The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-07-01

ore they did not convey the land but purchased,
unuet the treaty making power of the Government,
from lorelgn governments "A nd not only that, but
they did not pay for IT, furnish The Of pay
ment, or any portion thereof
This was advocated a measure for the people
lie proceeded to show that, by dividing this revenue
arising from the lands deficit would be produc d. TO
supply which he should show that II would be neces-
safy 70 impose a duty on necessares. Thus, what
was received 10y distribution would be paid back in du-
" on necessaries and with unequal and unjust
operation The poor laborlng man. with family,
consumed as many, more OF the necessarles of life,
than The rich man without family. In this point of
view he urged that the bill calculated make the
rch richer at the expense OF the poor and that il
unequal III It's operations and for that reason ought not
TO receive the support OF this committee.
lie would examine the present state ofthe finances
me probable d, ciency under the operation ofexistng
laws IN connection with the bill under conslde
ration and the ways and means by which this def
cheney was TO be supplied, and whether a large
portion OF II would not fall the laborng classes
OF society rather than the more wealthy The
aggregate amount OF revenue derived from lands,
from customs and all sources, under existing
laws IN no probability would be than sufii-
cent to administer the Government under exist
ing laws, IN the hands of the most economical Admin
istralion. lie took that granted fact ! he bill,
II became law, ud take from the Treasury three
and halt millions ofdolars and this connected with
the reduction of The revenue which under the compro-
mise act would take place the Both of june lSi2
would make yearly d,tict of eight and half mil
hons OF dollars IN the revenue, under existing laws
Then If the bill became a law, they would be driven
to the necessity OF adopting the plan of the honorable
| gentleman from Observation-Disclosures of protective
tariff or 10 the necessity OF restoring heavy duty all
the necessares of life. One OF the Two follow. He
had no doubt which would follow. The gentleman from
Mass would triumph, and the tariff of ls2S would
| again be fastened the country. II he were thus
disposed he would appeal to the Southern members
this floor who opposed to protective tariff that
now was the time Tor their opposition TO protective
tariff he went for the least tariff consistent with the
economical administration of Government.
/ Mr. MERlWETHERw was opposed to this Hill and
on account OF lis details alone lie sustained It's prn
cpes, and thought that the property proposed To be
divided was the property OF the several States but he
differed from the gentleman from Name The gen
teman has said that it maered not what the deeds
OF cesson were but that the Constitution OVERRIDE
them all. lie (Ml. Merlwether) should join issue
with him there.
Mr. CLIFFORD explained. He believed that the
deeds of contained no such considerations
were intended to be drawn.
/ Mr.. MERlWETt1ER held that the Constitution
was designed TO cary out and complete the de-
signs of the deeds OF cesslon
The gentleman had said that in of distribution,
there would be deficiency How must be supplied
lie Mr. M. said, impose duties those articles
commonly called uxurcs-on silks and worsted goods
| The gentleman had said that there would still be
deficiency but he Mr. NJ intended TO show that
twenty-five millions dollars annually was not the
smallest amount Of money that the present admnlsra
ton able get along with and that the eIpend
lures of the Government would be reduced
| 10 whom did the public lands belong Were they
the property OF the United States AS Government I
II 80 he agreed that they had night 10 touch them
But If they the property of the states they had
| clam on their respective shares. An immense advan-
| tage would result from the distribution systematic
lands were the property OF the states, and it
d.ring To them, what they entitled 10 receive
Many OF the states compelled to levy excessive
taxes from which they would be relieved. lie object
ed to the provisions Of this bull because IT provided an
unjust distribution amcng the several States he found
nine favorite States selected. lie opposed this,
but advocated equal proportion OF distribution for
all the States.
Mr. FLOYD opposed in toto to the provisions
of the bill under consideration The bIl provided that
after the first July 1872 the nett proceeds OF the sales
Of the public lands shall be paid to the States and
he Dlstrc, Of Columbia, according to their respective
federal population.
He should proceed to inquire into the title of the
Government these lands and their duties respecting
them, and the manner ia which they should be dis
posed Of and in connection with this, examined the
deed of cesson of New York, arguing that it was a
full surrender to the General Government of its
! lands.
Some of the lands had been acquired by purchase
This proposition would be sustained by some, although
they knew that the French spoations had been salts
fled by a lien these lands. There claims on
these lands now, which would be most gross to ne
glect
And first, the claim held by the Indians and guar
anteed by the most solemn of this Government
for the very purchase money of this land, amounted to
nearly million of dollars annually. There were
other claims the claim for revolutionary services,
which now amounted nearly to three millions dollars
per year for blood shed and trials endured in the
vice OF this country and he entreaei the House NJ, !
to turn them some other iund-that was their
fund He wished to show that they should not make
this distribution of the proceeds of these lands,
count OF the effect ii would have the relations of
the States TO the Federal Government. This was
but the ncement if they gave them their first
dose from the public lands, the next would be requ ed
from the Treasury.
Another view He opposed this bill because it
ierzed the rich mans field by the sweat of the poor
mans brow" A deficiency was to be made by Il
bill and then to be supplied 10y duty on the necessa
| lies OF life and to tins he utterly opposed.
| MIR HOWARD spoke in support OF he bill, and
principally in relation to the estimate of the gentleman
from Maine Mr. CLfsrd) pointing out the mistakes
therein and showing that expenditures connected with
the public lands more than the avalls III rco
He referred to report made by Mr. Benton to the Sc
nate at the first session Of the Goth Congrss, from
which appeared that the total amount then received
from the public lands $i0i 945 400 Is. Is It pos
sbe he hsked that the expenses OF administering tins
frost fund placed under the control Of the United
States in Congress assembled had amounted tor the
last iorIy-s years to the enormous sum at one hun
ded and Tour millions of dollars or TO adopt the cal
culaon OF the gensicinan from Maine, TO one hundred
and twenty millions
He also called the attention of the gentleman to tie
veto message of Andrew Jackson, to the Senate of
the 18th December 1888, when he returned to that ho
dy the bill which had passed both Houses OF Congress
distributing among the States the proceeds of the pub
lie lands in which the expenses connected with the
public lands, TO September, 1882 were stated and also
report ty Senator Norvcll showing the receipts and
expenditures To September, 1899, from all which 1t
appeared that the balance IN favor OF the public lands
| to that time 800 600. He rose principally to
correct this mistake and he also advanced argu-
ments IN favor of the hill
Mr.. KENNEDY opposed the bill He believed the
cession OF these lands made by States who had