The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-16


will only come and settle and that before suryey2
The entire existing system is superseded by the intro
duction Of this wooden horse with all the of
! injury with which it is frauqht
have now described but not with all that force n
which the circumstances of the case would warrant
me, the difference between the old and long-estabish
Ell land system OF this country and the and fear
| full experiment now proposed You must have seen
that the change is to be thorough and radical. Now
put 1t to the Administration Senators in this body
to their candorto their patriotism-to their sense of
jusces II right the close Of the administration
OF dismissed ministry TO introduce new and total
y different policy in regard one Of the greatest in
teIests OF the countyl Is it right is 1t fair, that the
policy OF the existing Administration now passing out
OF power shall be made to lap over ON the new Admit
nistraton without consulting them or paying the least
regard to their judgment in the matter The progress
Of the Administration of the American Government
has developed in the practical operation Of our system
new feature and one of the most profound import
ance. different political phenomenon takes place
here from any thing which exists in Europe. In Eu-
! ropean constitutional Governments, when ministry
| is dismissed goes out of office, the King the
Queen, as the case may be- yields TO the change Of
/ sentiment, and comes round with the nation. But
here an Administration may be dismissed and still
remain for months in poicer What, in such case,
is it their duty to dol will tell gentlemen what
would do in the like circumstances would institute
| no new measures of policy. would simply keep the
political machine in motion. would grease the wheels
and repair and preserve all its parts in state prepa
ration for the performance Of those high duties for
! which the whole was constructed but would at
/ tempt nothing new in the permanent policy OF the
| country, foreign or domestic. BY such moderate
course alone the evils of the anomaly to which
have adverted be prevented ! would not ask gentle
men TO deny themselves fair exercise of the Execu
! tive patronage from now till the 18th of March next
i do not ask them to do what was done when Mr..
/ Adams was expelled from the Presidency should
! say lost his election. What did they do then The
Senate refused to pass important Executive nomi
nations till after the 4th of March, and then several Of
them withdrawn and substitutes sent in by the
new Presidents The Senate refused him the consti-
tutional exercise of his official right from the time Of
his lost election till he out of Office. This do
not ask dare TO say General Harrison when he
comes will look at those whom he finds in Office, and,
if he finds that they honest and capable and faith
Jul that they have not been noisy and forward poti
clans, brought their official influence in conflict
with the freedom of elections if any such there be,
laugh.) hope he will let them stand Though fear
there will be but few monuments of the hberality
of Wing Administration, acting on patriotic princi
pies (Sensaton and remarks of "Thats fair" But
if gentlemen expect that General HARRISON because
they choose to rush and make appointments with
a view TO thwart his Administration will when he
comes here fear to do his duty either they have
mistaken the man. General Harrison means to be the
President on the 4th of March next which his fell
low-citizens have elected him to be. And no prema-
ture BILL stretching out of the policy of this into
the next Administration is going to restrain him from
looking at those in Office, and deciding for himself
whether they possess the requisite qualifications for
the discharge of their official duty
But, to come back put it to gentlemen whether
it is right and fair to make this great change in the
land system of the country at such time2 Would
, you like us to do it if conditions were reversed
:. But there are other considerations which admonish
against legislating this subject at the present
time We have not yet officially received the results
Of the for the last ten years cannot there
FORE whether the States have filled up as ra
, pidly could wish. Let first what is thu
number Of their population; SO that may judg
whether any further stimulant is needed to quicker
3 the rate at which their numbers increase | know
indeed that the result will show directly the contrary
I From tables which Icaused to be carefully construct
4 ed nine years ago. it is shown that the population
the States increases at tate vastly that Q
q the old. Take single example The population 3
illinois doubles itself in six years What, then,
n 1.-THE ground for tie Adoption Of this new stem
Does it consist in notions of charity to the poor
4 have formerly adyerted to that subject. Where
gentlemen get their right to set up eleemosynary law
for the benefit of the poorer portions of the commun
= ty2 But if they have, what will be the operation
the system in this respect 1t is pretended be 70
the advantage of widows and orphans, Orphans
4 eighteen years. however) Is any gentleman here ig
norant Of what will and must of necessity be the prac
4 teal operation of such lawa Will widow il
Maine travel all the way to Missouri that she ma.
receive the boon proposed to be given her by this law
Will not its benefits be confined to the widows of thu
locay2 In terms, to be sure, proposes to conie
the presumption all widows and minors But will no
the benefit, in fact be limited widows and minor
residing in the States within which the lands lie
Surely. That, then, is the extent OF your charity.
i am not very we'll and do not feel very much en-
couraged by past experience in opposition to this bill
My hope is elsewhere; though would trust that no
norabe Senators would at least pause before they ak
! such leap
i There are other consequences on which l might
I dwell We have heard that this bill and another al
lied to it are to increase the and believe
that one OF them was, pro forma, sent to the Commit
tee on Finance on that ground The new plan is, tc
increase the OF the impoverished exche
quer but have already shown that for the present
at least the will be diminished instead of in
creased by 1T for the amount vested in the public
lands under this law will be credit of one or two
years, and cannot come into the Treasury till the end
of that time. And those disposed to make such in
vestments will avail themselves ofthe credit there will
be sales to but uncomfortable amount for cash. and
consequent dminution of the proceeds during the
present year. Therefore, with exhausted Treasu-
ry with vast national debt, ascerained and unascer-
tanned besides large amount to be redeemed, Of
Treasury notes outstanding and running on interest
it is now proposed instead of repenishing the empty
Golfers of Mr.. Secretary Woodbury., by imposition
at of duties luxuries to increase, instead OF
removing, the existing deficit in pecuniary re-
sources
Our land system heretofore has been the admiration
the perfect security it gave to the land titles Of
f our settlements No man who had eyes to see
the marks upon tree, upon stone stand
ing in prairie could possibly mistake the limits OF his
own tract; and no other man could have color OF
right to disturb him on the ground of his title SEcU-
RITYabsolute security in land ttles-has been one
Of the highest blessings in the new States But are
you that this will continue to be the under
your new presumption law? Do but conceive how il
will work. Imagine that new district Of rich and
choice land had just been thrown open. The Indian
title has been extnguished but the fresh and fertile
lands have not yet been surveyed. They open,
however, to the operation of this BILL and in the
course of few weeks may become worth from fifteen
! TO twenty dollars per You proclaim to all who
come rushing in torrents upon the new acquisition
and best situations that they shall have presumption
What scenes of confusion, contention heart-burning
: ay, of bloodshed must naturally ensue When ma
ton, heretofore esteemed wise and prudent in the
management Of its public domain procaims to all the
world that the first who comes and sezes on il