The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-03-19
The fourth resolution was Then read, as follows:

A. Rssoipsd, That TO Sc, apart the public lands OF
the revenues arising thererom fer the before mention
ed purposes would be equally unjust, inehPedie'' ana
unconstitutional.
Mr.. BENTON moved to amend by striking out all
alter the word " resolved, yaDd inserting
That the assumption Of such debts. either openly
oy direct promise to pay them, or dsgusedy by CIV
ing security Tor their payment. or by cieaung surplus
revenue, or by applying the national funds TO Psy them
would be gross and fragrant violation Of the const'u,
ton and wholly unwsnansd by the letter or spirit Of
that instrument"
Mr.. GRUMPY consented to the amendment re-
marking that, the Senate had adopted three oil the
resolutions reported by the committee, it was isir that
the original mover should have the opportunity oil IN
Producing one OF his own.
Mr. WHITE said he was surprised 10 see, on the
part of the Senators on the other sde 90 sudden and
ready an abandonment Of the only pfaeeai resolution
in the series. Tho resolution now proposed 70 %
stricken out refers TO subject OF more import 70 NC
seves States and citizens Of the Union than any ~ncn
has been presented to The Senate during the SEES
son. 1t is a subject which gentlemen wiz soon %
compelled to look the face the conditlon OF .he
raj States aud the voice Of the People require y;
primary object for which the lands were ceded 70 inc
Union having been accomplished, the oahef giea' sno
provisional objects Of the cession remain 70 DC exc
cuted. The public domain, enhanced now 70 ~ 'h-
value, is regarded by the People Of me STATES
legitimate fund, be distributed in some just ana
equitable ratio for the support and building up oi mat
system Of internal improvement which has been repu-
dated by the Federal Government and ihrown up
on tho Sistes The snd m,eror Statcs are espe-
cially interested in such distribution Under our poll
teal system, as at present organized and adms'eieu.
all the heavy disbursements from the public exchequef
made and will continue TO be made upon the sea
board and if the new States ever expect to realize
those "equa rights Of sovereignty, freedom, ana nde-
pendence with the other States guaranteed IN ineir
fundamental compacs, they must look 10 the puohc
domain for the redemption Of the pledge.
II is true Continued Mr. w )that the friends OF these
resolutions and the authors of this report seemed IN
clined hasten the determination Of this great cues
ton without deliberations and after immature counsel
Still he prepared TO vote upon It, In the presen-
taon Of these useless and negative resolutions against
the assumption of State debts, flor which. although
they might contain certain abstract truths, Mr. W. sand
he had not voted, because there was no exgency re-
curing their adoption, and because, ltmed as they
wcre they seemed TO him to poriend mischief to the
Staes declaration against any distribution Of the pub
lie domain proceeds for the benefit Of the States,
was modeslly at first nsnuated and by degrees more
boldly and distinctly advanced The mover OF the ORR
gna resolutions (Mr Benton) adyerts to this subject
only of the ep consequences TO be apprehended
from the assumption Of State debts, chaacerzng as
"begetng passion for periodical distributions GLANDS
and money, and extensions Of Federal credit, which
could find limit demands untll the national do
main was exhausted, the Federal treasury emplied, and
the credit OF the Union reduced TO contempt
The honorable Senator from Georgia, (Mr Limp
kim in proposing substitute for the original resoiu-
tons, tits lance directly against the distribution Of the
public lands, by declaring
"That the assumption by the General Government OF
the debts of the States, contracted for local purposes,
whether il shall he a direct assumption which would
make the General Government responsible Tor said debts,
or indirect, by a distribution Of public money among
the States enable them pay their debts or spedge
Of public lands for the said purpose otherwise, would
ha and lance and
the members of the Union, and wholly unauthorized by
the letter spirit of the Constitution"
And finally sir the select committee, in their fourth
and last resolution give this question such prom-
nence to make 1t appear to AN impartial reader that
the resolutions which precede it were only ed
give color to the last and they have elaborated the
subject through pages Of their printed report And
yet the Senator from Missouri proposes to deprive the
country Of the bene6, Of this argument Of the commit
tee, and nuify this last important resoution-the
chairman of the committee (Mr. Grnndy) conserving
to such unccremonlous demolition Of the arch OF
fabric which he has reared with much care and
labor
Mr.. w said it not his purpose now to comment
upon the question Of the public lands, the beneficial
objects which the Government may accomplish through
the instrumenalty Of this fund but merely TO express
his surprise that the friends Of this report should so sud-
denly have deserted Of their most cardinal positions,
and at the same time his qualification that the subject
was to be reserved for future and more mature debe
ration. ~
Mr.. NORvELI. then moved 10 amend by adding the
following
S Resolped, That while the Senate Of the United
States is fully impressed with the importance and cor
recpess of the principles contained 10 the foregoing re-
solutions intended thereby 10 create any DOUBT
of the constitutional right Of the States to contract
debts nor of their disposition, or aoiy 10
fulfil the engagements which they have contracted lot
purposes Of internal improvement. as well as Tor other
subjects within the range OF their reserved powers
The question on the amendment was taken by yeas
and nays, and decided in the affirmative, as follows:
YEAS-Messrs Allen, Anderson, Benton, Brown,
Buchanan, Clay Of Ala, Fulton, Grundy Henderson,
King, Linn, Lumpkin MoGton, Nicholas, Norveil'
Roane, Robinson, Sewer, Sturgeon, Wall, Williams,
Wrigh-22
NAYS-Messrs Calhoun, Hubbard, Pierce, Smith,
of Indsna, Strange, Tappan, White-I
Mr.. BELTS then offered the following amendment:
Resoiped That the distribution OF the public lands,
the proceeds arising theefro unwise, UNJUST AID
Inc xpedient,
fCres Of " Not in order
Mr. WRIGHT hoped it would not be made qnes-
ton of order He really desired TO see whether the
Senator would vote for his own proposition why at
so late an hour were propositions Of this KIND put lonh
when il was manifest that they would not be sustained
by their movcrsl
Mr. BELTS said his object was to obtain direct
vote from gentlemen the other side IN relation to this
Mr. B. followed up the subject Tor some
minutes giving the course pursued by the friends oil the
report
Mr. GRUMPY could not agree with the Senator
from New York he could make no compromises, out
would insist on the point Of order.
The VICE PRESIDENT decided the question out
of order,
Mr.. PRENTISS then moved to further amend tho
resolution, by inserting the following:
"But rothing contained in the foregoing resolutions
is to be understood denying or questioning the rgnt
or power of Congress make equal distribution OF