The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1841-09-09
BY MITCHEN FIR & MATHEWS.
LAND REVENUE DISTRIBUTION BILL.
SPEECH


Liifn's amendment 10 the Land Revenue
Distributor bill. esq eu .astIa'l
Onthe request Of nv. B. the amendment
was read, and was 10 these words: a
Strike 0ul the whole bill after the 0nacting |
clause, except the prescription clause, and
insert: a'sf a@+.i @ |
That from -nd afer thu passing ftbs sct, The matt
proceeds ofhe sscs OF the public lands, 90 far tho
same shall not be geeded 10 deIrsy the expenses 70
pay the debts Of the General Government shall be, 5Ad
10 hereby plsdged " the ~ aDesofAhe Unicfi
and shall be faithfully applied to tlHthbeet from time
ie time according to the plans Of detencS which Con.
gress shall adopt until the United States placed in
that Of strength and security which 10 dle 10 the
honor aud independence Of the country and to the pro-
lection ofhe rights aud interests Of lis citizens And
itsha be the duty Of the Secretary fhe Treasury, al
the Of each stated session ofCongressto
report to each House ofrOngress the amount Of the
nett proceeds Of public lands for the current yeap
aud which were not required to deiray the sxpsRsesos
10 pay the debts ofthe United States; aud the amount
reported shall be, and the hereby aPpropra-
ted TO providing such means, and constructing such
works of public defence by land and water, as then
may he in progress which Congress shall order and
direcU and surh appropriations shall con ue until tho
defences of the Union shall be completed, and shall be
in addition to the ordinary annual appropriations for
such objects"
The amendment having been reed, M. BEN
TIN pfocet ed 10 state the nature, and contrast
the characters, ofthe two propositions inyol-
we'd by tho bill, and the amendment, and to
show them to be antsgonstioto each other and
worthy of very different faiea-one condemns
ed by the Constitution, BY patriotism, by com
mon deeeucy; the other commanded and ree-
ommepGed by every obiganoe Of constitutions
al duty, Of honorable impulsion. Of patriotic
onA ofd fov h. oho
of,he Senate, or for the. welfare Of the coun-
rv,s, He 6rst examined the Distribution bill;
and rapidly exhibited hs character and nature
under the different aspects which appeared to
him to be the most important He said:
q, This distribution scheme 10 gross and fla
grant breach Of the Constitution, unmitigaied
by the apology Of fpreceden., or the plea of sur
plus revenue. n is the frs, bill Of i,s kind
which may become law; and ihoee who pass
it. and the President who may approve It, will
have the honor TO have given new wound 10
the Constitution, (slEsSdy pieTcea with innnm-
cradle stabs and destined, in all appearance,
toleceive its last deadly thrust al this present
parricidal extra session. Ths Constitution
vas not made 10 divide money or property: il
contains no rule for distribution. In atiemp-
ung.o divide this money, we have to make q
rule asswe 60; and that rule, BY what passes in
the Senate, 10 seen to be just whatever 10 necss
sary to obtain the majority Of one which s ne
cessafy to carry The BILL yhliteTally pays its
waylhrough the House. For raising revenue
there is rule laid down in The Constitution.
Directiaxes must bo in the ratio Of represen-
tation: dulios must be equal and uniform For
dividing money or property, there 10 no rule
laid down; and this. Of ITSELF at once shows
the unconstitutionalily Of such division, and
reduces every operation ofthls kind to- what
this case 10 seen 10 be- mere case Of plum
derl the old States plundsring the young ones!
and the young ones are bfibed into. o.submsSion
TO be pluhdered. Congress can only raise mo.
ney 10 defray the expenses. oFto pay the debts
OF the Government; yet thiD bill raises revenue
from the lands for neither purpose and impog-
es The necessity oflayiDg taxes, and loans 10
supply its place. Loan bills, and tax bills, are
now on our table 10 supply, from other sources
the revenue which is thus thrown away. There
is no surplus, but deficiency. of revenue; and
thus, this new violation ofihe Constitution, uu
pretexied BY precedeAt-- unmitigAlod by the
plea ofsurPIus- -aggsaSatedb by actual defCsn-
cy-stands before us As the baeest outrage up.
onthat instrument whiOhths history' Of Our
Government hAs ever YET exhibited TN Fssi
Revolving for lie sunconstilhtinnaliiy, this bill
10 checking for iis immortality To dsbauch
the people and the 6tatess to degrade then
to the level Of Roman sabble, rebsiyingc oFn
and bread from consular caudidalesA-io bring
The base element Of public c.corrupton into out
Presidential elsctions--tol plumber the weak
States, and phnipet the strong Ones--to make
shs whole national domain aud Treasury the
bFibibg fund and spoil of desperate candidates
forthe Presidency: such are the effects, ifncI
the objects, ofthe bill; and, from such effects
and such objects, every feeling ofhonor, pat
riotism, and decsncy, impels uDto turn away
with shame, indignation aud disguss Base q
the effect or opinion ufAhe bill may be-, il.i 4
i be worked through Congress by. means stll
baser than ITSELF Baitsand lures, to .enticeo o
entrap support, are held out, in all parts Of ii
Per centums and lands to new. States: imper'
tinent peTmSsionS aud restrictions upon future
GOngresses bamboOzling prstonsionsto a pre-
etnption law: donCefs for votes:.Other bile "a
bersjectedsif this is not passed; such ere tht
base means BY which the billseeks to worl
itsdeyiou1 sndcoErdpt progress through III,
halls0fleglsatiOH. When The nouey,is gol--
when We distribution is made--London is 4
be tbefsvored'Point and place ofils deslina.