Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-06-04

name, 1t was tor the separate ana III
ividual use of each corpora tor.
Now recollect that at the date Of
the Virginia deed Of cessior, the ex.
actions from the several members OF
the Union were in their corporate
capacities. Suppose then Virginia
had paid her portion for the general
defence, or chose to pay in some O.
Their form, would she not have an un-
doubted right to demand her portion
of this fund, or this common trust!
The measure Of proportion as pro-
we'd by this deed to be shared by the
States, was the measure Of burdens
respectively borne by each in the
general expense-them measure OF con-
tribution. and the measure of taxa
ton. Now what was the principle
Of the plan before the Senate? 1t
adopted precisely the same measure
Of taxation and Of burthens, varying
only according to the situation of
the United States. Suppose again
that the whole revenue Of the United
States was, instead Of being drawn
from imports drawn from the States
by direct taxation, then they would
have information Of what was drawn
from each State. Could they not in
that case allow each State to receive
her proportion Of this fund, and to
pay the amount of her direct taxa
ton in gross! or if a regular account
was kept, would not the state be
charged with her portion of direct.
taxes, and credited with the amount
of her portion Of these lands.
Suppose that instead Of the funding
system which We had adopted-in-
stead Of the General Governments as
Stunning the debts of the States, each
State had been compelled TO provide
Tor, and make payments of its own
debts; would it not, after it had been
known that this grant was made for
the express purpose of paying the
revolutionary debt, have become ne
cessary that this fund should be divi-
ded for the purpose Of enabling the
states to pay their debts! If this
was not so, why did Virginia declare
that these lands should be held for
the common benefit of all the States,
Virginia inclusive! Now, if these
debts had been charged to each indi-
vidual State, was there n Senator
there who doubted that the States
would have come forward, and de-
manded their share of this fund. 1t
did not seem, therefore, that the APP
plication of this money to the uses of
the Union weakened the argument.
The fund was SO applied. and applied
according 90 the terms of the deed.
An argume mt much stronger in favor o.
the application Of the fand that was now
proposed wa, that they had arrived at the
first application Of j: by inference only, be-
cause the fund being given for the common
benefit Of the States, it was inferred that
it might righ,fully be applied to the Union
which vas composed Of the States; while
for the application now contemplated. they
had the direct sanction Of the deed Of ces-
sion. Ii the old articles Of confederation
had remained in force, there would have
been no difficulty as to this distribution, as
each State would have paid its own share
been entitled to receive her propor,ionate
share of the fund. The mode ofiaxation.,
however, had been changed, and was now
Land on consumption, as the only rule b.
which they could Approximate SO nearly
to equality. And what other rule could
approach so near! Taxation on consump.
ton was in proportion TO population; and
BY following II up. they in this bill adop-
ted the same rule; that is, the burden Of
taxation being On the population Of the
States, the distribution was To he male
according to il generally. This rule If
distribution was fair, Just, and in conf,r-
nifty with the terms Of the deed ofcession.
Did IL not rest on the grounds Of principle,
and reasonf The uniform practice Of
Of the Government, down % this very day,
had been in conformity with this exercise
Of it, power over these lands. He never
knew this power to he questioned until the
veto Of the President. Ali the Presidents,
Mr.. Madison, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Monroe,
and Mr. Adams, had administered the
Government in conformity with this pow
er. What had the public lands been dig
iributed fort For almost all the purposes
Of the country for internal improvement,
for education, and for bene6cient purposes.
By a humane policy, they granted lands
to the expairiated Poles. They granted
lands 10 the French; and although they
were gwen ostensibly fur designated pur-
pose, yet IN fact the giants were an abso-