Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-02-09


este Hitherto, SIR, | maintain, Congress has acted
wisely, and done it, duty this subject hope it will
continue TO do it, Departing from the original idea,
20 soon a. 1t was found practicable a0d convenient OF
selling by townships, Congress. has disposed OF the soil
10 smaller aud still smaller portions, till, at length il
sells IN parcels OF no more than eighty acre; thus put
ting u Into The power OF every ia the conry how.
e'eT poor but who has eeah and strength 10 becsme
te-hcler il he desires, not Of b,rren acre, 5lt Of
rih anu fertile soil The g,vernm nj has performed ~
The conditions Ot tho giaut While il has rs,atled the
public lands a. coumcn funl aud Ina, sous AT to make
what reasonably cuuld be mad OF them a. source OF
revenue, 1t his ao applied s best wid1tn 20 sell aud
sc lie he"' asia, and as happily possle AID Shen
socVer numbers would Warrant il. each Territory
hcen success lively a United into The Union with all
the rights Of an lad pendeut State.
IL there then, Sir, ak, any wef und-d charge of
hatd dealing; any j,,t accusation tor negigenre, in.
difference parsmouy which caI ale OF being
ained against the government OF the county, ia lis
conduct towards the new States! SIs, think there il
nat.
But III re was another observation OF the Hon. en-.
Der, which confess, did not little surprise me Asa
'eason tor whirg to get rid Of the public lands as soon
as we could AMI as we might, the Hon GENTLEMAN sad
lie wanted no permanent sources OF IL come He wish
Ell to see IN lime when the governe nj shou ID not o..
seas shilling 81 permanent revenue. II he could spe
magical word AMI by tat VOID convert the whole
Iap'toi INTO sot, the W rd should not be spoken -
Inc administration oil liked revenue he said, Only
consoida'es the governments and corrups the p. ople!
sur, confess. heard these sentiments uttered on uy
DOR, not without deep regret and pain.
am aware that these, aud similar opinions are e.-
ronsed by certain p-rsons oihe Capitol & out OF his
Governments; tut did expect 20 soor TO find them
mere Cons ,idaon!-ttat perpetual cry both of ter.
ror and deluSion-Cons oldaton! Sir when yen,lemen
speak Of the ELECTS oi common fund, belonging 10 all
me sac a. havi1g tendency 10 couSoilsUjn, what
do'hey mean: DO they mcan,or can they any thing
more han that the Union OF he States will be
ened, Oy Whatever contu' furnishes Inducements
10 The people Of the States hold together? II they
me "' merely ,his, then DOUBT, the public lands
as we as every thing else in which we have com.
mon interest, tends 10 oaion; and this species
OF consolidation every true American ought TO be at.
'ech-d; II IL neither less than ming
Tie Union ls,l. This g the sense e. which the ra-
msrs OF the Con suuon used the VOID CONSOLIDATE IN.
anu In which sen = | ADOPT and cherish it. They
tell u, in te letter ubmitiing he CONSTITUTION to the
consideration OF tie con"try, hat IN all our deH5e-
Tati0ns an this subject, ms Kept steadily IL, our vieD
mt phich appears To he greatest interest of eps,
f'ite A"ie' lean, the cans Hdaton of ar U,ion in
toheh rs inc1Dsd ar pr0sperity fliciiy satiy per-
maps oW national eristence. This important coasi-
miatto"' seriously and deeply impressed our
minds, led each State IL, the Convention To be less
r'gtd on points Of inferior magnitude than u,ight
mare been OtherjDise expected"
This, sir, is Gen. Washingons consolidation. Thsis
inc true constitutional consolidation. wshto see no new
powers drawn TO the General Governments but confess
rejoice IN whatever tends 10 strengthen the bond that
untes u.s. and encourages the hope that our Union NAV
be perpetual And, therefore, cannot but feel rcorc,
d. me expression oil such opinions the gentleman has
avowed;because think their obvious tendency is 10 weak
EN- The bond OF our coAneX on. know that there ar,
some persons IN the art OF the country which the
zion Member comes, who habituay speak of The
Union In terms OF indifference, or even OF disp, ape
ment. The Hon. Member himself is not, trust and
can never be, one OF these They significantly declare
that IT IS me TO calculate the rdlue of the Union: and
their aim seems be TO and magnify all the
evi, real and imaginary, which the Government under
the Union produces.
