Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-03-24
HOUSE or DELEGATES.
SATURDAY.. March 5th, isis.
.r,n rNtn,n ,nt,.rtA. f.r

MIR HOllnday, TO amend the RESOLUTION OF Wt irving,
(which Instructed the Committee on Finance to bring
in n bill. to appoint an Agent to receive Virsinia's
quota, under the Distribution Law by causing it
TO declare the act unconstitutional, nexpedeni; and
in,,ructing our Senators to procure its repeal
MIR YERBY said-He wss admonished by the
vacant seats in the Hall, and the seeming ndsposi
ton ri gentlemen to listen any further discussion,
that, in rising to address the House. al this time, he
was undertaking an ur gracious task. The question
before L., however was OF such vast importance
TO the whole Common wealth, that he might seem
remiss did he not present some OF the reasons why
he opposed the substitute ofieted by the gentleman
from Louisa mir Holsday) In doing so, however,
he should endeavor to be as brief as the nature oil
the subject, rs well as the wide range OF discussion
in when other gentlemen had INDUCED, would nd-
init. He would touch the most important ana pro
mneni points at this time, and reserve to himself, Il
he dee ned it proper, the privilege OF simplifying
whit he sale, in his reported speech.
To 60 into history Of the Public Lands would
occupy Of the time Of the House than he deom-
ed necessary or proper, and would, moreover, be
task OF great abour he should, therefore, refrain
from doing so, the more willingly, because he
knew that he was addressing an intelligent au
dience-in part, "the assembled wisdom of the
State" The Public Lands had constituted a fruit
iu Of discussion since the separation of the
Colonies from the Mother Country-in the first
Congress. in the Convention which adopted the
Federal Constitution, in the Legislatures ofihe seve
assemblies. The question, said MIR V, was n com.
pound one, and intimately blended with the genius
and spirit Of institutions. and our n,ional pol
cy. He would now proeeed TO show, ms briefly as
he could. what considerations mainly induced Vir
ginia, End the original proprietor States, TO cede
their unappro priated lands. These lands conSti,u
ted tie greatest difficulty 10 the formation of the
Union. Some of the States-Muryllnd Delaware,
and New Jcrsey-refused 20 ra,ify the articles OF
confederation, unless the States. claiming the uaap
proptiatcd lands, should surrender them TO DC used
as common fund. Maryland commended, that il.
m the revolution, the other States claimed those
lands should persist in that claim, they would be
much more likely 10 DO so when final victory was
obtained and that, in the end, the mother States
would be crushed and broken down. This ersu
men together with the refusal OF some OF the States
TO unite the confedeTacy under such crcumstances,
Influenced the cd Congress and the larger |
States themse YES TO surrender their just cloims to
the Crown lands. reservinG TO themselves only
fair proportion Of ibe proceeds OF their sale. Thg
the House might see upon what this argument was
based he would refer to some Of the deeds OF ces-
sion. That from North Carolina declared
THAT, whereas, the United States, in Congress
assembled, have repeatedly and earnestly recon-
mended 10 the respective States IN the Union,
claiming or owning vacant Western territory, to |
make cessions of part Of the same, as further
means, rs well for Fastening the exinguiShment of
the debts, establishing the harmony of the United
States"-"therefore. her Senators convey, assign,
transfer and set over to the United States OF Amer
|
inclusive, all the right, title, and claim, which the
said State hath, the sovereignty and territory Of
the lands" &c.
II further declared: "Thnt all the lands intend.
I'd be coded by virtue Of this act the u. States
Of America, and not appropriated as before mem
Toned, shall he considered COMMON fund for fhe
use and benefit Of the United States Of America,
North Carolina inclusive, according to their respec-
i've and usual. proportions in the general charge
and expendtur, ard shall be faithfully disposed Of
Tor that purSOse md for other pufDose |
whatever"
Georgia, in her deed OF cession, which was the
last and the only executed after the adoption Of
the Constitution expressly stipulated, that the
for the use and benefit of the United States Geor-
ria inclusive, and shall be faithfully disposed OF for
hat purpose. and for no other use or purpose"
The deed from Virginia was dated March, 1884.
