Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-07-03
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Tuesday, j ne 30, 1871.
pIsrK1nurIoN AM rnE.EMrrlnN NM

Tuesday, J ne 30, 1871.
DISTRIBUTION AND PRE.EMPTION BILL
On motion OF MIR w. COST JOHNSON, she
| House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole
on the state OF the UniUn, (Nr Lawrence of Penn
sylvana in the Chair the bill TO appropriate the
proceeds of the sales of the public lands, and TO
grant pre-empton rights
Mr. w. c. JOHNSON, who held the floor from
rday last, resumed his remarks in favor OF the bi
lie said that, whea he was arrested ia his r.
ma KS on Friday last, he was cndeavoring TO show
that according TO the genius the spirit aud the let.
Ter oil the acts OF cesslcn, the public domain never
was Intended as source OF national revenue for the
purpose OF supporting and carrying on the wants
| and expenditures of the General Government If
that tact were conceded-if the position which he
had assumed was tenabe, then the whole ground Of
opposition must be surrendered, and the question of
exPediency alone remained, whether, with the pow
er delegated by the trainers of the Con- titution 10
| the General Government, the public dOmlin or the
proceeds OF the sales of the public domain, should
De DIVIDED among the States, whether they should
continue to remain part OF the public fund for the
| support o: the General Government.
Before he concluded, he would endelyor to offer
an argument, W hich, he hoped, would demonstrate
that the proceeds OF the sales OF the public lands
upon any ground OF law, of principle or Of cxoe-
diency, should not remain in the Golfers of the ma
! uon Tor the purpose OF being expended by the Ge-
neral Government He, however, would not dwell
! longer on that point. Anticipating for moment an
argument which might be urged against this bill,
that the revenues four National Government were
not now Overlooking, he might respond by stating
that they were not OVERLOOKING the time of the as.
sumption OF the State debts by the General Govern
ment soon after the Revolutionary war. Blu, look
! ing 10 the quarter tIom which such an objection
might come, he would meet il by saying that il we
traced the history of the past to later period we
should hnd that an eminent Senator, ITO whom he
had referred when he last addressed the Committed
! MIR. DIckerson, OF New Jersey, in 1896 long be.
lore the liquidation of the national debt, made a re-
port IN the Senate of the United States in favor then
oil dividing the proceeds not OF the public lands but
OF dividing portion Of the proceeds Of the revenue
among the States, ana for postponing for a time the
liquidation of the national debt, according 10 the
law which created and estl bshed the sinking fund.-
on the ground that tue revenues of our Government
notwithstanding its heavy debt, were adequate no!
only to meet all the wants Of the Treasury and to
HquIjate the national debt, but at the same time
and pdri passu, divide FIVE millions of dollars for
series of Yeas among the States; and after GER
tam specified period OF years to divide the sum Of 10
millions Of dollars among the several States.
But he (Mr night refer to sill higher author
ity-highCr al leastIo some gentlemen on this floor
not 10 the gentleman from South Carolina, (Mr
Pickens, who had put an injury to Mr. J. which the
Reporter could not hear.I He (Mr j. might refer
To the Message OF General Jackson himself who took
distinct ground IN favor of the distribution OF the
public revenue, and who at that time made an ar.
sumen; convincing and converting TO all his friends
and through tile whole cxpunse of the nation
Would not the history of the past give US some light
IN relation 10 the present. And, he would ask, IT,
IL
utufInous doctrines OF MIR Dckerson and General
Jackson, might they not at least narrow It down to
something like q tangible, constitutional, legal and
equitable principle, ard say they would not take
these arguments in the aggregate, but that they
would see II there was not fund IN this great ma
uonul exgsncy Of ours, 10 be found somewhere up.
on which the States might look with an anxious
hope, and see IT, by the and appropriation of that
fund, they might not relieve themselves, without
embarrassing the General Government from the
debls-from the overshadowing gloom and misgiy.
lngs which now Cypress theml
lie came now to speak Of the question Of expedi-
eney.
