Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1841-02-27

vary from their older sisters, have really out
stripped themselves, and have asserted the rights
| Of ma joritv before they have attained the age
oft wenty one. Grant that this is true, sir. We
have at least the proud satisfaction oil knowing
that our greatness has not "been thrust upon u.s."
Ii Is trophy of our own achieving. We glo-
ry IN the fact thai, IN our infancy, IN our viii
derness state, we have earned the honors of man
hood. We boast not strength alone, but wisdom.
In the ordnance of 1877, before the birth of
your Constitution, we taught you the principles
! OF civil liberty. 1t Is singular fac: that,
an ordinance creating n Government designed
/ to be temporary, those great principles should
/ be laid down tho isdainent"i bisis OF our So
cieIv, and expressed 10 be forever bnding and IT.
revocablc upon the people and States thereafter
to arse Like Hannibal, wo were consecrated
TO liberty in our in fancy, and now that our noon
day sun is eliminating upon the continent, we
coniure nppr che nd no evil, nor 10 fear IN
flnences. however powerful, which are thus be
nIgn. Let Senators remember, when they are
disposed to mefe out their tavors with sp1ring
hand, under what difficulties, under what discour-
aCementa, and under what painful pcriis our ear
" settlements were effected. Let them remem-
her how even in later times, II has cost us al!
. our resources to settle down as owners upon Inc
frow ning forest. The State OF 'Bdiana has an Il
Of Hpw ards Of twenty-five millions OF ncros, and
her citizens have already contributed To the Ma
tional Treasury, the price Of their cemenses,
more than twenty millions of dollars. Indiana
has barely passed her minority How after F"es'
cN,anstion, has their industry been taxed To cul'
liyate and stock their farms To procure that nouh-
tIful subsistence which an American CITIZEN de-
mands.
You have iccn reminded, SIR, by way OF check
ing TOO cratuItous spirit towards the new States,
Of the bounty mud muntficencc, or as the Senator
from South Carolina Mr. Prcs:cnl ei"quently
expresses IT, of the justice (or VIVA, higher atrih-
ME can be cIanet IN these degenerate agesD OF
Virginia and the other concedlng States IN sur
rendering their rich possessions 10 the onon.
The new States congratulate themselves upon
thus result. They congratulate the Union. lao
the States retained this territory we should not
now perhaps have been IN the bands oil a patcr-
nal Government, Boosting lis redeemed guaran-
tee for admission into the Union. VISION
SAN Iowa. FInrid, would not have held that guar-
nn,ce vet be faithfully and speedily performed.
This territory Northwest of the Ono river would
Louisiana, in all probability, would no, have been
acquired, nor the navigation of the Mississippi
secured. We should not now have boasted New
Orleans, the peerless exporting city OF this CONT
ncnt would our grea, staple growing region
Of the South have had tho valleys Of the Upper
Mississippi the Ohio, tho Illinois, and Wabash. to
pour. free of duty, their abundant and ccaseiess
supplies into her bosom; ihus giving her annual
eighty millions of exports onc-thIrd OF the Gle
ment of their value.
As n representative of Western interests. | do
not complain of partial unequal laws; but il
cannot be forgotten that commerce has lis costly
dcfences, and manufactures Il protection spIing-
ing from your laws. OF necessity, almost, the
pecuniary patronage Of the Government Is limited
the seaboard. In proportion 10 It's numbers, the
Yves, the largest tax-paying section OF our
country, for the simple reason that not an article
Of import is produced there These drains upon
our industry we submit 10 with an uncompIain-
ing temper. Bu, canno: forget the equity
which such consider lions raise when You are
called TO pass laws upon subjects peculiarly at
fecting our interest. Our staples are tho agrI-
cultural products which seem To be placed beyond
the pale Of constitutional protection. Compared
with the magnitude of the agricultural interest,
ali the other products Of labor in this country
sink into utter insignificance. Commerce has ITS
one hundred millions Of exports. and an equal a.
mount Of imports and onr manufactures douoiicss
transcend these sums IN amount; but agriculture,
towering above all, ascends to two thousand NIL
lions per annum. No nation can be perfectly IN
dependent which does not raise its own bread
stutts and the highest condition OF social happi-
ness and prosperity is attained where other ln'e-
rests To he sure, f1aurlshIn"- but when The
agricultural interest maintains the Ascendant. In
every vicissIiude OF trade and IN every Revision
Of government, while famine and distress too Oh
ten mark their desoiating career IN othe- conn-
tres in peacc and in war. teemng SOIL con-
+tinues to WELD lis fruits 10 the labor OF The hns-
handman and orr barns and Grannr'cs 20 fnrn'-h
perpetual resources for the iito nt man No event
IN history is assocIated with such mass OF hu-
NM happiness. present and prospective, IS inc
settlement OF our Western country. hv inhtiptN-
100 and cheapcning The food upon which man suo-
SIsls BIT viii not press this topic farther.-
The peoplc nf the West. exnitlnG IN their grow
inr strength, expect from Congress ist and con
siberate laws, no, much from their power TO
enforce them. as from the enlightened aPprecia-
ton IN which their claims must be held by the
entire Union.
+ II is matter Of regret that the dignity OF these
claims should be disparaged, suspicion be thrown
inoo them bv the manner IN which the present
hill was introduced into the Senate. When pre-
emption laws become the mere football Of party
or IRE converted into engine for political war.
fare, il IS no wonder that they fail TO command
|, that general assent 10 which thew are entitled
The honorable member who brought IN ms bii
remarked upon It's introducion, that the r eoeta,