Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-28
No. S3.--VOLUME XNXVH.

sour her dividend OF thirty millions of new land of the
very best quality.
Let rs now look little nj the operation Of this
scheme in its details. have here tie report CT the
leoraed Committee on Public Lands made at the last
session, stating the quantity oil public lands within
tie various States. Ohio il appears contains one mill
lion of acres of second, third, and fourth lands
while Arkansas has turtv-thrce millions ofacrcs.
Talr. Sewer, across-Yes, and il is rich
Yes Arkunsas is rich; and this is one of The schemes
TO make The rich richer, and the poor poorer Arhan
has forty three tines much Oh the public land as
0aio; al the same time OHIO has million aud a lalfor
inhabitants, while Arkansas has one hundred thousand.
Thus, hundred thousand people be benefited
nj the rate OF fnriytlrec millions o.. acres Of land
rich land, the Senator tells us-whc a million aud
half of people in another State benefited ut The
fone million Of refuse land Arkansas is 10 get
two hundred and fifteen 10 each iahGGitant, ard
Ohio oneihird oonc acre, being difference osy nun
'd and forty five in favor Of Arkansas Each nahitaa.
Ut Arkansas therefore, will get hundred and iur.r-
i've lines much each inliahiiant OF Ohio Aad
Of the rest. Michigan hrs th'rty.one millions 81
acres to Ohio million. Yet she has less than ore
hundred thousand inhabitants. The proportions are
enormous. The original cession said that the avals
the pubic domain were to be shared among the States
according Ia their several portions Of the general
charge and expenditure. Yet here III lnhahant oil
Arkansas is 10 get hundred and forty five times as
much nhabant of Ohio; or, if you regard tie
two States, one gets forty three times much u.s.
tho other
But il does not sion here New States Of the Union
selected benclciarics they, then, be
fined 10 the ayals Of the land they rccrv,' Not at al;
after receiving that, they then to in and be
common slarrrs with the rest oi the States We are
% give nail their lands and portion in ours
besides Virginia 10 get twenty sixth part of
halt Of these lands, and Arkansas after having rot
her thirty. millions Is 10 share tins twenty
sixth part with Virginia. should really hope, il Tie
land mu. be given away, will be some rate more
han 'ha v,ffap d-
naming unspd within the states enumerated IL the Sc
major amendment is l5i 000.o00 acrs one hal. Of THIS
will BE- 1000 0G0 onc-;hiri 5D,000,0oo, And I'll.
hiil gives these 50,0J00G0 to nine States, the other
States ret porlion OF IT,
could run out This illustration vet further: bu; | re-
fran. Erpede, Hercui,m. These are sufficient.
These to striking views, but lhcy are not The
considerations which wrgh most heavily upon my
mind and when should To most glad . removed
tl.s amendment Is 10 be adopted, and Ia be
iaw. In arguing this whole question feel the
difficulty II our situation As argning against the WISHES
and expectations Of those who ~ 1rr1Cr Tie 6Csf.
The nine States who 10 get this masnitce nj d,na-
ton have eighteen Senators anon st those whom am
who have, OF conrsr E'ore direct interest
in the adoption Of ihp amendment than any Of he
OF This, OF itself, presents powerful motive tOsc
cure their support To the neasnre and this fact alone
ought to make pause before we hastily adopt the
plan. The benefit 10 be granted is not
all, but peculiar 10 thcmit is exclusive To
ludlng to The strength Of the motive here presented
likely to band together shtcen Senators support OF
this scheme, mean TO make no personal or offensive
reference To those Senators: il is motive likely
on all men placed in their circumstances. They desire,
very naturally and properly, benefit tier con-
suents aud, under the pressure Of that desire, w.
