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


15l3.-(CoScLupgDA
next proceed to the subject of the Distribution of
the proceeds of the Public Lands 10 show you what
an interesting specimen of aground and lofty tumbng
oy 'hs whole company the Wings have exhibited
pfior to The last Presidential election, the Wings
uniformly advocated Distribution subject 10 two condi-
ops one OF which was, that the proceeds Of the pub
c lahds should not be required derray the expend.
lures OF the Federal Government and the other tha.
tue sacred Compromise Act should not thereby be
disturbed The monstrous absurdity of borrowing mo
ney ~ heavy interest," TO distribute it from bankrupt
treasury IN the face Of deficient revenue and large
national dent then secuted with indignation by the
entl,e wing party. The Compromise Act, TOO, the
Pnolc iaith was pledged to preserve sacred and in.
voae' ana was not to be disturbed for distribution
any other purpose, except that specified in the act
SELL Inc collection of an adequate for the wants
OF government economically administered To raise the
dutcs 70 increase the taxes, to impose additional bur
dens on me people, for any purpose whatever,
family mol one OF the avowed objects of the Wing party
No. feilow.czens the Wings were not quite soft
enough ior that On the contrary they told the people,
that lhey would reduce the expenditures preserve the
compromise act involate and yet distribute the land
fund among the States. Let me introduce some evil
dence upon these points
In 1886, Mr. Stuart, your late Representative in
Congress, introduced the following resolution into the
House of Delegates:
"But the General Assembly do not intend hereby to
question the power of the Government Of the U S. to
direct by law sales of the public domain, with view
To The distribution of the proceeds thereof amongst the
several States Of the Union equitable principles
But on The contrary, the General Assembly doth here
ny declare It's opinion, that the SAFE JUST and pro-
per disposition which be made of the nett proceeds
OF the sales OF the public lands, hieh required
jor The expenses Of Mc General Government, ec0nomi
1aiiy administered, their distribution among the
veral states OF this Union in the ratio of their represen
laton IN the House Of Representatives Of the United
States
For this resolution all the leading Wings in the House
voted, intending your late delegates, Gen Dorman and
Samuel McD. Moore.
This resolution, you will observe, expressly asserts
the principle ha, distribution should be strictly subor
dinate 10 The wants of the General Governmcnt-a
principle which, you will recollect Mr. Stuart eafrm
ed, with your entire approbation in his letter TO COL
Shanks, IN the Spring OF Al. Buths is not all. In
1888, General Dorman offered of resolutions
with preamble in The House of Delegates, in relation
to The public lands will read you the preamb le that
you may see The grounds which the Wings predica
led distribution prior TO the last Presidential elections
"Whereas, period has arrived in governmental
history when, in consequence of the payment of the
public debt, and the general prosperity Of the United
States, The Government thereof is enabled TO dispense
with the revenue arising from the sales of the public
lands, IN order to meet the ordinary expenses Of Co.
Vernmeni;
"And, Whereas The receipts from The sales of the
public lands during the present year, have gone be
yond all former example, amounting upwards of ele
ven millions Of dollars, now lying idle in the National
Treasury, &c.
SO you See, fellow citizens that from 1885 up to
ISL the Wings uniformly advocated the distribution
Of the proceeds of the public lands upon The express con
don, that that fund should be required to defray
the ordinary expenses of the General Government
That The Compromise Act not to he disturbed, Gin
any event'-ior distribution or any other purpose
the resolution hold in my hand, offered by President
Tyler, in the House of Delegates in $780, expressly
solutions, urging the distribution Of the proceeds Of the
public lands, the General Assembly doth not mean in
any event, TO infringe disturb the act Of Congress
passed The I'd of March, $685. for the settlement Of the
Tariff, commonly called the Compromise Act, but on
The contrary 1t hereby declares and resolves that The
said Compromise Act should be held sacred and inyo.
late" Ayes e3, noes So Messrs Stuart, Sou,hall,
Toler, Barton, Leyburn Dorman, and all the leading
Wings voting for The resolution
What is The present position of the Wing party in
relation to distributions Why it advocates distribution
absolute, unqualified distribution, in defiance of the
Comppmse Act, and in the face of bankrupt Trea
snry deficient revenue, aud large national debt
Why his intense anxiety for distribution, fellow -c-
zens, lnder existing circumstances? Mr. Gushing,
distinguished Tariff member of Congress, tells US in
letter his constituents, 10 lay broader foundation
for tie erection and permanent establishment of
Protective Tariff That Tariff interest felo w-citzens
sprn' of its entire political action. Three millions
the culinary of The public lands, added to the
custons, with Yankee discrimination would afford on
immese amount Of protection. 1t would give mil
lions oPsn millions every year TO the manufacturing
interest
Thre c,n be no other motive for pressing distribul
ton earnestly at this time. A simple arthmetica.
calculation will show that for every dollar which Dig
trbuon pulls into pocket, il takes two or three
dolsrs out q me other II would be infinitely cheaper
to collect tn money by direct tax through the agen
CIV Of your sae Governments You get (say) $780,
600 hroughhe Distribution process what does the mo-
ney cost you In The first place. you pay every of
those Sl00cO out of your pockets through in.
creased dus on such foreign articles you may
sumo in youiamiliee in the ne 1t place. you pay the
Federal Comment or 10 per cent. for collecting the
money the you pay the new States an additional 10
per cenumh the entire amount collected to which
must be add, the importers, the obber s. and the
tail merchns profits on the increased duties which
they advan for you, making in all at least 100 per
cenlum e amount distributed. Nor is this all, for
If only onaalf the articles on which the increased
duty is laiare manufactured at home, you pay an
additional 10000 to manufacturers, merchants and
others, VIII OF course, always raise their prices as
near pracable 10 the high Tariff mark. 1t is thus
evident thiyou pay 100000 for every 100000 you
receive thngh Distribution Whereas if the money
$500, 0O0yere collected by the State Government,
il would NJ cost you than $4,000. And yet
The Whigsre laboring to humbug you with the mi
SCRABBLE delion, that every dollar you get by Dis
ribution, just much clear money put into your
pockets
While Ilrbution, under existing circumstances, is
thus in irroncabe hostility with the prossed prin
ciples Of Wing party Of 1910, it is equally in con.
CT with rtaIn positions assumed by MIR. Clay in
his ceebfd Land Speech of 1892. | will read you {
an extracfrom that speech, furnished me last {
Spring, hugh the hands Of friend, by highly G
dis,ngui.d citizen of this county, to whom my
competit, so strongly attached, that they did
their utn last Winter to prevent his removal from I
Lexington Richmond. The extract is as follows
"ln mng this inquiry, (said Mr.. Clay,) the first
presents ITSELF whether it is expedent
10 prescribe existing duties in order to accumulate
surplus The Treasury for the purpose Of subsequent
distrbui among the States? | think not Now, C
feow-ctns, if it were nexpedient 10 PRESERVE the
duties tollecl fund to distribute, much more must c
il be incident 10 INCREASE the duties for that pur
! pose The collection continues Mr.. Clay) for b
the rurf of such surplus is 10 be made from The
| pockets one portion Of the people 10 be nmatfly 9
retutnetthr pockets, (as mus, be the case un.
der the favorable suppcstion) 'ube process would
be at,enl with the certain loss arising from the char
pes Of cotton, and with the loss also of the interest
whilst thoney is performing the necessary circuit, I
and wn therefore be unwse. If il is to be col S
leoted f one portion of the people and given TO r
4 nd fho ;hoI;on Ia