Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-04-07


COMMITTEE on Finance to Introduce bill for Oh
appointment OF an agent to receive the quota o
vifeinn under the Distribution Law, toeethe
with the amendment offered thereto by Mr. Ho''s
day, ins,rue,ing our Senators to vote fot rePes
OF the law.
GOA 49, IcoscLuDspJ
.I~m ro,. h,;.sv sketch the scheme OF the Sen
,,or from S.,,th Carolna. mir Cslhounl lie pro-
MOAN 20 esds the lands within the limits OF ne states
10 them resnectivelv, condition mat hese Staes
shslI psy into the National treasury we oa' sns
Of the proceeds dedueting - per cent. q; the pro
coed. oftheir sale. For The payment OF the amoun'
due the Government, mortgage sproposed 10 I've
retained on the land. Suppose the State by virtue
Of this CONTRACT takes the management OF the lano
within its limits, IL grants 20 its own citizens certain
portions OF the land, and they are located on by
virtue OF the authority Of the State, does any one
believe that the mortgage on behalf OF the ueneral
Government, could be enforcedf Suppose one
hundred thousand inh,biants OF the We',ern cum
try we're settled on this lind by virtue OF these Shte
Grants. does any man believe that would nc pos
sble fer the United States Governmentto enforce
the portsage7 What would be IT'S operation IN
ressrd 10 the relation Il would create oc'ween 'ne
States and The General Government IL would
.s,,hI.h The relation Of creditor and debtor between
the Orherai Government and the states to whom
IN. land had been ceded. Surely, those who are
vs,ebCul Of the dignity and Independence OF the
states ousht not td wish to establish this relation
.,on of the public lands involve the practical sur
render of those lands TO the States IN which they
he There is little doubt that each OF these plans
admits the right to distribute the lands among the
States in just proportions nseems, 20 oe' ne,e
fore established as far as the official acts OF any
marty can establish thu views OF any party on any
SUBJECT that there no intention on the part 81
the opponents Of the Distribution Law. 10 Apply
the proceeds Of the lands to the expenditures oil the
Government. What then becomes OF that branch
ne
The embarrassed sta.e OF the Treasury
But for the influence OF party upon this question
Of the Public Lands, | believe that no law would
have received more undivided support IRON the pco-
pie when in the year 1929. the period was an
pro,chns for the extnguishn'eni OF the public debt
ifor the payment of which, these lands were pledged
by Congress IN 1901 the subject engaged the at
icn:ion OF all parties, and wns viewed not with re-
ference TO is party bearing. II was brought before
Congress in the message OF General Jackson, and a
committee composed Of a minority OF his political
friends reported in favor Of a distribution Of the pro-
ceeds Of the sales of the public lands In 1881, the
subject was Brought before Congress IN the report
OF MIR McI.1ne, one of General Jackson's Sccrete-
RES | will now call the attention of gentlemen to
Che opinions of n gentleman distinguished in the
ranls of the Democratic partv-not that desire IN
alta. that gentleman on account oil his political
op,oions who has no opportunity OF reply on this
hoor--nor do | refer TO his opinions with view OF
shelving that any change al opinion has taken place,
but rather because OF the vast and commanding in
fuence which he wislds with The party 10 which he
IS attached | allude 10 m article which IS 10 be
found in the Enquirer Of December 2s'h, 1881. In
order, however to do amrle justice, will read the
whole Of that article:
"THr Public LAxDs.-Mr McLane pr poses TO
Top off this resource from the public Treasury, BY
tsposing OF all the public lands in the aggregate 10
those States within whose territorial limits they lie,
at fair price, to be settled in such manner might
be satisfactory to all. The aggregate price OF the
whole may then he npportioned among the several
Staies Uf the Union, according To such equitable
ratio may be consistent with the objects of the
Again. he saws: awe shall not undertake to settle
tie principles OF Just disiribution-to say how
much this State should receive for the lands it
has eeded how much 10 make up for what the
Others have already received OF the public dOna
ton, Sc. Sc But taking even the inadeq uate
ratio OF representation, the basis Of distribution,
il would follow llat Virginia would receive for her
share 29-2l3 Of the whole, that is 10 say, more
than IS millions OF dollars Let that stock draw an
interest Of per cent, and we should draw, from
this fond alone, between 7 and 100000 dollars
The very amount of any such Hypothetical law
shows the great extent Of the interests which are
involved in the proposition. What nigh, not Viz
gina DO with annual dividend Of 800 600 dollars
even the half OF it How many miles OF roads
might she not completed How many shoots might
she not esta blish7 How many OF her degraded po
pula,ion might she transport to Africa z Put
ting aside, however all the ailurements OF self in
erestnnd viewing the question alone ms one between
the General Government and the States where the
lands are situated, we are prompted at once TO
quiesce in the proposition OF the Secretary-and
very much for the reason which he assigns: that
all cause Of difficulty with the General Government
would be removed.
