Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-29

iganst the pulley Of distributing the Proceeds Of the
Sales Of the Put{ie Lands,
delivered in the House Of Delegates OF Virsinia
9Th of March, 1912.
Mr.. IRVING proposition to appoint agent TO re-
ceve Virginia quota, of the proceeds the sales Of the
public lands under the Distribution law, together with
Mr. lloLLsDAYs amendment instructng the Senators
from Virginia to vote in favor of the repeal of that law,
being before the House
Mr.. BAYLY rose and said He knew it was the
habit OF some gentlemen, with view of enhancing
the effect OF their efforts, to profess to speak without
preparation But the House would have his testimony,
that such was not his habit. On the contrary it was
but the other day that he jeered by friend, for
always commencing his speeches with the profession
that he had carefully studied the subject which he was
about 10 discuss and for making the profession then
his preparation had not been very elaborate. lie did
not mean 10 plead guilty TO the charge but the very
fac, that been made hewed that he had not fallen
into the 8onirhry habit which he had adyered, and
that he entitled to credence when he assured the
House he did enter into the debate of the question
before it, with the preparation which would enable him
10 discuss it in manner satisfactory 10 himself de
did not TO say he had not reflected often and anx
iousy upon The distribution policy, and prepared him.
self with documents and calculations for the discus.
son This he had done, he would not be guilty of the
presumption of asking the attention Of the Virginia
Assembly TO what he was about TO say but he had
not been able TO arrange his materials and thoughts,
present them to the House in the condensed and
perspcuous manner which he desired.
He said he had many, many objections to the dstri-
button policy, with only few of which he would de-
tain the House. Were he to attempt to go through
them all, he would be compelled TO occupy more hours
Of their time than he desired TO occupy minutes In
deed, he did know when where he would stop;
for he reflected upon the subject, that some new
view, showing the impolicy OF the measure, did not
present itself TO his mind.
His first objection to the distribution policy was that
would lead TO disturbance of the Tariff Compro-
mise. In discussing this proposition, the first question
which presented itself was, what the principles OF
that act, lie thought they were generally misunder-
stood. The Compromise act did not provide, rs was
supposed that the duties, after June, le42, were to be
20 per cent On the contrary, provided that no more
revenue to be raised than necessary for the
Government economically administered and that the
duties were not to be carried beyond 90 per II
was that this rate Of duty would produce re-
venue sufficient for the economical warts of the Co.
vernmeni; and il was thought, by prohibiting 1t from
carrying them beyond that point, economy would be
forced upon it. And it in the contemplation of
Congress when adopted the Compromise act that the
proceeds of the public lands TO constitute portion
of the after June, 1S42. If he were right in
this view of the subject, he doubtless was, the dis
rbuton of the land fund would, per Sc be disturbance
of the Compromise. But he would not press this view
of the subject. II not necessary for his argument
He would place it upon ground which none wonld dis
pu.e Admit, that the Compromise is not violated, until
the duties carried beyond 20 per cent? and still he
its violation. We have now public debt Of upwards
of II millions of dollars and according to the esti
mates OF the Secret ary of the Treasury, the expend
lures OF the Government for the coming year will exceed
the revenue by several millions MIR. Clay estimates
that to raise revenue sufficient to carr the Govern
meE and provide for the payment of the interest and
the gradual redemption of the principal OF the public
debt tariff Of 80 per cent will be necessary No one
denes if the proceeds of The sales of the public lands
diverted from the Treasury, that the duties must be
al tI-a l
Of that fund the duties will have to be carried beyond
20 per CENT unless economy observed in the admin
isTa,on OF the Government.
But it is said, by the gentleman from Cumberland,
(Mr lrvlng) that MIR. Clays Distribution bill passed
Congress cotemporaneousy with the Compromise act,
and that therefore the Land fund could not have been
ken into the estimate by the trainers OF that act. 1t
was true that the first Distribution act and the Compro
mise act were pending beflre Congress al the time,
and tina, they passed within few days Of each. He did
not recolIect exactly which passed first, nor was
matter of much consequence, for he agreed with the
gentleman that they were 10 be viewed together and
regarded part of the same transaction But so far
from these facts showing, that the fromers OF the Com
promise did not take the 10 be derived from the
lands into their estimate, in fixing upon lis terms, he
thought the very reverse the case Why was it,
that The first Distribution law commenced operation on
the first of the year 1885, and terminated, by its own
Limitation, with the year 1882 Why il, that the
second Distribution law, winch passed in 1886,
Prospective for three years and prospective for only
years c,verng precisely the period covered by the st
act There can be difficulty in answering these
question: 1t was fureseen, that under the Compromise
act lager surplus would accumulate in the Treasury
before tie third great reduction of duties took place,
in pursuance of its provisions, the 3lst of De
cember, 1897; and the Distribution bills, for both
Of them ,ad the same object designed to relieve
it of ,ha,surplus And they did not extend beyond
that time because it foreseen, that after the 3lst
of December, 1887, more revenue would be raised
both from the customs and the lands, than would be
necessaryfor the wants OF the Government.
Mr. b. aid he thought il sufficiently clear, that the
Dstriburn among the States of the proceeds of the
Public Lads, would make the disturbance of the Ia
riff COMPROMISE inevitable If so, he would ask, if it
on eht to IKE place; AMI particularly he would ask,
if any Southern man-any Vrg nian, would counte-
nance IT, it were TO lead TO that result;
To enabs me to put this question in proper view,
said Mr. J., | must go back TO 1916. | do not de-
SIGN said ie TO 20 into minute history of the Com
promise at did that in 1897 when the distribution
resolutions Of that year under discussion IN this
House; aid have disposition to repeat now what
| said then.
The hte war left the country loaded with heavy i
dett ard the Tariff Of 1916 necessary TO provide for
il. That Tariff was purely revenue measure for
although, it was urged by some, with the view of re-
coilinr the country the burdens it imposed, that
its Incidental effects would be highly beneficial in
coulpine our infant manufactures, number of which
into existence during the yet, 1t can
not e den.f That u was IN us purposes, ihahcihi
meahre nder It's operation, The revenue was very
large and orr national debt undergoing rapid re-
ductiu 1t had been brought down in lS2l, from Sl2,
OOO0b the amount of it at the end OF the war; TO So,
O0OOU Nevertheless, disposition was manifested to
raseh duties still higher, avowedy for the purposes of
pro Hon: 1t was met with prompt resistance from the
Soud Notwithstanding, the law of 1924 was passed. &
Immediately thereafter the subject was taken up in the
Legiaures of nearly all of the Southern States, and
sron and decided remonstrances were made against c
the It, And not of them demonstrated more .
s,rotly decidedly than did Virginia, acting under
the Id of Jefferson and Giles But, in despite of r
the tnonsrances and protests of the Southern States,
the 1ri bill of152S, which has been justly styled the
"bIof nominations" passed, notwithstanding P
the pbc debt nearly paid off, and it would bring c
into lie Treasury more money than required for
the overnment. Of course the discomfort in the :
Souuincreased until South Carolina after the Tariff
act | 1882 declared to be final adjustment OF S
the lri controversy between the conflicting interests,