Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-09-03

y
by the proportion referred to. But, when
it is recollected that the American States
were not then, as now, connected together
by an intimate political union, but were
associated merely by a league or alliance,
leaving to each State its entire independ-
ence and sovereignty, it will be perceived,
at once, that the language employed in the
Deed of cession was appropriately adapted
to the peculiar relations then established
between them. These allied or confeder-
ated States had "a common treasury" out
of which "all charges of war, and other
expenses for the common defence or gen.
eral welfare were to be defrayed;" but this
common Treasury was ''to be supplied by
the several States, in proportion to the value
of all granted land within each State"
The rule by which, according to the Deed
of cession, the States were to participate
in the benefit of the common fund of the
ceded lands, was identical with the rule BY
which, under the articles of Conferation,
they were to contribute to the common
Treasury, out of which the general charge
and expenditure was to be defrayed. The
most natural means by which the States
could be made to participate, according to
the prescribed proportion, in the benefit
of the public lands, was to bring their pro-
ceeds into the common Treasury, and
there apply them to The general charge and
expenditure, to which the States were re-
quired to contribute. by the same precise
proportion. The plain intent and meaning.
therefore, of the Virginia deed was that
the proceeds of the lands ceded by her,
which were declared to be a common fund
should be brought into the common Treasu-
ry, and there enure to the benefit of all
} the States, according to their respective
proportions in the general charge and ex-
penditure, by being directly applied to de-
fray that general charge and expenditure.
That such was the destination sought
: and intended by all parties, to be given to
the proceeds of these coded lands is de-
: monstrated, beyond all controversy, by the
history of the proceedings connected with
5 their cession. 1t is we'll known that the
l large quantity of western lands embraced
2 within the chartered limits of some of the
+ States, and especially of Virginia, anc
h what was to be their ultimate destination
! in the event of successful issue of tn,
l. contest,-whether they were to enure t.
o the general and common benefit of all the
States, or remain the exclusive propert,
h of the States within whose limits they Law
# became subject of anxious and deepl,
q interesting discussion, very soon after tn
y commencement of the Revolutionary war
: This question, indeed, acquired so para
y mount and controlling an influence that
impeded, for long time, the final ratiica
0 ton of the Articles of Confederation
!, These articles were acceded to and ratified
!. by ten of the States on the 9th of July
+ ITS; but Maryland, New Jersey, ant
: Delaware still held out in their refusal t.
e accede to them, and all of them mainly OF
e. the ground that those articles did not give
; to the United States in Congress, for tho
u general uses of the confederation, the en-
c tire control and disposal of the waste ant
II unappropriated lands lying within tn
l. chartered limits of the several States.
g is quite instructive, and, indeed, highly i'm
l. portant as bearing on the true characte
y and intention of the cessions which wer
n made, to see what language was held b
q these States on the subject of the wester
It lands. First in point of time, New jersey
Al in a formal representation submitted b
l. her to Congress on the 25th July, ITS
o held the following clear and explicit lar
y guage:
9 at was ever the confident expectation Of thi
q State that the benefits derived from successft
IS contest, were TO be general and proportonatt
l. and that the property Of the common enem.
e falling in consequence OF prosperous issue
" the war, would belong to the United States, ar
1t be appropriated TO their use. We are Their
E. fore, greatly disappointed in finding no provisie
sr made in the confederation for empowering Il
t, Congress TO dispose of such property, but esp
cially the pacant and unpatented lands cor
IN monty called the crown lands, for detraying Il
,e expenses of the ,car, and for such other publ
m and general purposes
he There is here, certainly, not the remote
ne idea intimated of any separate and distin'
D. benefit to be derived to the indivldu
DIS States. and to be enjoyed by them seve
lie ally, from the Western lands, but the d.
re mand is that they should belong to tt
ch United States and be appropriated to the
I'D use," and disposed of for defraying tt
he expenses of the war; and for such othC
he public and general purposes" of the who
confederation. But let US now see VIII
he was the language held by Maryland. 81
in was the State that took the lead in agitatir
Dis the question of the Western lands, and ft
ia. three years, perseveringly refused on thi
se ground alone, to accede to the articles {
he confederation. On the 18th day of Decen
IS" Der, ITS, she addressed special instru
m tons on the subject to her Delegates
nd Congress, in which after laying down,
ill, ,orn,s tho Dripcinlas contained