The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1841-12-24
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
TrrspAr, December 81, ls4l.


Mr.. LINN introduced bill for the repeal oil ui'
distributve sections of the act giving 10 ~.
States the proceeds of the sales OF the puoc a'us
and in lieu thereof to appropriate the san proceed
10 the common defence of the country; ne sau una
before this bill referred ne "ouu ise 70 nay.
conference with the Senator from ihniaha' N"I
SnruN lie was not certain that tins subject should
h. racrred to the Committee ON Public Lands, as that
committee had certainly committed itseli ana would
therefore seem to him out of the question To eNpec
from that source hearing favorable to ms PROPOSE
tion The very nature of the subject, he conceived
-, ~ the military defences Of the country, ant
hence the Military Committee should have charge
of II.
Mr.. SMITH. of Indiana, said that the Senator
from Missouri had thought proper to appeal to him
as to his course should the bill be referred to the
Committee on the Public Lands. lie could only say
that his mind had undergone no change with regard
10 the Distribution act Al the last session Inc SUD
iect was referred to the committee OF which he was
the chairman; he reported the Diii, ana "ter IL wa
considered by the Senate, II became law. HE
would in all candor TO the Senator that his mind
had undergone no change upon the SUBJECT and, rs
far as he himself was concerned, luniess new hgh,s
should break on his mind) If this bill should DC re-
ferred to the Committee on Public Lands, he would
have mo hesitation 10 report the bill back, and
commend that il do not pass. He felt IT due TO the
Senator from Missouri To make TINS declaration that
there might be doubt as what his individual action
would be- However, ii rested with the Senate To
'N'N~N ~
TO standing committee
The bill having been read second time,
Mr. LINN said that he would now make definite
motion at once; and he, therefore, moved that the
bill be referred to the Committee on Military Az
fairs.
MIR PRESTON What this bill;
Mr. LINN Yes, sir.
Mr. CALHOUN remarked that the declaration
made by the Senator from Indiana reason why
the bill should not be referred TO the Committee on
pnhlic In he mai
law bill should be referred to committee TO
which majority of them-was favorable.
MIR. SMITH observed that, in his reply to the SEN
ator from Missouri, he had only spoken for himself
and that he knew not what the sentiments of other
members of the committee might be upon the sub
Ject.
Mr.. CALHOUN was utterly opposed TO the prin-
ciples Of the Distribution act, and he held that 1t
would be supplementary to refer the bill for its re-
peal to a committee, the chairman OF which was
hostile to the measure proposed, The motion
to repeal was the of the motion to exact
and the better would be to refer the bill to
special committee. There was why the
Military Committee, or the Naval Committee, or the
Finance Committee, should have charge of this sub
ect The matters involved comprehensive,
and called for special committee, at the head OF
which he would be pleased to see the Senator from,
Missouri,
Mr. LINN thanked the Senator from South Caro-
lima but, he had vast amount of business to at
lend TO for his constituents and his State, indepen-
IDENTIFY of other considerations, he did not feel himself
prepared to take charge OF special COMMITTEE he
knew that the Military Committee would take time 10
examine the matter and hence he had proposed to re-
fer the bill to that Committee However, if il was
the will of Inc Senate loaded and harassed with bust
ness as he was he would take charge of the matter as
we'll as he could. He would observe that, of all The
extraordinary things ever presented, this nation was
at the present time, without guards to the General
Government and the States, and no movement hac
been made the part OF the Government TO 50 deent
the country, that lis citizens might stand hrn and
seadast and be the loadstone to keep all these States
together and preserve their integrity II they let go
ali was gone; and, like the sailor who when tempest
tossed looked at the North star glimmering though
the murky sky, they might cxclaim, II we lose you
we are lost" The subject therefore, Of surrender
ing the treasure OF the country to pay Oh lr'dint
portion of the debts of States in which all We're mo-
interested seemed to him at variance with sens
of Justice that nothing struck hun with more aston
ishnent than that gentlemen with extended view
.houI.l opp,,se the which he had proposed.
was well known that they had, from the Atlantic t,
the Pacific, immense duties TO perform, for which
thew wanted all the money that could be obtained
By giving away the public lands and permitting >th
States to base th,ir legislation on them, and gvlnt
IN the treasure of the nation they had committed
act of indiscreton. What said when the bill Il
distribute the surplus revenue among the States wa
passed--by which the money was lodged with then
for safe keeping Why 1t was remarked by gentle
mon that when the Government wanted the money
il would be returned. But when the bill was passed
no man even thought of calling upon the States
again No declaration of war would ever restore ih
money to the Government; and the act declaring wa
would not pass while The distribution bill stood in III,
way He did not wish for war, but they were in
bad condition to carry on; and he would invok,
gentlemen, before they went too far 10 take up tht
subject and reconsider iii for afer the events Of tn,
last thirty -four months any heat exhibited here would
he was nyinced fall upon their own heads IL wa,
not this question alone which was involved in the re
peal There other great and leading questions
which they would have to originate here, and 10 ac
upon and for his own part he would 90 as far as
he who would 60 the arthest, as he was disposed on
this question it his example a Senator was worth
any thing at ALL CONSIDER every subject with Thu
deepest consideration the most mature rejection ant
in the best temper. 80
Mr.. PIERCE expressed his qualification that thi,
hill had been introduced at this period as it conem
plated making suitable provision for the deences o
the country; and he hoped whether the money SHOULD
be derived from the public lands or from any
other source, they would not remain VIGOROUSLY
in a state of total want OF preparation, but woult
fortify the country from extremity to the other fol
in case of sudden outbreak from any power Of tn,
Continent of Europe they would lose mole (aying
aside all considerations OF blood and loss OF life
in amount of money and property, in single night
than il would require to defend the country; and h'
believed that there was universal disposition and q
strong desire to put the nation in state OF defence
no matter from What the means to enable then
TO do so should be derived. Twenty millions were ne
cessary for the purpose, aud he would rather contri
butte that amount than have the contry left as it now
was All this should be taken into consideration, al
he had heard but a short time ago, that the nation
was in state OF preparation not as good Tor war as
was at the commencement OF the late war. fit
thought that it made little difference to whch coin
,nt,ee the bill should 60; but that shoolt
be given ol the purposes ofdefence, man could en-
tertaln for moment, the least doubt
Mr.. ALLEN was of opinion that general dis
cusson of this subject should be gone into until thu
apporticnment bill disposed Of as it was wei
known that if that matter was delayed most of thu
States would be put to the expense OF extra sessions
10 enable them to act in conformity with the provision
of the act making an appoltonment OF representa-
tive, according to the last census. Congress wou'
commit great sin if they allowed this state OF thing
10 be brought about and for that reason he would sa