The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-07-30
CONGRESS-.

In the Senate, on Thursday, Mr. TALLMAGE
presented memorial from the President and Direc-
tors of the Long Island Railroad Company, asking
that the duty on railroad iron may be discontinued
also from the miners of Wisconsin and Illinois, re-
qIesting that the lead mines in these Territories may
neither be sold or leased, but that board of COM
missoners may be appointed to take the matter into
consideration, and report plan for equitable dis
position Of them
Mr.. PRESTON moved that the Senate take up the
following resolution, that it might be read second
time, viz:
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives Of
the United States Of america in Congress assembled hat
all sums hereafter appropriated to carry into effect
treaties Tor the extlngustment OF the Indian titles to
lands shall be reimbursed to the treasury out OF the
proceeds Of the sales Of the lands acquired by tho
treaty under which the appropriation is made.
The resolution having been read second time,
The CHAIR said that it would take its place upon
the calendar.
Mr. WHITE thought that it ought to be referred
to a committee. 1t in the recollection of every
that during the extra session, the selfsame ques
ton as voted on and rejected He could not acqui-
in this resolution and when he reflected that its
tendency would be to destroy of the favorite
measures for which the Wings had struggled for
twelve long years, it med to him to be of the
most extraordinary propositions presented to the
Senate 1t designed, by single short sentence, TO
cut down the distribution of the proceeds of the sales
of the public lands; and therefore, he moved to
fer the resolution TO the Committee Public Lands.
Mr. PRESTON sal that he did not intend to en-
ter into discuss ion Of this question now. He diff
fered decidedly from the Senator from Indiana on
this subject and from his friends attached to the
Wing party. He not friend to the distribution
policy; it had never met with his appreciation and
he had opposed it, He did not intend TO make dis
| aft, IN hut he hervp Iaav IN
put case to the Wings of the Senate for their re-
lection 1t wai known to all that the Treasury was
in the most embarrassed condition-their utmost
exertions were taxed to devise ways and for
the Government-the authorized loan was not taken
in truth, and in short the Treasury exhausted.
Now, in this actual condition of thing, suppose the
highest Interests of the United States should require
at the hands of the Senate the passage of the Indian
treaty for the purpose OF extnguishing the Indian
titles to lands would honorable gentlemen say in
this exhausted condition of the Treasury that
they would go on and give away the proceeds OF
the lands thus acquired? This question pre-
scented, in naked simplicity and with overwhelming
cogency only one answer. He desired that the ex-
penses consequent upon the extinguishment of In
dian titles, should be paid out of the proceeds de
rived from that source. If they relied rumor,
there were two Indian treaties in progress for
the purpose of extinguishng Indian titles; and,
would the Senator from Indiana say that for this
object should be taken out Of crippled Treasury,
and not one cent arising from the sale of the lands
be returned to the fisc The lands would be more
valuable than the price paid for them, and after all
expenses PAID there would be lefta balance for
distribution. But he trusted that distribution was
not to be carried to the extent of squandering the
pro eeds from the customs, for purpose Of aug
mentng the proceeds Of the sales of the public lands
If that was to be the policy they might as we'll give
money out Of the Treasury directly instead Of in
this way. His policy not TO run counter to the
general policy Of distribution on this OCCASION al
III ri hndn II no h,da
powerful reason Tor bringing forward this resolution
because, under the pressing state of things, he could
not vote for the treaties to which he had alluded
unless provision be made to pay the expenses in
voved in the extnguishment Of the Indian titles,
designed by the resolution
Mr.. ALLEN acquesced in the views of the Sena-
tor from South Carolina; and, after submit ting his
views adverse to the policy of dstributlon he said
that at proper time he would submit an amend
ment the resolution, thai all the proceeds of the
public lands might be made available to extinguish
the Indian titles If the resolution should be passed
in its present form, the money would be paid from
the Treasury for the lands, and it would not be
imbursed cent or dollar until tie specific lands
shall have been sold which mi sht, in any cases. be
deferred for twenty or thirty years that outays
| from the Treasury would not now be compensated
from the sales Of the lands for which the outlays
! we're made,
| MIR. " HITE replied to the Senator from South
Carolina he contended that duty of about thirty
supply the deficiency occasional by the withdrawal
Of the lands from the Treasury; and that the disri-
button of he proceeds Of the public lands among the
States would stimulate industry and enterprise, and
be productive of many benefits than If that re-
should enter into the purposes Of the Govern
ment.
MIR. PRESTON further replied to the Senator
from Indiana.
Mr.. MOREHEAD suggested that this resolution Ell
Their lie until Senators could reflect further upon
the subject that be permitted to 90 to the Com
mittee on Public Lands.
Mr.. EVANS said it was app rent that this subject
was likely to lead to lengthy discussion and, it
was now one O'Clock, he moved that the further
sideralion of the subject be postponed; and the mo
ton was agreed to.
sing under the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Greek was
read third time and passed.
The Senate then took up the bill to provide reve-
nue. from imports, and to change and modify existing
laws imposing duties on imports.
The first amendment of the Committee on Finance
read, viz to change the duty on cotton bagging
or other imported substitute, from five to three and
half cents per square yard.
Mr.. CKITTENDEN hoped that the amendment
would not prevail. The price of hemp at Louisville
was, at the latest dates, sixteen and half cents per
pound, and this too at time when every thing was
IN a state OF great depression; and manufact,
were obliged to close their works because this price
would not sustain them The Russia hemp entered
la gely into competition with the American
The grass baggng procured in the East Indies costs but
penny yard and if two yards made the bag, it
sold here at double the price OF cotton; say more
than forty cents. Therefore, it was evident that
der this state of things, the manufacturers of our
own country could not succeed The Government
was making an eft )rt, which a liberal one, and
he hoped that it would succeed, to subst tute
hemp, for naval purpo es for that which has been
heretofore received from Russia
Mr.. CALHOUN, after estimating the duty on bag
ging, rope, and Irvine, said that 1t would cost the
planter seventy.one and one-nnth cents for putting
up every babe of cotton Surprising that the product
Of cotton this year would be two millions of bales,
the bill would impose on the cotton crop alone du
ty IN round NUMBERS, of one and half Millions
That was to say, the anter ud be taxed one bale