The tendency of all tcsc ideas and sentiments is oh
vlonSly to bring the Union into discussion as a mere
question al present and temporary expcdiency-notbinp
more than mere matter OF profit and loss The Union
10 he preserved while it suits local and temporary pu-
poses 10 preserve il; and 10 be sunlcred WHENEVER
shall be found to thwart such PURPOSES Unio, of IT,
SELF Is considered by the disciples of this schosl AZ
hardly good 1t is ony regarded as possible means
oil good Or on the other hand, possible means of
evil. Ihey cherish no deep and fixed regard for it,
lowing from thorough conviction OF its absolute and
vital necessity to our welfare Sir dcprecate and de-
Pore TINS TOM oil thinking and acting deem far other
vase OF the Union OF <c State; and did the trainers
oil the Constitution themselves What they said | be.
leve; fully and sincerely beev, that the Union OF the
States Is essential to the prosperity and safety of the
States. am CRiOniSt, and in this sense A Ma
tonal Republican. would strengthen the ties that
mold us together. Far, indeed, in my wishes very
Tar distant be the Gay, when associated and aer-
nal stripes shall be severed asunder and when that hap
Ply constellation under which have risen to so much
rcnown shall be broken up and be seen sinking star af
ter star, into obscurity and night!
Among other thing, the Hon. Member spoke of tho
pu'ic dot. To that h holds the public land. pledged
"d has eSpresed his usual stness for its total dis
charge. Sr | have always voted Tor every measure
fr reducing the deb since have been in Csnpr..s
wish IT paid, because il is deb; and % l,r i, ,
charge upon the industry OF the counry and the hnan.
ce+ OF ne Government. Blu, Sir, | have observed
mat WI nevrr the subject of hs public debt il intro.
dnced into the nate bill sort si fervor is man
te':ed in gard 20 it, which hive been s,la lime. At
loss to understand. The debt ia not now large and
Is IN course OF most rapid reduction. vrIy few
years Will see il exungu-h-d. Now, am not entire
~ able 10 persuade myself that is certain
incidental tendencies and elTcc,s OF this debt rather
Than t' pressure and charge a. dpbt that cau,e 8,
much anxiety to get rid OF il. Possibly il NAV
be regarded az in some degree lie, holding the
dHerent parts OF the country together, by con.idera-
lions oil mutual Interest If hi be one OF IFS elrsrts
the effect itself il, in my opinion, not 20 he lAmenied
Let me not be misunderstood | would not continue
the debt fnr the sake OF any collateral or conssoucn
tlal aV ntigP, such a. have mentioned. only me an
to say, that thai consequence Itself, ia not one that
regret AT the same time, that il there arr others who
woul! or who do regret it, dihyr from them
"a l have already remarked, Sir, ii was on, among
the reasons assigned By the honorable, mrnbsryf IF nj.
"sh t. be rid OF the public lands altogether that the
public opposition Of them, AMI the revenues derived
IRON tAem' tends to corrupt the pespl- This Sir,
confess, pas'es my comprehension These lai,l, are
sou at iuohc az ton, u TAKEN uD Ve1 prices
to form farms and frceholds. Whom does t,4 corru.G
AccoFdi' to he syssm Of SAILS xed propoition
every where reserved ~ fund for education. Doe,
education corrupt IL the scloOlm scr corrtInt.r ol
yoitl! The spelling book, does il break down the mo-
rails OF the risirg gsueraton' and the Holy Sripfure
are they fountains # upton? it, in the ycr.Is.
OF provident ijerality, in regard its own PROPERTY
az great landed proprietor, aud to bis puraoscs Of
9TH tow rds Others ihs Government gives no ,ions
Ot lhesP Lands to tile making cana, or The one NJ
ing OF road in the country, where the land, them
selves are slta ed what alarming and overwhelming