Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-06-29
coxoREssuoNAI..

Fanny, JusE 9th. lsi2.
1900. ....-ss1 a. tsapILE lllIT

90 motion of Me- EVANS, the Senate resumed,
n. IN committee of the whole, the consideration OF
the hill TO extend for a limited PERIOD the present
laws ior laying and collecting duties on imports
The question pending was the proposition OF MI
Evans a. strike out the prosso in the bull and IN
sert the following as a substitutes
I1,.t IN. sIbuion Of proceeds Of the poile lands
sseIzsi and by the OF Congress, Iassei be
4th VI september lsii cnuued An acto shp.op,s .s
ncsn ,;"s. shall be- and The saines hereby snsPssd
~ ss ,1 T ls o. as IT, nc ohSSWss
r c,,thcr afictci moh6ci than merely To postpone
Ss prSceSds reSiolly thai act to he made on the 1t
LAY of Inly ise, ANYTHING oo1isne s, ,"s As, Sr ,
S TsI , ne. .,S 81 sss '''0' '''''''''
Air RIVES addressed the Senate FOR upwards oi
three hours in speech of great power and interest
the following sketch being mere outline oil some o.
his leading points OF argument.
lie remarked, at the outset, that, IN regard TO
The rs part Of the proviso 1.-The suspension OF the
distribution ec,.l and the temporary measure now
proposed, Ilhe little tariff bill he could not help
de plorng The delay Of action on the part OF Con-
gress which had made the necessity Tor bringing
Them forward. II matter OF regret TO nm, ana
lie might safely say, to the whole country NAV 'ne
adjustment OF the whole tariff question had oeen so
long proirac,ed. lie did not presume to say why
some general and permanent measure had not been
brought forward IN the carly part oil tho session, or
,rbo was in fault fer the omission. IL was sutcient
20 Lro,v that no such measure could now he mas
fured in time to 90 into operation Immediately alter
the 30.h Of this month, when the duties under the
compromise act must come down to 20 per cent.
He was aware that the necessities oil the Dovesn-
wen, yeouired more means than that rate OF duty
would supply. But the same thing was equaiiy
well known at the time the Distribution acs was
passed; and in full view OF the fact that much more
Than 30 per cent. OF duties would be required alter
the 3Oth of June lS42, the clause in that act re-
storing the land fund in case OF such contingency
was introduced and relied upon by those senators
whose votes were based on that compact, ana out
for which the act never could have been passed.
he
carving out that clause IN good faith.
He was perfectly willing TO assent 10 temporary
continuance of the laws imposing a higher rate oil
duty than 90 per cent, as contemplated by the hrst
mart of the bill. But while he was willing to give
his assent TO this, he held that IT must be taken
with the regular, legal, and pre- ordained conse-
quences contemplated by the existing state oil the
distribution law. BY measure oil the last session
of Congress which received as solemn and deiber-
nte consideration any subject ever brought be-
fore them, it was solemnly declared mat IL al any
time during the existence OF the Distribution ACT,
the rate Of duties should exceed ~ per centuH,
from that moment the distribution oil the sales OF
the proceeds OF the public lands shall cease, ana
continue suspended so long as the cause oil suspen>
sion existed. He did not believe that II was con &,
tended gravely that the rate oil duty contemplated
by this measure now before them would not exceed
20 per cent many articles but not on all.
Then they were entitled to clain-and he did claim,
for himself and his country-a strict and iaithinl
compliance with the stlpulaiions contained IN that
act Il was strong in the recollection OF Senators,
that the 30 per cent, proviso was sanctioned by the
leading friends OF distribution themselves Inc
proviso was ratified in both Houses, and II was
conceded on all sides that II should DO Vita, M
tegral aud essential part OF tie distribution law.
