Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1837-01-02

'''N =" F'' - ii' Wv l'RHitV ''AfNh
was almost universally condemned. Tho rresi-
dent himself lad denounced II in his message, and
Nj. {. heartily agreed with him in .vcrN word he
had said on TINT subject.
Before SCI ding tie ILL to thu Char he would
take the liberty OF expressing his hope that the
subject would he discussed in tho same spirit of
moderation rs had characterized tho debates upon
II last year. II was n noble example and ho lo-
ped ii would be- followed. Lei the sub eel be- ar
gned On great public grounds, and let all party
put be sacrificed on his great question to the
good oi the country. let he would say TO the
lrlciils OF the Administration, that II WAS not trom
any fear, on parry ground, that la uttered dis sen
timeni for he believed there WAS M subject
which ia the hands Of skllf0l oppo,ition, would
he moro fatal To power.
The bill NJ, by consent, read lw.te when
Nr. Calhoun moved thai il be made the order OF
the day for NJ onday neat. He saw 10 necessity
Tor lis commitment.
Mr.. CLAY was extremely UNIV iline 10 inter.
rupt for Il moment tand ho would only interrupt
fur i moner) the progress of liz debate expee.
ted 10 proceed 10 day. But, from the numerous
Indications winch had been gwen Of pm pusc 10
disturb the compromise act, aud FROM llr direct
~dIl,ioa To the subject whicl, had just been made,
lac tell himself cIled upon 10 say one word.
Ceast1tr ring tic circumstances unior which that
act passed, the manner ,lrouga this body, the at-
81 i'itillon with winch II ran through the House,
l'le cordial reception With which ii WIS erected
by every part and every interest IN the country,
he dld not think that II ought 10 be iiahily ,oucli-
ct. Ia faith Of adh.f,nec TO the provisions of that
act, idrac Investments have been made, and under
It's beneticcnt operation over interest ia, pros
pefed, the manufacturing not less than other great
interests. Tie nAolo country has looked la the
lnYloabiIity, ot the act the MT ssagcs otIle Pies
Muut The reports from the Secretary of The
Treasury /; Inc declarations of memlers Of Con-
gross, upon this floor and iIat Of tie other House,
an Heretofore have united IN stamping upon it that
Character. Strictly speaking, he was anaic dat
I 0 sress Pc 5 ssed the power 10 repeal or modify
the acl, but. III his opinion it could not bu done,
without something like IA violation OF the public
faith. He had toreseen, 1T tho period Of the pas
sage oil the aet tho probability Of a lar1e surplus
beyond the wants OF thu Government, economic
CT y administered, and lac had ei,dcavured, sipul-
lahconsy viii, the passage OF the act, 10 provide
Tor II by the Introduction of tho land hlll. Thai
bni hid paSse Congress, but unfortunately had
encountered tie VETO Of the President. Ii ladi
bl. had received his sanction, there would have
been no surplus at the last session, none nov,
%protabiy none hereafter, to divide and distract rs.
For IL wds from the proceeds Of the public land,
that the Surplus arose. 1ttho land bin slticl, pas
scd al the last session of tho Senate had become a
law, II would have distributed among the several
State, Il larger >um Than will bo deposited i. tl.rir
treasures under the dcposl,c acf.
Dir. C.. said that he knew we'll that the prcscr-
WALTON 81 The compromise act did not depend upon
him. lie we'll knew that its fate was in the hands
Of "a majority al the Senate, AZ now constituted,
and a majority Of the House. But, If they choose
10 repeal it, OF 10 make any essential alteration in
The measure OF protection secured by that act, he
could onl Y deeply regret the fe-openIng OF wounds
whlci. had been 50 happily healed. He tan CO.
operate IN no such object, but shall, for himself,
steadily oppose any material change al tho pr0vi-
sIons al tle act, and INSIST upon that eficacious
and complete remedy ior ii surplus which Is to be
found IN the land bill, or upon somc other compe-
tent renedv winch viii not unsettle all the great
LusIaeS> Of The country.
Air. WALKER moved that the bill bu referred
to the Committee ON Finance and IN supporting
his motion observed that he had been one of those
who voted aedinst what was now openly avowcd To
be a distribution bill. Since the money had been
distributed, some If the LARGEST States had already
come forward and applied TO Congress FOR the lc-
peal Of that section Of the bill whicl. provided for
the rolunding uf the money by the States when II
should be needed by the General Government. lie
would remind the Senate that the distinguished
lcutleman from Massathu,ct 5, tNlr. Wcb,ter,)
WHO had bcch one of the authors and advocates Of
this measure, did expressly tell the Senate that II
would he but IA single operation and When the
Senate were warned lint that bill would be only u
precedent fol The distribution policy in future, the
distinguished Senator had assured then of the
CONTRARY, aud had insisted that 1t wa, a single aud
solitary measure, intended only 10 meet "A con-
YET, what WAS the Senate now asked
10 do 7 To create a~surplns for the purpose of
future distribution. Mr.. W. really thought that
such IA proposition demanded examination by some
committee, and Ire hoped the Senate would nos
consent to take IA leap in the dark. Tho liouora-
bic gentleman from South Carolina had presented
rs one Ground of his opposition TO letting tho pub.
lie money remain in the dcpoSile banks, d desire
to prevent the public Land from passing into the
hands Of spectators. But the Genileman's rene
DIV had not met the evil. Tie distribution bill
had not prevented the monopoly of the public
lands by spectators, nor would il ever prevent It,
Iftltc gentleman did really desire 10 obyiatc that
c,il, let him Join in recommending that part oithe
Presidents message wliicl, proposed to limit the
sale Of the public Lands 10 actual settlers. Should
this recommendation be adopted, there would re-
main no surplus to be distributed. For how was
the surplus created By referring to the report
OF the Secretary OF Ihe Treasury, it would be
found that in the first three quarters of the last
wear twenty millions efdol,ars had been paid into
the Treasury Tor the public LANDS, which, was AZ
llr rate of about So, 100000 IA year. Yet, what
portion Of this amount was needed fur actual set
Tiers Not more than $4,000. 900 or, accord
inc to am estimate made Nv tie chairman of the
Committee on Public Lands, NOT over 3S,O0O,oOo