, 1841-04-10

I uone II lnelT naQ Deen q permanent surplus
: Such a case vas scarcely supposable, wi,
|. the heavy debt of the Revolution, and tn
small yield from the land at the time; but
it had occurred, it would have been an un
~forseen contingency, TO be provided for b,
the United States, 10 whom the fund belong
ed, and not by Congress, nor its agent, o
trustee, for It's management.
That this expression was intended merel,
10 direct how the account should be kept
and not 10 make that tie Separate propert,
OF the States individually, which had beer
declared. in the most emphatic manner to be
long 10 them, and TO be used by them, as
common fund. in their united federal charac
ter, we would have the most conclusive
proof, if what has been stated already wa.
not so, in the fact that, in the deeds of ces
sion from all the other States, Massachusetts
Connecticut. New York, North Carolina anC
South Carolina. these words are omitted.
As 10 the cessIOn from Georgia, it is inpos.
Sible that there should he two opinions about
il. Ii was made under the present Govern.
ment, and il the very words, according 10
their usual respective proposition in the
general charge and expenditure" The
omission, while the other portion was exactly
copied. is significant. The old system of re.
QUESTION on the States to supply TIE com,
mon treasury. under the Articles Of conlcd.
Grafton. had been Superseded by taxes laid
directly on the people, under the present
Government, and l; was no longer necessary
u provide for the mode of keeping the &C,
count. and for that reason WAS omitted
But the cession by Georgia was. in reality. 4
purchase. Tie United States has paid full
consideration for the land. including the ex-
pcnsc of ex'In-uishiug tie Indian titles. and
and other charges: and OF coulSe the pcr-
ton OF the public domain acquired from that
State may be fairly considered Is standing
on the same principle, rs lar as the prcsen;
question IS concerned. Is tL2i purchased
tom foreign i.oWcrS.
So IN icum"." = tie conclusion that the
lands coded hy the Si.lc> were coded 10
them IN then united aad aggregate charac.
ter rs 4 Fedora comrruariv. and not in
their separate and inGI. Iduli. that The Seuu-
tor IIom Massachusetts Was forced to admit,
# ! understood him correctly. (and II not. !
wish 10 br curJcClcd.j that they were so ce-
drd IN The isl instance. butonIy for the pur-
pose OF paving he public debt, and that on
IL final discharge. the lands became the sep
aTalc property ui the States. This SIR. a
perfectly gratuIlou> assumption on the part
ui tie Senator. AND directly opposed hv the
deeds OF ccssi"n, which expressly provide
that II shall he q Common iend for the use
and benefit o! the States IN their united and
Federal character, without restriction To
10 tine public acht. or limitation in point of
time. or any other respects. This hold and
unwarrcnied assertion my be regarded as an
acknowledgment on lis part OF the
truth of the constitution for which | con
tend. aud on winch the Government has ever
acted. but now attempted TO be changed on
Il false assumption.
The residue of the public lands, including
Florida and all the region hcv"nd the Mis-
extending 10 the Pacific Ocean. and
constituting hv for the greater part. stands
on 4 different io ting. They were purchased
ct tn" common iIndS Cf he Union. col
Iccicd hy taxes. aud belong. beyond alI ques-
ton. 10 the People Of the United States in
their federal an! aggregate capacity. This
not been. and caunot hC denied: and vet
it i proposed 10 distribute the c0mnon fund
from he saies Of these. as well as
from the coded lands. in direct violations of
the admitted principle that the agent or lrus-
tee of Il cOmmon concern has no right. with
out express authority. TO apply the joint
10 the separate USE and benefit of its
members.
As brief as this narrative is, trust it is
sufficient Ia show that the advocates of this
amendment can find nothing in my former
opinion or course To weaken my resistance
10 it, to form the show Of a preceden, for
he extraordinary measure which il proposes.
So far from it. the depoSite act, whether
in the causes which led to it, or its
and effect, stands in direct contrast
with it.
We stand, sir, in the midst of Il remarka-
DE %iuncturc in our affairs; the most remarka-
Die in many respects, lhat has occurred since
he foundation Of the Government; nor is ii
probable that 4 similar one will ever again
occur. This Government is nop left as free
o shape lis policy. ~uHemJarrasscd By criSt-
en- Engagements or past legislation as 1t mas
rhen Il first trent into GPperatioR. and ercn
more so. The entire system Of policy orr
in the Federal consolidation school
,as fallen PROSTATE. We have now no fund
ID debt, no National Bank, no connection