Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-01-26
Twenty-fifth Congress---:sd Sess.

Ma Bsyroy's SpEEcH-Mr Benton's Speech, winch
we publish ia part, to-day, contains much interesting
and valuable matter. II furnishes iGil ana ample JUS
6ca,ion of the course Of General Jackson IN relation
10 the celebrated land BILL and shows that IN refusing
his assent TO that the hero statesman acted con
additionally and wisely. We hope every man Will reao
it with all that consideration to which i,ls entitled
Maine Argus, Jan 10.
SPEECH OF Mr. BENTON-oF Missouri,
r, S,aat. Friday January 4, lS39-On the Gradua
ton Bill, and in reply to II. Clay attacks upon Ge'
neral Jackson.
MIR BENTON rose in consequence OF the endless al
lacks made upon eminent citizen, now re'ired from
pubc life and seeking repose under his own vine, and
nv the side of his fire. but for whom would seem
there was to be peace this side OF the grave ne
alluded to the late President Of the States, Cen Jack
son. and 10 the repeated instances IN which MS nauf
had bee dragged into this debate, and tyranny and ms
chief attributed him for his conduct 10 relation TO The
act for the distribution Of the proceeds OF the public
ands That conduct had been denounced as tYrannica
and unconstitutional, and TO 1t had been attributed a''
the late moneyed embarrassmsnls OF the county The
Senator from Kentucky (r Clay) isth author OF ihes-
denunciatons, and also the author OF these bills i"'
there were two of them the loss OF which he so much
deoores and for the want OF which he has seen 5"
much evil arse. |, said Nr. B. was the colemporar,
of these bills | knew their character and their late
| saw their birth and their DEATH and great and nu'
merous rs are the acts which stamp the character "
. hero statesman on General Jackson, there are none
which exalt him more than his conduct IN relation L.
,bese very bills II wise, patriotic, CONSTITUTIONS
and heroic conduct He had the wisdom TO see the per
nicious nature Of these bills he had the constitutions
,oht 10 srres, hem and he had the herosm TO exercs
thai right The bills of the most seductive char
actor. Ibey were calculated TO seduce all unretecn!
minds; for they proposed distribution among The pr"
ME of near sixty or seventy millions OF dollars 1ht
dstribution would have left the Treasury bare-wouh
have bankrup,ed the deposi,e banks-might have de-
bauched the S,ates-woud have compelled resort It
loans or a ne -and would have Sc. The fatal ex
ample of lavishing the public money, ana ,he P""i"
The We nj
elections The first bill passed the two Houses IN lo"2
,us before the Preside a election and so near Inc enc
of the session Of Congress- that the mao Dol
few hours instead Of the ten days which The Consu'
ton allowed him, 10 examine its provisions, 10 make "
hi. mind upon it, and TO return it TO the Senate with hl.
objections in writing, if disapproved oy him. IL wa;
retained BY him the ten days, as he hao GEAR cohSu
tona right 10 do; Congress did not THINK proper 10 pr
o,r ;,s session 10 cover those ten days, az u nigh
h.vs dome for il was the session whose duration WI
not limited BY the Constitution; and the Two HOUSE
having adjnurned he retained the OH unt the he1 s
,,on and then returned It to the hnnse IN WHICH OH
o,na.d with his objections to it, This was The EFguia
son,.. prescribed BY the Constitution and thanks TO 'h
sprt and intelligence of the people, II was .he c"u's
sanctioned and approved by them Instead OF osingf5
cited against The patriot tres,aeht ny an
AGAINST poeketing LUs and per capita cacu!a
~ The money each voter had lost ostentaiiousy pa
raded before OF being excited nga"s
General Jackson by those means and MADE 10 cast h'i
vo,ss sgans, him. the high minded people oil our Anne
rca approyed his conduct, testified their aPpooat"
in the DISTINGUISHED honor of his second election lh;
was the fate of the first hill II was TO nave aken 'h
whole proceeds of ,he sales o the Puhi'c iands Tor
y..rs-the years lS33- "a 30 81 -S-and diVideC
In omnng The States; leaving the Treasury entirely
upnn the custom house duties tor It's support
which many then saw, and experience has since proved
woud be wholly inadequate, without resort TO ne"
tariff loans Treasury notes 70 oelfay Tie ou'nay "a
uenses Of the Government!
Tho second bill was duplicate Of the first. but four
wears it's Junior in point OF Tine IL oio MOI come On
mil the spproach OF the Presidential election IN 1886
hn, w,e made TO cover the number OF years, and
the identical years which were covered ny the hfsi
ono To do this it was necessary TO make ths second
bill retract-make it reach back, and exact IRON lhr
Treasury go much money as the hrst OIL wono haVe
ken out of it up TO that time, ana 'hth '"' Is many ~
Tho hill in every particular, with The suPeraddtn
the signal of being retroactive, and geng
hold of wears revenue from the LANDS Tor glano G's
tbu,ion on the of the approaching eec
,;on This VIVA the character Of the second DILL and
th. character is too important and too necessary TO be
understood by the people for their knowledge OF 10
upon description. They must see IL! ihey must see
the thing itself and know Of their own knoweoge VIVA!
was that fell for fall did, before the stern resolve nj
Gen Jackson and the loss Of which is now depored as
national calamity The people must see II; aud here
ia in the book Of the bills Of the Senate which have
this momen. sent messenger TO bring ME from the
49, of m, Secretary 1t is entitled I'm act 10 diride
among the States for limited time the proceeds IF The
,aJes of the public lands, &c and The signature ct the
then Secretary the Senate Walter Lowrie aes,s
that il passed this body tho 18th day Of May 1886
read from the third and fourth sections which show
the parts which are material 10 the presen. inquiry
"SEc s. find be further enacted, mat she several
sum, Of money received in the Treasury as the ne" pro-
esed. Of the sales of the public lands for the years egh
Teen hundred and thirty eighteen hundred and
thirty four and eighteen hundred and thirty hve snail
be paid and distributed as Aforesaid At me @
the u S. fourth par, on the first day OF july e'gn
teen hundred and lbr,ysix and oneiourth part at the
snd of each ninety days thereafter until the whole is
paid those which shall be for The yss,s
shall also be paid at the Treasury halt
- thoa years to such person persons as the respec
dive Legislature. Of tho said States shall authorize and
direct 10 receive the same.
"src l. find be il further enacted Ina. ,h,s aos sS %
ss,her one thousand eight hundred and thirty
unless The United States shal become involved IN war