Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-02-06

i
her will would be the law to others. Her
influence IN the affairs ofihc Union would
he resistless and almost imperial. In
view otthls necessary result, several o.
the States at an earlier period regarded
Virginia, and other States similarly cir
cumstanced with her, with wise ieal.
ousy. II was proposed as early as Octo.
Der l777, while Congress was engaged
IN framing The articles of coniederacy,
g that The u. S. in Congress assembled
! shall have the sole and exclusive right
and power TO ascertain aud fix the ives.
tern boundary ofsach States as claim 10
the Mississippi or South sea, and lay out
the land beyond the boundary so ascer-
tanned, into seperate ana independent
States, from time TO lime, as the numbers
and circumstances Of the people thereof
shall require" This proposition was re-
Iectcd, and in consequence offs rejection,
Mary land, although with noble and pa.
triotic spirit she continued to give her i'm.
portant aid 10 the common cause, refused
TO adopt the articles az confederucv until
March 1881. Other States also exhibit
ed evidences of much disquietude upon
the same subject. In the progress oil the
war the interest taken in the subject of
what was called "the waste and unappro-
priated lands," became more intense
Congress resorted to parental admonitons
in order to calm the public mind, and Fl.
nally the proprietor States were induced
To surrender those extensive domains as n
sacrifice on the altar Of harmony and un.
| ion thus furnishing TO the world an ex.
ample Of devoted attachment to lreeeom
unequalIed by any previous example to
be found recorded ia the annals OF man.
, kind. The cession made by Virginia, of
lands lying within States already created
and constituting flourishing and important
members OF this Union, exceeds, accord.
ing to the published estimates, loo, 900,
600, OF acres, to say nothing OF her claim
to other lands stretching tsbttsashores OF
the Pacific ocean. This lnunificent grant
was made by her and accepted by the 9th,
er States on the LIST day of March, 1884.
10 this noble act OF dislntcrcstcdness she
was followed by Massachusetts, Connec.
| ticut, South Carolina, North Carolina, and
Georgia and thus those extensive do.
mains, which, if held by the original pro-
| prietor States, would constitute clements
10 each Of greatness and power, have
long since become objects of primary
Importance 10 all the States united The
other public lands held by the United
States, and lying within whai @ere for.
merly the limits OF Louisiana and Florida,
r.1 hM e.
nations, and have been paid for on, Ola
common treasure, 10 which each OF the
States had IN its due proportion contribu-
ted.
From the foregoing brief but your COM
mittee hopes satisfactory sketch Of the
manner in which the United States m their
corporate capacity have come 10 be inves.
ted with proprietary rights over by far
the greater part Of the vast domains now
held by them, il cannot fail TO be set
down as among their high st moral and
political obligations, to observe with f.
deity the terms and conditions by and
under which as set forth IN tho cotnpacts
OF cesslon, they have acquired their rights
OF proprieiorship. Those terms aud con-
ditions are so plainly set forth in said
compacts as 10 leave no room for cavil as
to their true meaning. Tae deed OF cess
ion from New York, which preceded that
from Virginia, contains the following dis
tinct stipulation, that the lands cedcd
"shall be and enure for the use and bene-
fit Of such OF the United States as shall be-
come members Of the federal alliance OF
tbs Il n r.
benefit whatever" That from Virgnia
declares that the lands ceded :" shall be
considered as common fund for the use
and benefit Of such OF the United States
as have become, or shall become mem.
bcrs Of the confederation or federal ALI.
ance Of the said States, Virginia inclu.
svc, according To their usual respective
proportions in the general charge and ex-
pendture, and shall be faithfully and bona
fde disposed Of for that purpose, and for
no other use or purpose whatsoever. -
The cessIons made by North Carolina
and Georgia are independent on the same
conditions-%tho difference between them
being altogether in the phyaseoiogy EN-.
ployed. There cannot well be two opin-
ions entertained as TO the proper con-
structiop of these deeds oil cession. If
Virginia had retained possession and IL
te-in other words, if she had never made
a grant Of her lands to the United States.
she would exclusively have enjoyed all
the emouments arising from their sals. -
She granted, however, to The other States
an equal participation with herself in the
benefits arising from such sales, upon q
principle just and equitable IN ITSELF
Have those compacts, been, to use the
Language Of her compact, bona Pile com
pied with by the Congress