Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-04-25

4 this ground we may all unite. All agree that IN
c Government must have the necessary supplies io
n the public service; that the ways and means mus
he provided aud II in laying the duties neeessat,
to effect this end protection can incidentally
e given, | hope there is not man on either side
G the Chamber who will be opposed TO that. mop
that the honorable Senatorirom Pennsylvania tM
Bucnsnsn) will 60 far az general duty OF thit',
per cent if Il should be found necessary TO an eco
nonieal administration Of the Government, OF ever
IT, by continuing tea and coffee free OF duty, tina,
become necessary, far thirty three and thru
per cent trust there will be diversity oil opinion
but that we shall all be found ready to 60 Tor ina
rate OF duty which may be requisite TO meet Tho
resonable wants of the Government
There is ore other topic on which desire 10 ohe
few thoughts before resume my seat NEAR
the land question.
l have heretofore argued that question so elabora
tely, as well in two official reports ns IN variou'
speeches, particularly in one delivered ut the last
winters session, that shall restrict myself on the
present occasion to ststins what have been my
leading motives in advocating the passage OF what
has been generally termed the land ball. regret
that this has become necessary.
Gentlemen have spoken OF the public lands as i
they had gone from us-as having passed wholly
Oh, OF our possession; and they have talked as II
the return of these lands into the possession OF the
General Government would supersede entirely tic
necessity for loyiIs new duties They tell rs tina,
the proceeds OF the public domain three millions
Of dollars annually. This assertion they make
directly in the face of the experience of both this
year and last year. The Senator from South Ca.
rolina puts the amount ut three and half millions.
Suppose 1t was true, that would not relieve from
the necessity otimposns additional duties. Three
and half millions will not lie enough 10 relieve
the Treasury and carry on the Government by
eight or ten millions. But the returns iron the
Department show that IN the last three months the
lands have produced but two hundred thousand
dollars; sni. assuming this the basis OF calcu,a.
tion, thc whole amount for tho year wall exceed
I million.
But where is the land fund, Il has not gone
from Us, II Is in the course Of employment hy the
Treasury; for the Senator frcu, New Hampshire,
when al the head OF the Treasury. as have Rlrea.
dy sald, iad his hands whatever he could reach,
trusi-tunts ana all. "A ,aUsh.l This land fund
then has no, pissed Awsy; it is still IN use by this
Government, nor IS 1t correct to say that 1t Is YET
I any other hands than ours. But were Il oil they
say It IS, II would not from the necessity Of
J laying new duties.
| What were tha motives under which tie Jaw was
passed. The hfst and greatest at all was tie Gen q.
/ eral conviction OF the necessity OF adopting some
measure hst should quiet that eement o: agitation,
the ques: OF Of the public amos In this point ofvew
II was recommended hy General Jackson himself
and The necessity Vas recognised and admitted by
every Senator Oh a u sides 81 the chamber. Various
schemes 10 settle u were proposed here. The Sc
major from South Carolina suggested u oessiOn to
the new States; the Senator from Missouri suggest
ed graduation, ard, | believe, ultimate ccssion.
! Olher Senators proposed oihe- plAns-plans hich
/ p
! The vexcd question. None OF the advocates ofthcse
various schemes urged their own pnn, or discussed
the general question, principally with any view To
! revenue. On the contrary, the Committee the
! Public Lands, as much as ten years ago, express
" declared that the public domain ought - cease to
be source OF revenue, and pointed TO Tie customs
as ou- true reliance for that cnd-ik0sc very Gus
/ toms g. weieh we nos propose 20 resort. Thc DIS
eussor Of these proiscis Tor final disposal of the
/ lands greatly asilated the public mind, aud there
was genera, unelsineSs on the subject both IN and
| out Of Congress. IL was under these circumstances
| that proposed The distribution OF the proceeds Of
! tina pubic domain among the States. This mode
| Of dispoSins Of the subject was recommended Nv
", and by the benefits It would confer upon all the
States. Two questions present themselves IN con.
, sterins the pan. lst The question OF power; and
3D. The question OF eXpediency.
