Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-04-26
.inO.her Hkip HumLug j.!

.7nOher Uk!g HuMbug
The Richmond Wing, the Lynchburg Virginian, the
Winchester Republican, &C., &c have started new
humbug argument in favor of distribution. They take
the from Mr.. 1rvings Speech, of March q, in The
House oil Delegates. lie had been hunting up the
Journals Of the Congress of the oil 1
and lights upon another mares nest lie refers To the
ordinance Of May, 1875, to show that "was passed for
distribution or the proceeds Of the sales of the pnbi'c
lands among the States. This, (says The Whig) was
coemporancous construction vi thnse Deeds and was
an mpha,ic declaration that Congress held the lands
i'm the capacity of trustee for the States, &c, NC
The argument does no: hold water at all. There Is
not the shtcs, analogy between the case of the ord
nance, and that OF the late Distribution law. The law
rives The proceeds of tie lands to the States into their
orn Teasgry for their o,cn Jcntft-to he applied by
them TO roads TO schools 10 what THEY please Not
tile ordinance Of S. II drecis that when the lands
have been surveyed and laid Off aud after sufficient
deduction had been made from them for military boun
ties &c, &c they shall be drawn for in lots, Gin the
name of the thirteen States respectively, according 10
the quotas in the last preceding rcquisiton on all The
States"-and The townships (which have fallen TO The
several States to be sold by the commissioners of loans
of the several Statesmen be sold under S the mere,
for specie, or loan.ofce certificates (of the United
Stntes) When so sold, the commissioners TO be
charged the books of the united Sates) Treasury,
with the amount of the money certifcates-of
COURSE these proceeds to be accounted for by the
State commissioners, and paid TO the draft OF the
United States. Not &C nj. of il went into the State
Treasuy-and the only advantage 10 the State, was to
nav pro rata her requisition quota called for 10y the
United States The intention OF this arrangement for
dsposing Of the ceded lands, first 10 make it the
interest Of each State to sell the lands, that she might
receive so muc! abatement IN her reGusloa-and Sc
condy that she might how hc lands went, in order
to claim that abatement. This nrra genment was most
convenient because the United States had not those
land Offices ard machinery for selling lands which the
States had-and moreover the States, pressed they
were for their requstons impatient TO have the
lands Sold to relieve themselves But not cent OF
it was 20 into her Treasury, TO bear her
ptnscs II is ridiculous, therefore, quote such pre-
cedenl in support Of the wisdom of the distribution
There is as much similarity in their principles, as there
is between bird and beast.
But, even admitting such an analogy to exist 1t does
apply, in the slightest degree TO that large body oil
the public lands which subse quenly bought by The
United States and now constitutes, as MIR. Wright
says near nine en,hs Of The present public domain
With what face, then, the Winchester Republican
claim this humbug ga new evidence oil the equity
Of distribution z; The STATES have the paItcipa
ton Of the interest to which they are entitled
under the deeds Of cesson by having the proceeds of
the lands when sold, thrown into the general Trea
sury and appropriated To The common expenses. That
appropriation stands in The place Of the old requison
or Of SO much money raised by duties upon the
goods consumed by their Citizens.
The arrangement thus made for the sale oil tho public
lands was in conformity with the conditions Of Their
ecssion-the deed Of Va. specially providing, that the
lands ceded ''ShaH be considered Il COMMON FUND
fur the use and bcneft Of such Of the United States, Ir
eia inciusiuc hare become shall become, members
Of The confederation Jedera alliance # The sad STATES
ACCORDING THEIR USUAL RESPECTIVE PROPORTIONS
IL THE GENERAL CHARGE AND EXPENDITURE. (lhat
is, the TtguiSitionS made upon them)