Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-30

of the acts of cession under which you hold your
pntc lands; and the only way to tuihl The intent
and meaning Of that cessnn IS TO 60 according 10
the terms in which il is expressed. The revenue
from the public lands is not like the of the reve-
under the Constitution. Those lands were crded
to US, not under the Constitution hut under the Con-
federation; aud the purpose OF the cesson can only
be fuhlled by near an approximation to tue very
words of The deed as circumstances now render pos
sibe.
But this proposition is very dangerous The honor
able gentleman from Missouri reminds US that when
some years ago, about to distribute the surplus
then in the Treasury by depostng IT with the States
he uttered the prophecy thathe practice OF distribution
would not stop there; that if the States once began &c
lap that blood it would eventually become their com
mon food that the General Government would be
stripped Of its revenue; that the States would seize up
ION the money III the Treasury, and would have the
General Government TO collect the deficit as II could
n word that the States having got the taste OF
ood, would fnsen the General Government like
= !naay vampires, and would drain lis veins OF the last
drop of their vitality Well: the honorable Senator
last up 10 think (and concur with hlm) that we
ought To repose the fullest confidence IN the good iat
of The States, and rely without hesitation on their fu
6ng all their contracts But what does the argument
Of the Senator from Missouri imply, Confidence IN
the fidelity Of the Statcs' What magnificent compI-
ment has the honorable gentleman paid to The States o
this Conederacy In his opinion, they are so many
yampres-they are 10 lap the blood Of Tie Government
Why, what is the General Government Is II not their
own offspring And is the parental sentiment SO
weakened destroyed. reversed, that the parent
sill devour the child Tie States, 1t seems are not TO
be trusted :hey set Of vampires they wall lap The
hearts blood of the Government and drain lis VEINS.
That is the Senator's opinion Of them ] believe no
such thing, but he does; and told all tins, yea,
and great deal The States, if they once get
their hands upon this money, will apply II 10 unw,se
purposes; it Will corrnp, them destroy their dignity
and sense Of Independence. In our pure HANDS alone
there contamination. The States are pack Of
IDLE spendthrifts tempted by the sight Of money! intox
Gated By the touch of their property, corrupted by
its possession, and led into all sorts Of folly and mis-
chef; therefore, We, sort of wise guardians must
keep these lil,le wards from juvenile ndlscreons
must defend them from themselves, by-keeping
their Inheritance.
Til. States have right 10 demand this distribution;
and if they have their circumstances rcnderlt desa-
bic tina; they should have what is their due They
have debts pay, and under such circumstances think
you that they d. not, Ike private individuals like 10
receive what is due iiem We their debtors; We
them tins money, and they ought 10 have IT, Ii
IS their just right, then is argument I" say "f
need this money; cannot spare IL; our treasury rs
very low ebb and five take out this amount 10 pay
TO them shall have to lay taxes to make up the de-
iiciency. We have right TO their property Tor
orr purposes. We possess amplcr modes Of raising
funds than the States do; and i paying your Just debts
leaves you with deficit, it is mach easier Tor you 10
supply it than for the States 10 lie ont Of their dues
That is my answer 10 the honorable Senator, and all
he says about the nonsirosy Of my proposition
II is SAID to be eide 10 pay this money TO IL"
States i bv taxation raise equal sun Bni
that is flllacy have shown that the rate o. dlstFi
button is BE- regulated by the principles which pre-
vailed under Tie old Confederation and not according
10 tie ratio Of TAXATION established by the Federal Con-
stitu!ion The principle of distribution applying TO tie
procc.s Of these lands cai and not generals II Is
regulated BY the terms If the orrsna! ccsson, which
was made while the Confederation was yet IN force
