The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-07-20
9th CONGRESS,---1st Session.
HOUSE.
Monday July 5, 1871.

PUBLIC LANDS
and the granting of pre-emption rights.
The question pending was on the motion OF
Mr.. Clifford to strike out the enacting clause OF
the bill.
Mr.. Wise being entitled 10 the floor, commen-
ced by saying hat he die not imagine the Hou Sc
would do any business to-day, inasmUch the
other body had adjourned over. tie was will ing
however, 10 proceed with his remarks, if the
House cnose to remain to hear him.
Mr.. w. referred to the letter of he ,lder
Adams, copy OF which was pu ili>hei in the
National lntelligencer this morning. I al Tier
said it was The duty of the people on the ami
versary Of The country'S Independence, in he first
place to return thanks to God. A however the
fourth hap, ened on Sunday, hope tha every
member went to church yesterday an returned
thanks. But to-day being "a Legislative day, |
think cannot reuder letter service to the cOun-
try than by opposing this bill.
Mr.. w. then at great length went nto an ex-
animation OF the various sections Of the bill, and
commended that he could not go for it, inasmuch
as the proposed distribution was hotor,oasly IN
fair and unequal.
He proceeds 10 show the various grants that
were proposed 10 be made for the new States,
and comparing them with the grants made 10
the old States asked upon what principle so
unfair a distribution had been based.
Referring to his own State. he observed that
Virginia when she cedcd her lands to the
General Government, forgo, the heavy claims
made upon her for the military services of her
own citizens during the Revolution. She had
therefore been sued in her own courts for the
recovery Of these claims. so that she was com.
peeled to ask the General Government to give
back portion of her land. But if this dis.
tribution bill should pass, all hope ofgctting
any back would vanish. The passage of the
bill would in fact be robbing Virginia to the
amount ofhalf million Of dollars.
There was another obi lection. The bill bound
them to price which would be productive of
no nett proceeds whatever. He therefore cal.
led upon his brethren of the old States not to
60 blindfold into this measure of the distfibu.
ton without examining it,
Speaking of the distribution scheme of Mr..
Clay in the Senate, MIR. w. said he was as
much opposed to that as to the present BILL
But now he was obliged TO take one, he would
rather have the former, and cede the land to the
States at once.
lie called upon every member in the Hall
to beware of creating necessity for protec-
tive tariff, and to pause before they parted with
the rich public domain. These public lands
ought to be laid aside as safety fund, to be used
in cases of emergency.
Speaking of slave labor and non-slave labor.
Mr.. Wise contended that the people of the
North were as much dependent on thu slave
labor OF The South as the slave onwers were
upon the manufactures of The North.
Another great objection to the bill was, that
in three or four distant places, it recognized the
principle of internal Improvements, thereby EN-
powering the States TO do that indirectly, which
Congress protested it could not do directly.
Besides gentlemen. had expressed horror about
the assumption of State debts. But he would
ask, that, if reimbursing The States by this bill
for what they had expended in internal improve
ments, was not in fact assuming their debts2
After Mr. Wise had concluded Mr.. Raynor
OF n. c.. took the floor, but the committee i'm
mrdiately rose, and at one O'clock,
The House adjourned.