The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-03-04
{ NUMBER 90.

fac settler who IS not worth over one thouS.
and dollars. am prepared to protect him
IN hs possession against the host Of rich
and erasping Spectators who, under the
pfeie1t Of your presumption law, and under
the deceptive mask Of an intention TO settle
and Improve your lands, are seeking 10 GET
the pubic domain into their possession, tina:
they nlay coulertli into nn engine 10 enrich
themselves.
Is there any thing in this proposl;ion, 80
very GareasonaDle--so moustrous so
enormeus so cunning ~ If we are
10 have presumption at all, for whose ben.
eft is il 10 be granted? Gentlemcn, 10 very
moving toues, demand cur sympathies ard
ask cur bounties for the poor and tho needy.
This proposition meets their sympaihics and
complies with their demands II holds cut
bounty 10 the poor and needy-a larger
bounty, than the gentlemen themselves pro.
pose to give; aud all II asks Is, guard
tibet this bounty shall not be given to the
rich Is that " monstrous 2" " hat do
geuicn.ea desire VIVA; would tLey have
Do they want TO give pre- emptIons-t to the
slch To make the rIch richer Ii not,
why do they reject my proposition Nine
has The very essence Of a pre- cmpiion Law;
aud Il is Tue only sort Of a.pre .emption law
which can be honestly indicated. Few
men, worth ever Thousand dollars, sect;
/ for themselves bone amongst the distant
wlIjs Of the public lands. Very small, in.
deed, is the number whom such restriction
wlll exclude but it viii shut out tie men
who make their wealth out Of the public
plumber. Do gentlemen resist il on that
account
would not occupy moment Of the Sen.
ate's time, were not bouud to show that 1
an nc. ashamed Of the measure have pro-
posed, aod have no thought of " shrinking
from lis deleuce. What objection can be
urged agalos, the part of my ameudmen;
which proposes TO unite with pre- emption
tho principle Of distribution! 1t would be
/ IDLE a! this tine to repeat the history OF The
cesslon 70 the Union of the puJlis domain
on shfch cession rests the right of the States
10 participation in its proceeds. These
lands were ceded, be it remembered in
lis1, a, time when the old Confederation
was the undamen,al law Of the Union.
when the Treasury was supplied by requisl.
tons on tho States according to the amount
4 ofierritory in each State F.; il was ceded with
lie express purpose, that It should be and
remain for ths common benefit CT all the
States. The proceeds were 10 be divided
according 70 the quota furnished to each
State 10 The expenses Of the General Gov.
ernnen'i and how was that quota regula.
ted! According TO an estimate Of improv.
cd lands in the several States. But is that
The rule Of Tue States contribution now -
II the proceeds of the public lands 90 into
the Treasury, does each State get lis share
now IN this proportion No; not unless
the taxes were IN exact proportion to the
lands 10 each Siote. The rule has been
altered. 4ou have changed the means of
taxation, bot you cannot change The words
of the Acts Of Cession, by virtue of which
you hold your public lands and the only
way to fulfill the intent and meaning of that
cession, IS TO 60 according TO the terms in
which /; is expressed. The revenue from
the public lands, is not Ike The rest of the
reveaus under the Constitution. Those
lands we're ceded TO us, not under the Constl.
futon, but under the Confederation and tho
purpose the cesslon can only be fulfilled
by as near an approximation to the very
words Of The deed as circumstances now
render possible.
But this proposition is very dangerous.
The honorable gentleman from Missouri re.
minds Us that when, some yea S ago, we
were about To distribute the surplus then in
the Treasury, by deposiIing it with the
States, be uttered the prophecy tina, the
practice Of distribution would not stop there;
that if the States once began to lap that
blood, il would eventually become their
common food that the General Govern.
ment would be stripped of its revenue tina,
the States would seize upon the money in
the Treasury, add would have the General
Government 10 collect the deficiency as il
could in word. that the States having
once got the taste Of blood, would laslen on
the General Government ike so many
vampires, ard would drain its veins of the
las, drop Of their vitality. Well, the hon,
orasl' Senator last up seems 10 think land |
concur with hIm) that we ought to repose
The fullest confidence IN the good faith Of
the States, and rely without hesitation on
their fulfilling all their contracts. But
what does the argument Of the Senater from
Missouri Imply Confidence in the fideli.
ty Of the States What a magnificent
complainant has the honorable gentleman
paid to the States Of this Contederacy In
his opinion they are so many vampires
they are 10 lap the blood of the Govern.
ment-they arc 10 feed upon !ta strength and
sack lis veins. Why wha, is the General
Government Is it not their own of.
spring And is the parental sentiment SO
weakened, so destroyed, so reversed, that
the parent will devour the child Tho
States, it seems, are not to be trusted;
they are set OF vampires; they will lap
the hearts blood Of The Government, and
drain is veins. That is the Senator's
a / ~