Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-21
No. S0.--VOLUME XXXYiI.


lhey choose to rush on and make appointments, with
view 10 tnwart his administration, Will, when he
c""'s mere, rear 10 do his duty either they have
mistaken The man Gen Harrison mesns In be the
rfs'aem on 'he 4th Of March next which his ft-
low-citizcns have elected him To be- A nd no prema-
nre BILL no stretching OF the policv Of ,h,s INTO
ne next Administration, going To RESTRAIN him from,
looking at those in Office and dccidn mr. for himself wh.
Their they possess the requisite qualifications for the dig
charge of their official duty
But, To back | put il TO gentlemen whether
i is right and fair make this Grea, chance in 1he
land system oilhe country at such time, Would you
like US TO do it if conditions were reversed;
But There are other considerations which admonsh
IS against eg'slang on this subject the presen, time
We have not yet officially received the results of the
census for the last ten years. we cannot therefore
whether the new States have filed up as rapidly MS
we would wish Let first see what is the number
81 their population; so that may Judge whether
ANY further stmulan is needed to quicken the rate
at which their numbers increase | know indeed
that the result will show directly the contrary From
tables winch l caused TO be carefully constructed
nine years ago, it is shown that the population Of
ne new States increases al vastly over that Of
the old Take 4 single example The population OF
ILLINOIS, doubles itself in six years. What then
IS the ground for the adoption ofhs new system, Does
Vt CONSIST IN some notions of charity the poor, have
formerly advered 10 that subject. Where do gentle.
men get their right to set up ccemosynay laws for the
henett Of the poorer portions Of the community: But
in this respect 1t pretended 10 be for The sdvantace
Of widows and orphans, orphans over eighteen years
however, Is any gentleman here ignorant of what
viii and must, Of necessity, be the practical operation
OF such law Will widow in Maine travel all the
way to Missouri that she the boon proposed
10 be given her by this law Will not lis benefits be
confined to The widows Of the lncalty In terms 10
he sure, il proposes TO confer the pe-empton on all
widows and minors But will not the benefit in fact
he limited to widows and minors residing the States
\ Inc n6S linz
extent Of your chaYifY.
| am not very well, and 90 not feel much encour
aged by past experience III opposition 10 this BILL My
hope is elsewhere: though would trust that honora-
bic Senators would al least pause before they take such
n leap.
| There are other consequences on which | might
yc We have heard that TINS bill and another allied
To il 10 increase the and believe that one
III them was pr0 tOrlRQ, the conlmtiee,on Fl.
nance on that ground. The new plan is Ia increas,
the resources Of the nov impoverished cxchequer: but
have already shown tat Tor the present a, least, the
revenue VIII be diminished instead Of increased by ii
Tor the amount vested in the public lands under tins
law viii BE- credit OF two years, and
CONF INTO the Treasury tall the end OF that time. And
as those disposed 10 make such investments viii avail
themselves o. the credit there will be sales 10 but
nconsder1blc amount for cash, and consequent dmi
mutton o the proceeds during The present year. There
fore, with an exhausted treasury with vast national
debt, asctrtained aud unasceriainrd, besides large
amount, (, BE- redeemed, Of Treasury out
Standing and running interest, II is proposed,
instead Of replenishng the empty Golfers of Mr. Sccre
tary Woodbury., ~ a. imposition at once Of duties on
Injuries, 10 increase, instead Of removing the existing
deficit N our pecnnary resources.
