The Arkansas advocate., 1832-06-06

{ tAH "N7s s'tiiiCss you must ol course ,
 infer that he would net advance opinions
 so perfectly ehimerieal and unsupported,
 as to be lrreconcilable te the most vision
 ary enthusiast; therefore. to find out the
 premises from which he draws his conclu-
 sion of the "enormous sacrifice. ;. if is nc-
 cessary te look to the contents of his veto
 message It can only be nderstood in
 one way, which the construction of that l paper Justltles: that is, that the Territory having power to "seleet m preference 10 all
 others, the person who might be employ Hed to mako the locations, should include
 Tn the "choice spots" he speaks of, forty ot the most valuable improvements that could be found on the public lands in Ar kansas; in such event an exchange for Crittenden's buildings, o4. q sale at tine mlnimnm price, might be considered an
 enormous sacrifice, not however of public property, until greater enormity would
 have 10 be committed ed-the confiscation of the Iabour of forty individuals, whose im- PrnYemonts might be taken for public use. Oh tlis polnt, tho majority of the members Will Jotn issue with the Governor-deny the sacrifice of public property. They
 had no right, agreeahly to the immutable
 laws ot justice, to take the labour of any ilndiYidHai, nor could they nave done SO, without violation ofthe import and obli- gation of their paths as representatives
 10 enact no taios thdt lgould hare aa unequal operation ou Hten general coaStituepfs, nor
 by The operation of totich prigate property might 5e taken for public use, witkout jua
 compensation. Whatever may be the enin- ions ofGoyernor Pope in respect to the lc-
 gal rights of persons settled on the public lands Tn Arkansas, an act to deprive them
 oftheir. labor, necessary in most cases to
 the support of family, for the purpose of
 building state-house, would, in point of moral honesty, be as great an injustice, as
 to dlstraln hls negroes and horses for the
 same purpose. Those squatters, presume
 the GoYerno or would term them, elect a
 majority of the members of the Legisla-
 ture, and their rights could not be viola
 ted without the most gross and paIpabIe
 violation of duty in their Representatives.
 lift was admissible in the Legislature to
 sell the ten sections in gross, or exchange
 them for property which they beliey cd
 answ efable to tho public y arris, and doubt less 1t was, as tho instances are not few with the United States, where private property las been purchased for public use, the next inquiry is, whether the opinions ofthe majority ofthe Legislature l in the expediency of the measure. and whether tlo facts from which they have drawn their conclusions, were the best da-
 ta by which the values of both properties could be respectively ascertained. 4 charge ofimplied corruption having went forth to the world under the sanction or endorsement of the Chief Magistrate, against the majority Of the members of the Legislature, in numbers nearly wo-thirds
 of the whole body, its due to the private 2 yvE1lI 1C tor ,c | t1. men thns charged, to draw the attention
 of the reader tp this point, being tie priu. cipal issue between Governor Pope, and
 as he would tarm, the mobocratic maiori- ty. In support of the legality and expo diency of the measure generally, therc can be addHced as testimony, the opinions 1 of many gentlemen of high standing, ex- pressed previously to the meeting of the Legislature, among whom it may be prop
 CT to mention, Judges Fulton, Johnson Crsss and Bates; and even the Delegate 1 Col. SeEicr, before he conceived the idea of the political hobby horse, "achich he
 intends to ride to Congress foa, the nert len pedrs, expressed himself in favour of the exchange. In respect to the -al;e of the l Buildings, ssEller's'' estimate stands un. impeached, and presume from the char
 acter of that gentleman, if called on in a
 court of justice, he would verify it on oath, cost l0,640 dollars, exclusive of a
 block of lots and fencing. To form any thing like correct estimate of the ex- 1 pense of location and value offhc ten sec tions when selected, can only be done by a comparison with the Seminary lands
 those It IS believed by many persons hay. ing knowledge of them. if offered fer sale, would not bring the minimum price; ideducting therefromfh expense ofseiec-
 tion and costs of sale, there could not in
 all probability, be realized from the ten
 sections, if located and sold, much over
 half the cost of Crittendcn's buildings and
 value of the lots on which they stand. =
 The only safe estimate, that can be reii-
 cd on, in raising means 10 meet purpo- ! ses Is tliat which IS derived from facts precedent. The majority of the Leeisla-
 ture acted upon tlhs principle, and the | foregoing Is the basis from which they
 drew their conclusions on the ten section question. Can any person whowill impar-
 tially examine them, doubt that ATr. Crit tenden2s buildings were m equivalent and
 more thane quivaent to the lands!
 To do justice to the majority of the Le- gislature assailed as they have been, un-
 dera charge of corruption, Is duty, which
 every man in the Territory owes; be his
 political sentiments what they may; wleth-
 CT he be supporter of Sevier or Desha,
 a friend to Pope or Crittenden-wlIere {. ever political bias exists, 1t should be
 oanished from the mind, & the subject ex.
 amined disconnected with the individuals
 and politics ofthe day; it should be exam ined as . matter of trade, exchange or
 sale of property, and as such approved or disapproyed. lhe prej,idieed should re- fleet on the importance of the subject he is called on by duty 10 investigate, be.