With regard to the amendment OF the Senator
from Maine, MIR EvASs.l il simply postponed the
distribution until the LIST OF August, at which time
IL was proposed 10 take place, any thing 10 the
distribution law, or any other law, TO the contrary
Notwithstanding. But no man had admitted that
they had tho constitutional power to distribute mo .
ney, ifhey had to raise II by taxation; and yet all
these principles must be rampled on 10 grasp NJ dis
Iribution as practical measure. Nor had any man
admitted that they had right TO distribute, except
in case OF surplus. This was the language Of
Mr. Clay in 1888, and the language Of al! the advo-
Gates of distribution, from that time 10 the recent re-
viynl OF the measure when distribution was con-
tended for on the single principle that by "a duty
of 20 per cent. luxuries," in the fashionable
Language Of the day, there would be more than n
sufficiency of means Tor the support OF the Gov
ernment; and, therefore, tho proceeds of the public
lands could be distributed among the indebted
States. Bot there was now no surplus-nobody
dreamed Of one; and yet distribution was conenl-
Mated and insisted on by Senators, notwihstand-
inc the impoverished state Of the treasury and the
difficulty OF negotiating loans TO carry on the Co
Vernment.
Fifteen millions OF dollars in revenue was all that
could be got, under existing laws, from customs,
Twenty seven millions was the least sum required,
according to the estimate OF the chairman of tho
Committee of Ways and Means ia the other House.
But where was the balance OF twelve millions TO
he gotl Upon credit The most thriltless resource
ever thought OF, even by the prodgal soni lie
showed that little dependence to be placed on
ioans. Out Of all the loan bills of the extra ses
sion and this session, only million and n hsll
mad been obtained since the last act passed;
and that, al the sacrifice OF national credit-ninety
seven and half per cent, he understood from
rumor being the rate at which that pttnnco
was obtained. How much money was likely 10
be in the treasury the LIST OF August When
;he navy appropriation bill, the army appro.
priaton bill, &c, will have been thirty days ia
force how much money will be left in the treasury!
How then, is the money 10 be got, which this pro
siso says shall be distributed 10 the States the
Ist Of August instead Of the LIST OF Julyl Did gentle
men mean 10 borrow in and. II they did, OF whom,
and ut what sacrifice OF national honour and ma =
tionnl credit And was this 10 be done in spite
OF the want OF constitutional power TO borrow
money fOr distribution, admitted 10y every ono2-
No man has, hitherto, even dared to propose
n distribution, unless from n surplus. When
The Senator from Kentucky (Mr Clay made his
celebrated report in favor Of distribution, il on
the ground that the treasury was then bowed down
by the weight OF surplus revenue, which It was ne
cessaty to get rid Of Now, the proposition is to
distribute from an exhausted treasury, which can
have no surplus, unless created by borrowed mo-
Nothing, he conceived, was 30 utterly indefensi,
Die as the assumption that the public lands are the
property Of the States, and not oil the United States
Ths he argued at great length, IN opposition 10 the
heretofore expressed views of the Senator from In
diana, lNr Smith and others.
MIR SMITH Of Ind. in;erposed TO explain that
rs the Senator appeared to refer to him as autho-
Tity for the position that it was contended 10y tic
friends Of distribution that all the lands called pub
lie lands belonged to the States, whether covered
ly the deeds Of cesson not lie desired, Tor al
related to himself, TO correct the Senator. He had
never so contended. His position, as would DC seer
by his public speeches. wns that the proceeds of III,
lands covered by the deeds OF oession after the OBJ
iects Of tina cession had been accomplished, wer,
duo TO the States; but, to tho lands not covered
Iy those deeds, they subject 20 the disposal o
Congress, at its discretion, declared ~ the
Constitution and contended for by General jack
son, the head Of the Democratic party. lie hope,
he was understood, and he would not further inter
rupt the Senator
MIR RIVES resumed. He understood the Sc
nator TO say that, after the accomplishment Of Ger
fain purposes, the proceeds Of the coded lands be-
Iongsd TO the States Mr. S. nodded assent III
quoted the deed OF cession, with view Of showing
mat the language was perfectly justified by h
condition Of al lance which hold the States togethe
Mt that time. There was 10 be common treasury
10 which the States were 10 contribute. How, then
could hat compact ever be carried out, but Ivy bring
iog the procee1s into the common fund, 10 be OF.
niied TO the common delence7
This he cxpatiaiod upon Of large, and quoted Thu
declaration Of Maryland--now brought forward 10y
hin, for the first time, having accidentally discover
ed il in the archives Of Virginia. Alter quoting co
aN....ea .a.