Our land system heretofore has been the admiration
Of the world for Of its hest and nobcst features viz
the PERFECT security Il gave rs TO the land titles Of our
ncw settlements. No vino had 10 tie
marks upon corner tree, upon stone standing ina
prairie, could possibly mistake the limits at his own
tract, ard no other could have color Of right 10
disturb him the ground of his title. SEcuRITY-
atsnue security i'll land tiiles-has been Of the
h CHEST blessings in the new States. But you
that this VIII connne to b. the under your
pre- -eniption law Do hut conceive how It will work
Imagine that district of rich and choice land had
Just been thrown open. The Indian title has been
,ingushed, bu: The fresh and fertile lands have
vel been surveyed. They open, however, TO the
Up, ration OF tins b and the course oil few weeks
may become worth irnIn fifteen 20 twenty dollars
per acre. You proclaim IL all who com" rushing i'll
torrents upon the new acquisition, crowding, contend
ing scTambltug r The tares spots and The best
tons that they shall have aprc-cnption. What
NJ confusion, contention, Ecari-bunng, nv, of blood
shed must naturally ensue. When n nation, hereto
fore es'ccmcd wise and prudent N the management OF
public domain, proca!ms 10 all the world that the
first man who comes and il shall have il, who
can calculate, who the coninsion disor-
der aud mischief winch must ensnes Who can esti-
mate the effects Of the broad foundations that viii be
LAID for uncertainty, controversy, and litigation in land
titles;
Again, this bill must work vast increase Of the Ex-
rcu.tve power; for all disputed pre-emp"n rights
which, according 10 the cautious policy OF Virginia,
were referred The decision OF The Judiciary by rarfat
nr ejcc,ment. bill in chancery, are How ultimately
east on the Executive OF the u. 5 FIR the bill pro-
ydes that they shall be- settled "summarly and dei-
ncly BY the Register and Receiver Of tie land DIS
ric in which the dispute ARISES these officers In decide
under instructions from the Commissioner d: the Gr-
neral Land Office So, the dsputaut IS pnt under Ire
Register and Receiver; tie Register and Receiver
undcr the Commissioner; the Commissioner IS under
tie Secretary of The Treasury, and he Secretary IS ur
der the President. Thus, you add immensely 10 the
mass OF Executive power, hy draa ing within lis vortex
all the disputed claims through all the land DISTRICTS.
And now, | ask, what right have you--a,d | put
the inquiry more especially 10 that portion Of the Sc
nate who have been IN the habit Of csteeming il rs
their more pecuiar province and duty guard and de-
j.nd the Constitution Of The L. s., land who perhaps,
have sometimes pushed their zeal on that sub ec III,
lie 100 far)-wha rght have you and under what pr.n-
cp!c or provision OF the Constitution, especially after
the clear and distinct separation IN the Constitution Of
the Judicial from the other departments ofihe Govern
,ncntwhat right have yon TO to the Register and
Receiver CT of your land districts this Indsputabe
iydica power TO decide question OF title to real estate
summary, without appeal, and without the interven.
ton Of Jury And then what temptation do you not
present 10 public officers situated! Way, if am
rightly informed, there not long since single pre-
clnpt,on right the town Of Chcngo, the value Of
which al time estimated as high as S2Oo,0DO;
and the right such property is to be entrusted to
Register and Receiver absolutely and without appeal
Can there be greater danger Of corruption, or al least,
Of fayoritlsm: The power IS tremendous.
Mr. President, have said much more than intended.
Both your comfort and my require that should
here stop and will stop with repeating my most an1-
ious cntreaty to those honorable gentlemen whom n
political sentiment have the misfortune TO oppose,
that they Will pause before they sanction an unred ex-
pertinent Of such enormous magnitude ask them 70
wait fnr the results Of the late census; to compare The
population of the and Inc old States, and the rea-
tive rate at which both increasing; and before they
mar, with land system which IS at this hour the PRIDE
and ornament Of The Legislation" OF the Congress o! the
limited States and which has brought 10 the nation
such rich and invaluable fruit, To pamse-io pause!
and if they will abandon The plan, that thew vii!
least consent to embark these experiments with
greater light guide their than that which they
now have.
Mr. WRIGHT, Of New York, said that he rose rather
to correct than with any view pursue The
present debate. He had Yesterday INDUCED IN a few