The Yazoo City Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 183?-1840, 1840-01-17

/ passage Of an act, providing for tho acknowedg.
nent and execution of deeds Of conveyance, and
other instruments of writing in foreign countries
touching property in this state Eight of these
documents are submitted to your consideration al
the request of several sovereign states Of this
/ Union; the other two emanate from distinguished
individuals, and the subjects embraced III them
all, are deserving of your regard.
The disposition of the public domain, is deeply
interesting TO the people of this state. All OF the
new states, except Mississippi have received large
grants OF the public lands. But few townships
remain in the state to be offered for sale, and the
quantity unsold, is generally of little value. Mis-
sisspp pays more than her share Of the taxes, in
directly levied, in the shape of imposs on the for
eign goods she consumes 1t is our duty to insist
on surrender o. the vacant lands in our borders.
Our state pride revolts at the idea of our sister
states acquiring through the legislation of con-
gress, right to our soil, and to keep it ont Of
market. as long as the dictates Of aVarice may
deem meet The funds of the government are
chiefly expended in the old states The national
debt is all paid The revenue accruing from i'm
posts, IS sufficient TO supply the wants of the GO
vernment. The sales OF the public lands in this
state, heretofore, exhausted our resources and
contributed much to the present embarrassment
of the country. The existing system should no
longer be tolerated, and the measures proposed
by the old States in relation to the public domain,
Will never be submitted to by the treemen of this
state. The eXlgency of the times demand an eX-
pression.o opinion on this subject, from the legs
lature at the present juncture.
The laws row in force, are believed TO be
| adequate TO protect our citizens in The en-
lJoyment of the rights guaranteed to them by
the National compact, and the unceasing eff
forts OF she fanatics cannot disturb our re-
pose. Their schemes tend 70 make us rely
on ouTSown resourses, and trust the time
is not far distant, when we will be enabled
TO carry on our commerce direct with those
countries that consume our great staple, and
traffic no more with those who are denoun-
cling our domestic policy.
The immense debts contracted in Europe,
BY the several States for the purposes of In
ternal improvement, and the establishment
If Banks, have afforded the means of intro
ducing more foreign goods into the country,
than the waits Of trade required, or the ex-
ports of the country justified Capitalists
begin TO distrust the ability Of the States to
pay the interest on this heavy debt punctu-
ally, and TO extinguish tie principal at ma
turity. Some of the works constructed, do
not pay the costs ofkeep;ng them in opera
ton; many of them do not yield interest on
The capital invested. Ii is quite probable,
that several Of the States will be unable TO
pay the interest punctually, in par funds, on
the loans they have contracted. Many years
will elapse, before money can be borrowed
of foreign capitalists, on favorable terms, and
it may well be questioned, whether we have
a right to saddle our posterty with heavy
debt, for any other pupOse, than 10 provide
for our National defence and the perpetuity
of our free Institutions. Ifthe debt incurred
was due to our own citizens, its burthens
would not be so great. The country would
not be annually drained fits specie TO pay
the interest, but it would be expended a
mong us. The public creditor would bear
his portion Of the public burthens. Two
bills will come up for your final action, pro-
posing to pledge the faith of the State for
the further sum Of six millions of dollars, for
the internal improvement Of the country.
These bills have already pissed one legiSla-
ture, and no doubt will be acted upon, with
the caution and dcliberation called for, by
the magnitude ofthe ublect and its impOr-
tant bearing upon the future and credit of
the State. All experience proves, that
heavy articles can be transported much |
cheaper to market, on Rivers and Canals, |
than on Rail Roads. 1t is worthy of your
serious consideration, whether our means
should not first be appropriated to the i'm
provement of those channels in our State,
furrowed out by the hand ofProvidenCe, for
our especial use. An expenditure of less
than one million Of dollars, judicionsly APP
piled, would be sufficient to remove the OBJ
structOns from the various water courses of
the State. and to bring navigation to the Dor ,
ders ofevery county. No State in the Union
enjoys facilities of water communication TO
an extent equal to ours, and we will be re-
creant to our duty, if we fail to remove the
obstacles interposed TO the enjoyment of the /
advantages they.are capable of atlOrding:
herewith transmit the report Of the en-
gineer appointed to survey the sea coast on
the Southern border Of the State, together
with chart showing the various channels
and the depths of water in the several har-
bors and the channels leading thereto.
Much time was taken and labor undergone
by the engineer in making the survey, and
have full confidence in the accuracy of his
report. It is now demonstrated that we
have fine harbOr on our own coast, and in
due course of time an emporium, for the
Shipment ola large portion of the surplus
products of the State, and for the reception
Of our foreign supplies of merchandise, will
be established within our own borders, and
subject to the control ofour own Legislation.
An advantageous position for naval station
md depot Of naval stores can be obtained
lear the coass. The great depth of the har-
,or, it's contiguty to the West India Islands
md to an abundant supply of fine timber
suitable for ship building, will commend The
,lace to the favorable consideration Of the
General Government. The account of mo- {
liesexpended by the engineer, and of the
inc taken to complete the survey, is here
With transmitted, and an early appropriation
0 pay the sum, together with the SALARY of
ne engineer, is requested.