The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-03-25
No III.

Session, lCM free remarks upon tier priaci.
pies Gad consequences.
No III.
The Distribution BHi--G d0uJlc riolaiioa oCMl
Consfiaiion-,frst as 10 the PuGlic Laadsgur-
cLascl ucHh mOgeys from the Treqsurv-iq
WMclWe the same as assuming State Dejis,
supporting State GOrerMentS, yc.-Qlqrmiag
! freccdcat
Not at all awed by the warning disrcnsations Of
Providence which had clothed them and their halls
IN the hablliments Of mourning, the Majority OF
Congress proceeded to the execution Of these de-
Signs, thus far concealed from the people, which
had induced them to throw aside all regard f r
Iruth and morals in desperate struggle for pow
er. mat these designs were as immoral and as
destructive to the interests and quiet the country
as the means used to acquire the power TO carry
them into effect, we shall cndcavor TO prove to a
wronged and insulted people, 10 that end, we he
gin with the Act 10 distribute the proceeds of the
Public Lands among the States, a project which
we conceive to be a double violation of the Con-
situation, more unequal and unjust in itselrand
more dangerous TO the independence of the States
and the Liberties OF the people than ever was con-
coced by the leaders of the Federal Party in the
zenIll OF their power.
FIRST VIOLATION OF TIE CONSTITUTION.
| n IT, ..,.
Our Constitution is grant of powers 1t de-
cIares III lis 10th Amendment that st the powers
not delegated to the United States, by the Con.
slitulion nor prohibited by it to the States are
reserved TO the States respectively and to the
people"
To Congress is delegated the power, "to lay
and collect taxes, duties, lmpostS, and excuses, 10
pay The debts and provide for the common defence
ana general welfare OF the United States; and all
dNu's' ihpGsN' ana excuses, shall be uniform
Throughout the nI'ed States"
Doesany honest man conceive, that here Is II
gram OF power 10 lay ana collect taxes, duties I'M
poS''aho eAcSeS''o raise money ior me PpIpo'e q
OeAN""S u "Po@ P"tHcWaf Hiate' Or Tor the
purpose oil a't"lR% u "a dAy proportions among
GH ne Siaic5? Inc act which Congress has pas
seq, IN pfI"clpe ana eject, asserts HS poWer.-
II asserts power ny which Congress may lay taxes
and duties TO pay he de,ia Of tie States or oG0ny
Sidlc, 10 SbIP0NWe SiHe Governments; TO dc-
IJrog all the expenses Ct The STATE, TO reiicrc The
State legislatures aH together from the ungicaS-
ant duty Of trying turcs, and leave them in that
respect only the more popular and agreeable bust
ness Of spending money.
How came the United States by those Iast tracts
ofPuhLc Lands lying within the Louisiana and
Florida purchases They were bought with mo-
neyS pad directly from the Treasury of the United
Slaes-moncys raised principally by taxes and du-
ties ny statement made IN the speech oil Scna-
Tor shIl'h oI indiana, The manager OF The HiIl IN
INC SENATE we learn, mat the amount paid out oil
INC treasury Tor lhe purchases, pihcIpal and NJ
'''c''' as %-3'N9' ifi IhuS purchased WIN
"U"elS r"''eG c'''Ghy ny UNes ana uu'Hs Tor me
o"J'c'S hH''eu u 'he constitution, these onds DC
came lhe properly OF me United states, IN winch
Niltpg 70 ~
bod'eS' ana no o'her interests than US component
P",,s VI 'ie feaGFal IhOh'
what does Tins Act propose! 1t proposes fra
10 give the states located on these lands ten per
cent oil the proceeds OF the saIea,ogci.er with GER
ia'n grants OF lana; and, sccoadlg, to divide the
balance among these states aud !helr sister states
IN the ratio Of Their federal population No rcslric-
'loHs Nfe paced upon the states reference 10 the
use Wuyn Is 10 be lnadc OF these lunds; lhcy are
au ABSOLUTE cir they may bo used by the
N'"'es 10 pa! aeo's, make roads, support schools,
P'y ,"1 %iarleS Oh 'heIr Legislative, Executive,
hnu Juulcia anlhorilies or Tor any other purposes
Wc.' '''c legislatures OIL the states may devise ana
"Huc''
NoW' "a" an! ingenious nina perceive a "i'er-
ehce ~ ''e rights oil lhe tinted states or the pow
us VI Noh. e'S over lhe moneys pun Jof me5e
L@""S ana 'Ae moneys rGise7 6V hfr SFie! 40
'hey not equaIly Oei0hg 10 The tAHet States T.
ana II me latter can be given away, could not the
ioflher' or does The money OF the United states
undergo n miraculous change by being converted
mo iahus ana then re-conyerted into money, by
when the power oil Congress over il us enlarged !:
sure we are, thai no far and unpreludlced mind
will admit Tor momcnt such principle Such
minds Will at once preceivc, that if Congress can
give away moneys raised by the sales Of lands
which have been purchased with moneys raised by
taxes and duties, they may, with equal proprety,
give way the moneys so raised without prior in
veslmeni In short, if Congress can constitutions
ally give AWAY the proceeds of the land sales with
IN the Louisiana and Florida purchases, they might
with equul proprety have given away the $,2D,-
165, PAL paid for those lands out Of the Treasury.
And with equal proprielv may they give away rs
many millions as they choose to levy on the
American people by taxes, duties, imposs, and
excuses. Indeed, the only argument we have OBJ
served, attempting to prove the conslituiionaly of
this part of The Act, leads to that result Mr. Smilll
OF Indiana states il thus:
60 1t is very true that porionofthe public lands
are not embraced by the deeds of cession but have
been purchased with the common funds Of the peo-