The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-14
IN SENATE,


a.a.,,s..1 ,.f,s IN SENATE, wna .a.Eu a,.
n@"@s-a FRIDAY, August 10, l64l.
The joint resolution offered by Mr.. HUNTING
TON, for the transfer Of the lght-boat at Sandy
Hook, to Bartett's reef in Long Island and that at
Bartletts reef to Execution rocks, was read third
time and passed.
Mr. MERRICK, from the Committee on the Dis
trlct OF columbia reported the bill from the House
bill, relating to the amendment Of the charter Of
Mr.. CALHOUN presented memorial of citizens
of Portsmouth, Virginia against this extra session.
the establishment of National Bank, declaring its
gnconstilutonality, and the right Of its repeal
Which was laid the table and ordered to be printed
The joint resolution reported by Mr. CLAYTON,
fol the distribution of seven thousand copies of the
printed returns of the 9th census among the several
States and the reservation of three thousand copies
In the Library of Congress- for future disposition,
taken up and after some conversations ordered to be
engrossed for third reading. ....
Mr. HENDERSON submitted a resolution autho-
rising the Postmaster General to draw from the files
efthe Senate the documents from the Post Office De-
Partment of the years 1924 and 1885, and which be-
came the subject of report that they might be
placed the files of said Department. He had re-
celved communication from the Postmaster General
stating that those papers were necessary for the use OF
the Department The resolution lies day.
:. The resolution of Mr.. SMITH, Of Ia, nstructng
qure into the expediency of providing by law at this
session, to enable the Post Office Department to qui
date its dues to contractors and Others taken up
Messrs. SEWER and LINN were glad that this
subject had been brought up and they wished the
cause thoroughly examined, why more money. should
be required for the of this Department. when the
appropriations for transportation of the mails had been
reduced in their States to their great Inconvenience
They opposed this withholding the facilities to the
new States while the increased appropriations
made for the old States. - "aa.'
Mr.. SMITH, of Indiana, said when he had sub
mitted this resolution, he had not intended a debate.
1t was proper that the dues existing against this
Department should be lquidated, and it was a mere
resolution of inquiry to the best mode of doing it,
Mr.. SEWER expressed his intention of offering an
amendment; and the resolution laid till to-
morrow. aHH. - 49,. ... g.. 1t..., .'.N ..... .s
Mr. SMITH, of Indiana, on leave, reported the
bill for extending the time for issuing Virginia military
land warrants. .@2.. .t - st.. ~
DISTRIBUTION AND PRE-EMPTIoN BILL.
This bill was taken up, the question being on the
amendment of Mr.. ARCHER to strike out the pro-
vision in the 9th section applying the land grants to
viz: roads, canals, bridges improvement of water
courses. and draining swamps. ~ .. p. -. r.
Mr. CLAY, of Ala, briefly opposed this on the
ground of the propriety of continuing the system
heretofore pursued distributing the lands for spe-
cifc purposes, roads, sc. - r..
The amendment was then rejected, without d.
vision. .. gH. ".. j.. 49,, -,3..'
Mr. McROBERTs moved an amendment, to strike
out, in the 9Th section the provision granting to each
of the States of Ohio, Indiana illinois Alabama,
Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and
Michigan (which have not heretofore received 500,-
600 acres OF land for internal Improvements sum
sufficient with what they have already received to
make up that amount and insert provision granting
to the States of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan Missouri
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama guam
titles of land which, together with that already receiv
ed exclusive of the 10th section of lands appropriated
for school purposes shall be equal to that granted
Ohio, viz. to Illinois 492 600 acres to Indiana $685.
600 acres; Michigan, 100000 acres; Missouri,
l,04S,000 acres; Arkanas, l04O 900 acres Louisi-
ana 100000 acres; Mississippi, 100000 acres
and to Alabama, 672, 900 acres ..'.@...
Mr. McROBERTS in offering this amendment,
conended for the justice well well propety of
its adoption. The vast resources of Ohio might be at
tnbuted TO her grants of lands made by the General
Government in her infancy. He referred to the works
of internal improvement in Illinois, which would be
of advantage to the great confederacy and asked of
the justice Of Congress to give her credit and resources
to prosecute them to completion.
lie denied the moral and constitutional right of d.
vidng these lands to the old States, and contended
That the lands within the borders of the States
were taken possession of in the manner as the
territory of the old States; and belonging to them as
States, and not as individuals, could with no more
proprety be distributed than the soil of the old States
They had no more power appropriate money for the
treasures ofthe States than to ae money from those
States
Mr.. SMITH, of Indiana, said the motion pending
was to equaize apparently the grant of lands TO the
new States with that which had been given to Ohio.
The grant of land to Ohio of alternate sections
the line of the public works; and the alternate Sec
tons reserved heing incl eased to value Joube trine
or TOUR times the amount of the minimum price it was
in fact no grant from the Treasury The lands of
ILLINOIS, on me contrary, averaged the whole sales
only $l25 $40 per acre. being but eight. tenths of
cent above the minimum price, From The. and o,hor
considerations, as Chairman of the COMMITTEES he
maintained that there was equalization of Grants
to the States If this not the case he sbonld he
Wiling TO correct IT, He opposed the amendment.
MT CLA L, OF Ala was surprised that there sbonh
be opposition TO this amendment from anv ,n,r,or .s
peclaly from the Senator from Indiana whose State
was to be benefited by it. Its object was To Mace
the new States on an equal footing which was not ac.
complshed in the present form of the bill He thar a,
some length advocated the amendment as do;n1 ,ba
same justice to Alabama and other States as had al
ready been done to Ohio. "
Mr. CALHOUN should vote for the amendment
as he thought if the bill passed it right but for
much higher reason, that he would much rather rive
the whole of the land to the States in which il Law
than TO distribute proposed by this BILL The bill
most Unconstitutional measure. The proceeds
of the lands belonged to the Treasury and if thew
not appropriated to this purpose then the new
States had the best right to III me- They belonged 10
the whole Union, and on this condition the new States
entered the compact; if this were violated the land
reverted back to its original condition, and became
the property of the States in which il lies Viewed
in any light, both constitutional and otherwise, this
was, to him, the most odious measure that could he
presented.
Mr.. YOUNG said there was a view Of this subject
that had not, yet, been taken. This distribution
was violation of the compact with the States,
which was that the proceeds of the lands should 90
the Treasury. II this was done, and thus the COM
pact violated, the right which had been given up by
that compact should be exercised viz taxing the