Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-03-25


M, ". said. he would refer the House TO tn
,peech OF MIR Calhoun himself, in support Of hi
scheme. In that speech, as he had remarked, Nj
C. attempted to show that the lands would b
se,red by the new States, unless this plan wer
adopted. Agreeing with MIR Calhoun in his opin
ION, that there was danger lest these lands nigh
be seized on by the new States, MIR said, he mus
still differ with him IA to the mode by which tina
result was to be prevented. While MIR c. proposed
in effect to surrender the lands to tho new States
he (Mr w thought the best mode OF picsefv
ing them to the Union, was to distribute the pro-
ceeds Of their sale-or in other words TO preserve
the Distribution Law unrepeaed.
In MIR CALHous's speech on this SUBJECT, he
said:
Il would ask those who think differently and who be-
ncve tho system still continued 10 work well, was it no
ycsis Congress should he engaged in angry add deeply
arstnr ssons, growing out OF the public lands; In
the other as the enemies OF the new siaesl was the
.reaslns violence OF this ssaoI f"% year to ar and
MAN, but the tranquility and peace Of the inry no
consume in leg islans subjects directly or indirectly
connected with the public lands thereby proousng the
wards Of s2o 900 annually"
Again, MIR Calhoun said:
Those who have given special attention TO H. and
the ,s o. s SSr 10 Which, the pno an ga a
sed The DANGER IL two fold that they viii he lost by the
aGence % ,he vast guam y beyond the the
try which the Indian title Is e,iinsushed aud IL that
conflict the old and States In consequence
"ne 10 their pespeetsc views OF the policy picper I" be
adopted in retcrcueeto them Both causes are operating
me- asnon Of the overnmsn and the Country, they
will certainly terminate before long either BY their scpa
hing but full understanding Of the causes Of dang and
the application Of prompt and efficient remedy, PRO
ven, and what propos" IL 10 present brief sketch OF
my vicwsin reference to both"
Again, he says:
az them this powerful tide Of emi-rston which now.
~. n.,N h.
OF can b. done prevent the oss Of mo public donsn
by the action ofihc causes already explained 1h !. The
ocn compelled to DO in progress through hfc-sceom
odAe ourselves 10 circumstances; 10 mitigate evils
csnrrt overcoe aud retard Lessen those OF
prevent such are the laws which beings OF our limited
powers and oil ovents, nuu necessarily yield
Again, he says:
"lfsomeihing be not done, it mo, difficult TO SEC that
the danger from these and that from OCCUPANCY
must run t1sether and is ther eomonsd ioees vii ee
altogether rre7stlbe The occupants on inc public lands
lying within the States voters with weight the
influence over the election President and Vice PTcsi-
.ient, members OF Congress and stG.o Governments
their decided influence all the elections
IN many ofihc States, they will in very short pc.
tho evil That influence would be felt here and
numerous and powerful class, til vii their grownginnu
ancc the proposition will he boldly made give, has
been stated the land without purchase; which, from the
Weld in order avoid the danger Of being seized aud
keptin open defiance offs authority.
see, Is the one ihlve proposed To dispose OF the
land 10 the saies-o part with ownership and adHins;ra
tnnhe Of the evil on fair and equitable
best pos shle provisions tht be devised
the faithful performance Of The contacts ftha; with the
provisions against the danger from occupancy
vent the loss OF the public lands kow not what esn.
have confidence the nature ofhe
admit. that will when perfecirdin It's details by the will
the ofihc public domain, bnt the many and
growing evils TO which have ain ed as incident to the
system exists But. II in that II is possible
should with all the caution have ,skcntn come 70
lar hn I
intend propose, than II voud be should the
,oue it stands; and the public domain is To be
lost far better should be under the former than
laiIer II would be with far less intermediate hazard and
.he end with less violence and shock to political
'ahie. la the one case We could lose noiSnc bui the
nss" ''''' 80 ' '''''' ~ "a" '''
These extracts were intended to prove what he
MIR Y } had been endeavoring 10 establish. that
he public lands were in great danger of being ;
,aimed and taken by the new States They
hould, he thought, hdmonish Va how we under
took instruct Senators 10 vote TO repeal a
measure like the Distribution Law which would
be So sNlutary in i,s effects and when repeal might
result in the sacrifice of the whole public domain.