And, first, as 10 the question Of Dover. | shall
! no, here 60 over the ground which was so well oc
cup'ed by The Senator from Indiana at the head Of
the Land Committee, (Nr Smih.) He sustained
The power ot Congress 10 make this distribution 10y
weight Of authority which | was astonshed Sena
Tor. on The other SIDE did not bow 10 and acknow.
/ edge. His proofs were drawn from every quarter.
from General Jackson, the admitted head OF their
own party-trom repeated acts OF Congress-in a
word, from every sort OF documentary proof cAcula
! ted TO carry conviction 10 the human mind | shall
not argue the question over again on that ground
Nor shall go NJ .arge into the constitutional view
OF the subject but shall say only word on the terms
Of the deeds ofcesson to The 4. States. These css
SONS were made under the Old Confederation when
the several States were required 10 contribute IN
respective quotas TO the general expenditure. And
what was the language emp Dyed by Virginia in her
deed OF cession which ed the way 10 all the rest d?
That the coded lands "shaii he considered as IN
mon fund, for the use and benefit ofsuch Of the IT,
States as have become or shall become members of
I the Confederation or Fedora Alliance of the said
states, virginia inclusive, according 10 their usual
respective proportions IN the general charge and
pendIture; and shall be faithfully and bona ide dis
posed Of for that purpose, ard Tor TO other use or
purpose whatever"
We commended that this language looked TO seve.
rai,y-to separate and distinct benefit of each OF
the States. measured by the charge 10 which il was
liable IN the general expenditure. At the period OF
the grant, under the old articles of Confederation
each State was liable TO he called upon by requsi-
ton for IT'S quota Of the necessary charge or expen
diture ofthe General Government; and the decree
| Of beneht 10 which u was to he entitled by the
terms ct the grant, vas the amount Of that quota
The Senator from New York (Mr WriehD speaks
about TeversOn o. the ceding States after the nur-
poses Of the grant should be exhausted: but that is
not the language Of the deed Of eesson: il gives the
and TO the States for the benefit Of each according
10 the quota OF each IN the general charge and ex-
pendIIure. The duration Of the grant - therefore
co-e extensive with the continuance Of the Coniede.
racy or union of the States. And the only question
/ - IN what mode shall the several States enjoy the
uenfhi o. the grant, according % lis true spirit an
/ meanng3 WhiISt'he Confedefhcy existed there was
I no difficulty IN appOruoning the proceeds Of the
| lands among the several States. An account was
raised with each State, IN which she was debited
with ner quota Of the general charge and credited
with her share Of the proceeds OF the public lands
u there had been no general charge for the General
Government then each S;ote would have had the
separate enjoyment OF ~ respective SHIRE In the
proceeds ri the lands But after the adoption Of the
Federal Constitution the power of taxation was
conceded 10 the General Government. f. Is No
IL Ia a.
each STATE for the public expenditure and ,Fbsl
/ ought 10 be her corresponding benefit from Inc
public domain So lar from the distribution lav
being violation Of the terms Of the deeds Of cesson
maintain land challenge rsf1iationl that dufin,
every day since tie present Constitution was cs,,b
Isheo, OF at Oh events since the p1vrnent Of tb
war deot Of the Revolution for which the pub.l
, lands were pledged was completed, Won. by con
! tinulng TO hold the proceeds Of the lands raw
{ yourselves been violating the spirit Of the deeds o
cession.
BUTT is contended that II this argument be ,vs,
90 sound, u applies only 20 the lands &C led nm,
not 70 those acquired by treaty. Agreed: but il ,
thc cedtd lands that yielded by Ear the gfe1ier pst
oi ne proceeds TO the Treasury; md as 10 the other,
J the Constitution cOntans 2 provision broad enouol
e amply 70 cover the whole ground both Of The rsde
J. linds and the lands acquired by the trea.ss %
:. L0gisianna and FlOrdo. what is lie isnou,ge
d Ihe Congress shall have power 90 dispose o. am
# make OF nsediuI rules and regulations respecto
n me territory or other property belonging 10 the q
II states" Can any grant Of power be more ele,,
b, explicit and free rom 90 qualification OF restriction
]. The whole subject Of the grant ~ conhded 10 Oh
if toutO Nut absolute and uucoutro ifd dtseretto