Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-01-21
L H.t'sksRsgE.G sTNGze,g,,'
&hnrsaay. January 81, zeas
MIR. BENTON'S RESOLUTION.


published in our last papei)-purporling ia ~ 'e
provision, or Il grand scale, for the na,;os.,
Ien,e, but which is, in reality, a scheme f.,
the surplus revenue in works exclusively oc.-sa.
tar, character with the double view If ''
the money in the Golfers Of the national tug
for disbursement, strengthening the F,d,,,,r
u'ivc Ivy angncn'ine its patronage to TIA,
and Of defeating Mr. Clay's land bill. or =,
Of procrastina,ing decisive action npon :, '''
the new States shall be so multiplied in ro,,,. ="
and in number, as to cut short ertry Schema
di>posing oillie surplus revenue, nbe,ber G.,
feace or distribution, by Selling upon H.. d., n
Lands, from which much OF it is derived
lawful property. Indeed, Mr. Bep,,n ,
that it was his intention, in introducing his re,n'' '
tons, To make up direct issue bewc,, i.
Who were in favor OF distributing the snr,,.
nue. among the several States, and ,h,yo =,
with hlmSelt were in favor Of appropriation .on'
thirty or forty millions Of dollars to the er,o,;.. :.
forts, building ships, and purchasing arms and al,
or nunments OF war. And it cannot bo -.
toned thai lhis is subject ofmomcn,ous ;n,o..
and that the decision OF it will exercise \ ma, !
ci>ivo influence both on the morals of ,I,. oo,a..
meni and the prosperity of the Union
MIR. Be toms proposition assumes tina, the ~.
ton is 50 entirely decncclcss thar tho or,;...
annual appropriations are not sufiicicn, to rcnoJ,
the evil But to show that this ASSUMPTION j, f,,,a
we need only point to the numerous Formidable
forts, which, even while the treasury was encnm.
bered with heavy debt, have been erected ., H..
most assailabc points ofour Atlantic and into ria,
frontiers, rendering them impregnaLe to til, ax.
saulis olan enemy--to the increased number of
our national ships, sufficient to answer all the bur.
poses of peace, and to the preparations for still far
ther augmeniing that number, To an extent wL;,l
will enable us, in very brief period, to meet all
the emergencies of war. Ii more than I'M, h,
needed, let the annual appropriations be ncrcacl;
but, for one, We protest against tie pledge Of tho
entire revenues ofthe government, beyond lis orli
nary expenditures, to purposes of this ctarac.
ter, which, increasing rs before remarked, Tia
patronage Of the Federal Executive, by augment.
ing the number Of its dependents, and placing such
large disbursements under its control, will result
no permanent advantage TO the people, opening
no new channels to their industry and enerpru
and adding nothing to the elements Of national
wealth and powcr-tor these consist at last, INT
in ballemens and walls and ornaments, bstin The
development ofou resources aud in the ntrl
gencc OF our people.
But we have another and more important oil.
lection to Mr. Bcntons schcme-Wc object l9h,
not entirely because of wha, proposes to do but be-
cause of the covert design which it conccas from
the public eve. 1t is well known, that, for many
years. the Missouri Senator has been cndeavorne
to force through Congress bill for the graduation
of the price Of the Public Lands, and for the ce,.
sion Of what he pcases to call the "reflsc" por.
ton OF the" 10 the States in which they are s,ua.
lcd--a scheme irausht with manifest injustice 10
the old States and which, in truth, would confer
no substantial benefit on any portion Of the conf
munity, except large spectators. The wisdom Of
Congress has heretofore defeated this niquitou,
scheme of legalized robbery,-ior it is nothing
more nor less. But, the rapid population 9th
great West and Southwest and the increase in
the number ofthe States, as the Territories in that
region emerge from their chrysalis state, foreio-
ken new order of things at no distant day
" Westward the Star Of Empire wcnds its way
and ii is no idle apprehension, which, looking for
ward to the period when they shall constitute il
majority in the Nalio nal Legislature, anticipates
complete r voui'n in the policy of the govern
mcnt, in relation TO its Public Domain-vhen the '
treaties of cession shall be set at naught and when
the old States, who won that vast and fertile re-
ncy, shall be deprived of their interest in it, by
some such fraudulent scheme, as the Missouri se
nator, anticipating events has already had the al'
dacity to suggest. Nay, the contamination OF ItD
magnificent fraud may not be delayed until the ne"
States shall be strong enough to set their elde
sisters at defiance, unless We now adopt some e
quItable n permanent policy in relation to this sub
jet. Let the period arrive, when the new States
holding the balance Of political pomer in then
hands, shall make the disposition of the p"O'
Lands test queStion in the election OF a ffe'''
dent and ii does not argue an uncharaOe
disposition to predict, that ycnal Dldoe''
at the auction Of popularity" will be fonno ~
pay the price of their votcs-cven though '''''
price be the passage of some such O'' ''
Mr.. Benton's, selling the good lands fora song
scarcely sufficient to pay the expenses OF 'i'"
survey and lie, and cedng the remainder to '"'
States in which they lie. And then, what wlIpe