Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-03-30
Clay =. ay.

- long IN PUOuc M10-tnAn Mrs Oloys
From the time Of his first outset a. . pol
idcian up to the present day he has az
hibited, in both his public and private acts,
. series Of the mcst hold and barefaced in
ever known in our political
history. We are led to brief allusion to
some Of them bv The perusal Or sspesch
made BY him in the U. S. Senate, in Jan
uary, 1892, in which he thus speaks up
on. the subject Redistribution aneag the
several States, ''snd s'the system ofdispcs-
ing Of the public lands:' saa5 s.'
~ hoover may be entitled 10 the credit
Of the payment Of the public debt, con
graduate. gu, sir, and the coun,ry. most
cordially, that il i 50 near At hand. Il
10 sa.psar being totally extingui>hesi, hat
we Nay now safely inquire whether.
without. prsjudics 10 any established pol
icy. wo may not relieve the consumption
OF the country, by the repeal or reduction
Of duties, sud ccrtail consitcr ab'y, the
public revenue. Ia making this Inquiry,
the 6rst question which presents itself il.
whether il is expedient to preserve the
existing duties. in order 70 accumulate =
surplos in tbs treasury. Tor the purpose
OF subsequent dislrihution among the sew
eral States. / think not. lf the collac
ton, for the purpose Of such surplus, 10
to be made from the pockets Of one portion
Of the people, to BE- ultimately returned
10 the same pockess, tho process would b.
attended with the &c rtain loss arising from
the charges OF collection, and with the
loss also Of interest while the money 10
performing the unnecessary circuit; aud
il would, therefore, b unwise. lf Il 10
10 be collected from one portion OF the
people and givsn to another. il would be
unjust. u it's to he given to the States
in their corporate capacity. Ia be used by
them "a their public expenditure. / know
Of "a princip's in the Consli,utioa WHICH
au,hsriz.s the Federal t;userhm.nt Ia
become such 4 collector for the States;
nor Of any principle Of safety or proprisly
which ad,nitsnf, the States Becoming such
recipients .! gra,uiiy fronahs General
Government a
Here we have q beautiful and graphic
description Of the operations Of the distri-
button law from Mr.. Clay's own mouth.
"U (says Mr.. Clay) i ST. Be Aert d
Jr NJ ne port on Of tie Pc PIE AID g res ia
an Mer It u nd Be unjust" Is not this the
operation Of Mr.. C's own distribution laws
Does Il not take away . part Of the funds
belonging to the federal treasury, and thus
require an increased tariff, which ezactiou
must Of necessity Some from the pockets
os the producing and laboring classes the
farmers and mechanics? Does It not col
lect money from one portion # he people
and give it to anothess Yet but .
short time after we find Mr.. Clay voting
for this very law.
But further: See how eloquently Mr..
Clay spsAks ofths public Ind fund: = )
1.-The appropriation Of the proceeds ol
the public lands, or I. considerable portion
Of them, to that object. would BE- mos,
natural and suitable disposition. And
do hope, sir, that that great rcsourca
will be cherished, aud dedicated % some
NATIONAL PURPOSE worthy Of the
Republic. Utterly opposed rs, | trust,
Congress will show itself 70 be to al: the
mad and Wild schemes, but 10 tha. ia,es,
b.. mnddest and widest oil ali recommend
cd BY the Secretary Of the Treasury. for
squandering the public domain; hope il
will be preserved for the present gener.
alton and for posterity, as il has been 70.
ceivcd from our ancestors, a@sich and
bountiiul inheraance. In ttess haicyon
days Of peace and plenty, and au over.
flow Ing treasury. we appear to embarsass
ourselves in devising visionary schemes
for casting away the bounties with which
tho goodness OF Providence has blessed
Us But, sir, The storm Of war vii. cs,me
when We know not; the day Of trial and
difficulty viii assurdIy come; and now
is the time, by prudent forecast, to hus-
b.nd our resources, and this the greatest
of them all. Let them not be boarded
aud Rugged with = mi,cr's nhrace, bu,
literally used Let tile public lands be
administered in 4 generous spirit, and
especially towards the States within which,
tthey are si,us,cd. Let the proceeds ol
the sales Of :he public lands be applied
in season Of peace, TO some great OBJ
jsct; and, when war does come, By sus
pending tina, application Of them during
lis continuance you will bea once put ia
possession Of means for its vigorous pros
ecution. More than twenty five years
ago, when fisst took seat ia this body
was told, by the fathers Of the Govern
ment, that, Il we had anything perfect ID
our institutions, it was the system FOL
disposing Of the public lands; and | va,
cautioned against rash Innovations ia il
Subsequent experience fully satisfied me
Of the wisdom Of their counsels, and tha
al vital change in il oughtto Be- resisted
It must Be remembered, notwithstanding
this speech Of Mr.. Clay's, that 4 the extrs
session Of l84l, he opposed every amend
ment that wae offered to the distribution
bill which wa calculated to avoid .squan
dering this fund; and on an ameadmssat Of
Sered ~ D.. Linn, % spply the fund I.
purposesof "NATIONAL DEFENCE
= well - also on an amendment offered b,
NJ. n>-k~r a. $1,000 a. I:.A-:l.A:--