The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-04-02


public lands is not only disgusting, but nause-
Gus. The President, as usual, for political
effect, recommends graduation Of the price
oil the public lands, but demand TO know,
SIR, why his friends in Congress do not act as
well as talk Why these unceasing decara-
tons OF anxiety to reduce the price Of the
lands, and yet no effort made by gentlemen on
this floor to prove the sincerity Of those pro-
LESSONS by acts visible and substantial! To
use Western phrase, sir, il is a gul-trap set
to catch votes. But, sir, as gentlemen seem
determined to refer 10 this matter in this dis
cursive debate, l, 10 accommodate them, will
give short sketch Of my experience Of the
operations Of this question. Within the last
ten years |, sir, as resident Of Indiana, know
that this subject Of tho public lands has as
sumed at least dozen different shapes; all,
sir, used as political hobbies, by designing
men, to attain popular favor. The first which
recollect was, to make a donation of land
to every actual settler. This hobby, sir, sent
at least score Of Representatives to Con-
gress. The theory was very good-but no
land being donated, the People became FESTIVE,
and new shape must be assumed and 50
the next question was sentiment domain"
This hobby, sir, savored pretty strongly Of
notification. Its advocates professed to claim
all the lands lying within the States as the
rightful property ofthe sovereign States. And,
sir. they talked right valiantly of Selling them
regardless of Congressional displcasure.
Mr.. Speaker, il would have amused you to
hear the many thousand grand schemes, the
countless fairy castles predicatedupon the sue
cessful prosecution Of this claim. Every
village politician was promising the people
home, handsome freehold, at few cents an
acre. We are always eloquent in the West,
but the splendid defamation Of that day, sir,
is beyond my feeble language to describe.
And, sir, do you know that they even talked
about gunpowder and chivalry, and vowed by
all the spirits of our ancestors that the Federal
Government should no longer lord il over us
But. Mr.. Speaker, courage will cool, espe-
cially when il is laughed at; aud as Congress
treated us rather cavaliery on the subject, we
smothered our wrath, and muttering between
our teeth certain threats of vengeance to come,
abandoned the celebrated sentiment domain"
and took 10 the next hobby, production Of
the price Of public lands" Sir, this was
hobby indeed, long-winded, high-mettled, fleet
footed Sir, the friends Of the Administration
havebeen riding this hobby for years, and fear
that, carrying such Lead in such long heats,
il is now nearly jaded and broken down. But,
Mr.. Speaker, assert without hesitation that
this question has filled more seats upon this
floor and has operated more to the injury ofmy
State than any other question with which they
have been cheated and deceived. Sir, the
Administration, confident of its efficacy, has
made good use Of il, and will tell you how
The bill to reduce or graduate the price of
Ia. Al
year, because the small States have in that
body as much weight as the large States. In
diana, Michigan, and Illinois can there give
six votes New York, Pennsylvania, and
Virginia can give no more; so that by com.
bnation Of the small States the bill could,
with party aid from some Of the Administra-
ton States having no public lands within their
borders, be passed at any time. But how
stands the question, sir, in this House! Here
the forty votes Of New York rise up against
the one vote Of Michigan, the twenty eight
votes of Pennsylvania against the seven votes
of Indiana, the twenty-one votes Of Virginia
against the three votes Of Illinois and then,
sir, the Administration, collecting Just votes
enough to give the measure show of great
strength, suffer it to fail in this House by few
votes; and then, sir, in the next canvass in
the West, every brawlng candidate catching
thepass-word from this Capitol, could be heard
exclaimng, ooh, send me TO Congress; your
favoIlte measure came within two votes oil
passing, and il is sure to pass next year ; the
Administration is devoted in its friendship to
us its influence, with my aid, will succeed
next Congress-" And so, Mr.. Speaker, from
year TO year, this reduction Of the price OF
land has been used as an electoneering theme,
and STILL sir, we are TO be insulted by the same
stale, deceptive story. /, sir, always told the
People that they were duped. | prophesied
that these golden promises would fail; and.
sir, had a right to prophesy; for am not
only Profit. but the son OF Profit.
Laughter.
Mr.. Speaker, the bill providing for dsiri-
button Of the proceeds Of the public lands
amongst the States was introduced into the
Senate, and came before this House. It's
fate, sir, is known. /, as a Western man,
used every exertinn to convince the People
that it was their interest to accept of its pro-
visions. introduced joint resolution into
the Legislature of the State. In every can
vass | made it prominent feature in my po-
li,ical creed But, sir, the tide Of prejudice
set hard. and the reduction hobby carried the
day. The People were told, sir, that II was
not just that New York, where there was no
public land, should receive three or four times
as much money as Indiana. They were told
that it was derogatory to their character as
People to accept of such terms as the disri-
button bill proposed. In short, sir, every
prejudice that party ingenuity could devise
was put in requisition 10 defeat that salutary
measure, and to bolster up the promised re-
duction. Well, sir the Administration has
been for years in power, and where is this