Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-02-13
G. H:I., r A " GAZE T T f..

! ton OF the lands Under the arrangement :
and should then provide that the land laws
| as modified by the act, and as far as they
are applicable to the new sale Of things,
shall remain unchanged, without the con.
! sent ofCongress. A provision Of this kind
woull be not less essential 10 the States,
than TO the Government. Without there
could be no stability nor uniformity. With.
, out ii the States would, in short time, enter
into a competition 10 turn the current OF
emiaration, each towards itself, which
would commence by Il reduction of price,
and end by loss Of the lands. But with
the provision proposed, the system would
re'aIan its uniformity, and become more
sable than at present.
TO enforce the faithful execution of the
compact the act should also contain pro-
vision that, in the event of the violation Of
heconditions of cession, all grants lhcreaf.
ter made by the Safe should be null and
void. This would place the compact un.
der the protection CT the courts of the Union,
and make it the interest Of the Stac and
It's crizsns TO observe it. In this connec.
ton, the liberal allowance proposed to be
made To the States, in order to unite their
interests wi.h ours would be Important
The revenue which they would derive from
the llrd would be applied to roads. canals.
or other improvements, that would create Il
powerful interest in favor Of the arrange,
mrnt; which, with the conditions proposed,
and their sense Of justice, would ensure, |
trust, on their part, faithful execution Of
Ihe compact.
Such, as it appears to me, should be the
leading conditions but, doubtless, there are
many others which would be suggested By
full and careful examination Of the subject.
This, Mr.. President, is the general out.
line oflhe measure which propose as a
remedy and which brings up the important
question, would it accomplish the object in
tended; that IS, would 1t arres: the grow
ing conflict between the new and the old
States? Would it prevent the public DO.
main from being converted into a found to
make Presidents, and to be squandered
away in the struggle? And, finally would
it substantially, and more efactually than
any other measure, secure to the Union the
benefit ofthe public lands lying within the
new States. 1t is the conviction that it is
belt.r calculated 10 secure these important
results, than any other measure that can be
devised, which has induced me to present
it for consideration; aud il is on that issue.
( exclusively, intend 10 rest its fate. All |
ask is calm and impartial investigation,
confidently believing it will bear the t. st,
and willing to abide the result. Without
attempting to en,er on such an investigation
now-for which I have not the necessary
information, and, i'll had, it would not suit
the occasional propose 10 limit myself to
few very bri;f remarks in support of my
conviction.
That measure, such as | have sugges-
ted. if it should be adopted with the hearty
consent o. the new States, would arrest the
growing conflict between them nd tn old,
and take the public lands out of the voteS
of the Presidential CO test, must be obvious
on Il little reflection. 1t would remove the
cause Of conflict, the ony effectual mode
preventing the threatened danger. Trans.
fer the lands, and the administration of them
on just and liberal terms, to the Safes, and
close our land Offices within their limits, and
you will, at once, place the States beyond
the reach Of the action Of the Government,
and influence of Executive control, and
would thereby leave both the new and old,
as far as the land question is concerned,
free from all improper bias in The election
of the Chief Magistrate. The only point
of conflict that could possibly remain be-
tween them in referencet to the lands. would
be as TO the conditions ofthe cession but
it may be easily shown, that if the terms
should be liberal and satisfactory, in the
first instance, 10 the now States, as have
proposed, that they would neither have the
disposition nor the interest to disturb the
compact or if they should, the hazard OF
losing the lands in consequence woolG be
far less than it would be should the present
system be continued. But there may be
some wac may admit this 10 be true, and
yet object that the advantages which | an
,icipate from the measure would be pur-
chased, on the part of the old States, at too
great sacrifice. 1t would be premature
to undertake to answer this objection before
tits ascertained what portion OF the proceeds
should be left to the States, and what paid
over to the Government; and this cannot
be done till after laborous investigation
as has been stated. All maintain at pre-.
sent is, that the portion all1tted to the States
should be not only just and liberal, but such
as would interest them in preserving the
arrangement. Thus far it would be ob
viousiy the interest of both parties, as bas
been shown. In the meantime, | have ''sug
gested an equal division of the proceeds
under the belief that it would be satisfactory
to the new States, and probably not far from