Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-07-03
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

DIS lSlBU IlON BILL, &c.
Mr. CLIFFORD resumed and concluded his 70.
marks on the Bill for distributing the proceeds M
the Sd es OF the Public Lands, sc. He said tina, he
was opposed TO the bill on account OF ito uoconsti.
tutionaity, as 1t proposed to make this distribution
gTatuiiy to the States which this Government md
not the right 10 do. He inferred this from the
reading OF the bill, which provided that il should he
m force for years, or until the country IS IN a
state Of actual hostIiities. He cOntendcd that Tho
United States had the supreme power over the Phi.
.lc Lands, yet the gentleman had asserted that the
Union was but the trustee OF the Safes; bs could
not allow this Argument. What right had the
5 aies to the lands purchased by the General Gov
eminent, IN Florida or louisiana They had paiJ
nothing for them States. II this bill should bass
/ the New England States would not accept il, as
due 90 the States, but would divide IL per Camilla
among the people, they md done with the sur,
plus revenue. lie then endeavOred TO show td,t
the passage 81 this bill would affect the tariff Ue
would be IN favour Of any duty that gentlemen
might think proper to lay on wines, were It not
that they ms ht interfere with the COmpror,iss p,
In conclusion, NJ. Clifford said he conceived tb,t
this bill was calculated to open the whole subject OF
the tariff land the question would inevitably come
up) OF tifH -, protection on one hand, or heavy
duty on all the ncctssarIcs Of lie and he thought
mat The gentleman ifom Massachusetts, would be
triumphant
Mr. MERRlWEATHER said that he should not
have spoken this bill, had il not been for tho ne
tonlshng doctrine promulgated in the spec. Of yes
terday and to-day. lie might vote ngiinst the hin
but could not permit the gcniemans a gumen: 10 90
out unanswered, lest u might be thought his vote
was based on that argument The gentleman In
told US that o. was not his intention TO make stunp
speech, when hc commenced his remarEe. lie
would not say the gentleman had made one bu, he
would say mat % an orator was placed on The stump
and the words OF the gentleman from Maine VOC
delivered by him, Il would be a stump speech.
Mr. NJ. had been pleased with one argument Of
the gentleman yesterday. lie showed, IN making
up his account against the Public Lands, that tic
territory OF Florida and Louisiana nod been purchas.
ed ny funds arising from their sale. TO dav he
argued that they were purchased by funds arising
from duties on imports. lie would recommend the
gentleman 70 reconcile these Two statements before
he had his speech printed Tor his constituents Gco,
ga had instructed her Senators and requested her
Representatives to vote against the bill and be
should do u, because the provisions Of the b ysrs
extremely unjust as Il proposed to give 10 the nine
western states 10 per cent more until IL amounted
TO 100000 acres Of land, before tie States who ced
cd the ands should Come in for an equal share S rp
the biI OF Us unjust features and he would vote for
M 10. FLOYD, in commencing nj, remarks
against the bill, quoted from Shakespeare where
rance Henry had made peace with his C1tber and
having informed his bottle companIons that he could
nov 90 any hing, and Fastaf urges upon him then
W ioG we EIchequer'' Mud now that a certain
parry nal seemed 10 como into power. he thought
ne could near the same cry rising from a tboussrd
throan-'RoO Us the EReh,quof then. Hal.p This
"a s nao . no uyuD' would be done yet he certainly
gentleman on this floor W IVY
VIZ loyd called The ailoition Of the Committee
70 me Tact that portion Of these ands had bssn
pui chased by claims for French spolistions. H.
wo S peg them to Ieeoect also that the Indians
had claims to these lands 70 the amount of rnion
OF dollars per annum, and now he found ,b,' 'ha.a
persons who had been most profuse in sbedJinc
theIr tears Tor The poor Indian, were now urging ~,
70 roo them. lie was opposed TO the Dill. beesuss
placed TIE Union in the situation Of an slmoner.
Nm sne otates ~ that Of beggars, and should this
House with petitions for relief, without presenting
any claims whatever. He considered The Bill 10 |
% 40 a'''mPs 70 enrich the ich mans fell with