Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-05-11

Lakes! These arguments, Gentlemen, how
ever earnestly put forth, heretofore, d. no
strike us with great power, at the presen
day, II we stand on the shores of Lake Erie
and see hundreds Of vessels, with valuabl,
cargoes, and thousands Of valuable lives, NOV
ing on It's waters, with few shelters from th,
storm, but hasens created, or made useful, b,
the aid Of Government. These great Lake.
stretching AWAY many thousands of miles
not in straight line, but with turns and dc
fcxions, as if designed to reach, by wnte
communication, the greatest possible nuInbel
OF important points, through n region OF vas
extent, cannot but arrest the attention of any
one, who looks upon the map. They lie con
, nccted but variousy placed; and interspersed
as IL with studied variety of form and direc.
tion, over that part Of the country. They
were made for man and admirably adapted
for his use and convenience.
Looking, Gentlemen, over our whole coun-
try, ,comprchendlng in our survey the Atlantic
coast, with its thick population, advanced ag-
riculture, its extended commerce, its manu-
factures, and neC Chanic arts; it's varieties OF
communication, its wealth, and its general
improvements; and looking, then, to the inte-
rior, to the immense tracts Of fresh, fertile and
cheap lands, bounded by so many lakes, and
watered by so many magnificent rivcrs, lei
me ask IT such MAP was ever before pre-
sented to the eye of any Statesman, as the
theatre for the exercise Of his wisdom? And
let me ask, too, if any man is fit to act part
on such theatre, who does not comprehend
the whole Of it, within the scope of his poll.
cy, and embrace it oil as his country?
Again, Gentlemen, we are one in respect
to the glorious Constitution under which we
live. We are all united in the great brother
hood Of American Liberty. Descending from
the same ancestors, bred in the same school,
taught, in infancy, To imbibe the same politi-
cal sentiments. Americans all, by birth, ed
ucution, and principle, what but narrow
mind or woeful ignorance, or besotted sell
f-lmess, or prejudice, ten times ten times
blinded, can lead any of us to regard the citi-
zens Of any part of the country as strangers
and aliens?
! The solemn truth, moreover, is before us,
that a common political fate attends us all.
| Under the present Constitution, wisely and
console ntiously admnistered,al all are safe, hap
py, and renowned. The measure of our
country's fame may fill all our breasts. 1t is
fame enough for us all to purtake in her glo.
ry, IL We will carry her character onward tC
its true destiny. But if the system is broken,
its fragments must fall nike OIL all. Not on.
'ly the cause Of American Liberty, but the
grand cause of Liberty, throughout the whole
earth, depends, in great measure, on up
holding the Constitution and Union Of these
States. Ii shattered and destroyed, no mat
ter by what cause, the peculiar and cherish
ed idea Of United American Liberty, will be
no more forever. There may be free States,
it is possible, when there shall be separate
States. There may be many loose, and fee
bic, and hostile confederacies, where there is
one great and united Confedcracy. But the
noble idea of United American Liberty. Of
our Liberty, such rs our Fathers established
it, will be cxtinguished forever. Fragments
and severed columns Of the edifice may be
found remaining; and melancholy and mourn
ful ruins will they be; the August Temple it.
self will be PROSTATE in the dust. Gentle
men the Citizens Of this Republic cannot sew
er their fortunes. A common fate awaits us.
In the honor Of upholding, or in the disgrace
Of undermining, the Constitution, We shall
all necessarily partakc. Let us then stand
by the Constitution as it is, and by our Coun-
try, as it is, one, united and entire; let it be
truth engraven on our hearts, let it be borne
on the flag under which we rally in every
exigcncy, that we have ONE COUNTRY, ONE
CONSTITUTION, ONE DESTINY.
Gentlemen, of Our interior administration,
the public lands constitute highly important
part. This is n subject Of great interest, and
it ought to attract much more attention than
il has hitherto received, especially from the
people Of the Atlantic States. The public
lands are public property. They belong to
the people Of all the States. A vast portion
of them is composed Of territories, which
were ceded by individual States, to the Uni
ted States, after the close OF the Revolution
ary War, and before the adoption Of the pre-
sent constitution. The history of these
cessions, and the reason for making thcm,are
familiar. Some Of the Old Thirteen posses
ed large tracts of unsettled lands within their
chartered limits. The Revolution had estab.
lished their title to these lands. and rs the
Revolution had been brought about by the
common treasure and the common blood OF
all the Colonies, it was thought not nnrea-
sonable Tint these unsettled lands should be
transferred to the United States, to pay the
debt created by the War, and afterwards "a
remain as fund for the use OF all the States
This is the well known origin Of the title
possessed by the United States to lands north
west Of the River Ohio.
by the treaties with France and Spain
Louisiana and Florida, with many millions oi
acres Of public unsold land, have been since
acquired. The cost Of these acquisitions
was paid Of course, by the General Govern
mcnt, and was thus a charge upon the whole
people. The public lands, therefore, all and
singular, are national property; granted to
the United States, purchased by the United
States, paid for by all the people Of the Uni
ted States.
The idea, that when a new state is created,
the public lands lying within her Territory
become the property of such new state IN
consequence Of her sovereignty, is too pre-
posterous for serious rcfutntion. Such no.
i...na ha uo hnxnt. c,rn hccn ADVANCED in Con.