Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-04-26
MIR CLAWS LAND BILL.

r hi has been before the Senate for sotnc days and
rs ll,Gl Benton, aud Wrg Int have spoken sanst it,
i ~ II, S,u,l,ard and MIR. Crltcnden for it. Mr. Hrs
:, ,ca ha< been published, and has been received by
! ,5l,c with The satisfaction which the patriotic and
Wv r., snrccles of that gentleman always give 10 the
Ec,,.y o; the Union MIR. Benton aud MIR. Wright s
,,I.s were principally Of documentary and tinan.
~ rb,ac,er Mr. Is. undertook TO show from the re-
49,. II the Secretary of War and Navy, that the de-
4 ,s Of the country would require the Whole surplus
f ,or. too The naval branch Of the defence would
,,r, tcry millions of dollars, including the annual
r, and the military branch about sixty millions, to
: III. Ordnance Department near thirty millions and
Qualifications little over thirty millions. THESE sums
,,u,d would be greater than the surplus in the Trea
: , Sn,ld ,yr; meet Mr.. Wright took much more
,,Iu,rd view ard from data :eid in his hand, showed
IN, Oh, Of aluut 40 bills beiure the two Houses Of
,u~rcss only small general appropriation bill had
Gasss and that serenity of these bills alone proposed
s ,s,ropratc twenty millions Of dollars; the other
q m he presumed would require several millions
4 ra Florida war was yet to have its cost ascerained
md he alluded to subjects understood by the Senate 10
s ow that two ITEMS amounting 10 about seven millions,
/ dollars and not in any appropriation bill, would;
,ve 20 be pasScd upon. The result was that instead
ii ,lry-,wo millions Of surplus now in the Treasury,
r which there was no use The bills before the two
uscs would Eiuch than absorb the whole Of il;
and he showed the unrrasonablenrss of counting the
oe income from lands and customs for years u come,
which lhcy we're yielding; the expansion of the
2pcr system and other transient Causes having
i joduced spccuations in lands and commerce which
..nnnl last which must in The nature of things be fol-
ycd by contraction, and leave the to fall be-
, its proper level He took extended view of our
nancrs shaw that If the proceeds Of the public lands
I seis distracted from The Treasury for cc years. the
! o PROPOSES the tariff Of duties must ~ raised before
u .s i've Years out; for the present from
Customs would tie sufficient 10 carry the Govern.
5 mrnl THIS part of Mr. Wriglhs argument ex-
:,dncly interesting and the public must look for it
4 with Impalence Mr. Wright replied 10 MIR. Southland,
md besides showing him the documents, that if the ap
d rUpialion bills passed. this thrtytwo millions of
,ep!ns as called, would be required to satisfy
hose bills that he had fallen into the widest cacula.
about the proceeds of the public lands hereafter
oe DIVIDED among the States. Mr. Southland stated it
II thousand Two hundred and fifty millions of dol
.l'S" Mr.. Wright showed that he included in his
7ua,on all the lands beyond the Mississippi which
lrnancniy guaranteed 10 Indian tribes and that TN.
public lands could longer be object Of speculation
;.Oii ~ the Government they had Tor years past
ac"n paying the Indians full value for them; and these
purchases ought not 10 be paid for out of the custom
house revenue bu! by the proceeds Of the lands them
selves. ana thereby would leave nothing to divide The
wip!e speech full of interesting views, and will
completely DlSABUSE the public aind about the SUR
PLUS, when IL is published. The fact is there would
&c No ST RPLCS TO hold up for distribution, if the APP
separation bills and the defence bills passed. and
his The whole country will Sec MIR. Benlons
sad Mr.. Wrlyits speeches published Mr.. South.
d speech fully panieaL any that he deliver
I'd during the panic; and he just certain of forty
millions Of surplus now, he two years ago thai
there would H., be dollar this time in the Treasury;
aud just positive that distribution the only
means OF saving the country now, lie that the
restoration Of The deposes and the renewal of the char
Ter the only Of saving it two years ago. and
iaaIy, lie was Jus, that all the deposte banks
would break he Two years ago that all the
safety fund banks would break. Mr.. Wright gave him
reply which both he and the country will remember.
GGIvJc