Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-09-03
SPEECH OF Mr.. RlVES,
OF VIRGINIA,
On the Provisional Tariff Bill,
In THE SENATE U. STATES, June %, lS42.
CONCLUDED.

CONCLUDED.
will venture to assert, Mr.. President,
that no American statesman has ever hith-
erto proposed distribution of the pro-
ceeds of the public lands among the states
as measure of practical legislation, un-
less there was an actual or anticipated
surplus in the Treasury When Mr.. Clay
brought forward his proposition, in 1892
he founded it expressly, both in his report
and his speech, on the consideration of
"the great financial prosperity which the
United States then enjoyed" "no longer
wanting the land fund for the purposes of
the General Government" but being TAB
solutely embarrassed in providing against
an enormous surplus in the Treasury" So,
| likewise, when the Distribution law of the
last session of Congress was passed. it was
founded expressly upon the assumption
that the new adjustment of duties to be
made under the Compromise act, and with
in the limit of the twenty per cent. estab-
lishment by that act, would of itself yield
revenue enough to meet all the wants Of
the Government, and consequently, that
the proceeds of the public lands would
become surplus, mo longer needed" for
the uses of the Union, and as such subject
to the "repartition among the States" sug-
gested by Mr.. Jefferson in 1905; and this
principle was most carefully guarded and
enforced by the proviso to the act, declar-
ing in express terms that, if any duty
should be imposed exceeding twenty per
cent, the land fund should be brought into
the Treasury, and be no longer subject to
distribution. Honorable Senators will re-
collect the course of argument employed
here in favor of the measure, at the time
of its passage. 1t was sustained exclu-
sively on the principle to which have ad-
verted; and elaborate and detailed calcua-
tons were made by various gentlemen to
show that 20 per cent. rate of duty, as
fixed by the Compromise act, would yield
ample revenue for all the purposes of the
General Government, without the aid of
the proceeds of the public lands, which
would thus be clear surplus in the Treas,
ury. that could in no manner be so benef
cially disposed Of as to be turned over tc
the use of the States.
But who now dreams of surplus, with
? 20 per cent. rate of duty--or any Other
duty, indeed, that can be imposed! Instead
of surplus, you have standing deficiency
of many millions-your Treasury is liter
ally bankrupt, you have a debt already
running up to between twenty and thirty
millions of dollars, and your credit is 50
impaired that you can borrow, if at all
only upon the most Instantaneous terms
And yet, in this deplorable condition OF
the national finances and credit, and in de-
spite of solemn legislative compact to the
contrary, you are called upon to ALLEVIATE
one of the most important financial re.
sources of the nation, by the surrender Of
its public domain to the Statesl A course
so opposed to every ordinary maxim o
political prudence and sound statesman
ship, must need find its apology in some
new and ingenious refinement, and accord
ingly it has been discovered, after sixty
years exclusive and undisputed possession
and use of the public lands by the United
States, that they do not belong to them, bu
are, in truth, the property of the severa
States! find it very difficult, Mr.. Pres
dent to address myself seriously to S,
strange and novel doctrine, which my
honorable colleague (Mr. Archery not Ions
since characterized in his own nervous anC
impressive manner, as fallacy so gross a
hardly to admit of encounter and refuta
, ton. Yet it has the sanction of some
highly respectable names, and has, know
made an impression on many inteigen
minds in my own State. 1t must, there
fore, be met and examined, and its ute
want of foundation, in reason and fac
be exposed.
But before | proceed to do this, vii
, remark that comparatively little would b
gained to the cause of Distribution, eve
, if this new hypothesis were true. Tn
whole argument is built on clause in tn
Deed of cession from Virginia, and az
plies, of course, exclusively to the lanC
n ceded by her, which form but Init
more than one tenth part of the entir
e public domain; the great bulk of whic
= having been purchased from France an
k Spain, with the common treasure of tn
nation, because, in the fullest sense, tn
y property of the nation,
. Let US now, however, see what is I'll
!, notable discovery which has been made
;. relation to that portion of the public lane
coded TO "the United States" by Virgins
In her Deed of cesson, there is clau.
declaring that "all the lands within tn
territory SO ceded to the United States
with certain reservations "shal be col
O. sdered as common fund for the use ar
p benefit of such of the United States f;
have become, or shall become, member
of the c0nferation or federal alliance
:. the said States, Virginia inclusive, accort
H.. i