, 1842-12-03

appointment Of an agent in either OF
those districts. The commissioners
have been instructed toAclose their
Iabors for the season in time to report
to me The quantity selected, by the
first week. OF The session Of the leg
islature.
In causing the land TO be selected.
under the authority of the act OF
! Congress, without converting the
General Assembly, or awaiting its
regular session. | flatter myself that
| have but CONFIRMED my action to
the views of the constituted authori-
ties Of the State, and to the public
will as heretofore expressed in the
resolutions and memorials to Con-
srcss upon the subject of the public
lands. IN Justification Of this opinion,
| would respectfully refer To the me-
mortal t" the Congress Of the United
States, approved February 6, 1889,
asking a grant Of five hundred thou.
sand acres Of the public iand. and
urging this donation az an act of JUS
ticc that would place Missouri, to
some extent. upon an equality with
other States, to which much greater
quantities OF land had been granted
nv the general government.
But d very different question, 10
my mind, was presented N regard 10
the duty Of the Executive under that
section OF the same act of Congress.
which directed that the nett proceeds
Of the sales ofthe public lands should
he paid 'to such person or persons. as
the respective legislatures Of the said
States and Territories, or the Cover
nors thereof. in cas- the legislatures
shall have made No such appointment.
shall authorize to receive the same"
4 few days after the approval Of
the memoria! Of February 6, 1889
asking of Congress the grant Of five
hundred thousand acres Of land, the
General Assembly. in Il series Of res0.
i%uilonS, protested. in the most solemn
manner, against the distribution Of
the proceeds OF The sales of the pub
tic lands among the several States
Resolutions. 10 the same import, have
been repeatedly adopted by the
General Assembly, while none of an
opposite character have ever %receiv-
ed the concurrence Of the people Of
this State. This action OF the Iegis,
lature was had az a time when the
revenue of the nation was abundant
" sufficient for the payment of all its
expenses, and has Teen sustained by
the enlightened judgment Of the peo-
! pie. repeatedly expressed.
Under these circumstances. and
when the national treasury was cx-
haustcd-when the Federal Govern
ment was borrowing millions TO de-
irav lis ordinary expcnses-when. to
supply the deficiency The proposed
distribution would create. Congress
was imposing heavy and burdonsome
taxes upon the people. and when n
large and increasing public debt was
adding 10 the responsibilities and bur
dens ofthe milton. ! could not BRING
my mind 10 the conclusion that the
Executive would DC conforming his
action to the public will. bv making
the people of the State a party 7, o an
act which they had 50 repeatedly
condemned, and which was irauaht
with such serious and mischievous
consequences 10 the whole nation.
Nor were these the only reasons
which induced me to delay The APP
poinlmcnt of an agent, and await the
action of the more immediate repre-
sentatives Of the people. The power
OF the general government. under the
constitution. To collect taxes from the
people. for the purpose of distribu-
ton aMoAg the States, has been rare
~ avowcd: vet this monstrous and
absurd doctline receives its practical
execution N the distribution of tie
land revenue.
For the fist time in the history OF
our republic, we see the national
government, created for very differ
ent purposes, collecting a revenue
from the people for the acknowledged
purpose Of distributing among the
States, thereby degrading them from
their high and proud bearing, as free
and independent sovereignties, to The
abiect condition of humble depen.
dents. Amore humllia,ing spectacle
never was presented to the eyes of
the American people.
The folly and utter ahsurdity oflhe
measure are e in the notorious
fact. that every dollar distributed
must be refunded bv increased taxa
ton upon the people, attended with
the additional cost of collection.
Tins III. oct , , financial ,,o.