Before he went into tha, question. Inc would rersr
to an argument which m ght be mnde in opposition.
II would be said, why do you wish TO pass This
bill when the revenues of the General Government
are not equal to its wants7 Will you press such
measure when the chairman Of your Committee
Of Ways and Means mir Fllmorc) has reportsd |
bill authorizing loan of twelve millions Of dollars
VIII you U'ge the argument of cxpediencv and
tax about dIvdsg tho proceeds Of the public I,nd,
When your treasury - ompiyl viii you urge |
distribution when you have nothing TO distribute /
Wei, IN response to that, he would ask members of
the committee to take up the Report OF the Secrg- |
hry OF the Treasury, TO examine that docgrnept
and 10 see whether they had not materials cnru,h
upon which they could legisaie, not only so as 10
meet the present and future Liabilities Of the nnti,n
and 10 divide this fund, but to DO so wtbou, EN-. |
0irTasslng any portion OF the Union. They migbt |
even 90 on and double the amount. They mi5ht
even 80 az Tar IS Mo D.ckerson and Gen'l Jack. /
son.
Mr. J. then won't on to show the necessity ofIsv /
ing duties on articles now tree, and to prove that 4
from this duty there would accrue fnnd fully adj
e1ua,e 10 meet all the wants Of Government, leiv-
log the proceeds OF the public lands 10 70 wbere
they belonged, 20 the States.
lie proceeded with his argu rcnt bv ravinr.
but u you impose Guty upon foreign luKurips I
and divide the proceeds Of the public domain, who
is Il that vii pay the w. enty- yyo milf n,,C evsr,
an vypr
u be the frugal, Industrious independent tier Of the
Sol2 a man that never slw "A bottle Of cbenp,gnc
or moreschino ~ bis house in all his days1 No:
the duty will be paid by the rich and Tho i,v,,,,,
The tax will make little practical difference in the
co sumption ol Injuries. And whyl B.ctuge t1ev /
are esteemed mainly because they are luzuties r,J
their use IS supposed TO mako \ class in socio.v n
grade M human condition. Bring down chlmpasne
70 the price Of hard cider. and those who now NE II
would rcpuduie and scorn H.. IL Is chiefly bor,us.
the rich man looks on his champagne as. a Ipyury
that he spends his moncyto buy t. ! viii venture
10 say the consumption Of vino Will not be diminished
by duty oi twenty porccn
But reject this bill and force the States IN rs.or,
10 direct tl1nuonj and what will be the prsctic,I
result VIII the tax fall upon the rich man oiorsJ
No; direct tax falls like the micw on every mans
estate and every mans property. BE he wing or be
he BocoiOcO, u comes down on lie prope,fv of evc,
human being. Each man must pay the duties Of ca.
yernmcnt-not, as propose, Of his own free will az
The man does who buys bottle Of wine but bv com
puson under the ROD OF the sheriff. and even fhe is IN
ieOL, u matiers NOT MS tangible property must m,et
he demands If the law. And now, I say IN oonrlo.
men on all sides Of me, Il you force The American
people TO ths they will very soon force you to think
upon the Constitution; and II the result Of your me-
iItnton does not please them, they vii. speedily
hereafter force you out Of this Hall and force Other
men into your seats. As sure as light falls from
heaven, the American people will never hear Of di
rect taxation 10 time Of peace, while you refuse TO
~. Pcayune OF duty upon pipe Of French wine.
And now look at the operation Of this bill upon
he states. DO not say that Of late love The
General Government less, but that my love for the
States is increased.
lMr Dawson, (pIayfuIly speaking across,) "espe-
lal when you shall be Governor Of one Of lhem."1
"A laugh.)
(Yes, especially then; and | reeiprocats 10 the
Gentleman from Georgia very cordially his antici-
'ations on that subiect1 Laughter and cries Of
lair" "a fair hit'I Mem. by me rtpOrfer-Mr
lawson Is the Wing candidate for Governor Of
Georgia, and Mr johnson Of Maryland.I j