hut We have gone very wide from the rule then lara
down Give this money 10 the States, and every man
n hc State rich and poor. viii share in the benefit
II is their right, and they ought to enjoy It, might
s,ou there, without gong into any question OF consr-
,,:rncrs. Blu. it, By distributing 10 the States the
proceeds Of their property, we are crven 10 taxa
ron Ia make up The deficit, have not ample mca'is:
Are there not laxris which very small tax Will
be sufficient for this purTcsc, without reaching the
Door man at alp Lay tax on these lnxur'es 81 e,
md Won tax the rich only. Ihs you can do y your
Treasury is IN straits. hope, too, that ,r abstraction
., this money mag operate to bring back the Govern
ncnl To inst md economical administration such an
as gentlemen all profess TO desire But
how has il been administered during the expiring dy-
nasty; las the little stream Of money flowing IN
from The sale of the public lands had any other effect
Than tn increase The extravaganza OF the Government
More than thirty mdiionsa yedr has been expended du
ring The Van Buren, administration. II would seem
thai this landed revenue of which the gentleman from
IA s Ia US mny, has done little but feed
their extravaganza There IS nothing rely upon IT, mat
- extravaganza ~ expenditure as 10 re pen
~ nf money in one pocket do not want i's Govern
M M Ia have any such feeling wish TO have 10 mo-
nrv flowing ilrscns.hy into Ms possession want IT 10
have none but what gcs by taNa,ionso That the peo
p!r may know and fee! where The money comes from
Give a Government an income independent oi taxes,
and The people do not feel what they are paying such
4 mode Of filing the Government Golfers must Ge DAN
rcrous ! do not desire II To continue; ana ho!n,
therefore, that Justice and expedency alike require
Ina; tins rrcat subject OF the public domain shall he set
lied as scou as possible. Give the ampest provision
YOU please to the poor bona file settler do not object
10 il; an ready to DO u, and wii 40 IL lfeey ana
cLcrrfullv but while | do this would at the same
time do ustice and discharge my duty 10 the States by
riynu them their Just shares III the proceeds OF the
whole domain.
hold this to be greatly preferable to the scheme Of
cesson proposed By the Senator from South carolina
was, confess greatly surprised ny many OF n' "e
monstrations Of that honorable Senator. lie reduced
Tho r,luc Of the one hundred and sixty millions OF acres
Of the public lands, lying within nine States 81 ,his
Union 10 t,rentysI millions OF dollars! nc reVerses
Inc nos,on that each of that land worth doar
and quarter and holds, on the contrary, tha not Z"
nc r. Of IL is worth that price
MIR CALHOUN explained. lie had meant 10 nc IN
drrsood that the lands were none OF them worth a''
lar and quarter cash in hand value and that none were
worth that but such as could now be purchased IN mar
set. ,., l.,
d,ce tho total value of the whole domain 10 IT'S value
as sum in hand and lie insists that THIS sum, put om'
,t interest will bring US more than ihc laiios WIZ
WHY what is the value Of land covered with the ocean
winch no man can drain, Or what is the value OF land
with no human being cultivate it or 10 ENJOY Inc
rruit Off, What is the value in hand OF land so 81
tua,ed. Yet the Senator concludes that because sucn
land is Of no value now, ought 10 sell II now Tor
nothing. That is The substance Of his argument
What is tho selling price of land under the sea- not
drnined, or land al present inaccessible to settlement
No man can get AT The one wants the other-ano'
while things so remain it has present value al all
But would prudent man. or prudent rte S.ne of
therefore, part with it for nothing ne va'o oe land
and that only lis value depends on the demand ioF
il. Till the demand advances, we must content our
selves to wait When il comes to be wanted 'iieh
will have lis value. ,;b rn,t
1t is dsgracefu to witness the manner IN wc , mat
,ers are now procecdng-to see the sac Oh ,alu''e
lands nos,ooued rs il has lately been The sale IS ad
versed to take place in the midst Of cold, ,nesmsn,
weather, and, when this is complained OIL the oeclt1l
10 tor dec llrinT tnat, lnOusD