We approve, as far advised Of Mr. Me
Lanes sUggesiion-with this one condition annex-
edit becomes be so fas5ious bout the 20 wer
ofthe General Government, that we ought mature
ly to consider whether the States should accept OF
any such donation or distribution, (callins it by
whatever name you choOse,) without their having
hrst authorised the Government by an amendment
to the Constitution 10 give any such fund for the
purposes OF education, internal improvements, or |
any other purposes, whether specified underlined |
True, this seems TO be il a by itself No
other such fund is likely fall IN the hands of the
United States again. But there is a serious danger
lest this distribution should be used precedent
for other future appropriations, and hence the
oessIy OF some provision that may take this case
out OF the ordinary pale OF precedents."
desire to make only few comments upon this |
article Here was proposition 10 divide this fund |
among the Stles according 10 their repre-
IN Congress. The Editor then was prompted TO |
accept the proposition Of the Secretary. He com
pules the amount which Virginia might reee We under
the law, but then comes TO the condition annexed |
that there shall be amendment of the Cons.i
tuition. WhYl Not because there was any con-t-
fuiiOnsl difficulty IN the distribution Of the and
fond; but, because he was fearful that the accept
nnce Oi lnls iund might lead 10 DINER donations TO
the States. For he expressly says, at seems to
him that II is q case Ivy itself" Butwhere then was
the fear that the acceptance Of his fund would cor
TuPi and degrade the States7 Surely, no amend |
ment Of the Constitution would prevent its having
that effect, " such the tendency Of the law as it
now stands. IL has been argued by the gentleman |
from Louisa, thut the public lands, lar from |
yielding any thing TO the Federal Government, |
have actually been a charge upon the Treasury. !
In order prove this, he has made statement pre-
pared, he tells us, by Mr. Wright of ". York, in
whose accuracy he processes entire confidence. Ac-
cordng to this statement, the public lands are in |
debt Is millions Of dollars 10 the Treasury. He |
says moreover that he does not include the cost Of
Indian wars IN the account, though he thinks they
might ustlybe ohargenbIe to the public landF. Il |
seems To me, that the gentleman has proved entirely
too much lfthe public lands h. We always proved such
a heavy charge upon the Tre0sury-if as he says, !
they have always been drain upon the resources
Of the Government why, | ask, does he denounce
the Distribution law7-lf the argument be correct
the sooner these lands disposed Of the better for
the Government. But the argument Is nj erly I'M
sound. The gentleman did not give the items OF
the account upon which he relied. but only the re
suit. AS an offset, will give another statement
from the report Of Mr. King OF Alabama, in the
year 1882. This IS Democratic authority. In that
report, MIR King, after making allowance for ell OF
the Just charges upon the lands, estimates the 70.
eeipts from that source at S15,O0O,OOO. Now II TO
this sum be added the receipts from the public lands
since the date Of Mr. Kings report in 1882, (s75,-
OOOOOO) u will appear that the Government has
received OF the nett proceeds Of the lands largely
UPWARDS Il 500 OsO oOO