The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1843-04-20


portion to their representation congress
was Obliged at ali ess5is, t5a matter what
became Of the land fund, TO raise and fix
The revenue rate OF duties above twenty per
cent 10 support the Government; and il
thar we're done the distribution act, which
had been partially executed, would be sus.
pended, and cease to have any effect, Just
after the nes States had received large do
nations of public land, aud .jRSt before the
old States had got one cent in possession
from the distribution act. The dls:ribu.
ton act declared that nine new States should
each have five hundred thousand acres Of
the public land (stuated IN their own lin
ils) assigned TO them, and that they should
also receive ten per cent. DOT OF the land
fund, before the general distribution should
take place equally among all the States
According to the terms Of that act, each OF
the new States were allowed and receired
fire hundred thousand acres Of RE public
land The advancements made constiiu.
ted part of that portion. 10 that way all
the new States received the same quantity
Of actes, aud the land so granted vested i'm.
media,ely III them. Thus each Que OF the
new States had vested right, and per.
feet title, to five hundred thousand acres
OF the public land, worth q, least two mil.
lions OF dollars. Some Of them had taken
possession of their rich donations, and ex'
ercised the right Of occupation aud settle.
meBt.
We have hooked upon that side of the
picture, now lei US look upon this; then we
will out ,hls and that together, and see on
shiSh SIDE justice aud equity preponderate,
and 90 vhsch side The land hes.
What had the old States gained or Got
,.sssssloa, when Il was proposed 10 stop,
= . effect to repeal the Distribution act
asi they got auy public land No, not
sas acre. Had they go, any money IN lieu
II public land No, not one dollar. They
afterwards got a small no,eiy for one halt
year; apd no more. To suspend the DIS.
,rbuuon law then. left all the advantages
% one side, aud all the disadvantages on
The other. By that one sided legislation
the old Thirteen, that were first and fore
most IN fighting for liberty, and achieving
our independence, (giyIng, too, all then
wild land 10 maintain and preserve H.,
we're The las, and least 10 getting dIstrIbu
tive justice.
You perceive, fellow citizens, the bear.
ing Of these remarks; aud the reasons why
voted, al the Extra Session 10 ISL, a
ganst the Land Bill Aud then, after i
passed and rested forty fire hundred thou
sand acres Of the pablick in nine neu
States, why voted IN agaInst the
repeal or suspension of ,hN@Se.s, until the
old States had got their JUS, shares, as well
as the new States, from the fund TO be dis,
iribu,ed. voted for the bill! not for the
revenue features 10 II, because | thought
number Of them too high, and voted a
gainst them; but, voted for the bill, be
cause after the new States had rece,vct
such rich gifts and large appropriations Q
the pubic lands from the Distribution aci
and the people of North Carolina bad the
got nothing from ii, resolved never |,
give II up, bu. 10 hold on, and TO do every
thing 10 my power TO get end give my
State and constituents their Just share &C
cording 10 the intention OF The orIgina
Law.
The second I'LL, which passed boil
Houses OF Congress, 10 raise revenue, anc
10 continue 10 force the Distribution act
was lost and rejected by The arbitrary ex
ercise of the Veto power by President Fly
Ter, Just after the new States had been en-
riched just after the old States had beer
impoverished, and the General Governmen
deprived Of forty FIVE HUNDRED Ihousan
acres Of public land. The course and con
duet OF President Tyler is strange, an
passing strange, on this subject. A. th
Extra Session lie recommended Congress
to pass the Distribution act il was passed
and became The law Of the land 10 ls4l
and, in 1919. that same PresIden, lyle
recommended lis repeal, and vetoed bill
TO continue it in force, and thereby stoppe,
and stranglsd the very measure he at frs
recommended.
By that double dealing policy, the peop
Of North Carolina, aud alkthe old Slses
have not only lost all their disrbutly,
shares o. he public land, but they hay,
imposed upon them larger proportion 0
the taxes aud bur.heBs Of the Government
than justly belong TO them.
To illustrate and prove my proposition
Bear 10 mind, tina, nine new States ha,,
received, in The aggregate, forty five hun
dred thousand acres of The pubic land
worth sgh,eea millions Of dollars. Vel
ii eighteen millions Of dollars be distracted
from the United Siotes Treasury, and given
10 nine new States, sble the old States re
ceTe no equal or corresponding benefit,
then deficiency TO that amount must be
made up and supplied by unjus,ly and une
qnaliy imposing taxes upon the people o.
The old States for the sole and exclusive
bene6. Of The new States. These are the
views and reasons why could 10. consent
10 stop and suspend the operation Of the Dia
tribu!ion laa after rs passage. coulc
not sanction such gross inequality, aut
such rank injustice to The people Of Nofl!
Carolina.
The first public lands were acquired BY
deeds Of cession from the old States 10 Ia,