Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-10-05

SPEECH OF Mn CALHOUN, OF Sourn CARo1rsA
In Senate IF tAc Uaited Suites, August II, le4l-
Or Tic Distribution EW.
MIR. CALHOUN said
If this bill should became a Law, il wor!d make
wider breach in the Constitution and be followed b.
changes more disastrous, Than any one measure which
has ever been adopted. 1t would, in it's violation 81
'hc Constitution, 20 far beyond the general welfare
uoclfine f former days, which stretched the power d
Tie government rs far il then supposed
possible by construction, however bold Bat, wide
rs were lie limits which it assigned 10 the powers of
Inc Government II admitted by implication that there
were limits; while this b as | shall show, rests on
principles, which, if admitted, would supcrScde oil
Limits.
According TO the generawefarc doctrine Congress
had power to rais" money, ard appropriate il all 81
lec;s " hch II might deem calculated 10 proro!e In.
general melircliat is, the prosperity Of the States
regarded III Their aggregate character rs members o.
TIE Union; or, To express it more briefly and in Ian
guage once 50 common 10 national oil -cs; H. IS ex
cluding by necessary Implication, all hat were not na
oIal as falling within The spheres Of the separate
Stairs. As vide these !;ns, they are too rar-
for the bill II ;as"s in what is excluded uater
the general welfare doctrine and for Congress
The right money, TO give by distribution 10 the
States; that is, 10 lie applied by them 70 ihosc very To-
ca! State objects witch HAT doctrine by necessary
implications denied that Congress had right appru-
pirate money; and thus supcrscdng III tie limits o!
the Consitu,on-as far, 1t least, the money power
IS concerned. The advocates 81 thS extraordinary
doctrine have, Indeed attempted 10 restrict II, in their
argument, 10 revenue derived from lie public lands
b facts speak louder than words To test the since
ri,y of their argument, amendments after amendments
have been otit red 10 limit the operation oi the bill ex
cusivcly 10 the derived from that source but
which, as often rs offered, have been steadily voted
down by their UNITED votes. But ! take higher
grounds The aid Of those test vo;rs, as strong az
l!py are is nat ne, DID to make good tie assumption,
that Congress las The right 10 lay and collect taxes for
the separate Of the States. The circumstances I'M
der which it is attempted 10 force this bill through,
speak Of themselves language leo distinct 10 be mis-
understood.
The Treasury is cxiiaustcG-;ae revenues ircm Tie
public lands cannot be spacd-thcy are needed Tor the
pressing and necessary wants OF lie Government.
For every dollar withdrawn from tie Treasury, and
given 10 the States, dollar must be raised tron the
customs 70 supply is place tia; is admitted. Now
put il 10 the advocates Of this bill IS there, can there
be- any real diff renee, either principle elect,
between raising money from customs, 10 lc divided
among The States, and raising The same ancGat from
them 10 supply the place Of eGua! sum withdrawn
from the Treasury be divided among the States; IL
there bc difference, my faculties not acute enough
To perceive and would thank any one who can 10
punt Il out. But If This difficulty could be suTmoun
ed il oud avail nothing, unless another, not inferior,
can also be rot The land from which tie reve-
nue. proposed 10 be divided, derived, purchased,
with the excc pton Of the small portion comparative
iv, lying between the OHIO and Mississippi rvcrs,) out
of the common funds Of the Union, and with money
derived, for the most port, from customs do not eN
cmpl the portion acquired from Georgia, which was
nurehascd at lis iul! value and cost much, IN pro-
portion as Florida purchased from Spain, or LOUISIANA
iroi1 France.
