Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-07-05

Neither borrower, nor leader be;
| Ana borrowing dulls the edge OF hushsndry."
Economy is the peculiar duty of this Goyernp,cn,
oui we are now under the necessity of borrowing
| VIII not 20 back TO inquire how we got here Suf
nee TO say We have debts, and NC must pay them
NC owe money, and every honest man mea ms that
we shall pay IT, The question is, while we nre
| borrowing money TO pay our debts will Won Give
| away the proceeds of the public lands From Nh,
report OF the Secretary OF the Treasury il appears
.ha, moulding surplus of four millions to he kept
III tue treasury, and including the ne >essary 10
put our Qualifications in some state of prepara,,op
though not TO place them in battle array there will
| oe dehclt OF twelve millions of dollars And is
TINS time for such as ~ now proposed 10
us What urgent necessity exists lust now for
thls dStiOuuonl Is any one Of the States i'm such
| ehucmes 'hat II cannot wait TO see, first, what will
oe the results OF the new revenue billi Are they
so impatient that they cannot wait the deve lopment
| oil public OpiniOg other topics think no, I
think that prudence dictates TO us to wait a while
Both the gentleman from Maryland and myself owe
y to The American People to move cauIously-cau-
! Vou'yi not TO leap preclpitatoly iHto measures
mnicn may lead TO what they now little anticipate
ne ON contempiaies the POSSIBILITY, nay, the actua
Prohaoihty OF war. We'll, under such a prospect
does II make final settlement of the ne nile xn- nucs
Ton OF tho public landsl Not at all. There acc dozen
contingencies which may still affect that question
! Inc occurrence OF war unSetles 1t at once con-
sder II as important tina, 1t should be settled. |
am Tor measures that will settle il permnnsntlv
not temporarily. Now If we listen TO the debates
IN the other end of this capitol, or in this Hall we
might well conclude that war is probable. And
YET, while questions OF the most serious aud press.
ing weight are upon u.s. gentlemen here are engaging
IN the discussion of moot questions in the law Of
nations Yes, instead OF arning our Qualifications
anu putting the nation in posture of defence, they
! arc uispu'hS about abstract questions OF nterna-
tonal law. will not touch that subject Ii | did
should ask what is the right of this Federal Gov
eminent TO interfere with the jurisdiction of the iu-
uieaI tribunals OF the State OF New York; But
VII NOT move that question. | say that, should
war occur II will disturb al all the provisions
OF this bill. But to proceed with its details After
liberal bounty conferred upon the nine new Stntes
where the public lands lie, prcScrbcs that the ten
per cent mus distributed shall be applied OBJ
Ject OF internal improvement within the limits OF the
State, under the direction OF the State Legislature
believe my friend f.om Maryland (Mr Johnson)
IS not an advocate Of the power OF the Federal
Government TO carry on works of internal improve
ment per SCI yet IN this bill which he has brought
us he authorizes, nay commands, the State, % do
with the 10 per cent thus distributed, that which
| the General Government cannot do. Now to me
It seems about as broad 1t is lone: Whether he en-
p.oys the States TO do II with his money, or does
1t himself, at once and directly, seems to me very
much the same thing. That is an objection 10 the
/ bill With me.
But in the second section it's provided that the
re'iiue OF the money distributed to the States gen.
orally IS to be applied for purposes of education
OF internal improvement, TO reimburse the debt OF
the State for such works, or for any other purpose
option IS lett with the States: but hero is recon-
mendatlon, and IN some circumstances especially
IN the case of gift, recommendation is nearly equi-
vIlent to commant.
| But call the attention of the committee TO the
| proyIso IN the BILL that nothing therein contained
shall IN any wise prejudice the future application of
4 reduc ion principle the price OF the lands nor
their transfer TO the States wherein they lie or TO
further distribution. The bill then is Tor to-day
for the present hour-and the presen, hour only.
IL is an act with repeans clause on the very face
Off. Do gentlemen call this permanent system
Tor the public landsl No; 1t IS mere temporary
eXpcdient; 1t is a measure of de usion-of deusion
u this Government, aud Of dGluson to III. States.
