Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1839-10-08
= OIL Il &c A l. E.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.--WIIIG POLICY.
[FnoM THE rouGHKErpsIE EAGLE.

FROM THE PoUGHKErPsIg EAGLE.
While the organs of the administration every
where croakng about wing extravaganza respecting
improvements, and crying out about "a state debt OF
forty millions" who hears a word from them about
the exten, and value of the public lands The great
public domain, that mighty mine OF wealth which is
the common property OF the people OF this Union, OF
what account do they make that in their calculations
respecting the future policy of the state we may
well ask the question: for rarely If At all, does the
subject receive the least notice their hands They
are so much concerned about state debt and direct
faration and the burden ofthe dear peope that they
have no time to enquire or give information respcc-
ting the res0urcessetting aside those that will be
drawn from the public works reconsideration which
the wings propose to secure the means 10 pay all
those debts about which they rayng, and obtain
an immense surplus to be used for purposes OF edu
cation. The wing policy respecting the public lands
and the extent and value of those lands, they have
nothing say about.--Perhaps they may consider it
undemocrdfic or ',,njudicious" 10 do So
The public lands belonging to the general govern
ment are the property OF the states and the people
| of tho Union. hf,or the coso of the revolution all
me public land within national territory belonged
TO the old thirteen staes--the general government
having no control over it, They had borne the bur
den of the war, had secured their dependence, and
each state looked to lis lands an ultimate re-
source from which its share OF the debt might be paid
But when the constitution came be adopted, and the
general government was vested with power to raise
money without the concurrence of the state the ques
ton arose about what should be done with the public
lands. The claims of the several states were very
extensive and conflicting, and new states could moi
be formed within the limits of the old ones without
their consent, and thus the old thirteen, by holding on
I TO their lands could have extended themselves as
they pleased. il was therefore proposed the
| ly way OF removing the difficulty that the states
should cede their lands to the general government
the proceeds OF said lands be applied pay off the
national debt, aand after its extnguishment TO return
TO the said states again.
The debt all paid ia Io3o, and sinoo ,i,s
time the question has been in Congress- at almost
every session, as to what should lie done with the
revenue that il still arising from that source. More
than thousand millions OF yet 10 be dispos
ed Of We venture 10 assert that every honest anc
I intelligent man in the country, viewing the ques
ton with strict reference TO its merits, will say
once that the public debt is cxtlngushed the pro-
ceeds ofthose lands should again to the states
TO which they originally belonged. The terms up
on which they were originally coded 10 the genera
government, and every principle OF justice and right
require that this should be done The is toe
plain TO need further argument
Now what the policy OF the wings with reference
20 this important subject As the public
debt paid, IlENRY CLAY introduc I'd bill in Tia,
Senate Of the United States, providing that the pro
r ceeds of the public lands, from that time forward
should be distributed among the states IN proportion
TO their representation. The measure was immedi
ately sustained by Daniel Webster and every wing
in Congress and advocated by the entire party through
baton. The administration party said little about It
through fear OF It's popularity with the people bu
made every effort 10 defeat the measure indirect
ly.
In the session that closed in March 1895, whil'
South Carolina 10 arms agalns, the Union, ans
every body irembed for the harmony Of the states
I ano when Mr. Clay brought forward hs famous tarii
/ compromise bill which al once siled every dlscor
dani element. the settlement OF the land question up
. on his plan made part Of that compromise
Such was the irresistible popularity of the measure
thai nobody in Congress dared 10 oppose II, and NOR
than wo-thirds Of both houses voted for II. IL wen
into the hands Of the President, where encounter
, ed the influence Of Martin Van Buren, that evil gen
JUS Of our county. who never kaOwn 10 chens
any spirit bat that Of sslhshness He that n Ia
bill was vetoed and returned would pass both hOu
ses by the constitutional majority and become Law
N spite Of such veto, and therefore persuaded IN
President, whose honesty cOrresFonded with his own
20 pocket the bill, and return II al ali that session
( lie wanted keep the public lands reserve 10 bu
40 the votes Of half dozen states 10 max
himself president, reelection DC. and there
fore by a fraud most outrageous, and usufpaiio
the must mean and dangerous committed IN thu
country the peOpl. Of tie old states cheated Oh
I Of an Immense revenue clearly DsH O1a wa
their original nigh, 70 the public lands.
! When Congress assembled IA December 1885, ~
administration boldly took ground against Mr.. Clay
land ball. and proposed ~ giys ,as lsBds n.thla oT