Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1839-11-25
THE PUBLIC LANDS. .

THE PUBLIC LANDS s
The loGofocos have heretofore opposed Gays
land bill, which would have given Vermont oNE
MILLION and ONE HUNDRED NINETY
EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS; they have
how boldly taken their stand AGAiNsI lhE
RIGHTS OF TIE STATE-against the very
deeds of cessfon. by which the public lands are
holden-and by'themost disgraceiul ueans err.
benvored to prevent the legislature from decor-
ing the LEGAL RIGHT and CLAIM of Yer.
mont. We thank them'for their issue-and we
shall do our best to pin them 10 it for the future.
Let the people see r,ohai it is; that the loco
foco leaders" violate the rules OF order and decen-
Ncy. and ,hwart the action of The representatives
=, Sof the state 1t was to prevent the passage Of
the following resolutions, whcr the House had
refused TO dismiss by n majority ofElGHTEEN
[See proceedings of Saturday afternoon.
90 order to make the ina,ter still more clear,
~ y, attention to the following extracts from the
ncts-of cession:
\ from the act OF cession Of Virginia, March ],
1884.
THAT il shall and may be lawful for the dele
gates of this s,ate =. by proper deeds or instru-
ments in writing, under Their hands and seals, to
convey, transfer, assign and make over TO she u
mixed States. in Congress assembled, FOR THE
BEN FIT OF THE SAID STATES, all right,
little ed. uim, rs well of soil as jurisdiction,
which tnis Commonwealth hath to the territory
or tract of country within the limits of the Vir-
ginia charter" &c.-that the lands so coded, with
the exception of parts reserved for bountes to
certoin officers aud soldiers Of the revolutionary
war. 90" shall be considered common fund
for the use and benefit of such of the United
! States as have become or shall become members
of the confederation, or federal alliance of the
said states, Virginia inclusive, according to their
usual respective proportions in the general charge
| and expenditure, and shall be faithfully and bona
tide disposed of for that purpse, and for no other
purpose or use whatsoever"
~ The act of cession of South Carolina is in the
same words as those first quoted above.
The cession Of New York states, as q condi'
tion that the lands coded +" shall be and inure for
the benefit of such of the United States as shall
become members Of the federal alliance, and for no
other purpose whatsoever; and that OF N rtl
Carolina is in the words of the condition impos
ed by Virginia.
This is all plain and unequivocal: the proceeds
Of the public lands belong to THE STATES
and NOT, as the member from ST. Adams endeav'
ored TO prove by pe,tifogger's argument, to the
GeneTa. o5sernment. The question, then, is no
one only of dollars and cents; it is a question o
: STATE RIGHTS. The faith the honor ant
the bond, of the federal government were plight
ed TO the states, by the acceptance of the acts o
cession. The Wings of Vermont would hold tn
federal government to its BOND; they woul'
, maintain the just, the'clear, the LEGAL RIGHTS
of the state they would not submit to be rob
bed, without al least the poor privilege of remon
STRANGE. In this, they stand side by side witt
their nearer and dearer political sister states, am
with Maryland, Pennsylvania, Maine and Virgin
ia. which are Claimed to be politically against Ver
mont;, and in this, be it remembered, they ar
most furiously and unscrupulously OPPOSED
BY THE LOCOFOCO PARTY IN THE YER
MONT .LEGISLATURE!
sin Justice we are bound to state that Mr. Stnr
of Halifax and Mr. Waterman of Greensboro vo
ted with The Wings, not TO dismiss the resolutions
There may be others: