Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-06-13

| deny the fact, and call upon gentlemen who asser
the claim on behalf of The States to produce Their
deeds and show their title. The cesson deeds Trans
TERED the property of the States in the ceded anos 10
the General Government, not, you have oeen loio
LOT the specific purpose OF paying the revolutionary
debt, but TO be used s'common fund Tor the JOINT
benefit OF oil the States; but The purchased lands CON-
pretending nine enihs in value Of the public DOMAIN,
were purchased by the General Government OF their
righliu owners, France and SPAIN for the sum OF gu
OOOOOO every cent of which paid by the General
Government, out OF its pocket, TO whom the title
deeds were executed, and possession Of the territory
delivered. The States had no more to do with the
transaction than the county of Rockbridge. And yet
told by distinguished lawyers that these lands
belong to the States Why, feowcitlzens, the States
had as well claim the public buildings in Washington
city, or your navy, or any other public property and
demand that its proceeds when sod should be distr-
buted among them. Ii it is unconstitutional TO dstri.
butte The customs, all concede it TO be- must it not be
equally unconstitutional 10 distribute the proceeds OF
lands or other property purchased with the customs?
Tor what would that be but distribute customs in
vested for time in land or other public property
But we are told that Congress possesses the unli.
med power, under the Constitution, Of dsposIng OF
the public lands at lis sovereign pleasure deny The
fact utterly, but admitting for The sake of argument
hold that that very fact, proves conclusively, that
these lands do not belong to the States for if they dd,
what right would Congress have to dispose of other
people, property as it pleases?-the unlimited right OF
disposition being, every county court pettifogger
will tell you tantamount to the right of property itself
If can do what please with your farm, sure it
belongs to me. am the real owner Of il. Besides,
under this construction of the Constitution, Distrbu.
ton is 'gra,uity" from the General Government to
The States; and Mr.. Clay has Informed US, that he
knows "of no principle in the Constitution which au-
horzes the General Government" to dispense charity
TO the States, nor of any principle of safety pro-
prety which admits of the States becoming the
cipents Of such gratui,y from the General Govern
ment'
We are also told, that the States would have been
almost of debt, if Mr. Ciays Land bill of 1892 had
gone into effect, and therefore, Distribution is both
constitutional and wise answer, that if larger sum
had been distributed directly FROM the National Trea-
sury the States might have been entirely out of debt,
yet MIR. Clay has denounced such measure both
unconstitutional and unwise.
Again, II IL said Gen. Jackson recommended Distri.
bution-that is true, but never from an empty Urea
sury. And, besides, the old General, upon second
sober thought has reversed his opinion upon this sub
Ject just as Mr. Clay reversed his opinion IN re-
lation to National Bank; and every lawyer knows,
that The last decision Of any tribunal always reverses
aud annuls all prior authorizations which may be in
consistent with it, The full weight Of General Jack
sons authority, therefore, goes point blank against
Distribution.
IL also said that we had better distribute large
portion possible Of the Proceeds of the Public
Lands, because the States mean TO steal them as
soon as they get The power. My reply is, LIST, that
mere apprehension of this kind, neither makes nor
proves Distribution to be either constitutional or WISE
we ought not to do wrong, because we fear others
may do -and, 2ndly, there is danger of any thing
ofhe kind because the old States reinforced by such
of The States yearly becoming old States with
reference TO this question: that whose interest in the
entire body of the public lands greatly exceeds the
value ofhe refuse remnant Of public land within their
limits, will always be able TO defeat the new States IN
any attempt Of this character The interest of the old
States in holding to the public lands, is sufficient
guarantee that they will permit the new States
to dispossess them Of that magnificent estate
The only personal remark have to make, on the
subject of Distribution is, that upon the practical ques-
ton, stand now, precisely where the Wing party
stood in 1910, although for reasons heretofore assigned
-..-.s So opinion, more than two years ago, with
vernment to collect revenue in any way under any
circumstances for the purpose of distributing 1t among
the States. do not read this power in the Constitu
tion and therefore utterly deny it TO the General
Government. Here is copy of the Constitution lin
Tate Dgest in which all the powers of Congress
specifically enumerated, and ifgenemen will be good
enough to show where il is sad Congress shall have
power 10 distribute any portion Of the public
among the States, will Of course, knock under upon
the constitutional question Distribution is great,
nal substantive, independent power; and if delegated
to the Federal Government at ALL it must, upon every
sound principle of constitutional construction be clear
ly and unequivocally conveyed. There is such
grant in the Constitution. II there is, let gentlemen
put their finger upon it, and read il to you.
With regard to the other protested principle of the
Wing par,y-a single Presidential term admit, that
it was also principle of the party in $780, but my old
Wing friends will excuse me, if rebellious doubts
as to their sincerity in relation 10 il, will nlrude them
selves into my mind For the life of me, cannot help
suspecng that, when the hour of trial comes it will
share the fate of all other Wing principles. party
whose entire is stained with duplci,y and per-
hos nfi
TO the sincerity of its professions Suppose Mr.. Clay
is elected President in lS44-an event just about
probable as that shall be returned one Of the Dele
gates of the county of Rockbrdge this Spring. next
Spring, or any other Sprng-and that it should be
towards the close Of his term OF service, that
he could certainly be elected whilstit was doubtful
whether any other Wing could rally the entire Wing
pary-can you doubt the RESULT The instinct of self
the master passion Of all parties would
rouse the party en- naossc, demand MIR. Clay
vices for second term; and Mr. Clay, like oil other
devoted patrioss, after vndicatng and signalIzng his
chastity by decorous but not too obstinate resistance
would yield himself passvely the loving embraces of
he dear people. Our history, fellow.clzens, reads
an instructive lesson this subject. Jefferson and
Jackson both committed to the one-term principle,
,ut the parties TO which they respectively belonged,
ook them Up as it were by main force and up6earIng
hem on ten thousand strong arms, carried them with
shouts oftriumph which drowned all opposition, Sc
,ond Time into the presidential chair-preceden,s
VnCn, we DC sure, WouQ not De lOst on Sldy
ind his friends.
/ have finished my argument on my first propo-
ition, and think have proved that the Wing party
unworthy of the confidence and support Of the Anne
lean people, because it has violated every principle
pom which it into power, and also because hay.
ng obtained power, protesting set Of pnnciples
has frauduleny attempted 10 fasten upon The
~ radically different system of policy, which it dis
vowed and repudated most scornfuily and indignant.
y during The last Presidential contest, but which The
Wigs now declare they always approved, and were
etermned to fasten upon the country soon as they
blamed The control Of the Government. How chang
d the tone Of the Wing party Are you not all struck
With the striking contrast between the Wing party Of
$40 and the Wing party of lS43? Instead OF those
magnificent thunder tones which the Wing orators
sed to roll over the country against Executive des-
otism, our ears are grated with little, mise.
,ble, dry, husky squeakng Of "Bank!' ~
Distribution -
Oh! but say some Of The Wing leaders, if we have
hanged, the people have changed too. Yes, fellow
itizens, and if you TO throw five hundred polti
al summersets in the course of an hour, here would
o these supple and elastic gentlemen after yoo their
eels flying high in the air. like mountebanks from
oring board excaiming every time they touched The
round -"The People change and We change!'-"The
eople change and we change People change
nd we chanrei' IL