The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-02-04
WHOLE NO. 436.


trbution, bill The measure is before us
and shall give il my hearty support; and not like
my friend from Arkansas, shall not content myself
with q expression of opinion. / desire my State
to the distinct grounds Of my support; for have
no sentiment 10 conceal on this or any other mea-
sure.
First. support the bill because is the only com
promise upon which all unite and which,
with provisions, will do ample justice 10 both the OLD
and the new States The interest Of the new States
will be amply protected and the rights ofthc old States
Will be maintained in the distribution OF the fund
he difficulties spoken Of by the Senator from South
carolina, as arising from the present system will be
partially obvated and the voice of discomfort between
the new States and the old growing out ofthe subject
WIZ be forever hushed. Instead of making the bill ex-
pure by It's own limitation in few years wo1d make
II q part OF the permanent land system.
Ia Is argued that Il will corrupt the States and lead
TO podgaiiy his rs assuming the position that the
people of the States competent TO manage their
own concerns and that should act as their guar
diansa doctrine that has of late years found It's way
into Congress, and has found supporters among those
who profess reverence, next 10 that for holy writ for
democratic doctrines This is strange democracy
Afraid 10 trust the people with their money -
And pray, sir, what would you do with it Leave it
In the hands of the federal officers for safe keeping
Ay, that is the safe deposite. They cannot be cor
rupted as matter of course Is that the doctrine Sc
majors contend for This is guarding the rights Of
the people Of the States with vengeance We have
their money and they demaud it. We their represent
tatives answer, you cannot have it you not capa
bic OF taking care OF III you will become prodigal LEI
us keep II, we can be trusted; your money viii be
safely kept or laid out think proper recocct
II Is all Tor your good that put ourselves 10 the
BILE Of taking care that you be not tempted Would
course like this compor with duty to the States
Let Senators who approve of il adop, the course II
does not SUIT me. On the score Of prodgalty, know
OF no State that could not compare notes with the Gc
neral Government for the last four years The Sena-
Tor from Missouri Mr.. Benton) refers 10 the deposiie
Of the surplus revenue with the States, and attributes
the great rage for speculation and internal improve
ments to that deposile Suppose admit his premises
can he show me that similar fleet would not have
been produced by the expenditure of the of
money by the General Government? 1t was the mo
ney that had It's effect and not the hand that scattered
it. But sir | cannot let the remarks OF the Senator
pass without further notice. | do not concur with
him in the cause TO which he refers The removal of
the public depostes from the Bank of the United
States the bargain that made between the Go
vernmont and the local State banks, that the banks
should pay per cent the public deposics aulho
rizing the banks TO issue upon them; the circular OF
the Secretary of the Treasury directing them do So
and the consequent initiation of the currency, pro
duced the effect TO which the Senator hom Missouri
alluded, and not the deposte of the surplus with the
States,
MIR. cALHoUNs BILL,
Sir, had the pleasure of concurringmos fully with
that Senator up 10 the point Of his argument where he
declared that the pre-emption, graduation and dislri
button plans all fell short of the desired object of set
Ting the question upon the terms of compromise, up
whish desire TO see it placed and urged as the
only panacea, remedy for the disease, his amend
mcnt cedng to the States in which they lie, the lands
within their limits upon certain terms and conditions
At this point was compelled 10 leave the company
of the Senator. could not concur with him in either
Of his positions And, sir, confess that ! was
Irised to hear the Senator declare that his amend
mcnt, bill, calculated 10 close the whole land
question. Why, sir, does not the Senator see that It
falls greatly short of meeting the desired object Can
L.. Al th.a
made is entirely too small for the body he designs to
put it on His bill applies to the lands lying in the
new States aone-one hundred and sixty millions Of
acrcs-while the whole quantity of the public lands Is
thousand millions of acres, as shown by the
report which ! have read The great objects of the
Senator he has declared to get rid of this agi-
tating question in Congress- TO withdraw Executive
patronage, and finally To settle the land question
How Will the hill OF the Senator effect these desirable
results As have said touches less than onesixih
Of the public domain. The land system, with all its
machinery, must still be kept up; Congress will havs
just much legislation, and the patronage will be
about the same, if such bill had been passed
But sir, iorbear to push the argument on the sena
tor bill further ut this moment.
CONCLUSION.
! would here close my remarks and resume my scat,
but the Senate must pardon for noticing the polit-
ca topic that has been introduced into the discussion
/ | did hope, Mr.. President, when we assembled here
the present session, that would 10y common con-
4 IL,
that was created in the late political contest We have
all heard enough Of it 70 need rcposc now it is
But in this have been disappointed. The very title
of the bill introduces the log cabin as political remI-
nisence calculated to lead 10 political discussion in
deed it has so led Of the Senators who have adj
dressed you did suppose that the charges that have
been made in the heated partisan presses, that the late
Presidential election was influenced by stock iobblng
considerations in England. would not have found
their way into this august body But here, again,
have been mistaken. And since the charge has been
made / desire TO know what State has been opera
| ted upon Let the charge be located. For my State
and her citizens rcpel it. have seen in the columns
of the party presses Immediately after the election for
President the charge that the election had been carr
ed by fraud. This we had right to expect, for II Is
a principle in our nature to attribute defeat to any
thing else than defeat in ourselves conduct;
and so long as the charge had special location
thought it but the privilege othe defeated party to ex
cuse themselves at the expo Sc of facts and OF
the feelings OF their opponents hut to my utter aston
ishmcnt in the Official organ the location of
this iraudn my State. had been there at the
time of the election, had heard aud much and
now declare to you that honestly believe there
was more fair and honest expression OF public opinion
in the State than there the elections there last
summer and autumn There may have been illegal
votes given and doubt were but, ii So have good
reason to believe they unknown to the judges
and inspectors and not confined 10 side alone
| aware that an argument has been based on the
fact that there votes given in August and
November than therewere polls assessed IN the spring
Admit this TO be true and does prove that the excess
were illegal votes that they all cast on ono
side Or may il not rather be attributed TO the fact
that all the polls not taken by the assessors in the
spring all being taxable by the laws Of Indiana,
which exempt persons over fifty years of age from
poll tax, or that may have come of age between
the time Of the assessment and the election This
would be the charitable view Of The matter. Add to
this the fact that these accidentally
turned 90 235 906 acres of land less than the true
amount and then make the calculation, and you will
find that the Of Indiana does not bear higher
proportion to the population than average of other
4 States and il seems to that the Official or
gan would consent raise the float from Indiana and