The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-02-04
MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS.

fe6O1uIIOns HetTHg TaT0WT
county Florida, asking the admission Of Florida ino
the Union.
MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS
The following memorials and petitions were r7c.
scented and appropriately referred
BY Mr.. WALL From number ofciiizcps Slim.
masters and others, Of New York rcnoGsi tn,
against the repeal Of the pilot law Of 1887
BY Mr. RUGGLES: Several petitions IN relation
to slavery The motion TO receive ordered 10 o en-
the table.
BY Nj. WILLIAMS: A document in relation
the fishing bounlies.
By Mr. TAPPAN From citizens Of Ohio. fran
alteration in the place of holding one OF tie terms Of
the circuit court Of the United States.
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES.
Mr.. HUBBARD, from the Committee Of Claim.
ssked TO be discharged from the further consideration
OF the following memorials
From the General Assembly OF Georgia in relation
to the claim OF her citizens Tor Expectations committed
by the Creek Indians; from the claim Of Richard
Harris and Nimrod Farrow from the claim Of J 6
Bradford and from that of Dennis Hills.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN, from the Committee on Re.
evolutionary Claims, reported bill for the benefit Of
the legal representatives of Rold III. Sanders
Mr.. FULTON, from the Committee Public
Lands, reported bill for the relief of Isabella Hill
John Hill, Elizabeth Hill and Samuel Ii heirs at
law of Samuel Hill
Also, bill 10 authorize the selection of school
lands IN lieu of those granted TO the halhreeds Of The
Sac and Fox Indians.
The bills ordered TO be engrossed Yesterday were
severay read third time and passed.
PRIVATE BILLS.
The following hills were, then, severay considered
in Committee of the Whole, and ordered to be
crossed
A bill for the relief Of Colin Bisop
bill for the relief of Ephraim ID, Dickson
A bill for the relief of the legal representatives Of
Pierre Bonhomme.
bill for the relief of the legal representatives of
Nathaniel Pryor deceased
A bill for the relief of J. M Strader.
A bill for the relief of Gurdon S. Hubbard Robert
A. kinzie, and others
A bill for the relief of Francis A. Harrison
hill for the relief Of Joseph Paxton.
bill for the relief Of the heirs Of Madame dc Lus-
SER
A bill for the relief of Henry Wilson
bill for the relief of the heirs of Miguel Eslava
PERMANENT PROSPECTIVE PRE- EMPTIoN BILL !
Mr.. HUBBARD spoke at much length in opposi-
ton the amendment of Mr. Crittenden and the dis
trbution policy.
Mr.. II. followed briefly BY Messrs Calhoun,
WEBSTER, BENTON, CLAY, of Alabama, PIERCE HEN-
DERsoN, and RivEs the latter of whom addressed the
Senate in the following terms
The question being about to be put on the several
propositions before the Senate
Mr.. RIVES and SAID, before the sense of the
Senate was taken the various questions about to
nc ne desired TO say WORD
two in explanation Of the votes he should give upon
them. He had no design to enter into he debate as
he felt that would be of place for one who had so
recently taken his in this body without having
had the advantage of either hearing or reading the
able discussions which had occupied its attention for
the last three four weeks the subject Of the pub
lie lands He wished merely to state few general
notions which would govern the votes he intended to
give
The public lands, said Mr. Rives are the common
property of the nation. They expressly declar
ed TO be, and solemnly to the common be-
nebt of all the members OF the Confederacy in the
deeds OF cession of the respective States which orig-
naly held them have been since acquired and paid
for by the common treasure of the Union He was
therefore against all schemes for alternating dissi-
pating this common inheritance, either by the whole
some operation of cession to the States as pro-
posed by the Senator from s. Carolina (Mr Calhoun)
or by the piece meal process Of prospective preempon
rights contemplated by the bill of the Senator from
Missouri, Mr.. Benton) But while be was thus OPP
posed TO all partial exclusive appropriations OF this
common fund to the special benefit of particular States
or particular classes be had always been willing 10 see
it administered in a spirit of lberaty and paternal
kindness to the new States in the spectacle Of whose
prosperity and magical growth felt higher de.
gree OF patriotic piide liyeer fraternal sympathy
than ne did kindly and fostering policy towards
the States and equal Justice to the old ouuht in
his opinion, to 90 hand in hand in all our LEGISLATION
on this great national interest.
La regard TO the proposition of the Senator from Ken
uchy N4nr Iritenuen 10 re-comnli the bill of the
Senator from Missouri with instructions To report a
plan for distributing the proceeds of tile public lands
among all the States IT Is, said Mr.. Ryts question
when necessarily and Insfplraby itsefw.th
the general revenue system OF the nation, and could
not he safely or properly treated apart from that
general system. The public domain had ALWAYS
hitherto been collateral, and often a very pro
ducuyc source Of national revenue, irhteninr To
the extent OF It's auxiliary contributions the burhens
imposed upon the general consumption and Industry
OF the country II is true that since the extinruish-
ment of the debt Of the revolution and Of thu debt
created by the last war with England, there NAV mot
be the same urgent necessity for its aid the national
finances but Its diversion to other purposes al the
present moment at least, he thought neither prudent
nor safe. The entire revenue OF the nation embra-
eng both the proceeds of the lands and of the Gus
toms is admitted falls short present of the actual
wants and expenditures of the Government: and wa
have, moreover, new debt of unascertalned and IN
definite amount hanging us, the extent of which
cannot yet be known. The revenue too we are in
formed by the Secretary OF the Treasury, will be still
farther reduced IN the ensuing twelve or eighteen
months by some five millions of dollars more taken
from the customs under the progressive reductions of
the Compromise act of 1888 In this state of thinrs
actual and prospective 10 withdraw the proceeds ofthe
public lands from the national Treasury and 10 throw
the Government for its support and expenses exclu-
svely on the customs, would he of necessity to add
very greatly TO that branch Of the public taxes and
TO run the risk, at least of rcviying those nnnry con
tests about the tariff which recently distracted the
country with intestine divisions and which threatened
at one time the peace and even the existence Of
the Union.
know said Mr. Rlyfs il is proposed 10 olyiatc ills
danger by laying the additional duties that would be.
come necessary TO supply the resulting deficiency in
the revenue ON articles of luxury. lie was himself
IN favor suhecng all articles Of luxury from abroad
TO reasonable duties. They proper and r. ttm 10
subjects Of taxation, and ought, in his opinion never
10 have been exempted 10 the extent they have lrrn