Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-08-20
Standing Pasture.
POLITICAL.
From the w. Glnhe.1

THE PUBLIC Lh hSD tnl w. G GI99s p,.-yo WIZ
Hoto the principle assumed in the Bill must operate
the importance Of preserving the public faith.
No man can examine the details OF this scheme with
out perceiving that there is nothing like principle
in it, Its utter disregard Of solemn compacs cannot be
questioned, and aims fatal blow the political morality
! oil the States and their independence.
But let suppose that the compacts cesson are void
as the bill seems TO suppose and ought be dsregared
IN the future Legislation OF the country. To what concu
sion will this lead u! The United States have no property
i'll those lands except that which sprung from the Sc com.
pacis, and they longar be regarded the right
OF the general government control them and dispose Of
the western lands forever. They revert TO the
States which granted them, the new soveregnties
wmch nave since sprung up upon them The bill in part
comedies the latter principle by giving the new States
one eighth oil the proceeds before it admits any d.
vision.
II the compacis be all made void and set aside as this
bill in effect con'empates, each State will her
tura right Gas ii may be calIed) to her own soil The
right OF Ohio, Indiana SC. &c. in their SOIL will be the
same as that OF Kentucky, Virginia and Massachusetts
Ohio may say TO Kentucky, "IChdt righf hare y0n as
you haze sold and selling your o,cn lands and
Pmft"g me chofe proceeds into your Treasury
TO demand ~ me to giue you portion IF the price of
my tand" Ohio or Indiana, Illinois, Mississippi
or Alabama, may say TO Massachusetts, "ho,p dare
you to demand Of me share in the price of ma lands
'ohen you hare been and selling the oaste lands
OF Maine, and putting the entire proceeds into your
o,cn IredsMyP An the States may say to the
old, "yoW tcdsfe lands, toeH ours, tUeye to0n in
The War If the Revolution, and The former are as much
common property as the latter. IhroD into The com,
Jund those remaining uisold ,oifhin uoy ann H.
mus ana sum equal 10 The proceeds Of oil those you
hare disposed Of and then there tciH be some reason in
your demand to participate in the profits of our land
soies2"
II, as Mr.. CIays Bill contemplates the compacs of ces
sion are to he dsregarod how this reasoning be an
swered How can II be maintained that the old States
or the United States, have any claim whatever 10 the
waste lands in the States On what principle can il
be demanded, that ghbs the shall be
thrown into common fund Tor general division There
is no hall way ground Either the contacts are still in
iorce and the waste lands in Ohio common propey
they not in force and those lands are the
OF the State MIR. Clays Bill treats them as void and vel
does claim the power 10 seize upon and divide among
all The States seven-eghihs Of fund, which, according
10 the principle, or rather total absence of principle in
which 1t originates belongs exclusively 10 the Stale of
Ohio. ~ "
Let not be misunderstood We do not concede that
these conpacts void. They constituted the peTu nil
lars on which the temple Of Union was raised; and al
though might now stand without their aid having been
vastly enlarged aud made TO many other essential
interests, yet these old works Of glorious age and Of
glorious men, add TO IL strength, and ought TO be sacredy
preserved, If it but specimens of the aors and
dsinteresiedness which dstng the founders of tbe
Republic. They should be viewed as a part Of the Con.
siiuhon-nay, they the basis on which part of that
immortal instrument rests No; they must not be de-
siroyed or torn down They must stand loreyer--eyen
aier the temple Of Union ceases i'm any degree
TO rest upon Them unmuiilated and undefsced ever.
lasting monuments of the wisdom and patriotism Of our
phghed idith OF our young Republic. The Atbenans
passed laws to punish the mutatoD Of statues and monu
mens OF stone and shall wanionly and
denOlsh those valuable monuments of pstriotisn
and Of mind, which perpeuate the memory OF our heroic
age and teach the difficulties and dangers encounter.
Ell and vanquished by the who then lived. No, no
We shall think better Of ourselves and our children will