, 1841-02-13
DEBATEIN THE Sc ATE.-C 'ntinn"i.

TuEsn,r. Jlnuary -. i84i.
The bill to establish Il permanent prnSPec-
tive p.e-em;,tion system, in favor ot settlers
ON the publ. lands. who shall inlIabIi and
cultivate the same and raise 4 log cabin
thereon. being The special oder of the day.
was taken up. the question being IN the pro-
position bv Mr.. CRIrrENpEN to recommIt the
bill, with instructions tn report a bill to dis
tribute the proceeds of the sales OF the public
lands among the States. which MIR. CaLHoUN
offered 10 amend. nv substituting a bill to
cede the public lands To the States in which
thew lie. upon certain conditions.
Mr.. CALHOUN said: | regard the queS-
ton of the public lands, next 10 that at The
CURRENCY, the most dangerous and difficult
of all which demand the attention of the
country and the Government ut this Impur-
tant iunciure of our affairs. do not except
a protective tariff. fn- | cannot believe. after
what we have experienced. that a measure
can again he adopted, which has done more
To corrupt the morals nI the Country. public
and private, 20 disorder its currency. de
range its business, and t. weaken and en-
danger its free institutions. Than anv other.
except the paper system. with which II Is :"
Intimately allied.
In offering the %amcnd'nen, / propose. ! d."
moi intend To- cnnrrnvPrt the justice at the
euIJriu,n which hlS been 81 "iien pronounced
on our land system. in the course "f ihiS DIS
c~ussion. On the cnnrrarv. helIevr that II
was admirably adjusted Ia effect lis object.
when first adopted; hut it must he borne IN
mind that a measure. I" toe perfect. must be
adapted TO circumstances, and thrt great
changes have taken place. in the laps at IT.
" wears, since the adoption al our land SIS
TEN. At that time, the vast region now
covered bv the new States. which have
grown up On the public domain. belonged To
foreign puwers. or was occupied Ivy numer-
Gus Indian tribes. with the exception OF Il few
spare s~nfilenpn;<. IN ia" rrc .nSii"rit''e
tracts to which the title ot the lniIanS WIS
at that time exiinguishrd. Since then. Il miLh-
ty charge has taken place. Nine States have
sprung III rs If nv magic. with q population
M, less. prnhrbIy. than tw"-ii!ths "f the old
States. and destined Ia SIrpn>> them in Il few
vrlrS In nu"nierS. power. AMI iniln"nce.-
'f,ui' 4 cii nr. , in"r'I'y Sh"rI'd 81 drrhnT'
a.v-,rrn iarau i"! trr IN entirely different
condition ~ ;';:n,S Is I" render Important
chances necpS>Ir, =" NJ Ut y =" present cir
ruus,anceS, * II. more ''rrn uI6t have
h.., an,irin,r"i. u w"u't. ipd"-.i, have
bee, = inir,-l- -. u boau "'g"rvi-o; =Il
VIZ .ri iii nj, ;a-r.trr".ro b." >,ri.r:srd '!sat
III .,,.ru,inn - ih- .l-'.H, SHOULD al .ri
darly evi!encr Ih-I At - r:i '"ty .i':.nI" 3.
.,ui aceaiy ieranurd. nd At ~ de- 'r"'-
mrnr IS f,.lInWei hy i tra'rut rvI~i'nl 'hr,''-
en- disaster. unless Il 'Irfei. and "'n"irn' ''-
madv should ne applied. would - rh''Se
yhn think differently. and who heiIe"e rhe
system still continued 10 work well, ~ 5 II
NO evil, ,ha, SeS, Ton after Session. fer the
last ten or twelve wears Congress should tie
engaged in angry and deeply agira'Ing dis,
cussions, growing ont of the public lands, IN
which one side should he denounced rs the
friends, and the other as the enemies. of the
new Statesl Was the increasing violence
of this agitation. from year to year, and
threatening ultimately, not only the loss of
the public domain. but the tranquility and
peace of the country, no evil? lsit well
that one-,hird nf the time of Congress is con-
sumed in legislating on subjects directly or
indirectly connected with The public lands,
thereby proInnging the sessions proportional,
". and adding to the expene upwards "l
100000 annually! Is it no evil that the
Government should own half the Indians
within the limits Of nine members Of this Un'
ion. and over which they can exercise nc
authority or con,roll Is it nothing that the
domain Of so many States should be undel
the exclusive legislation and guardianship OF
this Government, contrary to the genius o
the Constitution. which, intending to leave
10 each State the regulation Gifts local anc
peculiar concerns, delegated to the Unior
those only in which all had a common in
,erest. If to all these be added tho vast a