Ii money cannot be raised from customs or other
sources for distribution, ask, how can money derived
i.u.: The sales OF land purchased with money raised
from the customs other sources BE- distribute, among
the States: Ii The money could moi 10 distributed be-
fore II as vested land, what principle can Il hc
whrn il IS converted back again INTO money BY The sales
Of the and rror 10 the purchase 1t was SUBJECT IN
making aprorr ATOMS, 10 the limits prescribed by tie
Cons,i alton, lsw can il, after having been converted
bac again money is The sale Of the land, be rccd
liom those limits BY what art wha, political alehy-
my could the mere passage Of tie money through Tie
lals free from the constitutional shachles 10 which
ii was previously subject:
Dut # this difficulty also could be surmounted, there
is another not less formidable and more comprehensive
,, 10 lie overcome. II the lands belong 10 Tie States
nj all they must b. long 10 them III one OF two capac
tics-ecr their iedrrat,.e character, IS members
Of common Union; III their separate as distinct
and independent communities. IL the former liis Co
yernmcn which was created rs common agent 10 car
rs into feet the objects for whc he Union was form
ed holds The lands II does all It's other Delegated
nowers as trntce for Tie States III their federal char
actpr Tor the execution OF those Objects, ard no ether
purpose whaever and can, Of course under the grant
If The Constitution ''to dispose Of the territories or
other property belonging 10 the T. b, dispose Of tae
lands only under lis trust powers, and IN execution OF
The objects for which they were granted by tie Coisi
tutinn When then, Tie lands, or other property q
,hc U. s, are disposed Of By sac-thai is, converted
INTO money-lhe trust with all It's limitations, attaches
nc fu,lv 10 the money! Oil 10 the lands or property
of which it IS the proceeds. Nor would the Govern
men, have any more right 10 divide Inc and or le mo-
nov amunr the Siatcs- that Isl 10 surrender IL ~ '"ri
liam yould have 10 surrender any other OF rs dele
4
! may $50 surrender the po@er ~ declaring war, ay
in. tutics or coming money. They are all deirsa'ed
bv the same parties, held under TIE same hs,lum ~
I'D IN trust .or The execution Of tho same ohec,s-
The assumption Of such rsh; IS nen'r more Nv. yes
,n ,hc assumption Of right paramount TO The teh-
,:,ut.on isc-ihe rieht on the part Of the Govern
p IA dcslrny the instrument, and ssoyc the Lniol,
,rcm which il derives existence. osuci nohs.fous
results must the r.incpc on which 'h's b resls ra"'
m The su2posiiion that the lands Chai ~ lHe ei'''
r:cs) belong 10 the u , rs Ihey are eAp''ss',
70 do by tie Constitution.
40 d;r;cu,,v would rot be less if they shonla
- considered rs Belonging 10 the States, III sl:eiT m
r:l,,l ard separalc character So considered, "ha
r:Lt can this Government, possibly have over 'i""'
,lr agent or trustee. for The L. the States ~
,,,,nbcrs If 4 common lulon, and not Of 'he o'a's
,ndy;du .Iiy. each Of which has separate Govern
nam, ~ ia avn 10 represent il in that capacity VI
his Government, 10 assume 10 represent teni ~ ooe
..,;.s yroud he II assume all pawcr-io cehtfa!iAe
the Idle system in Itself But. nd''.ng tins : e ,ha
,ssrmp,ion; on what principle "i @ht OF justice -"
80 ,l.v bclong 10 the Slatcs-o which Is the same
thing The revenue from the lands s.5 GSD" No @
.,-.l,,d i, tLc bill: What tgiit has II, on u,''
upposon to appropriate i'"% ID Isl'ag" as IN the
~ wsr or IN case tic price OF the ia"ds should
he increased above dollar and quarter IN acre Oh
any article Of the tariff above twenty fe' ''"'o'"
valorem. 40 constitutional
a,i;cnI,es which beset this measure 20 one w"
a. oyorcome ,Hen-who can bTi:s himself 10 vo,e i"l
~, hn-need trouble himself about constitutional
scrupes hsreaet lie may swallow, w'oa, "isa
,oa.r.e which mas ever been adopted or pF"P"Seu
Yes i, won be c.s;cr to make plausible ors";'. i,
f NE cnnsti;utionalty oil The most mnnstrons OF We
measures proposed ny The Ahol,tonists-ior Acor'o,
;,srlr-lhan Tor ths detestahe bl-and yes we hnu sc
na,ors from s.lvehoiiing States, the very safety
ubnse constituents depends strict constructor =
the Constitution recording tciT names N laso' %
MEASURE from which they have nothing to hopI an'
nrsrv tb;nu 10 fear TO what is course So b'u y =
attributed, bu, 10 that Fanscism Of party zeal ope"'
4 I,n .F