Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-26

a...a.,i, i.5SS s.otaa no'ie a'".'f, ~ Ssl III
49, i, ar.,;ns in fuvo. az lis scheme Tor lie asts''
bnon of The surplus revenue among the s'a'es SAT-
,s, renard 10 Tie last objection, us pTo19b'e tpee'
mon The dgnay and independence ~ tae QUO 49, 49,
r,n,s il appears to only necessary TO sa'e Tue
,, - and as it would be if the measure ProPnsea
80 ,do,ied 10 show that the opo ration Is most iReiy
" ~ ~. s,u rtrerss of that which the objection sup
Moses In the one case The Stale would receive It's
nro,a of the national revenue Tor domest'c use upon
fixed principle, as 'nafT nsm, anu 'io 'u.''
r. tho creation of which it had contributed ITS tar pro-
.,,r,u there roud be nothing dtregatory IN that
AZ ,nu,ers now stand the States themselves, IN their
.overern character, not uhlrequen'iy petitioners
n the bar Of the Federal Legislature Tor such allow
ncns ont Of the national treasury as tmay compor
Nth their pleasure or sense of duty To besow upon
,ham kcanuot require argument to prove which Of
tho two courses is most compatible with the efficiency
or respre,cLihty ofthe State Governments
The House will perceive with what ease the old De-
mocratic chietain scaers to The winds ms tah ABOUT
The effect of the measure upon Tue "9nHy 0a@ Hde-
pfndenee of the States
There is another view Of this question which had
most important effect upon my NINA; his ms. tw
oppear by reference 10 the Official documents that the
value Of The lands given the States and 10 individuals
&c amounts to about Sl6O00,C0o. Now, of these
donations the States what portion has fallen TO Nrgi
MIA, Nothing! Again, there has been expended during
The administrations of Jackson and Van Buren, works
nj internal Improvement about ST. ,0G0. What
believe the only appropriation which has been made
TO her was to the Dismal Swamp canal, about $4,000
am aware that it may be answered that this system OF
internal improvement by the Federal Government
ought to be arrested But is there any probability OF IT.
The appropriations for internal Improvements were
made under administrations prclSsing hostility 10 the
sgsiem and surely but little hope can be entertained
that the system will be abandoned mnder any oher ad
minstration | believe that the hope oi limiting and
putting down the system would be to give up the land
fund 10 the Stltes and thereby enable them to elect all
they might desire without the aid of the General CO.
vernment. In all of its practical effects, believe this
TO be a States Rights measure
The principal objections urged agans the prosecu-
ton of system OF internal improvements hy the Gc
neral Government do not apply to The application G:
the land fund by the States, to that purpose. The is.
objection is, that il would lead 10 extravaganza
that the National Government could not attend 10
the application Of money, to internal improvements,
scattered this extended country. ! believe the
objection TO be well founded ] believe tina, The
SIT 100000 expended by the two last admins.
trations, were wasted in the most absurd and rldi-
culous schemes We have the opinion Of General
Jackson that there would he less extravaganza If the
fund were applied by the States The next objection
is that the application of money to works Of Internal
Improvement By The General Government, would add
to The patronage and power Of The Government in this
way--a State is interested particular improvement
and The administration, desiring /, secure rs support
obtains il by making the aPpTopration-thus whole
States might frequently be secured for tile Government
party Now, ,hs objection does not apply to the DIS
ribu;ion Law. Here the States would receive an
amount fixed BY Law, and not dependent upon the wall
fhe General Government. They would share equally
out Of fund to which they equity entitled. Thus
the argument that the Government ought not to do IN
directly villa! it canno, do drerny, does no, apply
II has been argued by Tie gentleman that the Dis
trbulion law would lead to violation ot the Compro
mise act, and he has exhibited the journals Of the
House Of Delegates for 1889, in which it appears that
the Wing party unanimous declared that the Compro
mise act should be held SACRED and ISvioLATE 1.-THE
gentleman viii turn 10 the same journal he Will per
ceive that neary the whole Of the pan Baren party
voted a0ainst the same resolution, declaring that that
net oupht 10 be held sacred and netolaJeSo that the
party 10 which the gentleman belongs, then held that
his aet over the fate Of which they shedding such
bitter tears was neither Sacrtd inriOlatc. But de-
ny that the distribution of tic Land fund amongst the
States would tend To the violation Of that act The
COMPROMISE act expressly pronounces that "Such du-
ties shall be laid shall be necessary for economical
administration of the Government" Now, the fand
bi of 1896 passed b.tore the Compromise act, by
about three days-so that the land fund lo0ud not have
been in contemplation of those who passed the Compro
mise act They had desponded Of the land fund.- and
would not have anticipated that the bill would have
been pocketcd by President Jackson after his having
asserted the right of Congress to make such DISPOSE
ton Of the proceeds they gbt, their dscretlon
think proper. IL alter the passage of MIR. Clay
land bill whence it appears that great measure had
become identified with his political prospects, that those
who had nothing to dsafprove in this measure saw
the degradation of the States and the consolidation OF
the Government. The gentleman says he opposed to
this measure because he considers il off system OF
Wing measures This the true of the violent
hostility TO the distribution law-it of the Wing
measures of the Extra Session.. solemnly believe,
that had il not been that this had been mshc party
question: that such popular measure had never been
assaed The gentleman has referred 10 the opinion OF
Mr. Madison in his argument on the question of con.
sutonal Justice, and has endeavored TO show that the
principles laid down in the report of % and 80 are IN
consistent with the principles upon which the DiStrI.
button law rests. Now, it 80 happened that have,
within few days past, letter from Mr.. Madison,
written in 1876, in which he distinctly recognises the
constitutionsliiy OF The Distribution BILL then pending
before the National Legislature. Believing that the
law was just wise and expedient, shall go for the re-
ceips of the fund. have gone through the prin-
cpa objections ofhe gentleman from Louisa and will
conclude by thanking the House for its attention.