such opportunity for its qualification, the understand
ing OF the strongest is very likely 10 BE- warped II
liz conclusions, and seduced TO believe that the
sure perfectly just and proper. Wemnst entreat gen
tcmcn situated, do now cntreat them, 10 raise
their views from the immediate interest Of their cons,i
tuens in such cesson proposed, to just adj
mlnstration Of the sacred trust which has been con6ded
10 them for the benefit of the entire Union. Is right
is it nst-is genernus-to find their peculiar in
tcrest in our loss and sacrifice? throw myself upon
them that they will consider this subject in an cnarg-
I'd point of view. Especially do wish Ohio 10 do
this who is passing oui Of her state Of minority and be-
coming Of ripe aye. Will Ohio consent thus squan-
der common patrimony: put il to Indiana, who
is soon about tn become the third State in this Union
and ask her whether 10 promote transient interest
to-day she will bc willing TO sacrifice the permanent
and abiding interest Of Tomorrow and whether she Will
lend herself to the dvuson that it il 10 deprive the
old States Of the inheritance they have received from
our ancestors:
The amendment will produce state OF things ear.
nestly depecatc In the administration of tins domain
something due to our past experience. We a.! re-
member the large amount Of debt which was once ac-
cGmulaed under the credit system o sale Of the public
lands you remember that the debtors declared that they
could not paw and would not The very same spirit
which prompts men to take the land without legal right
prompts them stand out for the money they ought to
par for IT, Circumstances made II difficult, perhaps M
possible, for them To pay and well recocc the terror
with which the politicians OF that day looked 10 the
suits such state otisings. remember with what
iey moi to say terror Mr.. Monroe contemplated debt
of ~ millions owed by section oi the Union. Con-
gress looked with dsnny at the of debt due from
settlers the Lower Mississippi and IN con;cmpa-
ton Of the mschievous effects arising from the credit
SYSTEM in relation TO the public lands, you determined
10 alter your terms Of sale aud IL Was wisely decided
10 sell, future, for cash alone. But II scattered
debt due from individuals, be evil OF so dangerous
character TO excite their trrrors, how fearful VIII
il become when this debt, instead of being dispersed
among number of individual Settlers consolidated
into one mass and owed by section which has al.
ready from time 10 time, made Calm 10 an ndeeasIbc
ti,l, m all Tins land Can you collect il You
M, drive your debtors from the land. VIII you call
out The force Of the country-scnd your army-scll
the land under them and take POSSESSION OF II for the
United States IL cannot be done. To individuals,
in such case, you can afford 10 yield, and make q
compromise; hut how will you stand when you have
made States your debtors, The amendment establishes
the relation OF debtor and creditor between ihs Govern
nIent and entire Statcs-with neighbonng, with con-
Lguous Stnies-wth mass Of States, all having one
cu.on interest The Gu SION, one common clia!ac-
ter and one common debt Do you expect from debtor
like this 10 collect your deht by any process The
thought idle estimate the non6r ana EueHly Oh INC
States as much as any man. but what have heard Tor
The last few years, from the oter side ct the Senate,
but wild denuncat,on Of State extravagance- Safe
the DEAR blessed people to be taxed
10 pay State debts Suppose there cones short crop,
or an Indian war, any other OF the ike contingent
,ies would not he urged an excuse Tor moi paying
the State debt; And would y"u venture, under such
TO call upon them for your money:
on dare not Gentlemen have told you III breath,
tina, you protect your lands from The sgualers
either by your psaves or by your soldiers ana IN le
very next breath they say you can force whole states 10
comply with their contracts by the power OF me JUDI
ciary! Your army cannot remove hnndiuI Of nd's'du-
ais and yet you going 10 drive the STATES oy your
JuJ;c,nrv, You cannot turn of poor sqnatter, who
has no sort of ttlr evidence or pre'ence Of tile and
yet you arc, by the most n"ga'ory provisions Of thus
I'm 10 Gust citizen of State, having deed from the
S,n,e in his pocket ard the whole State power inter-
oosed between him and you liza State shall declare
Ina, they Will pay you, coyou expect thar individu
ais of that State will, God forbid should src
the day v hen this comes to be tried or that should
contribute to the possibility Of sureriuduc ng IT, You