The Arkansas advocate., 1832-03-21


 Foi the National Congress, and 1t is a better house than was owned by either Tennessee or Kentucky in the twenti- eth year oftheir commonwealth. And yet VIC are told thatit would be derega- tory 10 the Legislature of Arkansas to occupy house that was built for d pri- vate dwelling. Whether such feelings resultirom aspirit of honest prid, eauda sense of independence, or whether it be characteristic of a vain glorious os- ltentation, l know not; but to my mind, }there IS nothing inconsistent with the strietest proprieiy, that the Legislature should nurture that frugalityaHd econ omy, so necessary 10 the restoration of a sound currency. l would ask of whom are the Legislature composed, or who are to compose it's members hereafter, that the people should be sacrificed to Fprovlde place fer their deliberations before they have procured for them selves hut, to shelter tlieir wives and children from the winters surly blast ?- Who is it that Is so sensitive OH this subject? Who is it that IS so fearful ofthe centaminating influence the pur- chase of this house might have on the moral and political influence of the country? Han order of nobility is to be established, ard all our old fashioned notions of republicanism exploded, if none are 10 be entitled to seats in the Legislature but the noble and the nigh ty aristocrat, whose chief aim will be 10 erect agni6centstrueture uponthe Tuscan, Gothic, Dorric, Ionic or Cor Irinthian order of architecture, to have q moral and political influence on the condition of the country, and to awe into silence and submission all who dare oppose their own honest opinions to the opinions of the powers that be, then will acknowledge that the house con- traeted for by the Legislature, was not suited to that purpose. But in my humble opinion, the honest yeomanrv of the country, go in more for the sub. stance than the shadow. and believing as do, that pure wholesome. laws en- acted in a log cabin, would have bet. tereffeet on the body polite, than all the glare of royalty, and the splendor aud ostentationofnobility without substance.
 The building contracted for may be fairly computed atten thousand dollars ]; and venture 10 assert, that such an one cannot now be built for that sum. II is | spacious well built house, built of good and durable materials and large enough for all Legislative purpo- ses, for the next twenty years, By that lime, under the blessings of Providence and a judieious system of legislation, the country will be sin condition to consult its taste in the erection of a State-house, according to the fashion of the day and the prosperity of the pco- pie. Now for the value of the land and by what standard shall we fix it's value. Shall weiudge of its value by what the public lands have sold for? If so, eight thousand dollars would be it's value; or shall we judge of it's value by the value of other reserved lands, for instance, the seventy-two sections re- served for the use of d Seminary of learning. This land was selected four years ago, when the chances of select ing valuable land were certainly bet ter than they are at present. Three sections of that land lays in this eoun- | ty, and venture 10 say, and l say if without the fear of contradiction, that no one section, half section, or guar ter section, can be sold for one dollar an acre. Then, at that rate, the Ten Sec tions will bring S6400. Whoever calculates on getting more than that sum for thIs land, must calculate on To- eating land made valuable by the labor ofothermen;andh he who knowsas much as do of the labor and expense of clearing and opening a plantation in this country, would not refuse to become its occupant because if had been previ- ously tenantea. Nor caa consider it an Indignily to the Legislature or their Constituents, to occupy a house because it had been previously occupied for a family dwelling. Would it not at least be praiseworthy, to be just before we are generous. Recolect that we have been thirteen years an organized Ter ritory, and have never had one single dollar in the Treasury. Still laboring under heavy debt, with our scrip worth but fifty cents to the dollar, and yet we talk about magnificent edifce having moral and political influence