Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-19


ceded lands still they will be found in debt to the Trea
sury, will BE- seen by the following statement, also
taken from Mr. wrights Speech.
Cost to the Treasury Of ceded lands up
10 3Oth September, 1882 S99,S"3,31] 10
Gross receipts from ceded lands up TO
same date, as,7s6,265 sc
Balance arains, ceded lands and in IA.
of the Treasury, l,lOI,2Ob ~
In this estimate OF expenses account OF the lands
are included the money paid for Florida and Louisiana,
money paid the lndians for lands, the cost of The
treaties by which the Indian lands were acquired, and
the of removing the Indians according TO treaty,
of surveying the lands, OF the surveyors officers,
and the land Offices general and local. and the five per
cent. the proceeds OF lands sold within the new
States, which they entitled to by the compacts by
which they enter the Union. All these were expenses
necessarily incurred TO yet title TO and possession oil the
lands, and bring them into market and make sale OF
them. There were other heavy expenses, for example
for Indian wars, which might with much good ren.
son be charged to the lands which not included
in their statements The cost of Indian alone had
much exceeded twenty millions of dollars.
Thus it appears there nett proceeds ofthe pub.
lie lands taken the aggregate Of the lands ceded
by the States if taken by themselves. Whatever dis
trbution is TO be made, well as the distribution
OF the S2S 100000 under the Of depose Of the
surplus with the States IN 1856, substance
and effect distribution Of general revenue, and not OF
the proceeds of public lands.
IT, however, do not look to the past, if regard
the past expenses and Of the public lands and the
receipts from them in past years bygones, and con-
fine ourselves to the present, distribution OF the pro-
ceeds of the public lands accruIng 10 substantially
and in effect Just the same if 1t distribution OF
other money from the Treasury raised by taxation on
the people.
The annual revenue Of the u. States including the
proceeds of the sales OF public lands many mil
lions of dollars short of expenditures The Score
tary of the Treasury estimates the expenditure of els
at SS2 79l 010 rs lie estimates the revenue of Isl:
applicable the service of the year at SlS592 140 10
leaving ofexpendlture beyond the revenue
1s42 of Sl42 $40 6Sn other words, deficiency In
the Treasury at the end of Si2 TO that amount. TIN:
deficiency must be provided for eithcrh by borrowing the
money, by raising the taxes the people TO tina
amount, the expenditures must be reduced below
the estimate. OF the last there is but little hope.
~ proposed 10 raise part of the deficiency by loan
and it is proposed to raise the tariff TO increase the du
ties imported goods, to add to the revenue. The
proceeds of the sales of public lands, in 1872 are est
mated by Mr. Clay at 81 100000 The estimate Is pro
badly nearly correct as It varies but little IRON h'
sales of 1871 If this fund of 81 100000 were to be
left in the Treasury TO aid in meeting the expen
diturcs of Government, instead OF being distributed
TO the States, IL is apparent there would be JUS
SO much less to be raised either by increased du
ties on imports, which taxes on the people, or by
loans which must in the end be paid IN the way
by taxes on the people And the effect IS exactly thu
same the people, as if this land money went 10 de
fray Government expenses, and like amount wa
raised by duties on imports TO be distributed 10 th'
States The direct and necessary effect and conse
auence Of the distribution of the land fund to the States
in the present condition of the Federal treasury is
cause taxes to be laid The people TO raise the same
amount of money for the Of the Government of the
u. S.
Mr. "A said that this Distribution law strok,
Of modern finance, without any precedent he believed
IN the history of financiering-ce rtanly he knew o
none All the revenues of the Government were in
sufficient to meet its expenditures, by mlliions-ih
Il Late ,, huap
,ually under protest-the Government needed all it
pecuniary resources-every dollar of its means-an'
vet in this condition of things, is that this large ant
important branch of the revenue, the proceeds OF h
sales of the public lands is TO be diverted from th
Treasury and distributed to the States. What fol
iows1 Why, the people of these same States, JUS
while they receive the land money from the Fede
raj Government are straightway 10 be taxed BY tina