Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-26

u, IN .nnne Tho matter, lie VIII iad he CONCESSION 10
tie new States not 10 bc 81 great 40 he supposes ne
should also recsect that the States have no power
10 Tax the lands of tie Fds raj Government WITHIN ihef
! limits. ...
If The gentleman this branch oi Inc su'leci. MS
ohec apply only to The dctaS oi lie measure, ah"
! a., not u,,ily s repca as his resolution proposes.
Ii,yn,r considered this question ~ reference 10 the
Constitution as well as to the deeds OF cess'on, wa
now sndeavor show hat there never vas more uao
hun.hur shan .his, attempted Ia be paineu upon
he oe.,is Of the u :. They have been told, that it's
fund is wanted 10 Geay The actual expenses OF The Co
verront and that whilst this is the state oi the Irea'
snrv th, Whrs propose To give up THIS fund to Inc
States, and to supply the deficiency by an increased
Tariff mon imports. will now proceed 10 establish,
by nconrovrrtibc evidence ta, the large majority oi
Tie political friends OF the gentleman from Lousa ne
vr looked 10 the pubic lands To deiay the ordinary
xncnses of the Government 1t Will be hardly neces
sary 10 refer 10 Gen. Jacksons opinions The House
knows that he not only asserted the right oil Congress
"a distribute the proceeds otherwise dispose OF tie
,s ne ,hey thou rit proper; but in his message OF
1890 he distinctly declared, that sit seems TO he our
true policy that the public lands shall cease as soon as
possible 10 be of revenue and That they be
sold TO settlers limited parcels at price barely sui
Gceut 10 reimburse the u S. for the expense OF the
present system aud the cost arising under our Indian
comuacts II will be perceived, that, IN the same mes.
sone he recommended that 'he right OF soil and the
fuue disposition thereof be surrendered to the States
Respectively in which it lies. What was the position
taken nv the political friends of the gentleman from,
Louisa in the Senate of the L. S, when the contest
came upon the land bill Of Mr.. Clay? Did they main
tain that this fund should he applied towards the cur
rent expenses of the Government: No Bat in their
counter report to the Senate, they SAID, "ths committee
turn with confidence from the aad ctateS TO the custom
houses and say here are the true sources oil re-
venue-give lands 10 the cultivator
Apain il is known that the Democratic party may
be ranged ITO distinct sections The followers OF
the distinguished Senator from South CaroIiEa aud
those of the Senator from Missouri. What are their
several propositions The House will bear with
whilst | make brief statement OF what regard as
the principal features oil each oil those notabe schemes
for getting rid of this fund What is the graduation
bill which has received the support OF almost tie entire
Democratic party? As understand II, II provides that
the Government land, which has been exposed 10 sale
for certain time shall be subject, say for IL months
to private entry at the present minimum price OF 81 2o
that all land unsold that tune shall be reduced 10 the
price of Sl and after the expiration OF That tune, to
- cents and so on 10 the end Of years, when it shall
be ceded to the State in which II lies. give this slate
ment of the provisions Of this bl for the purpose OF
illustrating the operation oil such Il law. What, then
would be the effect Of such a system? The Govern
men a great landhoder, comes into market and adj
verlises tina, oil those who will purchase the land
within twelve months shall pay high rs 81 %
that those who will srat for two years shall get il
less prce-that those who will not purchase Tor years
shall have the land gift The inevitable effect OF
such system would be 10 deprecate tie value of the
land in market and TO discourage individuals from pur
chasing the lands exposed ia sale. | am aware that
there is a portion of land in the States denom
mated refuse tamil, land which has been subjected to
private entry for 4 number of years, and | am also
aware tha, il Is upon land Of this description that
graduation bill would operate. From an examination
of the Official documents since 1880, it is sIewn, that
since that time Si000000o have been received by the
Government for these REUSE lands, which It the ia
yorltc policy OF these gentlemen to subject to system
of graduation. Another fac IS stated in the report
Of The Committee the Public Lands IN the year
lS2 that there had been in the State OF Illinois, at that
time of -, millions only millions actually sold;
that the balance Of 81 millions the richest State
the Union would have been subject 10 the Graduation
law.
have made this statement of the principal features
of the Graduation BILL IN order show that those who
ad vocate such Law, do propose 10 apply the public
lands 10 the support of the General Governmentthat
tic Gdrocates ofhts bill are HemScircs III favor of
uuequa unjust and partial disribution doaai0n Of
these lands 10 portion of the States OF this Union.
| will now briefly sketch the scheme Of the Sena-
tor from South Carolina, (hlr. Canoun.) lie pro-
poses 10 code the lands within the limits of the States
10 them respectively, condition That these States
shall nay into the National Treasury the balance Of
the proceeds deductiug thiryt per cent Of the
proceeds their sale For the payment OF tie amount
due the Government mortgage is proposed 10 be
retained the land. Suppose the State, by virtue
Of this contract taxes the management OF the land
within its limits, il grants to its own citizens certain
portions of the land, and they are located on 1t 10y
virtue OF the authority of the State does any one
believe that the mortgage, behalf OF the General
Government, could be enforced Suppose one hun
dred thousand inhabitants Of the Western country
were settled this land by virtue OF these State grants,
does any man believe that it would be possible Tor
the United States Government, to enforce the mortgage
hat would be It's operation in regard 10 the relation II
would create between the States and the General p.
vernment2 II would establish the relation of creditor
and debtor between the General Government and the
States to whom the land had been coded Surely, those
who watchiul Of the dignity and independence oil
the States eht wish to establish ths relation.
think, then that both Of these plans tor the dispos-
ton Of the public lands involve the practical surrtnder
of those lands To the States in which they lie. There
is little doubt that each Of these plans admits the right
10 distribute the lands among the States in just proper.
tons. II seems to be- therefore, established as lar as
the official acts of any party establish the views oil
nnY party, that any subject that there was no nen-
ton the part Of the opponent of the Distribution
law apply the proceeds o.! the lands Ia the expend-
lures Of the Government. What then becomes OF that
| branch Of the genilemans argument which IS based
upon the embarrassed state of the Treasury,
But Tor the influence of party upon this question OF
the Public Lands believe that no law would have re-
ceived more undivided support from the people When
in the year 1920, the period approaching Tor the
nguishment uf the public debt (fnr the payment oi
which, these lands pledged by Congress in l19o,)
the subject engaged the attention of all parties, and
was viewed not with reference 10 lis party bearing II
brought before Congress in the message oil Gene
raj Jackson, and a committee composed OF majority
OF his political friends reported in favor n distribution
of tie proceeds Of the sales Of the public lands In
1891 the subject was brought before Congress in the
report Of MIR. AlcLane, one of General Jackson $
Secretaries | will now call the attention Of gen.
tlemen 10 the opinions of gentleman distinguish.
ed in the ranks of the Democratic party-not that
desire attack that gentleman account Of his pol-
cal opinions who has opportunity of reply on this
ioor-nor do refer 10 his opinions with view oil
showing that any change Of opinion has taken place,
but rather because Of the vast and commanding nfu-
ence which he Yields with the party 10 which he is at
tached allude article which To he found in the
Enquirer Of December 2Stb, 1881 In order, however,
to do ample Justice will read the whole of that article:
"TuE PrBLIc LASHs.-Mr McLane proposes To
lop off this from the public Treasury, by dis
posing Of oil the public lands in the aggregate 10 those
States within whose territorial limits they lie, at fair
price TO lie settled ~ such might be salts.
. u all The " of The whole