Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-04-13
To a, Editers Of ihs Iyhig.
.ttr mimic IANnS-No III

ID
State as OF "l9l9" instead OF 1919, with some other
errors which suppose have crept in accidentally,
bu, which your Intelligent readers will observe and
correct
In my last engaged to advert again TO the oGjec-
tons N, de TO the distribution OF the proceeds oil the
Public Land.--having, as hope, shown satstacto-
rly that without this principle neither transferring
the land to the new States, or reserving the pro-
ceeds as a part of the resources OF the Treasury,
would IN any degree, control excessive emig ration,
but on the contrary, must accelerate the flow Of
numbers and OF wealth from the old States. MIR
Wise OF Accom,ck, IN late speech IN the House of
Representatives, has discussed the question OF dis
trbution as a source OF augmented influence IN the
hands of the Presidents; and II this was the only I'M
portant aspect in which the question ought to be
considered, his conclusions might be emitted 10 more
weight than belongs TO them, when all the elements
involved are properly estimated. He presents, in
strong and glowing colors the power and patronage
of the President under the system which has grown
out OF the ordinance oil l1sI, and the frauds and
abuses which that system has given rise, but does
not attempt to show, by any reasoning whatever,
why this patronage and abuse oil power Will be
lessened by retaining the land iund as part OF the
of the Treasury, or Increased oy ulsiou-
ting the amount TO the States and omits the lmpor-
tant consideration, that patronage extends 10 the dis
bursements Of the land fund, which distribution will
least of, diminishing TO that extent The evils
which Mr. Wise so earnestly deprecates. Whether
these evils are intrinsic in the system, have grown
out OF a INSTRUMENTATION OF the land laws, are
questions which will not now stop TO examine
but holding the reduction OF Executive patronage TO
be Intimately connected with the purity and perma-
nency Of the Government, offer the following a
adequate remedies for those evils, wherever their
sources may be: First, revision OF the land laws,
introducing all necessary guards and checks against
frauds and abuses of all kinds second reducing the
quantities of land on SALE essening the number Of
land Offices and augmentlng the minimum price OF
the Public Lands and third, the constitution of
Land Board to be composed OF Commissioners APP
pointed by the S ates, whom the whole subject of
the Public Land may be confded, under the action
OF Congress, and the superintendent OF the Ireasu-
ry Department. If any constitutional objection
should be made to this plan OF forming the Board,
on the ground Of its being an Infringement of the
Presidents power OF appointing to Office, 1t will be
obvated by reference 10 the trust character oil the
subject As 10 the Public Land, the General Go
vernment holds in trust for the States contrsdis
ting ushed from the General Governmental trusts for
the benefit Of the people of all the States; and the
eeStui qId trust rlshfuy exercise all authority
over the subject not Incompatible with the
power creating the trust there be constitution
al impeachment to a Board Of the character proposed.
The Presidents power OF appointing extends to call
officers OF the United States" but this Board, If com
posed OF State agents. assisting IN the administration
OF a subject, the proceeds of which belong TO the
States severaly, they WILL in no sense, be "oicers
of the UniIeu States" although their officers may
result from the cooperating action of the General
and Stnie Governments.
MIR. Wise deprecates distribution, because he
supposes that IL must necessarily be followed by
an increase Of the customs TO supply the wants of
the Treasury Without entering upon this a rs
cal question, and IA which view the recent debates
in Congress have lelt nothlng 10 be added, It will
suffice to remark that previous numbers show, that
the safety and prosperity OF The old States loudly
demand reductions IN the quantities OF land an
nuRlly IN market, which, without an increase of
price must il Justice is done, materially lessen
this a OF revenue, and requiring the Gus
toms to be graded TO the necessary expenditures OF
the Government; that whether distribution takes
place or not, the tariff must be somewhat extend
ed TO save the Southern and middle States from !
threatened ruin by unlimited land sales.