The States At this hour debtors 10 the General
Government. They owe the twenty eight million
placed IN their hands by the depoSi;e Has that
money been paid2 No; ever was intended TO
be paid; yet is a debt, and this Government can
demand It at any moment. As the representative
OF one OF the States that received her quota in that
distribution or loan, should like to see my State
get credit on her bond which tins Government holds
against Virginia. But no. you will still distribute
more ana more. The measure, too, Is one most
likely TO produce jealousy and dissatisfaction be-
tween the old and the States but that is tonic
on which will not dwell.
We are told we are to supply the denci: in the
| Treasury by imposing duties on foreign Injuries.
The recommendation Of the Secretary however, APP
plies not TO luIurIes alOnei II includes all imports
the duty on which is now less than 20 per cent
But do expect that the BUS necessares OF life
TO be taxed eIorbianty TO raise the entire
amount Of the deficit presume not And | do
not look to tue possibility of raising the sum from
wines and silks. or any other uXuries, properly so
called. And | say that, while want this money
ourselves, iii neXpedient to raise the taxes in or
der TO make n gratulty TO the States.
There are other subjects connected with this bill
which should like TO touch upon, especially the
| loan bill but will not 90 into them now.
! There IS peculiar relation OF Virginia TO this
question, which | should like To touch upon for a
| moment, IN order that we may at least assert our
ri md nD
or maintaining them. Virginia reserved to herself at
the time she coded her lands TO this Government in
demnIty for her liabilities III the actual conquest OF
| these lands in the Revolution. | hope that some
one of my colleagues will introduce an amendment
to the bill which shall do justice to Virginia in that
| aspect.
| Having now endeavored to state what are my
views the subject Of distribution, shall not ad-
vert to that feature Of the bill which contains pro-
vision for permanent pre-emptlon right. have
/ been told by gentlemen more familiar than | can
pretend 10 DO with the process OF actually settling
our new lands, that it matters little what our laws
are on the subject OF pre-empton, because there is
! a practical right Of pre-emptIon in the West, es-
! tabIished by the common sense aud long usage Of
| the people themselves; and that all the benefits of
the system are, in fact fully enjoyed now as they
| will bc should this bill become law. The social
right Ul q man and his family to the occupation of
| the land he has improved by his labor is under
stood and regarded by his neIghnors as well as by
purchasers of land, as fully they would be, let
as pass ever so many laws on the subject. But there
IS strange IncOngrUity in mixing up the subject OF
pre- emption in this same bill with distribution. On
this subject, however, need not dct,n the com
mce, particularly as shall vote against the bill.
am tod that this is a party measure; and the
whole scope and tone Of the debate shows that
such Is the fact Now, as am and have ever been
a party man, | desire TO say a word or two. Its
always painful TO me TO be placed that am com.
PEELED TO speak Of myself; bot that necessity is
brought On me by others, and not by any act ofmy
own; and must advocate my own party reoiiOns.
had hoped, when | came here, that the Govern
mont had been placed, by the act of Providence
and IN consequence Of the late melancholy events
in such position would enable US to assemble
as an American Congress, and in that character TO
attend to the great interests OF the country mol to
form new parties or to wake up angry remembran-
ces Of the past. And can here call gentlemen, on
all sides, to witness that have had participation
in arousng such feelings here. | never find any
difficulty in defining my position. | may invite the
committee to look back TO the days Of the Admins
talion Of the venerable gentleman opposite me, MIR
Adams) and which was succeeded by tho era Of
another which came into power on the cry Of ere
uenchment and reform" We looked for the re-
iOrm-but IL came not That Administration has
now been in It's turn supplantcd Ivy another, which
promises tho s1me thing-TeiOrm, reform. am
now waiting and looking 10 see II il will come. /
am ready to use my best CtJrts, in ny rir~e. IN
bring t on. But would remind gentlemen That
t",- w ,'I H. - : Second time. Reform must come
~ HtVer. The people expect u.
Some gentlemen have made me the subject Of
4 as.-.