Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-01-21

~se'Sos y Ash bAC uOtaCctlC INSTITUTIONS Ot l.
the slave holding States...A preamble and
resolutions of the General Assembly ofthe
State Of Missouri respecting slaverv-Re.
solutions of the council and General AS.
sembly ofthe State of New JERSEY in rela-
tlon TO che Public Lands, and report Of a /
Joint Committee on the same subject
Resolutions Of the General Assembly of
the State Of Missouri in relation TO the |
proper distribution ofthe Public Domain.
Resolutions OF the State Of Maine relative
to the same subiect--Resoutlons of the
State Of North Carolina in relation to Ex.
pungng, the Sub-Treasury, the Public
Domain, and the patronage and expendi-
lures of the General Goyernment-Rcso.
lptions Of the State Of Ohio, approving Of
the course Of the General Government.
aud the authorities of Maine, in relation to
the North Eastern Boundary-An act Of
the People of the State of New York, to
authorize the arrest and detention Of fugi.
tives from Justice from other States and
Territories of the United States. A let.
ter of Major General Edmund Pendleton
Gaines, Of the United States Army, in re-
iatlon 10 the construction of Rail Roads.
sand the National defence. Also, letter
OF Daniel Brent, ESQ.,, Consul Of the Uni.
ted States, at Paris, in relation TO the pas.
sage Of an act providing for the acknowl-
edgement and execution Of deeds of con.
veyance and other instruments of writing
IN foreign countries, touching property in
this State. Eight of these documents are
submitted to your consideration at the re.
quest Of several sovereign States Of this
Union; the other two emanate from disiin.
guished individuals, and the subjects en-
braced in them all, are deserving of your
regard. The disposition of the public do.
main, is deeply interesting to the people of
this State. A of the new States except
Mississippi, have received large grants of
public lands. But few townships remain
in the State TO be offered for sale, and the
quantity unsold, is generally oflittle value.
Mississippi pays more than her share of
the taxes, indirectly levied, in the shape of
imposts on the foreign goods she consumes.
1t is our duty to insist.on a surrender of
the vacant lands in our borders. Our
State pride revolls at the idea Of our sister
States acquiring through the legislation OF
Congress, q right to our soil, and to keep
it out Of market, as long as the dictates of
avarice may deem mete. 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 Government. 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 do.
main, will never be submitted to by the
freemen of this State. The cxigency of
the times demand an expression of opinion
onthls subject, from the legislature at the
present juncture.
The laws now in force, are believed TO
be adequate to protect our citizens in the
enjoyment the rights guaranteed to them
by the National compact, and the unccas-
ing Efforts Of the fanatics cannot disturb
our repose. The schemes tend to make
MS rely on our own resources, and |
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
moro with those who are denouncing our
domestic policy.
The immense debts contracted in Eu.
rope, by tho several States for the purpo.
ses of Internal Improvement, and the es-
adjustment of Banks, have afforded the
means of introducing more foreign goods
into the country, than the wants of trade
required, or the exports of the country
justified. Capitalists begin to distrust the
ability fthe States to pay the interest On
this heavy debt punctually, and TO extin-
guish the principal at maturity. Some oil
the works constructed, do not pay the
costs of keeping them in operation; many
Of them do not yield interest on the CAPT
tai invested. 1t is quite probable, tina
several of the States will be unable to pay
the interest punctually, in par funds, oil
the loans they have contracted. Man,
years will elapse LeGore money can b
borrowed offoreign capitalists, on favora
bic terms, and it may well be questioned
whether we have a right to saddle our pos
terty with heavy debt, for any othe
purpose, than to provide for our Nations
defence and the perpetuIty OF our free II
stitutions. Ifihe debt incurred was du
to our own citizens, its burthens would n,
be so great. The country would not |
annually drained of its specie to pay Il
interest, but it would not be expendt
among US. The public creditor won
bear his portion of the public burthen
Two bills will come up for your final a
ton, proposing to pledge the faith of Il
State for the further sum of six millions
dollars, for the internal improvement
the country. These bills have already pa
sed one legislature, and no doubt will
acted upon, with the caution and delibe
alton called for, by the magnitude Of t
subject and its important bearing upon I
future welfare and credit of the State. 4
experience proves that heavy articles C.
be transported much cheaper to mark
on Rivers and Canals, than on Rail RoaC
II is worthy Of your serious considerable
whether our means should not first be "a
propriated to the Improvement Of tho
channels in our State furrowed out by t
hand of Providence, for our special us
An expenditure Of less than one million
dollars, judIc;ously applied, would be suf