Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-04-21
The Land Question.

Extract from the Speech Of r. F.. Scorr, es
oil fau1uicr, III reply TO Messrs Hollid;
+ and BayIay, on the subject of the receptie
n OF the proceeds of the Public Lands, del
II vercd in the House Of Delegates of yirc
e ma, March q, 1912
:. nc amount OF money receivable by Eirpi,
Il Ia under the law of congress, is variously est
u mated IRON ono to frc handred thousand do
lars yearly. But whatever may be her imm,
date receipts, it cannot be doubted that !
r tunes OF ordinary prosperity, consistently wit
Il J'ist regard for the common Interests. IN
|, sales OF The public lands may be SO stimulate
as to increase her proportion to a yearly sun
not short of the largest estimate. Had IN
uistribu'ion policy Obtained at frst--,hat is
: had hlr Clay's first land Gill been adopted. &C
cording to actual receipts, our share wou!,
nave exceeded the sum of $5,OO0,OO0. Tn,
: public debt of Virginia is $6,99l,3O7 sd. up
on which she pays an interest of SS409,O6S 95
and her current expenses are S,7US,OOO. Tt
meet these expenses. we have the dividends up-
the public stocks, SC. S325,Sf1, leaving
the large balance of $S91,22 to be supplied
by yearly taxation.
inns statement may serve TO give some idea
OF what The measure may yet produce, and en-
aoie Us 10 some extent TO estimate its benefits
sut Notwithstanding the resources with which
IL VIII supply Notwithstanding the relief
'tw'ii afford against oppressive taxation-not-
withstanding the difficulties and embarrass-
mems OF Inc iimes, we are called upon to re-
Ject list because congress has no au,hori
ty 20 make the distribution Cd. because the
revenue of the federal government is deficient.
and Sd. because the reception Of the money
by The states will lead to extravaganza and
| COrrunIOn IL will ho ,,eo a..
OF these objections is separate and indcpentlent
of the others; each rests upon its own pecu-
liar foundation, and if true, each in itself on
poses against the law, and the policy which il
pursueS, an insurmounlaLle impeachment Sc
para:c and apart, therefore, from each other,
weighing each according to its own intrinsic
merits, propose TO consider them. will.
however, depart from the order in which thew
have been introduced, and as it will fall in BET
ter with what have to say, consider the third
objection first.
Admitting shat the public lands are the
"common property of all the states," and the
proceeds Of tie sales thereof to be lawfully
d'strlbutabe amongst them. it is insisted that
the distribution will have a corrupting tenden-
cey, and will be therefore injurious desire to
Know whom will 1t corrupt? How will it
corrupt! Are they who are to be corrupted.
the agents who make the sales and collect the
proceeds II that is the apprehension still
the evil must be endured, whether the MONEY
be retained FOR the use of the federal govern
uo vO'I"Pt1d s..
This will scarcely be maintained. Who, then,
can be intended Are they the representa-
uves ofthe people of the states or the people
themselves? Bring the objection home to our
selves. Who will stand upon this floor and
proclaim that the reception of this fund into
the public treasury will corruptlhe legislature?
Are the chosen representatives of the good
people of Virginia deemed thus lightly of?
How can it corrupt 1t is not the reception
that will have this effect. Is it the administra-
ton of it? And why will not the adminstra-
lion of fund derived from any other source
be attended with the same evil 1t is pub
lie fund, to be paid into the public treasury.
and to he devoted TO public uses. Are they.
the people themselves, who are to be corrupt
ed /? Can the appropriation Of 100000, by
act of legislation, have such e1ect2 Appro-
pirate it to works of internal Improvements,
and will it corrupt Clear the distractions
out of the mighty James river, and extend It's
conneXon with the Great Kanawha, and ask
the people who inhabit the vast region wash
ed by those waters whose rich soils lie I'M
CULTIVATE "hoSc Nooucu HIS are Stlii lTack-
ed by the fierce tenants of the forests, and lei
them answer. Construct the Southwestern
turnpike. stretching from the borders of Ten
| nessee along that almost tractless waste, EN-
bracing our southwestern counties; dcvelope
| the vast resources o.! that region; furnish a.
| venues 10 market, and ask the question of the
people who dwell there.
| Appropriate it to the purposes Of education,
and will it corrupt? Endow your colleges :;
multiply your schools dcspel that moral and
mental darkness from our land which ignor-
ance entails, and ask the rescued. appropriate
it towards the payment of the public debt
to Tighten tie burden of taxation, and ask the
people whether it will corrupt? Away, then,
with the objection. 1t is not less insulting to
the character Of the people than it is TO their
understanding.
But, it is said the possession Of so much
money will lead to cxtravagance--to rash
schemes OF internal improvement. | beg gen.
} tlemen to allay their fears, by their wounds.
who make this objection. The cause Of in.
3 ternal improvement in Virginia lies dead and
3 taught occurs to move their apprehensions, i,
a is the unreal creation of their own fancies. or
if disturbed al its unholy murder, the spirit o.
the mighty dead wanders upon the earth's
. surface still let gentlemen assure themseve.
it is an unreal thing--a shadowy form;
r ghost, which, like Hamlet's, is an honest ghost
y But if, pcrchance, there should be discovered
II in this measure oil distribution, nostrun
which will restore the dead To life, and reani
mate the )ifeiess corpse, shall we for that rea