Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-10-26

dent of tho United States. Sir. | leave these two
messages to be compared, and considered by the
| people of the United States
| Mr.. President, L Mill here take notice of but
other suggestion Of the President, relative to the
time and manner of passing the late bill. A decent
rcspec, for the Legislature of the country has hi
tlero been observed by all who have had ca sion
TO hold official intercourse with it, and especially
by all other branches OF the government. The pu-
rity the motives OF Congress in regard To any
has never been assaulted, from any respect
able quarter. Bat in the Veto Message there is
one xpression, which, as it seems to me, Amer
lean can read without some feeling There as an
expression, evidently not casual or accidental, but
inserted with design, and composed with care,
which docs carry direct imputation of the posi-
bility of the effect of pricde interest, and pirate
influence, the deliberations of the two Houses of
Congress. quote the passage, and shall leave it
! without a single remark: .sWhutcver interest or
influence, whether public private. has given
birth '.is act, it cannot be found either in the
wishes or necessities ofthe Executive Department,
by which present action is deemed premature"
| Among the great interests of tho country, Mr..
President there is one, which appears to me not
to have attracted, from the People ofths Common.
wealth, Il degree OF attention, altogether equal to
its magnitude.
| Imean the Public Lands If we run our eye
over the map of the country, and view the regions,
almost boundless, which now constitute the public
domain, and over which an active populai ion is
pidly spreading itself, and if we recolect the
mount OF annual revenue derived from this source,
we shall hardly fail to be convinced that few
branches of national interest of more extensive
and lasting Importance. So large n territory, be-
longing to the public, forms subject of national
of very delicate nature, especially in po-
pular Governments. We know in the history of
other countries with what views designing men
have granted the public lands.
Either in tho form of gifts and argessos, or in
that of reduction of prices, to amounts merely no.
In;nal, or as compensation for services, real or
imagined the public domain, in other countries and
other times, has not only been diverted from its
just use and destination, but has been the occasion
also oil introducing into the Stale, and the
lie councils, no small portion, both of distra elton
and corruption.-iiappy, our own system of adj
minSterins this great interest has hitherto been
both safe and successful Nothing under tho Go
vcrninent has been better devised than our land
system; and nothing, thus far, more bcneficialy
conducted But the time seems to have arrived,
IN the progress of our growth and prosperity, when
1T has bocome necessary to reflect, not any
mode of SALE for that hardly be improved, but
on some disposition of the proceeds, such shall
be Just and equal to the whole country, and shall
receive also u constant and viglant attention TO
this delicate and important subject from the people
of the States. Ii is not to be denied disguised,
that sentiments have recently sprung up, in some
places, of very extraordinary charucteEx respect.
ing tho ownership, the just proprietary Interests,
III these lands. The lands well known to have
been obtained by the United States either b. grants
from individual States, by treuties with foreign
powers In both cases, and in all cases, the grants
and cessions were TO the u States for the interest
/
States, contain express Limitations and conditions
binding up the whole property to the common use
OF all the States forever. Yet, of late years, an
idea has been suggested, indeed seriously aGvan-
ced, that these lands, Of right, belong to the
| States respectively in Which Mcy hnpJen TO lie
Tins doctripe, sir, which perceive strikes this as
sembly as being somewhat extravagant, is founded
on argument derived from the nature of State
sovereignty. 1t has been openly espouscd, by
candidates for Office, in OF the new States
and, indeed, has beer announced in the Senute
| 10 the credit of the country, it should be stated
that up to the present moment these notions have
not spread widely, and they will be dispersed un
doubtedly, by the power of general opinion, so
soon as that opinion shall be awakened and ex-
pressed. But there is another tendency, more
likely, perhaps, to run to injurious excess; and
that is constant effort reduce the price of land
to sums almost nominal the ground of flcilitat.
ing settIsment The sound policy of the Eovcrn-
inent has been, uniformly, to keep the prices OF
the public lands low, low, that every actual
settler might easily obtain farm: but vet not so
low, as to tempt individual capitalists to buy up
large quantities, TO hold for speculation. The OBJ
Ject has been to meet, at all times the whole actu
al demand, at a cheap rate; and this object has
been obtained. And it is obviously of the greatest
Importance to keep the prices of the public lands
from all influences, except the single one of supply
ing the whole actual demand at n cheap rate
| The present minimum price is dollar & a quar-
ter per acre; and millions of acres, much Of il of an
excellent quail ty, is now Ill the market at this rate
Yet every year, there propositions reduce the
to say, to provide that all lands having been offered
for sale, fer certain length of time at the esta
blished rate, if not then sold, shall DO offered at
less rate; and again reduced it not sold, to one still
less have myself thought, that IN some of the
Oldest districts, some mode might usctuy be adopt
ed of disposing of the remainder of the unsold
lands and closing the affairs; but universal sys-
tenn oil graduation, lowering prices short in
tervals, and by large degrees, could have
no ether effect than general depression of
! price IN regard to the whole mass and
would evidently be great misnana cement of the
pubic property. ~Ihe meeting, sir, will think il
singular enough, that reduction of tho prices of
the public lands should have been demanded. on
the ground nut other impostiOns for resenue, such
as me auty on Tea md coffee haze been reMoued;
thus considering and treating the received for
lands Sold as a tao, burden, an i,nposition and
great drain on the means and the industry of the
new States. A man goes from New ENGLAND TO
one of the Western States, buys a hundred acres
OF the best land in the world for one hundred and
twenty five dollars pays his money and receives.
an lndisputabls htle and Immediately some one
stands up in Congress to call this operation the
laying OF tar the imposition of a burden and the
whole OF these purchases and payments taken
together' are represented as an ntoerable d,ain,
! on the money and the industry Of the new States
know not sir, which deserves to pass for the
! original, and which for the eopy but this reason
ing is not unlike that, which maintains that tho
trading community of the Wost will be exhausted
and ruined, by the privilege of borrowing money
OF the Bank of the United States at six per cent
interest; tins interest being as is said i'll the Veto
Message, burden upon their industry, and a drain
OF their currency, winch country bear
without Inconvenience and distress.
1t was in forced connexion with the reduction
oil duties of impost, that the subject of tho public
lands was referred to the Committee of Manufac.
lures IN the Senate at the late session of Congress-
This was legislative movement, calculated to
lay hn u.ac falri,