The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-26
WHOLE NO. l9l.

themselves oil the wit oil these Indians and sell the re-
fuse public lands for what they would bring for wha,
they were worth, and thus supply the wants OF the
Treasury BY the operation Of the compromise act the
revenue would be reduced, that, according TO the
estimate OF tho Secretary Of the Treasury the annual
income from customs would, by 1912, amount only 10
$40 900 900 or Sl2,0 900 And now, what scheme
was there ahead to provide for this condition Of the re-
venue Tie scheme the opposite side of the House
was to prevent these refuse lands from being made avail
able 60 as to supply the want Of income from the GUS
toms This, in 1912, would furnish triumphant srgu-
ment Tor the restoration of the high tariff In order to
prevent this there must before that year. be some repu
lar way OF supply provided The Committee OF Fl.
nance, and Mr. u. with them, had thought il best 10
supply the future wants Of the Treasury by selling these
unavailable lands for wha, they would bring What
other method would gentlemen propose Without the
sale Of these lands either there would not be money 10
work the machinery Of Government. or the old tariff
must be revived Mr.. b. would repeat it, either these
lands must be sold, or they probably enough would
oe gwen away, or IN any the Treasury would be
empty, and IN consequence the old tariff would be re-
VNeu, the Treasury would be thrown on the customs
on he prohs Of cotton, tobacco, rice, and other South
em productions. Mr.. b. therefore, would ask gentle.
men from that part Of the country TO consider well what
they should do on this subject
IL was another consideration that this bill was an act
Justice ana oil sheer justice, TO the old settlers the
STATES where these refuse lands lay Here was territory
enough for two States now lying barren and unproduc
I'VE ~ The bosom OF the States In $40 acres OF
'hs land there was not usually more arabic land than
enough Tor good farm, and the amount was therefore,
ot 100 atse. ne Dill was most important TO the new
STATES 10 The public Treasury and TO the OF
southern productions agans, high duties ; and now was
o mos, important time TO pass H. especially as in 1912
"ou'u ease 20 pretex or apology for the revival Of
,he od tarii These refuse lands therefore ought to
oe solo, II were only for the benefit Of the Govern
| ment. - N'''
Mr., CLAY, OF Kentucky, said / feel yery sensiblv
W. PRESIDENT the inequality of the position which
occupy on tins subject Here are fifteen or eighteen
.. an times ready to spring up and defend the
system "hch they are endeayoring To carry into egac,
IN regard TO the public lands and VIA, i I'm ~ -;
portant TO cast their votes in its favor while a., h
almost alone TO resist these innovations and - ;na
| cate the system which has prevailed so lo,o ,nd -
prosPerously But solitary as am, am CONVINCED of
the justice and correctness Of my course and shall
stand undismayed, and endeavor 10 meet the host thai
oppose me- In argument, although it out Of my power
to neutralze their votes
Blu: before proceed to reply TO the two Senators
from Mississippi and Alabama, who have called me up
w!il name the highly respectable citizen TO whom
alluded before and repeat If capital equal 10 the i'm
mense fortune OF John Jacob Aston were invested in
we.selected public lands at the present minimum price
OF the lands OF the Government that fortune vast as il
Is, would be more than doubled in less than ten years
do not say that Mr. Astor would be disposed so TO in
vest his capital No, sir. he is citizen OF the highest
responsibility, is no doubt satisfied with what he has
honorabfy accumulated and has no disposition vest
It IN the public lands But the proposition is neverthe-
less true, that so much of the capital no matter by
whom invested, is capable OF being augmented to the
extent which indicated
SIR, am little surprised at the remarks of the Sc
nator from Alabama, (Mr Clay,) who instead Of ap
plying this argument to the subject before the Senate
directs 1t at me personally, if he felt some sort Of
grief or private animosity in reference myself One
of his arguments designed to show that have bee
unfair in the course which have pursued in reference
to this bill, and he asks why did not make this motion
| to recommit and amend the bill on some former occa
sion. Sir did not for the very best reason-,hat this
was the first moment when the bill was up for consde
ration so that such motion could be properly present.
ed He says urged the postponement Of the bill But
ask HIM TO recollect the causes Of the posponement
This ball was brought up carly in the session. with
other bills IN regard to the public lands granting pre-
emption rights not only to individuals but to corpora
tons, counties, to States, thus violating the prnc
plies on which presumption rights originally
granted But this bill came up very early and asked
tina, it might be delayed Till the Monday succeedng--a
request to which hreeiourhs Of this body considering
1t matter OF justice. at agreed But the bill was
not called up again till the last week OF the holydays
and then, IN regard to of such magnitude
even the Senator from Alabama admitted the import
ance of delaying the consideration of till the Senate
should be fuller proposed that it should be postponed
to this day, the first day which we could properly
consider it but the Senator from Alabama, (Mr Claw
moved to make it the order for Monday last and SO
the Senate decided Well sir, Monday came, but the
Senator from Alabama any other Of the friends Of the
bill, did not then call up | waited, but one
called for it and not till this day there any at
tempt to take it up. and before could have
made this motion with proptlety. then waited only
till the question put and then rose and made my
ton.
And the Senator from Alabama is not satisfied with
this charge alone, but he says ! have shown myself
constantly an enemy to the new States. Sir the Sc
nator in this has doubtless expressed what he wishes
Alabama TO be viewed rather than that which he might
have known to be the fact. How, sir, have opposed
the growth or interests of the States Did not
bring forward measure which would have been Of in
calculable benefit, not only the States but to
the old alsol And would it not have distributed the
avas OF this vast property TO them all with equal Justice
with this important exception that would have given
the new States IL IL per cent beyond what the old
States would have received Sir. this charge is IN
founded not only reference to myself but to the &C.
neral Government, the whole policy of which has been
parental, kind, and benefcent IN the extreme towards
the new States And need | refer to any argument
conclusive this point than to the results of the
census at its various periods And what do they
prove That the growth Of the population Of the new
States the average, four times great that Of
the DID, and that this growth in Of them Illinois)
is such that IN less than seven years its population be-
came doubled Sir, it true that the States have
been retarded in their growth by the policy Of the &C.
neral Government Look at its munfcent lberality,
at It's immense grants to Alabama and other States,
for the purposes Of education and for objects of internal
improvement. In some instances millions OF acres
have been granted TO the States their counties,
their towns, their universities, have been literally
endowed; and yet told there has been want Of
liberaliy the part Of the Government towards the
new States.
The Senator says | did not manifest my liberaly
when opposed the preempon law at the last session,
and he puts words in my mouth in regard TO precmp-
TONERS which were not used by me. In what | then
said, referred to the act Of trespassing upon the public
domain attempt to acquire title to land belonging
to the whole people Of the United States no, only with
out law, but open and direc, violation Of law, and
pronounced it the reward Of trespass, alarming
precedent, a dangerous sanction Of unauthorized
/ of tho puhitc i, rnuaTd 10 the