Of
the West more than in any work to facilitate commerce
on the Atlantic II there be power for one there
il power also Tor the other; and they al and equally
for The country
There other objects, apparently local, the
benefit of which is less general, towards which,
TIN less, have concurred with others 10 give add by
donations Of land Its proposed construct ROAD in
or through Of the new States in which this Gov
eminent possesses large quantities Of land Have the
United States right, great and uniaxed proprie
tor they under oblie alton to contribute oh
ect thus calculated 10 promote the good Of all
Tie Proprietor' themselves included? And even with
respect 10 educaon which is the extreme case let the
question be considered. In the fret place, have
seen, IL was made matter OF compact with these States
that they should do their part TO promote education In
the ntx place, whole system of land laws proce
The idea that education is Tor the common good; be-
csnee in every division, certain portion is uniformly
reserved and appropriated for the use Of schools. Ard,
finally have not these States singuorly strong
claims founded on the ground already stated that the
Government is great uDaxed proprietor in the own
lance, that probably there is in part OF the country
OF the world, great call for the means OF e,lnca-
on in those States owing TO the vast numbers
OF persons within those ages, in which lucation and
instruction are usually received, il received at all
THE ia the natural consequences m regency of settle.
Mt and rapid increase. The Census OF these States
show bow great proportion Of the whole population
occupies the classes between infancy and manhood
These lie wide 6eld-. and here is the deep and
qu soil for the seeds Of Knowledge and virtue AMI
this is the favored season, the spring time for sowing
them. Let them be disseminated, without stint Let
thru be scattered, with bouotifu1, broad cast what
rhe Government can fairly do towards these OBJ.
jecs, in my opinion, ought TO be done.
These, sir, are the grounds, succincty sia'ed, on
which my votes for grams of lands for particular Oh.
ec's rest willie mantap at the time, that il is
all common fund, for the common benefit. AID rea
SONS like these, presume have Influenced he votes
Of other gentlemen from New England Those who
have different view Of tho powers Of the Govern.
ment, Of course, TO different conclusions, on
these, as on other ques ions observed, when speak.
ing this subject before, that IL we looked 10 any
measure, whether for road canal, any thing else
intended for the Improvement Of the west, il would be
found, that il the New England ayes were struck out
Of the lists OF votes, the Southern would always
have rejected the The truth Of this has not
been MEL and cannot be denied In stating this,
thought tust 10 ascrbe il TO the constitutional scru-
pies OF the South, rather than 10 any other less favora
BILE or less charitable But, had done
this than the Honorable Gentleman asks If reproach
him ard his friends with their constitutional scrupies
Sir, reproach nobody. stated fact, and gave the
most respectful for that occurred 10 me The
gentleman cannot deny the fact; he may " he choose
diclsin The II is not long since had occasion
in presenting petition from bis own Sra e. TO account
for ts being entrusted to my hands by saying, that the
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