Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-02-13
Pointing 70 the Capitol.
REMARKS oF THE HON: w: G RIyHs'

Pointing TO the Capitol.
REMARKS OF THE HON. w. c. RIvEs
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
Tuesday FEB. Cd on The Prospective Pre- empficn Bill
The question being about to be put on the sever
al propositions before the Senate
MIR RIVES rose and said, before the sense OF III
Senate was taken on the various questions about u
be submitted for its decision, he desired TO say
word or two in explanation Of the votes he SHOULD
give upon them. He had no design 10 enter into TIT
debate he felt that would be out Of place for
who had so recently taken his seat in this body
without having had the advantage Of either hearing
reading the able discussions which had occupied
its attention. for the last three four weeks tho
subject of the public lands. He wished merely tC
state a few general notions which would govern III,
votes he intended TO give.
The public lands said MIR Rves, are the eOmmo,
property of the nation. They are so expressly de
clared 10 be, and solemnly consecrated TO the com
mon benefit Of all the members Of the Confederacy
in the deeds Of cession of the respective State
which originally held them, or have been since &c
qured and paid for by the common treasure of thu
Union. He was, therefore against all schemes TO
alternating or dsslpating this common inheritance
either by the wholesale operation OF a cesslon &c
re new Stses, as proposed by the Senator from
South Carolina, (Mr Calhoun,) or by the piece
meal process OF prospective pre-empuon rights, n:
contemplated by the bill OF the Senator from Mis-
sour, (Mr Benion.) But while he thus oppo-
sed all partial exclusive appropriations Of this
common fund 10 the special benefit OF particular
States or particular classes he had always been
willing TO see il administered in spirit of beralitv
and paternal kindness TO the new States, in the
spectacle of whose prosperity and magical growth
no one felt higher degree Of patriotic pride, a
lvelier fraternal sympathy, than he did. A kindly
and fostering policy towards the States, and
equal justice the DID, ought, in his opinion to go
hand in hand IN all our legislation this great ma
tlonal interest.
In regard to the proposition of the Senator from
Kentucky, (Mr. CrlItendon,) 10 re commit the bill
OF the Senator from Missouri with instructions TO
report a plan for distributing the proceeds OF the
public lands among all the States, il is, said Mr.
Rives, question which necessarily and insepara-
bly, connects itselfwIth the general revenue system
OF the nation, and could not he safely or properly
treated apart from that general system The public
domain had Away hitherto been collateral, and of.
very productive source of national revenue
tightening TO the extent OF lis auxiliary contrbu-
lions, the burthens imposed upon the general con-
sumption and industry. of the country. 1t is true
that since the exunguishment of the debt OF the
volutiOn, and OF the debt created by the last war
with England, there may not be the same urgent
necessity for its aid in the national finances; but its
diversion to other purposes, at the present moment
at least he thought neither prudent nor safe. The
entire revenue OF the nation, embracing both the
proceeds Of the lands and of the customs il is ad-
mitted, Short falls at present, Of the actual wants
and expenditures OF the Government; and we have
moreover new debt Of unascertained and inde-
cannot yet be known. The revenue, too, we are
informed by the Secretary of the Treasury will be
still farther reduced IN the ensuing twelve or eigh-
teen months, by some five millions Of dollars more
taken fOm the customs under the progressive re-
auctions OF the Compromise act of 1888. In this
state of things actual and prospective to withdraw
the proceeds of the public lands from the national
Treasury, and to throw the Government for its
support and expenses exclusively on the customs
would be- Of necessity, to uddvery greatly TO that
=. IL. L.
least ofreviving those angry contests about the riff
which sorecenty disraced the country with intestine
divisions and which threatened indeed, at one time
the peace and even the existence ofthe Union.
know, said Mr.. RIVEs, II is proposed TO obvate
this danger by laying the additional duties that
would become necessary 10 supply the resulting de-
hcIency in the revenue, on articles of LUXURY. lie
was himself in favor Of subecting all articles Of lux
ury from abroad TO reasonable duties. They were
proper and legitimate subjects OF taxation, and ought
IN his opinion, never have been exempted TO III,
extent they have been. But il must be borne ir
mind that there limit even 10 this RESOURCE boti
10 the nature Of things and in the policy and wisdom
of legislation. These articles Of luxury enter large
Iy into the commercial exchanges between foreign
countries and our own, and constitute with some o.
them, indeed, their principle means OF payment foI
the productions Of our soil and industry To bur.
then them, then, W h duties beyond certain point
would be TO derange the natural relations Of com.
nerce. and 10 diminish to greater or lesser extent
products, IN foreign markets. IL must be remem.
bered, too, that an increase Of revenue is not
The consequence Of an augmentation Of duty. Il
was saying Of Dean Swift, he believed, that in
the arithm tic Of the customs two and two do no
always make four, but Oft times one. You ma,
double the duty upon given commodity, and in
ste1d OF doubling the revenue from IL, you NAV re
duee il one half or more by diseouragng the con
sumption.
He held it, therefore impossible, with any dat,
We have now before US, for any one TO saw pyioyi
with satisfactory approximation TO eertaintv
whether the contemplated duties on foreign Iur1
RES would produce money enough both to fll tb,
place OF the land sales in the public 6sc and IN sn
ply the deficiency arising from the progressive re-
duc,lon OF duties under the Compromise act Win
out going into any deta's at present, he ygoui,
merely say that to him IL, seemed quite doubtful
Suppose, then, IN the event, they should prove in
adequate 10 perform this double Office what Won,
he the consequence You must either resort 4
what arc commonly called the protected articles 4
raise the duties upon them beyond the 20 nor cen
stipulated by the Compromise act and thereby re-
new tho bitter strife which we have fam hone
was hnallY lad 10 rest by the concilatorv ndiusi
ment OF 1888, or otherwise you must cteats a ne,
pgOhe debt by fesofiing TO loan in some form q
other-either Of them consequences which he W.
sure would be sincerely deprecated by gentleme
sno, n'tn olher views, are inclined 70 give the
present support 70 the policy Of distribution
IL seems 10 me, therefore, said MIR Rive IN.
regsrong Hior The present az a fiscal question on
ly, the proposition FOR distribution Of he r,oc.s
Of the public lands ~ necessarily posteriot IN a.
dependent upon, the permanent adiustment Of m
Tariff which must take place during the ne ~ s.sio
Of Congress. The provisional arrangements MAJ
BY the compounds act will run out 6y tbe f.,
JulyI lsf2, and the large and admitted de6sisn,
N ne revenue that will then arise must IMPOSE u
On Congress- az their next session, the inev,,,b
duty Of revising and permanently adjusting the !
tire revenue system Of the nation with view,
that Economical administration Of the Cove,
Inon," which 10 recognized and consecrated "a
principle IN the very text Of the Compronse n
and which, be hoped and believed, would be f.it
filly carried out by the new administration. II
subject was one Of the highest delicacy and imp
lance IN ali its parts and bearings, and he had
doubt would be met 10 n manner worthy OF
Character Of American legislators-in the cath,
spirit Of American patriotism, and not in the narr
spirit Of sectional jealousy on the one hand or 10
capldny on the other-and he felt high degre,
satisfaction IN the belief that lie harmonious adj,
mcni was destined 70 become a new bond Of IN
betSeen The various portions Of our wide-spr
eonfsdefacy.