Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1832-04-25

rfle 2g1eefer1t 5sramf1ter


the-PUBLIC LANDS, has induced the subscriber to es-
tabish newspaper in the town of Vandaa, the state
of Illinois, and he has selected title expressive of the
general course which will be pursued. And as he be-
eves that the plan which he proposes to conduct
newspaper will meet the appreciation of the public he
cannot doubt its final success.
1t will be the first object Of the Elitor to publish
useful and interesting paper, calculated to promote the
welfare of the community by the diision of light and
knowledge by the support of equal rights and privileges
in all classes OF society and by searching out, exposing
and correcting, erroneous principles and opinions. And
as it is only by the discussion of rarous subjects of
general interest that the public he essentially bene
fitted general invitation will be gwen to all who feel
disposed to engage in such discussion, to publish their
state policy, either in full operation or contemplated
And in order to render the paper more extensively uee
full the proceedings of the state legislature will be pub
shed, and notes of the principal arguments on every
enabled to judge of the conduct of representatives
and of the principal measures of government
In order to exhibit to the public general view of the
plan which will be pursued it is proer to mention some
of the leading measures which will ccupy prominent
place IN this paper And first, the sbect of the public
lands will claim considerable shareof attention Per-
haps, at the present tme there is mother subject which
can be presented to the people of tie western states of
greater interest than that ofthe pubic lands The pay
ment of the national debt which near at hand and
for which those lands have been long pledged will
form new era in the affairs of our overnment, and will
undoubtedly have important influence on the future
disposition of them; and accountof the various opn-
ions existing in relation to hem appears to be essen
sally ecessary to discuss that order to pro-
duce an unanimity of opinion
Second. In intimate connexioh with ME subject of
the public lands there another subject to which the
attention of the public will be especially invhd which
is, STATE RIGHTS, or an investigation into ME rea-
tons between state government and the federS gov
eminent When it is considered that Congress possesses
the entire control and ownership of vast public domain
within the limits OF this state, will be universally
mted that those relations are of most iportant and
CHI
rive when an equal adjustment of conflicting claims and
interests must become embarrassing and complicated
subjects unless should be conceded that this state stands
in no other relation to the general government than that
of colony and that she bound to submit to such reg
uatons as the parent country may think proper to i'm
pose 1t may be proper here to explain the necessity of
examining the subject of state rights The evils of the
present land system call Loudly for redress. The vast
amount OF population living those lands in state of
uncertainty and suspense the high price at which they
held the wide field of SPECULATION offered to the rich
oy purchasing the Improvements of those who are
BILE to meet the demands Of government and the dis
putes, collisions and dangerous quare arising the
natural consequence of SYSTEM prove concusivey
that great necessity exists for the interposition of the
state authority in some lawful and proper MANNER far
as to protect her citizens in their improvements and
secure the peace of community.
Third. The subject of the Tariff which has long been
theme OF contention between the northern and south
ern state to an extent nearly sufficient to divide the
Unlon is now becoming mbect of deep interest to the
people of the west and it believed that this subject
not generally understood The people of the western
states, generally, have had the means of ascertain
ing the true nature and effects of intricate
and complicated that d the present tariff; which is
measure intended not only for the purpose of raising
revenue for the support OF government by means of du
ties on foreign articles of merchandise; but likewise
intended as protection to American manufactures, and
to furnish fund for internal improvements and it ap-
pears that the western states have heretofore dcqesced
in favor of tariff for the sake of promoting those
features and internal improvements and that political
parties have not been fully settled and decided those
subjects; and that the policy of the West has not
been fully developed and established And as it is i'm
possible to form any correct opinion in consequence of
the contradictory arguments advanced by the North and
south, where each section has important interests
maintain it only remains for the West to "examine"
calmly and dispassionatey those important subjects with
particular reference to the interests of the states
This course will appear the necessary and justi-
liable, when it is considered that the northern and
ern states have for several years past persisted
OF policy calculated to encourage the establishment of
large and extensive manufactures by of duties
taxes on foreign articles Of and that the
southern states decidedly opposed to ose measures
as an oppresslonupon Them Under these circumstances
1t is evident that the West already holds the balance
power which is to give her that prepondeting influence
in national affairs which she could hope to obtain
by increase Of population in long time to come. And
IT IS impossible to suppose that tie West regard with
indifference this great political struggle between the
North and the South but it reasonable expect that
she will place her weight in that scale which contains
her best interests
AS TO the course which will be pursued in conducting
newspaper in relation to the important subjects before
menoned it may be proper to remark first respecting
the Tariff the publisher will sndeavor to prove that
this measure decidedly injurious to the prosperity of
the West two fold degree first by taxing the people
OF the West for the benefit of the East Second, by
tarding the population of the West which far great
er injury. These two propositions will fully APP
pear when it considered that the people of the West
compelled to pay higher prices in the way of duties
taxes for necessary articles Of merchandise than they
would otherwise do, and that such additional duties go
to the support OF the northern and eastern manufactures
and cannot produce any benefit to the west for the rea
that the great interest of the people of the west
consists in agriculture and not in manufactures; and it
cannot be expected that they will take that degree of
interest in support of manufactures that is taken in the
northern and eastern states it is evident that those
states have acquired the amount OF population necessa
to carry those works; and it their interest and
oocy to furnish employment for their vast population,
IA order r-..ant them enigrating to the fertile
ands of the west. 3 20
On the subject of internal Improvement by the Gen |
al Government he will endearor to prove that it is
rary to the interest of the western states to advocate
hat measure, and that in the prosecution OF such sys
em they have nothing to gan but every thing lose
and that in raising general fund for internal improve
nent the inhabitants of those states containing the pub
ic lands, must contribute to that fund in the payment
If land to vastly greater amount of money, than they
IAN expect to receive in the way of appropriations
Internal and that the interests of the old
tates directly at variance with the interests Of the
A