Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-06-26

tcreSt OF the AincrfCans sIcOplG. anu, |
thirdly, that the public lands should cease
as soon as practicable to be a source of
revenue.
o SO far from concurring in the argument,
now insisted upon by his friends, for the
sole purpose Of defeating distribution, that
the public lands should be regarded and
cherished as source of revenue, he was
clearly of opinion that they should alto
gether cease to be considered as source
of revenue.
The measure Of distribution was reported
by me from the Committee on Manufac-
lures in April, 1882, and what was done
with i'll The same majority of the Senate
which had so strangely discovered a con-
geniality between American manufactures
and the public lands, instead of acting on
the report, resolved to refer it to the Com
mittee on Public Lands, of which the Sena-
tor from Alabama (Mr. King) was chair
man; thus exhibiting the curious parlia-
mentary anomaly of referring the report
of one standing committee to another
standing committee.
The chairman on the 18th May made report
from which many pertinent extracts might be
made, but shall content myself with one
This committee turn with confidence from the
iund offices 30 The custon-hOuses, and say, HERE
are the true sources of Federal Revenue! Give
blnds TO the culIvatOr! And tell him to keep mis-
money and lay it out in their cultivation"
Now, M. President, bear in mind that this
report made by the Senator from Alabama EN-.
bodies the sentiments OF his party; that the
measure OF distribution which came from the
Committee on Manufactures exhibited one sys.
tenn for the administration OF the public lands,
and that it was referred 10 the Committee on
Public Lands to enable that committee to make
argumentatve report against it, and present
their system-a counter or antagonist system.--
Well, this counter system is exhibited, and what
is III Does it propose to retain and husband the
public lands as a source Of fevenue? Do we
hear any thing from that committee about the
wants Of the exchequer, and the expediency OIL
economzing and preserving the public lands to
supply them? No such thing. No such rec
concentration. On the contrary, we are deliber
atey told to avert OUT eyes from the land offices
and to fix them exclusively on the custom. house
as the true sources Of federal revenue! Civ
away the public lands was the doctrine of tha
report. Give it TO the cultivator and tell him I
keep his money And the party OF the Senate
from New York, from that day to this, have &C
hered to that doctrine, except at occasional shol
periods, when the revenne-ft has come upo
Them, and they have it convenient, in order t
defeat Distribution to profess great solcitude 70
the interests Of the revenue.
Some Of them, indeed, are too frank 10 max
any such profession. | should be glad 10 kno,
from the Senator from Alabama, If he adheres
the sentiments OF his report OF 1882, and st
thinks that the customhouses and not the Ian
Offices are the true sources Of federal revenue?
Mr.. King here nodded assent
expected it. This removal is honorable
fba ,ondor and indeDendence of the Senator =
lie does not go, then, with the revenue arguer
He does not go with the Senator from Ne
York, who speaks strongly in favor Of the rev
nue. from the public lands, and votes for eve
proposition 10 throw away the public lands.
During the whole progress OF the bill oil di
tribution through the Senate, as far 4s their Sc
timents were to be inferred fom their votes,
were 10 be known by the positive defamation
Of some OF them, the party dominant then ar
now acted in conformity with the doctrines CO.
tanned in the report OF their organ, (Mr, King
Nevertheless, the bill passed both Houses
Congress by decisive majorities.
Smothered as already stated by Presdel
Jackson, he did not return it to the Senate uni
the 4th December 1888. With it came h
memorable Veto Message, Zone Of the most 81
gular Omnibuses that was ever beheld--a stran
vehicle that seemed to challenge wonder and q
evidently employed in its construction, the i
press OF some OF them smeared and soiled as
they were fresh from the kitchen.) Hear hi
President Jackson lays down the law in 1
message:
-. On the whole, adhere to the opinion EXPIRE
ed 10y me in my annual message Of 1882, that ii
our true policy that the public lands shall cease,
soon as practicable to be a source of revenue,
cept for the payment OF those general char!
which grow out of the acquisition of the Ian
their survey end sale" 81 do not doubt that il
the real interest Of eac! and all the States in
Union, and particularly in the new States, that
price Of these lands shall be reduced and grad
ted; and that, after they have been offered &c
certain number of years, the refuse, remain
unsod shall be aba ndoned to the States and
machinery of our land system entirely withdraw
These are the conclusions OF the head Of I
party which has been dominant in this cour
for twelve years past, say twelve, for the
four have been but a codicil 10 the will, e.
cling mere continuation OF the same pol
purposes, and desig ns with that which precee
It. During that long and dismal period, we
know too well, that the commands Of no Mi
General were ever executed with more impl
obedience than were the orders OF Presd
Jackson, OF, if you please, the public policy
indicated by him. Now, in this message, he
peats that the public lands should cease to
source OF revenue, with slight imitation a:
iseration; and adds that their should be redu
and graduated, and what he terms the refuse Il
should be coded 10 the States within which
situated By the by, these refuse lands, ac
ding to statements which have recently S
I i