Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-12-28


nothing Illegal, and Mr.. W. said in his opinion, nothing
improper The entry by any Of s'ch public lands as
are unoccupicG b.; any settler; yet, Mr. W. SAID, hc
thought the existing laws To be changed, so as to
proven, the cu.ry Of The public lands except for the rur
poses &c settlement and cultivation. Whilst, them Mr.
w. said he could not join The Senator from South Ca
rons, in his general demonstrations this subject, lie
deeply regretted that wEst!:nt Senator denounced sp
culaors his every vote ut the las, was N their
favor, and against the settler he voted sa!d MI " y
against preemptions 10 settlers under any past OF pro"
pecve law against combining TO cult'ralofs .e SUES u,
the public lands, and in favor Of continuing !" iee e
existing system, by which noble DOMAIN WIZ so''
pass into the hands of Spectators Sir II me senator
from South Carolina will vote 10 carry into elect Tue re-
commentator of the President, 10 limit To cutvatcrs
The sales of the pubc lands there will be surplus
The surplus arises from the sales to spectators OF the
public lands amounting during the present year TO about
twenty. four millions of dollars Now, by the ss'inlate
made last wear bv the Senator from Ohio (Mr Ewing
eight millions only required to supply the settlers
and cultivators with public lands This estimate was
much too high; but deduct this eight millions, which
would furnish supply 10 settlers from the twenty
lons received this year by sales TO SPECTATORS and 1t
will make difference Of sixteen millions, which 10 just
double the probable surplus estimated by the Senator
from South Carolina IT, then, the Senator from South
Carolina, votes continue the existing SYSTEM he votes
10 create surpushc votes 10 tax the people ur an u
necessary reyenuee votes to extract from the people
more money than ID required Tor the wants OF Inc
Governmen4-he votes to pcrpetuae the surplus sys'
TEN, the system of unnecessary taxation, as part
of the settled policy Of the Government; for, if we
will not meet the question now, when will we be
prepared to meet it: IL will not reduce the re.
venue, will reduce IT. We were told last year:
argument in favor OF the deposlte BILL by the dis
nguished Senator from Massachusetts, (Nlr. Websier
that it a single operation Mr.. w reminded the ST.
nate that one Of his objections then urged against The de-
poslte bill that this single operation would serve as
fatal example for future distributions, until the surplus
system was Incorporated part of the settled policy of
the country. These predictions, Mr.. w. sud, may he
fulfilled if adopt the bill Of the Senator from South
Carolina aud distribute estimated surplus OF Hett
gear, instead of reducing the revenue. MI W. SAID
when he introduced last year bill for conning the
sales OF the public lands 10 settlers and cuIlvalos ana
desired its reference select committee, the journals
showed that the Senator lrcm South Carolina opposed
the motion, and insisted referring The bill to the Com
n,ittee on Public Lands, although that committee was
not only opposed 10 tie b lu, had in principle, pre-
yiousy reported against it. And now. said MIR. w, HE
Senator from South Carolina seems to think It want OF
courtesy in TO pursue the same course, adnpeo ny
that gentleman former occasion, by insisting On
the reference Of the bill to the regular standing Commit
tee. Mr. w. said, he concurred with the Senator from
S. C. in opposing the violation Of the compromise act Vi
the I'd March, 1888 if the could otherwise be re-
duced to the wants Of the government, economically adj
mnisered. Mr. Walker here turned to the journals
Of the Senate of last session, and read resolution then
offered by him, calling upon the Secretary OF the lrea
sury report this session, what reduction of the tariff
consistently with the provisions OF the sixth SECTION OF
the compromise act, accompanied with limiting Tie safes
Of the public lands 20 actual settlers would BRING down
solution was not adopted; and now the information call
ed for in that resolution is precisely what we desire
This sixth section Of the compromise act, which MIR. W.
