Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1839-02-28

~ ar 49, to"n equallty with the other St.,
IN all respects, and exempted from the con "'a'es
ing influence Of the Government nrisio ooNtfoIt'
widely expanded system Of land ofices. IRON
10 the Union the gain would be no, H..
Portant Congress would be relieved rro,. 'u'
immense and increasing mass of bns;aaA
which now consumes at least onethrd ors'
Tune, and be left free to turn its atran,i 1l It's
othSr subjects OF deep interest, which i /, 10
compelled to neglect. The sessions Wow now
greatly Shortened-a matter oil importorna 20
only IN pecunlary, but still more in n,, ,lol
Cal point otiVlew. But these, though imnor, Vlll'
are but minor advantages. There ore nT
lmmeasurably greater, 1t would cIo,o o'ners
land Offices in the new States, and win ;, our
the door to the vast patronage and innnaH''
which they place in the hands Of the Exacu,,''V
Who can estimate this advantage? WIZ
there' mat has particle Of patriotism Or
oil Republican institutions, who would ~,
IJolce at the reduction OF such immense
Iage, made not only without injury, but VIII MN vi
vantage, to the public? When we add r. S aa'
that 1t would remove all causes of cona;o, |S
tween the old and new States; that il w,Uy,
withdraw from the Presidential comics, tbos Ou"
nc lands, that prolific source Of corrnntopr ::
the hands Of the prohigate and fnaIlv tLa. ~
would save our vast and noble domain iiso 'rIS.
being sQuandered in the struggle il i ba ',I
in the power Of calculation to estimate t ti"'u'
vantage that would result. Having now sug-
geSted what believe to be the proper poIicv -
be pursued IN relation TO the public lands wb;n
the new States, and hastily traced theodyon,a
Iges of the measure have suggested for cons;5
Ieration, the next question is, have we The rioS,
to dispose ofthe lands in the manner pronos9I9
| would not have supposed that there could boyo
been doubt on this point, had not the Senator
from Massachusetts lIr. WEBsrERl raised i
on this, as well as on former occasion, The
Constitution gives 10 Congress, expressly. tho
right 10 dispose Of the public lands; and wbv
may they not dispose of them to the States "a
well as to individuals? can see no reason
and never have heard one assigned. Weare
II the daily habit Of making grants, to the
States public purposes; and five may grant.
may we not also sell or dispose of them, as
have proposed? The lands belong to the States.
in their confederate character, as has been
stated; and Congress is the truestee to dispose
Of them for the common benefit. They are
bound, in the fuiIment of the trust, to dispose
ofthem TO the best advantage; and if the dis
POSllOH plOllOoGu DC VIC DG0l lOI all COuCCIutu,
Congress has not only the right to make il, but
would be bound by the trust SO to do.
Entertaining these views, it may be asked
why have not brought forward The measure
this session? My answer is, there is not time,
at the present short session, todigest and carry
through measure Of 50 much importance, and
Involving SO many and such conflicting inter.
eSts. But pledge myself, if present at the
next session, to introduce it at an early day.
and to use my best efforts to press it to decis-
ion. III can prevent it, mol othcr measure re.
latlng TO the public lands shall take precedence
oft
have now presented my views as to the
policy which ought to be adopted in reference
to the public lands within the new States and
1t now remains, in conclusion, to assign my
reason for voting against the engrossment Of
this BILL
Believing that nothing short Of radical
change OF policy, such as that proposed, can ar.
rest the evils apprehended from the present
system, am of the opinion. that till some per-
manent remedy can be applied, that the proper
course is to vote against all partial and tenn.
IPorary expedents like the present and shall,
! IN conformity TO that opinion, give my vote
against this bill. believe it to be the course,
not only the best calculated to insure, in the
end, the application ola permanent and efficient
) remedy, but also 10 prevent, in the intermodi.
atc period, the mischiefs naturally resulting
from the present system. But in addition to
these general reasons, there are otherShgalnst
} this particular measure, sufficient to induce me
to vote against it. Passing others by, shall
only notice one.
This bill is pressed on the Senate, on the
ground, among other reasons, that it is a
financial measure. 1t is stated that the Treas.
uryis deficit, and that one Of the effects Of the
reduction ofthe price Of the public lands would
be a present increase ofthe revenue from that
source am not prepared to say whether
: such would be the fact, not having examined
the point sufficiently TO form an opinion; but ii
t it should be so, it would to me constitute an OBJ
| lection, instead Of a recommendation It's
) admitted that the increase ofthe revenue would
5 be temporary, and be followed in a short time
10y corresponding reduction. Now, i'll am
not mistaken, the income ofthis and the ensuing
4. year will, without further addition to the rev.
enue, be sufficient to meet the expenditures
. with due economy, and timely and Judlclous
} retrenchment The pinch will be in the Two
subsequent years--'4l and 42--wheh SIX
tenths Of the entire reduction under inc co'i,
promise act will take place. The difficulty WIN WIN
be in passing through those two years; anu 'iiJ
bill, considered as measure OF revenue, 'il9''"I
= of passing now, ought to be postponed un"'
7 then. Its passage at this time would put III
I crease the difficulty two years hence. Whar
, Io,,o, :, ,,L. III 90 tho income of this and the