Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-02-05

ton, lie would nov, iiu order move il as an amend
ifent 1t it was not now lii order, he sand lie wond
make Tho motion AT another lime
The PRESIDENT said the motion was not in
order.
Mr.. FOOT made few observations in reply to
Mr.. BENTON and MIR WOODBURY.. lie rcptl-
ed the lmpuiation that 1t was through any hostile
motives tn he West he proposed the resolution.
lie said the question here involved Of great
anu increasing Importance and interest, and added,
that Ii the resolution aud amendment. in tho .,Udiied
form were adopted, lie should move to add 10 the
Whole, the words "proprcty OF making donations 10
actual settlers
On motion of NJ. SMITH, of Maryland, Il diti-
sion OF the question was ordered
Mr. Ii a L SAID, tina, if the gentlemen who had
discussed this proposition had confined themselves
strictly TO the resolution under consideration, ne
would have spared the Senate the trouhic q! lis; ent
II the few remarks hs now proposed 10 offer Il has
tecn said un1 correctly said by than gen
tenian that resolutions OF inquiry usually suf-
ofed To pass Without opposition. The parliamentary
practlce i'll tins respect was certainly founded III
Guod sense aud sound ,,ocv which regarded suc.
resolutions Us intended merely to elicit Information
ana therefore emitted tn favor But; siid Mr.. H..
cannot give my assent 10 The proposition so broadly
aid down by some gentlemen, that, because nuto;y
stands committed BY vote for inquiry that there
tore every resolution proposing inquiry-no matter
on what slibect--inust pass almost Us Il matter OF
course and that to discuss OF oppose such resou, MS
Is unparialIiertury. The true distinction seems "a
oe th!s-wcre information is dceire, us the basis O,
lcGisatlon; or where the policy of any measure or
The princpcS 1t Involves. ire really u!csionablc j;
was always proper to scndtlIe subGc; 10 c,;t1mte &c
Tor Investigations but where a the ,atrl facts are
already KNOWN aud there fixed and set, led opinion
N respect TO the policy 10 hc rursucd inquiry was
unnecessary and ought TO be refused n o one he
Thought, could dnub the correctness Of Tie posi- ion
assumed by the gentleman from Miss oari Tim, no
inquiry ought to be In .;;tntrd as to fb:. cxnr
cheney OF do;ng "a great and acknowledged wrong
90 not mean. however, To intimate all opinion that
suci, Is The clfardcfc al this resolution THE unl;
cation Oh these rules to tic case before US will dnc,
my Vo'e und every Senator can apply Them for him
sell TO TIE decision of tie question. whether the
inquiry ROW called for should BE granted; or refused
W t that decision, whatever it may be- shall he
content.
have not risen, however, AIR. Pfesidcn, FIR q.
purpose CT discussing the propricty of insttune the
inquiry recommended by The resolution bat to o;tar
few remarks On another and much po1,, roncrtsn,
Question To which gentlemen have al;ndc, in tho
course OF tins tehutc-l meal the policy which crst
W NC pursued i'll relation 10 the LANDS Eve
~ gHntieinaii who has had seat. in CONGRESS- for
tho last two three wears eycn for the iast two
or three weeks, must Le convinced Of tie preat and
growing IMPORTANCE Of this question. More than
nan Oh or time has been taken up with tile discus
siHh oi propositions connected wi the Public Iapds
more t;sn i,alf Of our c!bruce proyisons
ing put OF this fruitful source. D.v after d,y Nh.
chaises are ruhg on this topic, from the ornre inou
~ i!ito the right OF he New States The absolute
sovereignty and property in tie sell, down to the
grant or Pre-emDilHa eta few quarter sao,ions n
actual settlers. In The anguao ola rrca, orn,nr IN;
reiation to another "vexed question: we NAV trnly
tas year amer Year we have been dashed round
the miserable circle OF occasional ARGUMENTS md tar,
porary eXpedients." no gentleman can fail n nor
ceive that this Is question longer to b.. evad.d
II must be n,at-iliry and fearessly metz a o,eslion
.n', Is pressed upon us III SO many ways--that in
trudes IN snch variety of shapcs-invoynr so deem
" the feelings ard interests OF portion ~ the
Unioi'-iiisnuatug Itself into almost every oues,iop
o. pubic poiicr and 'nging the whole course OF our
siSiutiSii-conot be put aside, or laid asleep. We
cannot long avoid tive must meet and overcnms
II, or 1t VIII overcome lis. LIE. US then M, Pr;
dent' be prepared to encounter it in a spirit of wis
com ano 1ustice, and endelvor to prepare our own
niuldS and the minds of the people for i,,s. md on
ii9htened decision. The obi ,et of tI, rc,oa.l
ahout TO oiier, is merely to call public attention n
the question, to throw out few crude md un3;o
ed thoughts, as food for rellecton-n order to 1re
pare the pubic MAD for the adoption, at no distant
day. of some fixed and settled policy in relation t M
pubic lands l believe that out of the XVsS,a
country there Is no subject IN the whole range of
legislation, less UNDERSTOOD and in relation to vb;c,
dlces and misconceptions. ~ |" ~
mere may be said to be two great parties in tbe
Iouh.'y' VINO entertain very opposite Opinions in re-
lalioh 10 the character of the policy which the 90
Fcrhncnt has heretofore pursued in rclntion 10 r.
pubic lands, as well to that which onrbt bo-c
ter' 10 DC pursued propose, very briefly to cyan,
Inc these opinions, and to throw out for conslorn
non few Ideas IN connection with them Advrrl;na
|. fNS' Po"Ny vi tbe government, find
that one party, embracing very large portion. pcr
IA Ps at Tins time majority ofthe people of the Uni
Ted otates In all quarters of the Union en,ert,n tb
OPINION that in the settlement of the new States and
the disposition of the public lands Congress has pur
sued not only highly just and liberal course ui '<
oil extraordinary kindness and indulgence we are
regarded as having acted towards he new States IN
the spirit of parental weakness granting to
children, moi only every thing that was rpasonai,,o
ana proper but actually obbIng ourselves of our pro
perry 10 crafty their Unsuitable desires While tl,e
1ther party, embracing the entire West insist that Ic
nave treated them from the beginning, no. like heirs
Vi me estate but Ill the spirit OF lard tasknasanr
resolved to promnte selfish interests from the fn,
., ..er 1901 Now, sir it is not my prese, pllrposc
10 investigate oil the grounds OH which these onnpst
opinions resi-; shall! content myselfwth notc;5g nnc
or TWO particulars, in relation TO which il
appeared to me, that the West have mad so, ca,,s
ior complaint l notice them now, no, for ibs 49,,
pose OF aggrayatng the spirit of discomfort in ELLA
''on TO TINS suRect, which is known 10 exist IN ,bo
quarter for do not know that MY voice will eyo
GaGH ,ne but to assist in bringing others to what
oeeVe TO be Just sense Of the past pojicy of The
government iii relation TO this matter. In {ln cra
auon nnd settlement Of Tie new Stalcs T D.: