Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-02-09
General assembly Of Virginia.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.

drranrs, Mi Bayly OF moved tn amend The hrst re-
solution Of The Committee, which WIS in the following
wards "Resolred That The Public Lands held by the
United States, belong in 10 all the States, and
that each and oil entitled TO participate III The be-
nefts dsrivabe hrrefrom, BY striking GU, all after the
word Rcsolecd, and Inserting the following:
THAT by the clear and positive terms OF The acts Of
by the States Of their waste and unapprOprated
lands to the U. and by the purchase OF Louisiana and
Fi0rda with the common treasure Of The people oil The
u S., there created great National Trust; in nd
mni>tering which the General Government is soemnly
bound to huld md administer the lands acquired
fund for the and benefit OF all The ntss in the
ra'o Of their respective EoPorlons in the genera" charge
and Expenditure aud f6 no other purpose what
soever; and that 10 divert il from the benefit Of
| alt the Stn.es, would be pnlaon Of the trust
| He also moved to amend the 18th resolution OF the
| Committee, which was in the following words:
f. Resorcd, That only The experience of the past,
but forecast requires The speedy adoption Of
equitable plan providing for the distribution among the
States in just proportions, oil The proceeds OF the sales
ol the public lands; and this General Assembly doth
therefore earnestly urge upon Congress The immediate
adoption oi such measures Will be best calculated 10
obtain this most desirable olect-By striking out all
after the word Rcs0ired and inserting, "That Congress
ought 10 adopt equitable plan, providing for The
distribution among the States in just proportions, of the
nett proceeds of the sales Of the public lands, much
thereof may be necessary, taken IN conjunction
with The customs, regulated BY the act OF Congress
OF hr I'd Of March, 1888 and other Of revenue:
to dclray The expenditures Of The Government, econuni
! ca!ly administered
After the 4h resolution insGrt-".h Rcs0Ired, That
the adjustment OF the Tariff contained in the act OF
Congress the Cd of March 1888 commonly called The
Comprcnse Act: ought 10 be held sacred and invio-
late
Mr. BAYLY said lha, he thought il due TO himself 10
assign 10 the House reasons which had induced him
propose the amendments he had offered 10 The esOu
tons Of the select committee.
1t would he perceived that ,hC principal difference be
tween the first resolution Of The committee and his sub
slitute this: The resolution dealt 10 gene
raiy; his substitute vas mole specific The resolution
leaves The characters point Of the subject 10 WIT that
The General Government holds the Puzzle Lands
r The bene o all the States 10 be inferred; the
substitute uvcis 1t.
The resolution Of the committee only declares gene
rally, that The Public Lands held by The u. 6. belong IN
common all the States; the substitute specifics the te.
by winch the Government holds the lands, and the
manner III which II acquired them
The title 10 the public domain vas acquired by the
General Government IN two waysh!st by the Ccss0n,
by some Of the old States, OF their waste and unappro
praled lands the Sand second, by the purchase
Of Louisiana aud Florida with the common Treasure Vi
. The U. 5
BY The very terms of the deeds OF ccssion from the
States Of those waste and unappopaled lands I" the U
81 there was created national trust IN aVo ui all tt
States. the Of their respective proportions in the
general charge and expenditure; and by the purchase O
Louisiana and Florida with the common treasure Of the
country similar iru resulted in favor vi the STATES -
From the Of the deeds OF cesson III the
aud from the Of the transaction IN the n'her the
trust is clearly Defined and The duty Of the trustee pre-
scfIbed All this, il seemed 10 him, should appear
the resolution. ii did appear in the substitute: but It
! did not inlhe resolution OF the committee.
My second amendment, continued MIR b., contains
two propositions LIST. That The Compromise Act should
not be disturbed 3D. that much ui the proceeds
Of the sales OF the Public Lands may be Necessary,
taken in cOnuncOn with o'her sources oi revenue, 10
Geiray the expenditure Of The Government, econ"mI-
cay administering shall BIZ distributed livng Tie States
III just proportions.
In tho ,l,,;o C,ho
mi,,se, principally III this: The resolution Of the
mittee declares OF unconditional and unGnn
fled distribution. The amendment provides for GIS!r-
button when surplus sha! be IN The Treasury, I'M
der the present dustment OF the Isrli The es"lu.
on of The committee will combine those portions Of the
country, which in favor Of Tariff Tor protection,
with those that profit b. the expenditures 81 the Govern
m-nt swell The annual appropriations, IN order that
Tie latter may profit by having the money expended
among lhem and the urmcr may he benz tilted by HE
ncreas Of The Tariff, which VIII thereby be MADE he
cessay. The amendment on The other hand, combines
every interest IN the country, except the exPentl-
lures interest," (Which will be poweess alone III lavGr
economy The administration Of The Government, IN
order that there may be surplus 10 distribute.
AS TO the first declaration that the Compromise Act
shall not be disturbed should deem necessary to
dealn the House with argument IN favor o this pro-
position were ii not for The fact. that know there is
some difference o! opinion, in ibis House aud elsewhere
10 It's propely.
To place this subject in proper light, mrst take
hosty glance the past The late war eit the County
burlrncd Is nh q heavy debt To meet The dt manGs
which it made upon the Treasury, high Tariff WAS
equeny, the Tariff of lolG was enact
ed Though the duties which II LEVIED were high, no
complaints were made because The wants ut The ltea-
surv made high Tariff necessary, and was thought by
many tina, It's Incidental fleet of encouraging infant
manu- cturcs which had been brought into existence 10y
the var, would go greal way 10 compensate the coun
try for the burdens which 1t imposed
But il was not long beIOre disposition vas shewn 10
nip A Hut
still farther protecting the manufactures Nct@nhsldnd-
ing the r. cepis from the customs very large, and
The pubIic debt unde going rapid reduction as
early as c2I when the public debt had fallen from l23
millions 10 e. millions, purpose was manifest 10 IN
crease The duties. II sooner shewn, than II met
with prompt resistance from the Souh-in despite oi
which, the Tariff of 1924 enacted. Immediately
ihereUpon, the subject became political one. Fari"s
were formed upon it.
By the election Of Mr. Adams 10 the Presidency, the
protective policy gained the usccntancy IN The Execu.
i've il had before in the legislative Department OF
the Government. In the wal which the South mas
wayiDg upon The system, the first point which attempt
ed to gain was to get friendly Executive The South
being IN fixed minority upon this subject It "as cxpr-
dient TO candidate for tile Presidency who had
popularity Tariff Slutes pendent OF his politics
This being Gen Jacksons case, the South did not hest
tate TO take him up her candidate 1t true that The
disposition OF the country TO reserve the prccedrnt men
had be in the election OF MIR. Adams, aud lis ark
ley 10 vindica,e the popular WILL Nhch j! was thought
hid been violated, IN the person oil Gen JACKSON ny 'e
election of Mr. Adams had much 10 do IN The selection;
but it is unques,iunaby tue tina, the reliance which The
South placed in his coopera,inn in the war which II
wsgng upon the protective system, was Inc grea'
nntive Tor lis support Of him. 1t was thought That
this reliance was well tounded-ss General Jackson
principal support would from the South, II was
thought that high poIlica! necessity would compel INN
fall upon its policy. Besides, he was himself South
ern man. a STAKEHOLDER and collonp,a nter General
jackson was elected In his first Annual Message, he
MD dist
This recommendation, created in the South great dis
trus, of The sincerity Of his opposition to The protective
policy-ur, great reliance Of the Staple States had
been thai when the public debt was pad and large
drain upon the Treasury thus cut off rre then being n"
prelext for large venue that all paris of the country
would declare in favor of reduction But it was fore
seen that if the Of the President was car
ried into effect that the powerful motive for reduction