Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1843-06-02


lands MAINTAIN that it is the right of the
States to require it. and that their inter
esis would be advanced by the policy;
whilst those who have opposed ths sys
tenn maintain that they are equally The
trends oil the Slales, but that the amount
OF annual distribution from the sales
would be so small as 10 be almost use.
less 10 the States, and therefore not
worh .contending for; and hence the
pItance which each Slate would receive
would not meet their present pressing
necessities, and the amount Of sales had
as we'll, for these reasons, remain 10 the
National Treasury.
My proposition is, TO let the proceeds
remain 10 the Treasury for a specific
purpose, and that the Government al.
vance the loan Of its credit 10 the form
Of capital stock, 10 anticipation Of tho
sales; and this capital and credit Of tho
Government would be as available 10 the
States as money, and would amount to
many millions in distribution TO each
State instead OF few thousand dollars,
which stock they could use to pay their
debts, whilst the credit Of Government
would be strengthened and sustained by
receiving The amount Of the proceeds Of
the sales OF the public domain until the
liquidation of both the principal and IN
terest of Inc bonds. Let it then be at
once conceded that annual distribution is
hardly worth contendiug for iE this
juncture Of our affairs, if there were eV'
en- probability OF its success; but for
reasons too obvious to be repeated, there
is hardly a remote possibility of any
such measure becoming law for many
years to come, il overland The honor
Of the States cannot exist upon hope de-
ierred Then those who have advOCalD
cd and those who have opposed annual
distribution will find in The measure Of
relief which | propose, q resting place
from strife. where their views may ea.
silly unite 10 one common wish and com.
mon measure 10 serve the States, TO re-
lieVe the People, and TO sustain as well
the credit OF the Government as the faith
Of the States.
The States have controlling reason
to demand the measure in The TACT that
The public lands were neuer intended,
uhen the Constitution wnS formed, to be a
source of national reUenue for the support
of The General Government The States
gave TO the Government other and dbun
dant means Of raising revenue for all lis
ordinary and extraordinary expenditures
The States surrendered 10 the Genera
Government the public lands for their
specific benefit. They made the GeDer
al Government the agent or trustee 10
dispose OF the public lands, and to dIstr.
butte among all the States the product oI
this trust fund upon an equitable aud
just basis.
When the General Government as
sumed the debls OF tho States in 1890
the proceeds of the sales Of The public
lands were pledged until the Iiquida.
ton OF that debt; but The limitation by
that law extended only 10 the time Of
paymen II an account were opened
and the Government credited with all
the money it has expended for the pub
lie lands, and with interest to Seplem ber
1910; and il the Government were
charged with all the money it has re.
ceived from the public lands, and the
donations and grants which it has made
with interest to the same period, il will
be found, as the account stated in my
address will exhibit, that the General
Government will be indebted to the
States in The sum ol l42,000,000 dol
lars.
Then the States have right to de
mand a reimbursement, in this period o
their utmost need. Of this sum used by
the Government for its own national
purposes. The amount Of the stock. ac
cordlng TO this showing, which the pub
rc land 'uDd should he pledged 10 redeem
should be but 5S,0000O0 dollars, or q
lntIe mnre than one fourth Of the 200,-
600 1000 Of stock which the Government
should issue But when the States
pledge the proceeds of sales Of the en-
TIRE public domain until the liquidation
of the 200 100000 dollars of public
bonds. the argument becomes irresistible
TO all but those who maintain that the
Government is not the agent, but the
master of The States, and its purpose il
not TO aid the States IN measures Of re-
iel, but 10 remain inert and indifdren
10 their suffsrings having no feeling il
common. and claiming 10 have no in
teresl but what is antagonist. No doc
trne can be so dangerous to liberty al
that which separates thu Governmdn
from the People.
The public lands are estimated 10 bl
worth ten times the amount propose
that the Government should issue il
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