read, authorizing, in case OF an e1ccSS u 7secHue the
reduction repeal OF the duties all articles paying
':less Of duty than twenty per cent ad raiorem
embraced in his ihlr vs. inquiry; and these du-
ties if repealed it generally estimated would re-
duce the aonual three millions of dollars, which
would bring down the estimated surplus OF the Senator
from South Carolina to- five millions, the rery sum WHICH
that gentleman at the las; session, proposed should re-
main in the Treasury uneXpended ba!ance to meet
emergencies. AS then, by continuing the sales 10 actual
settlers and if that is not sufficient by repeating the Gu
ties all unprotected articles, the revenue can be
duced to the wants of the Government, without vha'at
ing the compromise bill, why create surplus for d.slr
bution by continuing The existing system? Mr.. w.
said if we pass another depusite distribution bill the
country ought TO know il is because refuse to reduce
the revenue TO the wants Of the Government when 1t
certainly be done without disturbing the compromise
act of 1858 Let not, then, seek shelter behind that
act, in the determination to create surplus revenue
Mr.. Calhoun, in reply, complained OF having been en-
entirely misstatcd by the Senator irom Mississippi He
had not invoked tine senate 70 any such ac nor mad ne
ing back the depostes from the States, unless the
tngency Of fore gn So ur from having expressed
desire TO create AID distribute surplus, lie had the
contrary expressly declared that he should greatly prefer
reduction of the revenue if il could be safely eeced
and he had expressed his willingness send the bill
committee opposed 10 his views, that If possible
this might be effected. Yet, the gentleman accused hl
OF des ign to create surplus.
The gentleman had again said TINT one Of the argu-
mcnts urged by him in favor Of the distribution bill had
6een that the deposile OF the public money in banks was
great instrument of fraud and speculation This was
q great mistake. lie had said no such thing. The Pre-
sident however, had undertaken to lrgislae the sub
jcct, and had issued an order, which was much more
like act Of Congress than all Executive measure.-
The President deemed the evil great, aud the remedy
specific, that he had ventured great stretch Of
power to realize the object Now, after what the pres
dent had said this subject, any man who should vote
to leave the public money in deposi,e banks stood OPEN
ly convicted of being i'll favor Of spectators.
Mr. 4. hoped the Senator would not persist IN his mo-
ton to refer the bill to committee which he knew TO
be utterly opposed to it. Nothing could be more unpav
Elementary. He hoped the gentleman would at least in
dulge him with specia! committee.
MIR. Buchanan without expressing any opinion Oh
the merits of the bill, was in favor of its commit.
ment The subject extended itself into many raui-
icalions, was complex and extensive, that lead
ing ought to be adopted in relation to 1t with
out It's previously undergoing tile careful investigation
of committee. There were two counter prCjcts now
before the Senate which essentially Incompatible
with each other. One had been reported by the Sena
tor from Kentucky, Mr Cay) which proposed to dsl'i-
butte the proceeds Of the public lands among the States
on certain conuinns the other I" deposlte the surplus
that might accrue, under the provisions OF the bill of the
last session Both these plans 1t vas obvious, could not
prevail; while the President had recommended the sale
OF the public domain TO actual settlers only On tins
matter Mr. B. expressed opinion but should br gnId
ed in great measure by the wishes and opinions Of gen
tlemen coming from the new States.
Should the Presidents recommendation be adopted, |
there would probably be surplus. he should like to
see responsible report from the Committee on Finance
On the question whether there would or would not be Il
surplus on the frs. Of !ancsry next he expressed no
opinion.
While up, he would add one word on the subject of
what was commonly called tie compromise act Never
should he forget The impression made upon his own mind
when the of the passage Of that act reached him
He had then been in foreign country: The enemies
If liberty throughout the world we're all looking 10 this
country with anxious eyes, and with hopes highly raIs
3D. that this last experiment in favor Of human freedom
would prove to be failure The most exaggerated ac-
:ounts of the division Of opinion in this country, the