% !; we found:
"That all the lands within the territory so coded
o the United States, and no; reserved for, or ap.
roprated 10, any Of the before mentioned purpo. =
es. disposed Of in bo1nties to the officers and {
odIers o. the American Army, shall he considered
S p common fund for the use aud benefit OF such OF
he United States as have become, or shall become .
members of the Confederation or Federal Alliance
4 said States, Virginia inclusive, according 10 their
espsctve proportions in the general charge and
Expenditure, and shall be faithfully and bona fS,
sposed OF for that purpose, and for no other
,irpose whatever"
Thu,. by reference 10 the deeds OF cess;on, and
he reso uons OF the old Congress, II would be seem u
rat although the object, TO use the language Of the
assembly Of North Carolina, in February, 1890, 81
vas well for Fastening the eXtInguiShmCnt of y
he debt for stablishing the harmony OF the u. "
tales" the Or mary OF ect Of cesson having been u
it must be asceriAned, what ultimate a
isposal the States intended 10 he made Of those q
nds In order TO do this, must inquire into the
ondiion OF the colonies under the Confederation. u
Idring that period, as well known taxes were u
OF collected by the compulsory action OF Congress,
NJ by acquisitions upon the S'ates-each State j
FINISHING its share according TO its ability and re o
oufces. The amount of their several quotas was r
ased upon the value Of oil the surveyed land and
ne improvements in each State; and each State :
aid according 10 the aggregate value OF land and
improvement within its limits. Whenever a con- |
rbution was required, the process was rs follows:
millions were to be raised. Of which the quota
II Virginia million, there would be an &C /
cunt stated on the books Of the Federal Govern. :
nent with her. and she would be charged with one b
million An account Of the proceeds OF the snles
I the public lands would be n'so kept, and Nr-
,na credited by her quota. If the sales amounted
o FIVE millions the account would Of course stand :
balanced. Now, would it not have been perfectly 0
on petent for Virginia or any other STATE to have
declared that she would receive her share OF the
proceeds into her separate Treasury; and to have
aid, that she would make provision in some other
node. pay her quota Of the Expenses OF the Cen
raj Government Did any ono doubt that such
demand would have been in accordance with the
leeds Of cesson2 IL would he recoected that in
he late war with Eneland, any State allowed
10 assume the payment OF its share Of the direct
axes, and to raise The amount in any way 1t nigh,
hink proper. What, asked Mr. Y, meant the
er,ns. general charge and expenditures" con-
aimed IN the deeds Of cessionl Certainly, the
lebt incurred in the Revolution and at time when
was easy TO ascertain what each State raised and
,od toward the common cause. Il was not known,
Wien the clause was inserted, that the debt in.
nncd bv the States would he assumed by the
Jnion. This phrase, therefore, not only showed
hat the main object which induced the surrender
+ those lands was, that they might 60 toward the
,nyment Of the public debt, but It laid down the
principle according to which the States were TO be
simbursed for their sacrifices in the common ciUse.
80 long, then, as tho debt remained unpaid the
public lands were legiiimatey applied, but no
oueor. In 1890, the debts Of the States were as
umed by Congress. end the public lands, by com.
non consent ofthe States, converted into common
und for the liquidation Of the debts.
robis 81 STATE Dfbfs, assumsd by TIE Federal Coz.
ernmeni, in 1890.
New Hampshire, 200
Massachusetts, 100000 :
Rhode Island 100000 =
New York, 22OOOOO
New Jersey, 500 ONO
Pennsyvsui,, 1900 600
Delaware, 200 600
Maryland 100000 p,
Virgins, $500 600
North Carolina, 2 100000