Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-04-02
SATURDAY MORNING, APRILa
DISTRIBUTION OF ruE LAND FUN

Columns. III comes IRON one, whose concurrence
We highly value:
Ma EDiroR-I sho uld have been greatly
rriscd a, the vehement opposition to the distrbu-
ton Of the proceeds of the Public Lands, If I did
not know the deporable lengths to which party
spirit will carry even tho well-ntentioned, to say
nothing Of those who make OF politics n trade.
have read the arguments urged ognns. disribu.
ton, with attention, and have endca voured to read
them with cAndor, but am nevertheless in favor
Of the measure, for the following reasons:
|. Because these lands, being purchased by the
Joint Efforts, or the common purse OF all the States
are the property of all, and in other way can
the Atlantic States be OF getting their fair
proportion OF them. The desire OF the new States
10 appropriate to their own all Of this common
property within their respective limits, backed rs
It has been by popularity seekers in the Atlantic
States, has more than once put the rights Of the
latter in jeopardy.
>. Because the distribution takes away one source
Of political intrigue and corruption. Ir we can
not, unfortunately, dry them all up, it is some
thing to stop the most copous and most accessible
fountain Of them all. So long as the Public Lands
were untisPosed Of so long would they present 10
the political adventurer ready and ample materials
Tor The manufacture Of popularity in the West.
,. Because the States having surrendered TO the
Geocrnl Government, the most productive nnd the
l,as, buriensome species Of taxation that Govern
ment raise a larger revenue in proportion to its
wants, and al less expense than the individual
States, in proportion 20 theirs. BY transferring,
these, the Public Lands, TO the States, both the
Federal and State Governments will have means
more equally adapted to their necessities. This
reason the stronger now that the General Govern
ment has comparatively n small debt, and the States
very large ones.
Because most Of the States being now bur.
dcned with debt, from which they can be relieved
only by additional taxation, the proceeds Of the
lands, when distributed among them, will save
them from the necessity Of taxation to equal
amount; and supposing that, by reason OF this
Transfer, further sum is raised by duties on i'm
ports 10 the same amount; still the people are
gamers by the advantages which taxes on con.
sumption have direct taxes. They are more
cheerfully paid; more easily paid and collected at
much less expense in this country. MIR McCulloch
properly says, that "direct taxes property have
been the curse of every country into which they
have been introduced" Who doubt that the u.
States raise twenty or perhaps thirty millions,
by the impost, easier than the States could raise
aud indirect, put together7
:. Because the money received by the States.
wi. be used by most OF them in useful public
works, such as Canals and Rsil Roads. or what is
the same thing, will aid in dischargng debts con-
ac,od on ;heir account and will thus be converted
into n fund of permanent profit; that the value
Of the money expended will permanently remain
to the State. Whereas the General Government
which, blythe Constitution, not the power o
making these useful improvements, must spenC
ne money on objects, which, however valuable n
necessary, are never Reproductive, and for III,
most part leave no OF its pas, existence
than ship leaves Of its track on the ocean,
Because, until lately, the measure has received
the general favour and concurrence Of all the At
lantic States; there having been man Of those
States out Of Congress, and very few in that body,
who, for many years. If they expressed any opn-
ion at all were not in favor OF the distribution.
It. were easy to add to these reasons, but / have
purposely given none which child may not al o
mes, understand, and which would no, occur to any
man Of common sense. Against considerations so
obvious and weighty, what has been urged ngnins,
the Distribution One may see the ostensible
grounds upon which it has been assailed in the
speech Of MIR Wright, of New York, the nblest
as well as farest Of its opponents, and who never
would have resorted to such fne.spun arguments
II letter could have been found.
But there was one reason with the party in OPP
posi'ion which far weighed all those that were
ushered into notice. The measure ,Oas proposed ~
Hsnru Clay; and whot great aggravation Of
the Sin, he had, IN proposing it. defeated the nsid-
Gus designs of his enemies, to DO him injury
They had managed to refer the subject Of the
Public Lands to a Committee, OF which Mr. Clay
was Chairman, and thus placed him in a dilemma,
from which, as they thought, he had no means Of
escape II he reported against surrenderng the
lands 10 the new States, he would, in disappoinl
ING their cupidty, lose their favor; and If other
WISE he would offend the sense Of justice Of the
Atlantic States. But, behold frankness and fair
denling proved an match for willy nruhce. lie
made a report in favor Of distributing the proceeds
(wi,h special deductions) among oil the States
and showed conclusively, that, TO most OF the
Western States, honesty, in this matter, was the
best policy. His report a most able paper
exhibiting the views Of a statesman, in arguments
equally lucid and foreiJle; and have more thar
once heard It extolled by Mr. Madison, both for ~
reasoning and style, and ns far transcendrng ans
opinion Of MIR Cay's abilities that lie had pre-
vously formed.
r. was for thus converting what was meant ns
snare, into means Of triumph, and for con
neclng his personal glory with his country's inter
90 and honor, that he hos never been forgiven anC
that from the date Of that report the plan Of Dis
tu.ution, before lauded and approved, has
lost rs merits with Mr. Clay's political opponents
lthas, by degrees, become in their eyes unconsGtu
uonol, destructive Of State Rights, miscbevous ant
absurd IL was from the same cause that Genera
Jackson vas persuaded to commit fraud on d.,
Constitution, by telling either 10 veto the bill or re-
turn II 10 the House. Is there a candid man IN m,
United States, who will say tina, General Jackson
would have thus kept the bill IN his pocket # Nj
Benton had proposed II; or that Il the Distribution
which he was known to fevor, had been propose,
by him instead Of Mr. Clay, It would not have no,
the support Of nine-tenihs Of those who now op
pose i7 Are the people to he ever thus gulled bl
professions, while their rights and interests ar
made 70 bend TO party purposes and objselsi
uust no.
As 20 the refusal TO receive the States share o
the money, for which one half the Senate ~ re.
sponsibe, % too garng act Of folly to deserve
serious notice; and y enture to predict that will
nrvcr he repeated m the Virgini, egslstn,e ,yen