The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1841-07-29
Vol. . NO. 2s, WHOLE NO. so


or detaulters. Much money, Mr.. Chairman,
may have been iosl in this way; but ] must con
fess that tbis 10 the FIRST tim that ever heard
that Swartwout was 10 any way connected
! with the public landsl Iaughsl
The gentleman from Michigan complains
tkat these public lands should have been bur
den, rather than source of revenue TO tho !
General Government Why, SIR, thought il
he'd heeo the policy Of this Government 10 sell
those lsndsiow SO as TO make itcasy for the
pioneer Of the West TO become freeman, by
heing the owner OF sufficient amount Of the
soil, upon which he could honestly raise up his
growing family, rather than to make them a
source of revenue: Yes, sir; it is the true pol
icy Of this Government TO hold out 10 the hon
esl poor Of the old States inducements to emi-
CRATE 10 the Western world, and thore become
the proprietors of the soil in the valley Of the
Mississippi And the consequence of this pol
icy has been 10 make the 'wilderness blossom
as the rose.' And where is the man who
would now change this policyl | see, Mr..
Chairman, in tho bill upon your table, a feat
ure which, in the consequences necessarily re-
sulting from il will change the old system of
policy in regard to :he public lands. You pro
pose 10 make the proceeds ofthe sales Ofthese
lands permanent fund for distribution among
the States. What, will foloW4 Why, sir, It
will be soon discovered that this fund, at 81
% per acre, will be too smalI;and at that price,
too soon exhausted. You will then raise it
to SO 90; from that to three. four, and five
dollars per acre! This will be the result If
this measure, and the consequence will be
that vast tracts of our Western soil will be
kept unsettled and unsold for half a century,
for the double purpose OF keeping fluid for
distribution, and retard the growth Of the
Wesr. Have gentleman viewed well the con-
sequences which will flow from this measure ?
have stated, Mr.. Chairman. some Of the OBJ
jeconS ! have to the principles Of The bill.
And now for its details. .,
The first feature which presents itself for
consideration il the proposition to give 10
some of the Western States 10 per cent. over
and above their equal proportion. What is
this feature intended TO produce2 ls it bribe
offered to US of the West, in order to make us
take this measure, so obnoxious to our growth
and prosperity Iii, is Intended as bribe, all
! | have 70 say ie that l~for one viii not accept
| it, No, cir spurn it. The people oflndisna
! once refused this measure, when the bribe
was larger And will she NOW, when YOU are
taking advantage OF her Impoverished condi-
ton 10 sedYce her from her integrity, will she
| now bite al the baiIl No, sir, she will rather
| M ke you such an answer es one olthe distin~
guished patriots Of tho Revolution made 10
one Of the minions of the British crown: I'VE
are poor indeed, but all your wealth cannot buy
us." Such, sir, is the answer will give. so
long as am permitted to retain seat upon
this floor.
Sir, if you had offered us this bonus when
we we're out Of debt, and, consequently, able
to treat with you as equals, we would mol have
suspected you with design upon our virtues
and then we could have stopped to argue With
you. But when you take advantage Of our
poverty aud distress to make these advances 10
US, we are induced 10 suspect you OF an inten.
tion to practise upon our integrity, and there
fore we turn from you, and treat you..and your
bribe with scorn and contempt.
Another feature Of the bill which seems to
be unjust, is that part Of it which makes the
distribution according to the ratio Of represea.
tatIoD on this floor. The property. Tepresen.
tatlon recognized by the Constitution. whict
places FIVE slaves in the South upon the foot
ing of three fIeemen in the North, was giveI
for representative purposes, not dlslributiyI
purposes. Dislribu,ive purposes, did ] say
do not know, sir, but tho term 4
inapplcAble; for we'll do / know, tha
The trainers of that instrument never, willis
they were engaged in the great work Of for
ming and pelfecting that noble charter Of hu'
man liberty, imagined that under il the Con
press the United States would claim th'
righ, to collec, money Cor the purpose Of dis
trlbutiDg, it amongst the States. Such pov
or is now claimed, however, and If lie legiti
mately exercised, why not make the distribu
lion according 10 the plan by which they au
thorized ils levy. The Constitution provide
that representation and direct taxation sha
90 hand in hand, which simply means, that
five save1 10 The South shall be equal 10 thre
freeman in tho North, for representative puy
poses, tha, the FIVE slaves in the South shal
pay as much tax into the treasury as the thIe
lreemen of the North. But by the provision
Of this bill, you reverse This iustrnle, and dis
tribute as much ofthe revenue ofthe Govern
ment TO the FIVE slaves Of the South, asyou a
Inc three freemen ofthe North, This, sir !
wrong in principle and unjust in practice, an
doubly so, because the whole measure ie fou
ded 10 wrong and injustice,
There is one provision in this bllL IA
Chairman, which would moot cheeFfully sul
port, if il were not found in such bad comp
ny Irefer to the tail Of the bill, esit IL cAlAS
which grants to tho actual settlers lbe lIehl