Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-09-09
LvNcsamuRs. sEpTKanEn .. 1870.
BENToNIAN HONEsTY-TnE PUBLIC
LANDS.

more extensively lis Lame as lie author OF The ood
II umbug aud Of stirring up the splrit of plumber a
mnnp the squatters upon the public lands. So far
az the first theme of The Honorable" Senator's eer
nal song is cones rned the Gold Humbug,--we
scarcely deem II necessary, al his time oil day |
since It's explosion has rendered II and lis author
theme OF universal ,idieue. 10 say word. No one
but a man Of uubounded assurance would, IL The
teeth Of its disastrous results, boast of It's paternity
Any other man than Benton would plunge into the
thickes, obscurly, that he might be- hid from the
wit ernc scorn OF deluded and indignant people.
Bur he still descanls upon the benefits and gorles OF
gold currency, as if the universal and inllesble
laws Of commerce. which he and his party have gross
~ violated in their efforts Gas frutess Canutrs
command 10 the wavrs) to force the precious metals
into ,iiegi innate channels, had not Knocked their
most power aud show how futile is every artemptto
change then natural aud invarlabIe results. The
brilliant promises Of the Missouri Senator and hls
clique stand yet unredeemed. Instead Of FLOWING
up the Mississippi" Guild If II move AT all, takes
downward conIse, to seek foreign shore, from
which las been, not draw by the legitimate oper
atoms of commerce, bu forced by the death nnict-
,ng srimulants Of quaeks and charIaans. Every
ship that leaves the Atlantic ports bearing back to
Europe large quantities Of the precious metals, for
the avowed aud obvious purpose Of supplying the de-
mands of trade and Of restoring that commercial
! equilibrium which has been SO rudely disturbed by
the yiolen measures OF the present aud the proceed
ding Administrations, and the effects OF which will
be visible, lcng afler tie handsthat gave the blow
shall be ne. yeltss IN the grave.
But, upon this subje ii Was not much our
purpose remark. in relation to another, with
which the leader of the SpoiIs men, in and of
office, is not less prominently and fa more dshon-
oraby denliled--we mean the Public Lands
While IN Platte county, Missouri. the Senator
took occa sion moi only to commend those squatters
upon The Public Lands. whose past violations of the
laws instead Of being severely punished, has been
rewarded by the premiums OF the pre-empuon sys-
tenn bu, urge upon others the proprely of push
ing forward tins scheme Of wholesale robbery and
fraud, by plunsng as Gar as possible INFO the heart
Of the public don ain--pronlsng them not only a
protection against punishment, bu that hey too shall
be rewarded for thelr enterprze, in "subdung the
Wilderness as he poellcally styles this Wholesale
plumber of tie public. II steal lis neiellbols
puise he is ncarcefated in the reuilcnilarv-if he
make farclbe entry upoa his ncighbors land, he is
forcbiy elected, aud is liable atlion for damages.
But here. whole colonies Of "Ango-Saxon land
robbers" seize upon lie public domain, in direct
aud open violation of the law, winch fobds il, IN
stead purchasing trose lands Which have been
surveyed aad Subject TO entiy-and after having
thus seized upon the choicest spots, worth in many
from % to 100 dollars per acre, they 90 before
Congress. aud demand, that, rs they have "subdued
the wildeness,' iolsooth. they shall be confirmed
by presumption law, IN the POSSESSION of the lands
upon which. rampng honesty aud law alike,
they have thus seized. And Mr.. Benton, Instead Of
rebukIng and warning his lelnw citizens Of the in
proprIety OF their course-instead If telling lhem
thai, good citizens, they ought to obey the laws
If thelr country. which, whether wise and salulary
not, demand The acquiescence and submission of
al good ezens long they aye unrepeaed-
inste 1G of telling them, that, atho eh in times past
the government had determined to overlook these
ltessrassts uron the public property, yet thai the
dishonest and fraud protecting pre- empton system
cou ID not and ought to be perpe,uaed--insead
OF taking this high and honorable ground, which
alone became an honest man or an indepe ndenr
statcsman-Col. Benton openly advises the squatters
10 enlarge The field other opealions-o go on in their
career Of p!under-promsng them that the same pre-
empuon system which has not only SIN elded their
predecessors from punishment, but has absolutely
enriched them, shall be again and again resoncd to.
as often as The exigeneies of the may render its
repetition expediet! An American Senator coun-
selling his constituents 10 trampe upon the laws OF
the land aud promising them imputi, and rewald,hy
the adoption OF an CT posi- Jict9 law and tue assump.
lion OF JUDICIAL prerogatIyes by Congress
II .hls pre- -enpuon system islo become the estab
shed usage OF the county, why Ter its per-
odical recurrence unnecessary by repeating all laws
forbdding the settlement of unsuivry ed public laud>
aud opening at once the whole uuuccuplud Territory
OF the Union 10 the avaiice and encrnze oflhe en-
grant All persons would then, at least, be upon an
equal ooimg-and the honest would enjoy privilege
now monopollzed by the dishonest for whilst thuse
who are disposed to obey the laws will keep their
hands from picking aud stealing" they only profit
by this fraudulent procedure who neither fear
God, regard man
Let settlers go on" (says Col, Benion,) and re-
~ upon Congress to pass II new or on The com !
mon lac Of public sentiment, 10 protect hem if II
does not" Was there ever more rrofltgate doc.
lrine than this uttered in country of Laws? For, |
what is this " common law of lubllc sentiment. |
npon winch The Missouri Senator relies when !, !
comes in conflict with the statute law which is Thar
public sentin ent, made know n in the only legitimate
mode recognized by lhe constltution,-what is live
ask, but the banaW principle Which binds tope,bcr
I'VE ROBBERS OF The Apprentices, and the ocean buc.