Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-02-23

Government
debt OF individuals to the amount Of E600 600, when
The great leader of the State Rights party was at the
head of the Government In the treaty Of 1892 be-
tween Lord Hawkesbury and MIR. King, the United
States Government agreed TO pay 100000. For what
purpose, and when? To British merchants for debts
due to them by American merchants; not for debts
in aiding in struggles for Independence but debts due
10y American citizens to English citizens when the
war broke out. II was subject Of correspondence
between these two Governments for long time, when
this Government finally obligated itself to pay the
debts Of those individuals. But pass by that aud
come to the grounds in this matter. He held, in refer
ence to this question, which presented TO the
American peoplc-the power and duty of the Federal
Government 10 assume, in some form or shape, and
10 assume them speedily to relieve the States, the
heavy debts which were weighing them down-that it
was the duty of the Government to interfere in
way. The public domain belonged to the States uf
This Confederacy. This was the platform which
ne stood The question was not whether this Govern
ment had the power the debts Of the Stes,
but whether they ought to be assumed. He thought
was the duty OF Congress, in this time of pressing
need, to come forward and relieve the States, by ap
IproPriatng TO their use the proceeds of the public
lands; and 1t 1t became necessary TO anticipate those
proceeds by the issue of stock, he could good
reason why 1t should not be done; but he inclined
to think this would not be necessary.
MIR. RlVES would merely say, that whether other
gentlemen might feel themselves called TO express
their views or not, he did not himself intend TO
sumo single moment Of the time Of the Senate in the
discussion of the subject He had offered the resolu-
tons with purpose Of interfering with the important
business which was already before the Senate. He
thought the propositions contained in the resolutions
were plain, that gentlemen would have no difficulty
in voting upon them at once. If, however, gentlemen
the other side disposed debate the question,
he did not wish to be held responsible for the consump
ton Of time. The Senator from Ohio the other day,
had made appeal TO him to accept the proposition
which he had submitted as amendment of his reso-
utions. This he could not do, the manner and form
in which it offered; but he had prepared a modif
cation of that amendment, SO as 10 make il applicable
TO the issue of the two hundred millions of Govern
mcnt stock he had no objection SO to modify his re-
solutions 10 make them applicable TO the mode Of as
sumption. fths met the views Of the gentleman from
Ohio, he would adopt the modification.
MIR. ALLEN said his object in presenting the amend.
men was to embrace the proposition Of the issue of
Government stock, called the 200 million scheme, and
all other schemes which authorized the issue OF scrip
predcated upon the proceeds of the public domain
He had not drawn up that amendment with anything
like ostentuton and, as the phraseoogy employed by
the Senator from Virginia embraced very nearly the
true object which he had in view, he perfectly con-
te that the gentle mans modification should be sub
stitued for the amendment which he had proposed
The modification proposed by Mr. Rves was then
pied a substitute for MIR. Alien s amendment
Mr. GRAHAM apprehended the question should hrst
be taken on the amendment proposed by the Senator
| from New Jersey.
Mr. MERRlCK was of opinion, that now, the next
question in order would be on his amendment
/ Mr. BUCHANAN apologized for not addressing the
Senate on this occasion. 1t was evident that this dis
cussion nterfered with the bill of the Senator from
Missouri, (slr. Linn) for refunding the fine imposed
on General Jackson by Judge Hall, and also would
be likely to interfere with the bill of the Senator
from Georgia the subject of the Bankrupt Law
As soon these subjects should he disposed OF, he
would feel himself pledged TO bring forward the CUES.
ton involved in these resolutions, in few direct pe.
tons which he would present; and, that OCCASION
I l-l-.- A. ,,t- - al
him one half hour for the expression of his sentiments
| The question then coming up on MIR. Merrick's
amendment,
MIR. BERRIEN observed, that this being PROPOSE
ton TO strike OF the original resolutions,
could not, he conceived take precedence ola propo-
ston to perfect the original proposition by amendment
Before motion TO strike out is in order, 1t is competent
to entertain motion to amend The modification of
the second resolution not having been put to the vote
but being accepted by the framer Of the original pro-
position, did not affect the right to amend. lie would
therefore submit amendment, 10 be decided before
the motion TO strike out could be entertained. As ne
understood the object Of the Senator from Virginia was
to obtain direct vote the question of the constu-
tiona power and expediency Of entertaining any pro-
position for the assumption Of the debts ofhe States by
the General Government If confined to that object
solely he could objection to the expression oil
opinion required; but these resolutions 60 beyond that
object and bear inference which may create an OBJ.
lection with vera Senators to vote on them Ihey
leave the inference that the Senate denies the const.
tutonal power of the Government over the question OF
the distribution of the proceeds OF the public iands' or
the public domain itself His desire, in The amendment
he should submit, was to exclude any inference be-
yond the naked question which the Senator from
Virginia proposed to obtain the vote. The Senator
would see that if the proceeds Of the sales Of the public
lands were distributed among the States, they could
apply the amount the payment Of their debts, or any
other purpose yet this would not be the assumption at
" hch the Senator resolutions aimed His amend
ment 10 the second resolution was proviso that no.
thing therein contained shall be deemed TO affirm or
deny the power of the General Government to dstri
butte to the States the proceeds of the public lands to
surrender the public lands to the several States TO which
they belong.
Mr. BAYARD understood the state of the case to be,
now that these resolutions of the Senator from Virgil
MIA, having up substantive proposition aud
modification Of one Of them having been accepted the
next amendment in succession on the proposition
of the Senator from Maryland, MR. MerrickO to strike
out and substitute certain resolutions offered by him.
The amendment of the Senator from Maryland then
stood amendment TO The original proposition and
it was therefore, competent TO any one to 60 stage
farther and move TO amend the amendment lie would,
therefore, move TO amend the amendment, by striking
out the Cd resolution and inserting the substitute ne
should send to the Chair
| The CHAIR explained, that the motion Of the Sc
nator from Georgia to perfect the resoutIon would be
| in order before either motions TO strike out
| Mr. BAYARD believed the Chair was right. His
ndnen could therefore lie over till the proposition
| OF Tile SendtoF from 0eoIBld Was uispoSeo
MIR. CRlTTENDEN thought it was now perfectly
manifest, that, if This discussion 10 proceed, and
amend ments anne ndments 10 be considered, it
would be utterly inpractcube to advance any further
this session with the ordinary business OF legislation
The proper despatch of the real business yet TO be &C
complshed and The due delberation Of the vast and
momentous questions which must necessarily be called
up in this discussion, were incompatible. IL was but
few days ago. when there full session, Tor one
very nearly full) that this whole subject, in another
form, had been deliberately laid on the table These
resolutions of the Senator from Virginia, escaped the
fate Of the resolutions of the Senator from South Caro-
lima, with the various anne dmen:s pending to them,
by the accidental circumstance of being out OF
reach though substantially before the Senate. They
were merely outside Of The rules, by which, technically
they could be considered pending amendments; bu,
now they up with all the vitality of the original
resolutions OF the Senator from South Carolina and
as many if not more, amendments to be discussed
after another till every remaining hour Of the
sion is TO be consumed upon them. Virtually, they
should be considered having gone the table will
o1,,f.o pIodf