Did any doubt, that as the new States increased
in numbers, and grew in power, their demands
would increase in proportion, and the old States be
less able resist their applcaiions1 In connection
with this part Of the subject, Mr. Y. would state
that it had been the practice Of the Government
when a State was admitted into the
Union to give il every l6h section Of ali the land
within its limits. BY the report of the Secretary
Of the Treasury, OF July i6 lS4I il appeared that
The amount OF four millions Of acres, while not an
acre has been given to the old States
Mr. VERIFY said, he was tt, loss to know, by
what principle OF construction, OF JUSTICE these
grants had been made and regarded constitution.
al whilst the Distribution Law, proposing to dis
tribute the proceeds according TO Federal popula.
ton, was regarded unjust and unconstitutional
As the objection, that its operation would be 10
encoura ge extravaganza the part Of the States
in building up magnificent schemes OF internal i'm.
provement, he would say, "suifcient unto the day.
is the evil thereof" He saw no reason for such /
anticipations, and he wouli endenvor TO show that
the money would be applied in such manner as to |
benefit every tax payer in the Commonwealth.
Another objection to the Distribution Law was |
that it was gross violation OF States Rights that
il would place the States at the mercy, end under
the dominion Of the Federal Government would |
make them suppants for favour These arguments
were made by gentlemen, who were the special |
guardians of Sta es' Rights on this floor, and who |
protested the greatest confidence in the integrity
Independence, and incorruptibiIity Of the States;
and who never allowed an opportunity to pass,
when they could discourse largely in favour Of State
supremacy and State independence. Now, when
this measure called for by 90 Siaies-when IL |
afforded such fine opportunity for curtailire the |
power Of the Federal Government and the patron
age Of the Executive which "haS increased, is in
crensine, and ought 10 be diminshed"-now, when |
such fine opportunity 10 presented for placing the |
States upon equality. OF enabling them TO carry
out their own views Of State policy their own i'm.
ptovements, their free sehools-nOw, when they
have It in their power 70 lessen the burdens oil
taxation, by Of fund about To flow into their
Golfers, tamounting from TO $4,000 annualyl
we were told by the gentlemen from Louisa and
Accomhc, that The Distribution Law wns an anti
States Rights measure, eorruptng in its tendencies
and appealing to sordid feeling instead Of princiule
This fund would corrupt and dsbase Virgins, and
therefore should not receive H. but instruct our
Senators 10 vote for repeal or the odious Law |
This was what he (Mr Y called States Rights. |
with a vengsancel Here was practical legislation,
indeed As 70 the idea that the reception Ola fund
which belonged to the States, and should have been
distributed long, long ago, would degrade them
he thought nothing could he more absurd or erro.
neous. SO Ear from believing that any such result
would ensds, he thought that II the Distribution
Law were carried out, 1t would not only come % 10
the expectations OF is friends, but would make new
supporters from among those who now opposed il
The House was also told that this Distribution
Law was, IN TACT, on assumption Of state debts
Mr. Y. challenged gentlemen 10 the proof lf an
intelligent man could be found, who advocated
Distribution, on the ground that the State debts
would thereby be assumed, he would Weld this
pont Such thing, however. ctnrot be shewn.-
The Law only proposed to distribute the money
and leave rs application 10 tho vii and pleasure Of
the States.
The gentleman from Lousa told the Uouss that
the American system lay al the bottom Of the d.,
tubuuon Act and the gentleman from Aeeomse
asserted that u would necessarily disturb, the com
promise act, and cause the Tariff TO be raised. On
this argument, the opponents Of the measure had