Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-06-02
CHE GAZETTE:
M ARTIN 8 q RG, " A.
THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1886.

HE LAND Billion the 24th inst. MIR Chill
ton Allan, member Of the House Of Representa-
tives from Kentucky, moved that The House sus-
pend its rules and take up for consideration, the
bill for the distribution for limited time, of the
proceeds of the public lands, which had passed
the Senate and been sent TO the House for its
adoption. In submitting his motion, MIR. A. also
gave notice that he should continue TO submit it
every day until the House should dispose of the
BILL or until he should be prevented by the close
Of the session. The vote Of the House was ia
ken and the motion was lost by vote Of los to
70. On the preceding day the House by vote
Of | 10 to SO gave the go by TO a set ofresouions
from the legislature Of Kentucky, requesting the
representatives from that State 10 vote for the
Land Bill, in such manner as 10 show the de-
termination ofthc majority in that body towards
The measure, aud the disposition that sooner or
later awaits it. The resolutions had been under
discussion for sometime, when Mr.. Hannegau Of
Indiana, moved TO lay them on the table, for the
purpose, as he declared, Of evincng the sense
Of the House upon the merits of the Bill. The
motion carried by the vote above named.
BY these two manifestations Of the feelings of
the dominant party in the House towards this
just and beneficial disposition of the revenues
rising from the sales of the public domain, the
fate Of the measure may be easily predicted
The bill will not be permitted TO pass, if party
drill and party spirit can be made 10 accomplish
its destruction The millions that have accu-
mulatcd from this source, and are now in the
treasury-if upwards of thirty repositories, few
Of which are safe, can be so called together.
with the vast amount that for years 10 come must
annually accrue TO the government is still, il par
~ letters be made stronger than sense Of
public duty, 10 be locked up in the strong box OF
the nation, where it must remain, be the wants
of the country what they may, unless, by their
abstraction, they can be made 10 minister 10 the
success Of the political party now dominant in
the management of our government. Were the
Government Of the United States in debt-did
the country need Notifications TO an extent suffi
cient 10 consume whatever gifts revenues should
remain after defraying the expenses Of its gov
ernment-wcre it engaged in war, maritime or
inland, that would, prospcctiyely, require
large amount Of revenue for its prosecution or,
were there any other excuse that could with the
least show of justice be urged against the diStri
button of the public money as proposed in the
Land Bill, we should be among the last 10 be-
friend its adoption. But, as none of these obsta-
Giles can, even with the aid rendered by the per-
vcrsty of party reasoning, be brought to bear
against the measure, we think, humbly and sin
cerely, that the measure should be adopted, not
because il would be a triumph of one political
party over another, but because its provisions
are founded upon the claims of equity and jus
tce, and will if carried into execution, cause its
benefits TO extend 10 the remotest cXtremeties
Of the Union. il has been urged by the oppo-
nents Of the bill that the Atlantic seaboard and
southwestern frontier ofour country were uupro-
tected by Notifications sufficient for their safety,
and that congress ought not 10 make any dispose
ton Of any part Of the revenue until the assaila-
bic points of our coast s. frontier shall have been
rendered secure against the approach OF an iuva-
ding enemy. The utter impracticability Of
such system of improvements, must suggest IT
self TO the mind of every individual whose judg
ment is not swayed by party predictions or
bewildered by the furious din of political strife
The completion ola system of forti6cation of suf-
icient magnitude TO defend the assaiable points
OF our inland frontier and Atlantic coast, would
swallow up the whole revenues of the country
for years aud years to come, and, when compile
ted would require enormous standing army
TO man them-an army, in fact, that would be
far more dangerous 10 the security of the coun
than the forces of an invading foe The fact, too,
that the Indians in the south are waging war up
on the inhabitants of Florida, Alabama, & Geor-
gia, is logged in by the opponents OF the Land
Bill as Justification for preventing the reve-
nue. arising from the Public Lands from being dis
tributcd among the States OF the Union. A saw
age war, war of bloodshed and rapine, is raging
in the SOUTH il is true, but il is not nor will IT be-
nor it need it be, Insufficient magnitude TO inter-
fcrc so materially with the affairs Of the treasu
ry as 10 affect in the least, the passage of the
Land Bill. The Florida war has, it is true,
consumed several millions Of dollars, and is not
yet brought to a close, but it may even now be
terminated with little cost if the government
will but put the management OF an army Tor that
purpose, into the hands Of some officer who viii
do something besides march against the Indians,
one that will show the savages something
more Of the realities Of warfare than the mere
paraphernalia Of camp
The revenues OF the government are sufficient
ly large for all its present necessary expenses,
without having recourse to the monies arising
from the Public Lands. Should these monies be
permitted 10 lie in the treasury, unproductive of
good or usefulness TO the country Money hoard
cd up in the treasury can be Of no more real SER
vice to the nation than the accumulation Of so
lead or stone il must be permitted TO circulate,
TO spread itself out into the thousand channels
Of trade and commerce before any Of its benefit
cial effects can be felt or seem The distribution,
Of the monies accruing from the Public Lands,
is measure so we'll calculated. in every res