Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-28

siyr nature from all the States, and that each OF these
trusts must he administered in reference TO the o'her 80
a. no: 10 tre upon or be inconsistent with H. u,
bcc1dscf is fiscal trust from Virginia, we act upon
a e4fcs!a,ipn of mere pounds, shllngs and pence
,hcs ,sss6-A-aedatcy run foul OF the other trusts
w!.4i from the whole Union. While we look
Tia: sc z&yEfu to the one must see that we are
nnt.srtssexet1ss the other; must keep an eye ID
| the q Sarry on all trusts together, as mar
mcnousks.aith respect to each other, as we can.
must da9Eny none but promote all, as tar as II si,
be iyoslbleg am not for looking exclusively 10 .le
francIatasessiof our powers, but tor remembering
tina: D<tlie schargc Of them, there are also polcn
re- .iAs -es'.ls mus, Of necessity be evolved. No
doub ytsle l ssno,ive which led TO the ccsson was
pol'ts lse States owning no land, seeing t'iai
the ]gSss ~ of other States might lead to an uh-
4 urd kseSS ery in the Gnnfederacy therefore pro-
pos &I& for The erection Of new States.
/ &&5SE .sed then y:,n general fund winch
We fA&+wIgS administer a spirit. NJ once, oil H.
= aer. S45,hc me- 81 Il ust economy rs re-
&2rrry, I'D cl mefe policy ~ regards 'h'
general good o. cur Union. These new members Of
The ConfrGeracy haze been made States much more
quickly than anticipates they are treated as
children, and have been treated as favored cut
drcn. They have grown and ihriven with vast ana uh-
expected rapdity; they filing up with teenihs
populations and are fast becoming Of themselves 4
magnificent empire, which stands III the presence Of
the other States not a child in the presence oi lis
parents, but Of full growth and proportions Oh
fnnting ufcntire equality with the Old Thirteen, ana
" over them. Bnt, the other hand, II sh"hih
not be forgotten, that while have been 81 tnihliirg
The trust rcposed III to promote ana loser lhr
wrli.heIng OF The States, hold trust Tor al
tine States oihe Conrderacy, and hold It on The ground
Il that this public domain which these new STATES
have sprung up fund--a common fund for the use
/, of all the States. What The feeling OF Virginia
when she made crssIon III terms 90 guarded enc
states the purposes for which she makes the cess'on
and then she adds, that il shall be applied TO these pnF
rIotnt
10 show the spirit of caution in which she proceeded
she would not leave il 10 implication that her own
rights Of course 10 be regarded with the rghts
OF all her Sister States, hut added The words 'N irginia
included, thus making assurance doubly sure There
IS not on the record oil civilized nations more Illus
trous instance Of long sighted, wsc and devoted pa
trotism than this very b. the Common OF r.
gina. She thus dismenihered herself OF m extent OF
territory larger than her limits, and freely gave y
10 the whole Republic She beggared herself That she
mig bestow this mun ccnt donation upon the Union NJ
large. Aud now III her advanced age, when her lands
are worn out and instead of beng covered with wav-
ing harrests of wheat, covered over with broom
srdge, when her finances embarrassed, and We may
almost say thn, in her old age she is actually improve
rshcd it right, is it becoming IS II honorable, Is II
grateful around and say to her, you are no long
er entitled 10 any share in the benefits Of this your
own donation Were there no other State in the
Union which could put i'll claim 10 4 share IN the
proceeds of this public domain surely It is our duty,
your duty my duty 10 stand up Tor the rights oil the
Old Dominion. and to that she shall retain some
portion i'll that Inheritance, which, with regal munii-
cence, she has freely bestowed upon US all
In the administration Of the public lands, we are not
10 Cypress and pinch the West as 10 wiring out the
very last dollar the lands he made to produce we
are not TO act the part OF m'scrly landlord we nave
not acted in this spirit. Never. On the contrary
aver that we have acted towards these States the
part of e-hearted and generous parent we nave
nurtured and fed and clothed hcm till they are grown
10 the height and stature Of adult strength long before
they are age From being feeble and helpless and tot
terng they have become strong and rich and table But
would stop here I; Not at all. would act tnwardS
them i'm the same spirit sill-a spirit LIBERAL affection
ate, and generous would foster their growth and
Improvement, and promptly defend them from lndian
aggression but At the time as trustee wonid
louk for some Of profit to the other States OF Tie
Union
Now in the application of these general principles 10
the amendment which has been proposed by my col
league from South Carolina in the first place inquire
whether his a financial scheme at all: and 1t so, VINE
Their il is such as, under the relations IN "hch
stand, just and proper for us to adopt cannot
bu, regard respects the ccssi'n under which we
have received these lands. Will not quiope ABOUT
The terms Virginia did certainly cede these lands 10
the United States and the equivalent was the secur
ing of certain rights to herself together WIN tne 'ic
dental advantages which would grow out Of the cesson
to herself and her SISTER States But was 1t sale :;
Was it financial agreemeni: Did she reserve for her
self fund from the proceeds Was it mere act OF
bargain and sale; Nothing like II. 1t was deed OF
boundess lberality il cession OF all her interests
in this vnst territory act in which she sacr
feed her,elfand looked only 10 the good OF the conn
,ry The present amendment pnrports TO be ces
SION" We 10 give away TO the new states lhe p"o
lie land But can give these lands away as rg
MIA did; Is this territory ours, as It was hrs: >o at
NIL She held it f;e-smpe. She held 1t IN ent're ana
absolute property il her own; she might do WIN
!, what she would and she chose TO give it away But
we cannot give H. II hers IN iee-slmpe; IS ours
onI, IN trust She held in her right: we hold 1t
in rioht Of others She held it proprietor; we hold
i nc trustees for all the States. That have right
10 sell the land have doubt and that III execution
Of other trusts contded 10 us, we nay IN certain cases.
rive portions of away, do not deny hut we have no
Constitutional rnht destroy the trust that IS an act
which tronsccnds the power Of Congress. And, fur
Their If W. part with il undera mere cnorabc sale " IS
an avoidance If high trust and violation oil INC
Constitution ii we sell nj all, we must sell IN GOOD
faith for valuable consideration and tor the benefit Of
the L S.
Whit 10 the consideration reserved in this act ut ces'
sion; II nurpors 10 be G5 per cent on The sales, IN
other words is proposition To crde 50 per cent OF
the procecds of the public lands to certain seiecnrd
States What consideration for this 50 per cent: we
have been for fifty years administering ths ',','
and we have not yet got through with IT, IL Isl IN hc'
continually opening upon There seems sonieiihn.
\ maucal about it. IL grows on us as we prnceeo n
norton Of the estate has been Destroyed ana ye
,s ~ i,s, as we have sold and consumed IT. II has m
creased upon our hands In proportion Us we "a'c d
cended IN our legislation, wider horizon has opened
y 4, Grs there was wall of Indians and of foreign
territory all around ns but with every rolling year t.
nts have been rolled back not now bounded by The
Miami nor by the Wabash, nor by the Mississippi; no.
nor by the Rocky Mountains But my honorable
friend here (Mr. Linn) invokes the Senate 10 eH-
,and lie view to the mouth of the Columbia river. we
have not done with this trust half done with it
We have built up an empire, and yet we are only on
the threshold of possessions To show how niue
we have yet made by it in financial v'ew let me s.ase
that from the returns as brought up TO very recent
nor;od our expenses have exceeded gains We are
p pat pe for the Of the We
more than five millions yet in debt. speak of the
whole domain however derived The cost and charges
of managing Ibis property have been
The income from il has been not quite S'sooo'ooo'-
Nor Is this difference the only balance against us
Thus far the sales of the public lands have not rem
burscd the expenses of their acquisition and prepare
ton for sale The following IS the oifcia s.asentnt