Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-28

thew cannot pay, what will you do: 1hey VIII fes'ss
in masses. They have. eighteen senators on Sh's hoo.
time they will holi the balance OF power, end that lhey
will take the land upon their own terms. Inc remedy
proposed by the amendment is altogether hliac'ous.-
l, proposes TO divert. a vested righ,, ana 70 dfiVe i man
from lands that ne has bought and pad Tor.
Some,hi NJ of the same Kind was once done by Con-
rress. land the measure, | admit, was supported by
myself, among others,) by which the States became
debtors 10 this Government for a distribution oil the
surplus in the Treasury. And what has become o.
your debt, Who asks for II: Who dare move such !
demand, Have we not, in the very face oil tins deot
OF twcnty-six millions due from the States, borrowed
money to supply The wants OF the Government IRON
day to daY: The Secretary of The Treasury tells US oil
these twenty-six millions on deposite win the SUITS
and in the anne breath asks tor an Issue o i ' M
lions of Treasury notes. A debt from the States. ie
States cannot paw it; they will not pay It; ana we care
not ask them for it. | would not give you u sioA. :.
your whole debt. Some difficulty VIII occur conceiu."e
il. and you-wiil forgive them all. Let US not, theh,
,ata he frs, stem let us not make debtors of States
too powerful for your management "A contest WIN
arise, and il they are too strong Tor you, you VIII DC
subjected to them; and If you are too strong Tor ihen'
j, Will be yet worse, for they must De subjected to you
On these grounds am opposed to the scheme OF the
Senator for u cession Of the public lands. | trust l
shall always he ready to promote the interest OF the new
States; but ! am not willing TO see such an inequality
Of division among them, as that one man shai receive
CPS acres of this domain, while another man gets ou.
one acre. cannot consent 10 establish the relation oil
debtor and creditor with the States, and SO lose all
There is one other objection to the measure 10 whicn
| shall barely allude. | an strongly impressed WIN
The idea that. while the Old Dominion, IN making us
the cession of her territory, wisely and cautiously pro-
y;ded tina, the benefit should be ralably divided among
all the States, land therefore among the Western States
with the rest) yet the main point Of view IN which
that cession is 10 he regarded IS as a financial transac-
ton. In regard to the proposition for a distribution
of the proceeds, commonly known as the land bill
of the distinguished gentleman to my right, (Mr'
Clay | occupied a peculiar position. As an independ'
ent propositions, l have been against II hui, IN cen
nexion with the surplus revenue, was for It. | was tor
IL distribution of the surplus revenue accumulated IL
the Treasury, and of the proceeds of the public lands as
forming n part Of it. We distributed both the landed
revenue and that from the customs. We have now the
subject of the Tariff opened again, or soon TO be open
ed. All questions before Us in regard TO the lands are
complicated with the financial system OF the Us. II !
had the control of matters, | would set down i've mil
lions as the income from the public domain, and ]
would then have a moving scale OF duties in proportion
10 the wants of the Government. Bat this IS scarcely
likely 10 be done. The tariff, | suppose, will be fixed,
and not movable, with i view 10 give permanence 10
our great interests. That they will, to q certain ex-
tent, be permanent, no man, | think, can doubt. How
the proceeds Of the public lands are to he adjusted IL a
diifercn, question. | think they should be adJ ustsd con-
temporaneously with the tariff, or else suspended TIL
the tariff is settled.
| cannot but regard the proceeds oil the sales OF the
public lands as a portion, and a very important portion,
Of the public revenue at all times, but more especially
now, when there is i public debt actually existing, and
n proposition before Congress to increase it. One OF
the peculiar purposes to which the old Congress appro-
priated the income vi the public lands was the payment
OF the national debt. we have, at this moment. no &C.
knowledred debt of near FIVE millions. The Secretary
of the Treasury demands an increase OF FIVE millions to
meet pressing emergencies, and no one doubts that, IN
deferred payments, in existing charges, IN unsettled pa
lances, and unad listed claims, there are five millions
more outstanding. Thus, on the 4h March next, there
Ill l. .,.o. laht rs E(fann tnIltnns Ia ~ NO
time to give away any portion of our income, neither
10 all the States nor to i portion OF them-nehher 10
twenty-six States nor to nine. If these proceeds are
To he distracted from the general treasury, It were ma
nifestly best that they should be disposed Of to the
States generally. That would be an approximation to
Justice and equity; but the highest justice and equity
the most honest and obvious performance Of our trust
is to apply these funds to the payment OF the national
debt.
The proposition of the Senator from Missouri, &c
appropriate these proceeds to the Navy and the public
expenses, is conceived in SO high a spirit that It IS wei
calculated 10 enlist our sympathies and captvate the
Imagination. heartily concur with him IN his estimate
of the propriety of doing something for the Navy
That important branch Of the public service has been
too much neglected. 1t merits, at all times, the
highest consideration. Its actual condition exacts
our most anxious attention. Its glory and It's useful
ness cunnot be too highly estimated, and | fear It has
fallen into great dilapidation. 1t might be invidious Ia
inquire how this disastrous condition has been surerin'
duced, but il is due TO our most precious recollections
to cur highest interests-to all that pride and patriot
jsm can enforce-that it continue no longer. Tha
Administration which shall build up the Navy, reInvi
gorate its energies, and revive and stimulate its wontet
spirit, will deserve the eternal gratitude of the country
As far as the public purse can contribute 10 this,
would not circuinscrlbc our appropriations to any spe
cial fund. II there be any one thing amongst US which
may be called national, it is the Navy. l would not Ii
nit It TO any sum, however ample. Its only Limitation
should be, the capacity Of our commercial marine t
man it, and up to that full extent ! would enable it t
be present with our commerce in the four quarters o
The world, equipped and i%nspirited TO protect it and on
honor as ainst all opponents.