Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-08-11
THE PUBLIC MISREPRESENTATION OR
NO DISTRIBUTION.
"THAT $4,000 ANNUALLY.

"TllAT $4,000 ANNUALLY.
as me election approaches we thought we
would Just enquire about that $4,000, which our
nelshbor OF the Wnlchman promised should nc.
cIue 10 .hG STATE OF vermont annually, from tie
avals oil the saIes OF the public lands, in case of
HE election Of" Old Tip" BY the wssy we have
understood thot some $4,000 has been received
Enough, minus some $4,000 to pay off the
Staie Pl'son debt of Milton Brown g. Co-those
Se'tuS parrots and rigid economists, who were
SO severely shocked at the aedged extrayagance
OF Mr.. Van Buren,, and thrown in,o tanrs anil con.
toftIohs al the bare idea Of the " Gold Spoons
some people have been aud still IRE of the ouin-
ion that II would be very wise policy md n pretty
lhlng to distribute the Land Proceeds ANNUALLY
among the StOtes, notwithstanding that the Ma
tlonal debt under coon management las riser
near thirty millions Of dollars, and that the reye-
hues IRON Doih the customs and the lands are r.
aueq'late TO meet The current pendilures-mere-
~ ior the lun we suppose of paying the expense
OF The distribution and collecting the additional
revenue necessary to make up the deficiency
created by such distribution. Ii is for The inlor
nation Of these profound and sagacous political
economists that we are led, occasionally, to in
qnre how the thing progresses--us we'll as 10 en-.
tighten the people generally as to the ufment
OF the promises OF 1910. w. PairioL
We again express our thanks to the editor Of
The Patriot for calling our particular attention to
'hls Interesting aud important subject and in com
pliance with our promise last week. we proceed
10 commence whit we trust will be tolerabe
improvement ofthe subject.
Before noticing the suggestions OF the Patriot
we wish to remark that we are thankful for ano.
Their thing, and that is the fact that there is no
doubt as to the policy of the Two parties in the
country on this great question. In 1888, both
parties were so far agreed in favor Of Distribution
that Mr.. CIays famous Land Bill could control
the voIes Of two thirds of both branches of Con.
gress, and was defeated only by what was then
regarded as an extraordinary and entirely unwar-
ranable act of the Executive. Since that period.
the Wings as party have steadlasty adhered to
the policy Of Distribution, as the only one au-
thorized 10y the deeds of cession, and the only one
which can secure 10 he several states their rights.
On the other hand, the ocoioco party has chang
ed It's position, and now is unanimously and utter
ly opposed TO distribution. In defiance of The
deeds Of cession, the ocofoco leaders bold that the
proceeds of the Public Lands should go into the
National Treasury, and ultimately that the lands
should he surrendered TO the states in which they
lie. Both parties also unite the Land Question
with the Tariff; the Wings insisting that the pro-
ceeds Of the Public Lands ought not to be suffer-
> ed TO go into the Treasury, and thus he made to
lessen the amount of Protection; while the To-
coiocos insist that this fund ought to 60 into the
Treasury, and that no tariff should be passed other
than one strictly arranged so as to raise merely
the balance of revenue required to carry on tho
government. 1t is then question OF vast inpor-
! lance, inroring The rights Of the STATES and The
, Protection Of american Industry and it is also
question on which the two parties distinctly
divided. Such an issue we will most cheerluIly
aid in putting TO the people for verdict ut the
coming election Indeed it is the very time to
decide it, as our members of Congress will I'M
doubtedy be called TO act upon The question in
r some FORM Let the people, then, have line up
on line and precept upon precept' on this sub
ject.
e To 0iom do The Public Lands belong?
The Patriot exposes good deal of contempt
for those who believe that the Public Lands
a should be distributed to the States, especially
when, as the Patriot alledges the Federal Govern-
Inent is in debt, and the revenue from mposts is
) not adequate to meet the annual expenses. The
. business OF this contempt depends very much up
on another question TO ,chom do The public lands
Y belong II 10 the Federal Government then the
r right of that government TO use them at will is
+ uuquestionabe; but if to The individual SidteS,
then has that government no right 10 sieze the
i lands, and this fppant contemner of other s
A opinions, is himself only worthy of contempt as
3 the advocate of Federal robbery. At the concu-
l sIoh Of the Revolutionary war, the tile to the
lands now called "the public Lands" was part
in possession of seven of The old thirteen States,
and the remainder in the possession of France
aud Spain. So far as those States were concern
ed, it was deemed OF the highest importance that
: they should not retain possession of their i'm
mense domain, as the smaller states Justly feared
> that the larger would ultimately overpower and
crush Them. On this account, several States were
averse TO the Federal Union, unless they could
be assured of an equal share in that domain,
: which they conended was justly The common
property of all the States, by right OF conquest
from the mother country. II determined
= therefore, by those States which possessed the IL
tie, TO deed these lands for the common benefit of
The several SioteS, as distinct and sovereign bo-
dies BY the st deeds, the title was vested in the
old confederation, in trust, for The benefit of the
several sIales and for no other purpose Whatever
e Virginia. New.York, Massachusetts aud Con-
necticut decided l69,6O9,6l9 acres and to show
: for ,ohat this immense territory was decided we
i quote from the deeds and acts orcesson.
4 Virginia deed ereeuted March |, l7Sl, By Thomas
: jefferson and other delegates.
$ "That it shall and may be lawful Sc. to con.
vey assign and make over unto The United States
/ in Congress assembled, for The benefit Of the said
I states" Sc.
r " That all the lands, sc, shall be considered as
a common fund for the benefit of such of The u
niied STATES, have become shall become
members Of The confederation or federal alliance,
Virginia inclusive, according 10 their usual res
peclve proportions in The general charge and ex-
penditure, aud shall be faithfully and bona fide