Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-02-13

self thought lltc as to The necessity Of re.
!icyios the Treasury otts surplus, in order
10 avoid Tic difficulties and the dangers
which have since followed. Believing, then,
.hat i; would be cGtc,ual for lha: purpose
ana more easily .,lrj.;ei tian any other, |
examined !. v.:a au Inclnlion to embrace
It rs Il temporary measure OF relief against
l pressing evil bn, i was impossible fer
me 10 bring my mind 70 assent 10 The right
Of adopting it.
Rul suppose this difficulty surmountcd,
there are others, which regard as insur.
r.oun;abc. Among them the fiscal OBJ.
lection is very formidable. The revenue
from The lands canno! be spared at present,
and if distributed, as proposed by the meas.
urc, would necessarily throw the whole cx.
penSas Of the Government on single
sourcc-t1c duties on imports--and which
must he followed BY their increase. This
would neither be fair, nor equal; and to
which |, representing in part, Il portion of
the Union, Oil which the Increased burden
would m'iuiy fall, cannot assent.
But as formidable as is this, there are
others far more SO. 1t would not meet, Or
avert the approaching danger. 1t would
still leave the public lands in the new States,
under the operation of the present system,
and the subject Of volen, conflict between
them and the old States, with all the calam.
lous consequences 10 which [ have ver-
ted. Instead of preventing the danger it
would, in facl. hasten and agsrava;e it. 1t
may be laid down as maxim, that no
measure can avert ii, which is not adopted
with the appreciation and consent OF the
new States; for the simple reason, thai they
mus. soon become the predominant power;
when lha, which was established against
their consent would be Certainly overthIown.
Such would be the case with tine meas
ure under consideration. If adopted, 1t
must not only be without the consent Of
those States, but with their strenuous oppo-
si,ion, of which we have had tine most con.
elusive evidence on the present occaslon.-
When moved by ,s author, as an amend
menl 10 his bill, it was violently opposed
a, the threshold from that quarter, and re.
ceived but single vote from The new States.
1t is no, necessary 10 inquire whether this
opposition on their part is reasonable, or
not whether il is the result Of mere prelu.
dice, or of deliberate conviction that it IS
hosule TO their Interests. The fact itself,
that there is an almost universal and deter
mined resistance to the measure on their
part. righ, or wrong. is, Of itself, sufficient
proof that it cannot be relied on 10 avert the
threatening danger. On the contrary, its
necessary effect must be to accelerate and
aggravate it. is adoption would. at once,
bring the old and new States inlo violent
conflict, in which the former would be ar.
rayed, almost to every man, in determined
effort 10 overthrow the arrangement, or
some more hostile measure. Add to this
that the Presidential contest would not fall
orun into the controversy, and thus re.
double the excitement and'anImosity, with all
tie fatal consequences which have shown
mus, follow from blending the two.
Assuming, then. that the scheme is both
Objectionable and inefficient, the question
again occurs, what ought to be done? My
mind is made up, after the most serious anG
deliberate reflection, that there is, and can
be, but one remedy; to cede-po that Is
not the proper, the constitutional Word--to
dispose of the public lands TO the States with
IN The limits of which they respectively lie,
on such terms and under such conditions
as shall, at the same time. be just and liberal
to the new States and safe "a the old. We
mus, in word. part vith the oaonership and
administration of the lands lying within
the STATES. leaving those in the Territories,
and beyond, under the operation ofthe pres
ent system. The evil lies in ownership and
administration, and scithout parting cith
them no permanent or efsctual remedy can
be applied.
But whast hal. the terms-what portion otthe
proceeds of the sales Of those lands shall be
eft to the States TO rcnumerate them for The
expense, trouble, and responsibility of their
administration, and what porloa shall be
paid over to the Government annually as
compensation for the land am not
prepared to answer this question. lis de-
cis!on, mus, depend on careful and MIN
ute examination Of all the facts and clrcum.
s'ances of the case. But am decidedly
of the opinion that the portion 10 be left TO
the new Safes ought not only 10 be ample
to cover the trouble. expense. and respon.
slbiIty ofmanagement, but very consider.
ably beyond, SO as to unite their interests
with ours, in order to give stability to the ar.
rangement and insure care and fidelity in
the management. Resting my estimate OF
the compensation on these principles, | have
supposed that the new States might pay
over annually one half Of the gross pro.
ceeds of sales to the Government, and have
an ample sum left for their compensation.
Bat this is mere estimate, without suffi-
cient data. and is, of course. liable TO he in.