H. for the protection of the great landed interest
Of the country, II should thus become necessary to |
extend the tariff 10 wlaes. silks. and other luIures,
with a slight increase on some other articles, more
of good Than OF evil, would be produced; besides
supplying the Treasury, our commerce, both TO-
reign and domestic, would be better regulated and
adjusted, and, incidentally, our domestic manuac- |
lures would receive some protection against ruin |
GUS fluctuations IN the amounts OF foreign mPorta-
tons -
II is not proposed, as Mr. Wise sarcasiieaiitty sup
poses, either TO distribute a spFpius, a deficiency
IN the public Treasury; but IL is a claim made upon
the Upon surrender TO the States their prUper
Proportions Of the avaiIs of the public lands, held il
trust their and IT, before credit and confidence
can be re established, the wants OF the Government
shall require it, portions Of the distributebe fund
may be credited 10 the States account OF the
MES deposited with them under The act OF 1885, !
and thus relieve any Immediate Inconvenience
which might otherwise be produced by the present
deplorabe Of our fiscal affairs.
There is another aspect in which distribution
must recommend itself 10 those who properly ap-
precate the rights and powers Of the SIates:-B
separating the proceeds of the land from the Trea-
sury funds, all pecuniary motives leading the Ge-
neral Government TO Inordnate sales, will be reno.
ved-not having the expenditure Of the money, no
governmental policy, or unworthy ambition, can be
promoted by depopulating one quarter Tor the as-
grandzemen OF another; and If the pernicious
heretofore pursued cannot be checked, at least
some decentralization will be found in applying the
land fund to the refrigeration of the weakened
and exhausted States.
Mr.. Wise's picture Of the golden chain by which
the states are TO be ensaVed, my show eIuberlnt
fancy, bot certainly implies a want of stronger
ground on which 20 rest his conclus ons.
Was 1t ever found IN the history of men, or Of
States, that rendering up trust estate debased or
weakened the proper proprietor to whom the sur
render was madel or strengthened the party thus
dIve:tedi IL history teaches wisdom by example,
we may learn that gratuitous deposit OF twenty
eght millions VII the several States, and for which
they are liable TO a Congressional demand Of rest-
uiiIon at any time, made no change in their devo
zion To the principles Of State ghts and American
liberty, but that nineteen OF the twenty SIX States
with this golden chain around their necks, hurled
from place the administrators OF that Government
from whom the boon was received, on perceivng I
the abuse OF che power con6ded to their hands II
we turn our minds 70 the two grest sources Of revs
nue., the customs and the public lands we shall /
Ind that the policy with which both have been ma
Dnccd, have proved equally disastrous ~ the great
interests Of the middle States.
il required but reference 10 statistical facts 10 /
show the destructive operation OF the land system
Virginia. and IN which her neigh Oors on The At
lan'ic have all participated.
The long credits on imports have tended as uner, 1
rngy TO transfer the foreign commerce Of the nation
20 northern ports, the land system aids 20 draw her
population and wealth 10 the Valley OF the Missis. !
sppl. Regular and successive importations with
long credits on the imports, have been resorted 10
ior the double purpose Of mercantile profit and for
the creation OF an active money capital in The hands
OF the importer. This has been effected by sales /
IN grsss for convertible bills, which gives The i'm
porter the use Of the public money until the bond
20 payable, and prevents a succession Of ike opera
tons by wh ch large sums accumulated and used
during the continuance OF the trade. The foreign
shipper, as well as the home importer. are often
found equally engaged in this race 10 acquire and |
hold The Government funds, producing those eEces
slVe accumulatons Of iofsign goods IN our markets
by which regulsons and distress are prodsced
This Government capital ~ the hands Of northern
merchants combined with some other advantage.
has enabled them gradually TO draw most oflhe 70.
reign commerce TO northern ports and to purchase
che return cargocs from the South, by which south.
nrn Industry becomes IN some measure tributary 10
che northern money holders.
The direction thus given 10 commerce has given
rise TO a multiplication Of profits among northern
merchants, much Of which is drawn from southern
and western dealers and consumers; the importer
sells ~ gross 10 the Job merchants thew eYepd be,