The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-07-22

OF NIHuINIA,
ON THE TEMPORARY TARIFF BILL.
DELIVERED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
JULY 4, 1912.
(Conoluded. }

(Conoiuded)
come to the other obi rction taken to the We
10. l. 10 said that the puhlic lands belong TO the
. alrs IL So Mr.. Speaker, nay friend from Mary
land Mr. johnson need be under no fears that ther'
will not be more Than hree Wings Gas was said by
Mr. Caruthers) 10 susa ain his proposition foF assum-
ing the SITE debts. Those who maintain this doc
time are bound, in consistency 10 60 father, ana
give 10 he States all the money which this Govern
ment has ever derived fOm the puoc lands. III THIS
dsp ST Ion exists the utmost latitude VIII be gwen to
these Who state the account and will almost ven
ture 80 prophesy that the Wings will sonn openlS
miintaIp sUne scheme for assuming the State debts,
ba,.d upon this very idea. But how is I, ascertalned
U pray to know thai these lands belong the
State The most valuable of III ise which remain
10 Us were acquired under the treaties by which
Iouisiana and Florida coded TO the United
5 aes. These were purchased with money from the
Federal Treasury. dow, then, did the States ac
qure Il lie 10 Ihen} Th were purchased, it is said
ny money derived from the lands coded 10 US 10y The
States and ceded for the PARTICULAR OF all the States
OF this Coniederacy. 1t this were so, IL might give
them title TO the money but how C, ui 1t vest IN
them the proper of the lands which purchasedl
These were purchased (ke the other property OF the
Unntd States) out OF The Federal revenue collected
jointly custom. and lands. 1.-THE lands belong
10 the STATES, why NJ, The ships the arms, or thr
other public sores' Are they select the most pro-
htablc of The Investments Of this Government and
are they entitled too to the profits OF the speculation
But, were any lands ever ceJed to this Governmrnt
Tor the particular of the States shall not
pause now to recapitulare the arguments OF Others
upon the various deeds OF cesson, by which 1t has
been ably proved That these deeds nleDplaed no
such OBI ct 1 shall only refer TIA sing cunsldera-
lion, .icn demonstrates, To my sasIacl,n that such
was not heir purpIse IL was expressly stipulated IN
The Vrai ia deed OF cess'n, (ne most Important oi
them ~ that 1t should be =" a comm"n Iund ioI
the aud benefit OF such of the United D ales as
have become, shall become, members OF The Con-
federation or f. deral alliance, of the sad States
(VIgi'a Included according 10 their usual respec
tive proportions IN the general charge and exp nd-
ture." And ihs was substantially provided for IN I'll,
others. 81 long collect our revenue from Gus
t. 5, there mode ny which can fulfil his
o'nlitun exactly exc pt by using the iand reve"ue
ioi the Federal expenses 80 AS 10 diminish The gene
raj taxes by this amount. Each State will then bt
benefited IN the precise proportion oil lis share OF the
general chnge and expenditure. Ii We undertAkr
To distribute tue nIoney itself amongst the States
there Is no mode by which ascertain the share
ofeach 81 ate, according TO this rule; tor we have NJ
means of determining, within reasonable degree OF
certainty, the proportion of the customs paid by the
patculIr aIes. There is diversity OF opinion as
10 the operation of this tax aud certain is that the
present distrbuii, accord NJ to Federal members
does not respect the seI by the deeds of ces-ion
acro ding To any theory as to the manner in when
this tax paid. The authors of these crssons mus
have iorcseen thu, difficulty; and they contemplated
the of these funds by the General Government
as the common property OF the Staes, according to
tntU Respective portions OF Tue nchcTdi
expenditure. Es under the old system Of quotas
wAeh precise distribution could be made, ei her by
,e use OF the land revenue by the General Govern
ment, or by an actual payment to the States they
nus have contemplated the first mode, that saved
ihcn TO n the expense OF double system of coec-
tlon and disbursement But these cessIons, whether
made before or after the adoption of the Federal Con
suion, are TO be Construed as beng goveTned by IT.
provisions. The first were overrul,d by it the last
could only be made in obedience 10 all of obIIga-
tons. IL IS to this instrument that must look for
the authority If ii exists besow these lands upon
the States. The unlimited power of disposlng of the
pubic properly has been relied upon AZ aiiord,ng this
Authority construction which gives this Govern
meni The right TO hostow upon them the proceeds OF
the sale of any and every species of public property
or, Indeed, of any money, no matter how derived-li
is II st invested IN property, and then reconverted 10
It's original shape. But h We not now the time 10
enter INTO all of he arguments upon this question OF
power. 1t suffices to say that is the old and the
great question upon which the Federal and Republl
Gao parties originally divided There exists apo"er
IN Congress Ia lay taxes 10 an indefinite amount The
Federal party contended that lhey had the power to
appropriate this money TO any purpose not Forbidden
by the Constitution. The Republicans, the Other
hand maintained that Congress could only appIo-
Pirate bis money to carry out certain specified pow
actually granted IN tue Constitution We all remem
Der the Arguments that were used and how the con-
test decided. The question is now revived
IN relation to the pubic lands. Because there is
money coming from hem may be appropriated to any
purpose not rciually forbidden by the Constitution.
GA the other hand, We MAINTAIN that they can only
be disposed of To carry out the granted powers in the
Constitution The same arguments which decided
the former conte-t ought to settle the present contro
versy. II there be any power in Congress to make
donations 10 the States, II uust be expressly granted
ia the Constitution. Ii there be such grant,
cannot appropriate to them the revenue either from
lands Jr customs.
Rr Nj l.r Oh, h, h,,, ia,
this vro, Which entirely independent of the merits
of he hill it-ef 1t said that this mere measure
of exp,dency, according to the Presidents views
and tina II is improper for him 10 refuse his assent to
any measure of that character; whilst Others,
daring sl have questioned the proprety Of the pow
Itself Not with hurting the most unspar-
ing dtnunciaion at the President they have laid un-
holy ha I'd, upon the Constitution, and threaten TO
tear on II the provision which has often stood be-
tween them and tneir ends. Disappointed at the
ccp iou which these measures have met with in every
direc ion, they turn about like the fat less e.
nant to fire the house, because they have notice
quit. Ny colleague has said that THIS was the first
instance la y oh President has refused his sigma
ture up n mere question of expediency aud seems
10 question his moral night To veto a bill for raising
revenue, which Fan only originate h, re, and over
which, he seeas To think, this House exercises pc
cuIlar jurisdiction. Ii this House meant to set up
such claim to jursdction 1t ought not to have
taxed 10 the revenue bill a approJr ating the
lands to the States Ii Was to the appropriations and
not 10 the revenue PROVISIONS, that The President OBJ
ecei. But the historical rtcoliections of my col
league have been shown to be as Inaccurate, the
general cuu Sc OF hl- reasoning unsounI. He
has already been referred To of sucn reiu-
sails IN NE I'D illustrations of General Washin ton
and No Ma son. The first refused TO sign q bill
for reducing be standing army; and the other with
held his signature no bank charter after express
~ waving AL cons,i utional objections the inca
sure Bal, MIR. SPEAKER II has been well answered
to such OBJ cflons that the Constitution gives tie
President the power TO negative all bills, no
ter what may be the nature of The questions
winch hey nvlve; and there can be no Impro-
pncy IN the Jndicrius use of any OF the powers
granted by that instrument. II the veto power can
be justified al all should ike TO know if the same
reasons which justify It's in OF constitution