The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1844-09-07
THE PUBLEC L.F.V'DS!
People of Maryland, Read,
Pause and Reflect.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
LANDS.


ded upon the invitation of the old Con-
gress. to constitute a fund for The payment
Of the debts incurred in he war Of the
Revolution. The deeds of cession de-
clare the grants to be for the only use and
benefit Of such ofihe Siajt, rs ere, or
shall bec'me mtnhers Of The eontcderaCy
TO be held and disp0Scd Of by Congress,
SOLELY FOR THE COMMON USE AND BEN
EFT OF THE STATES in lie contederacy,
and such as might thereafter come in. 1t
was so accepted.
After the adoption of the Constitution,
Congress, on the Sd of August, 1890,
passed law relating to these lands, &C
cePlng them to pay the Revolutionary
debt, 10 be applied solely to the use until
tile said debts shall be DISCHARGED.
We annex the 22d section of this act,
with Gen. Washington's approval. Read
and remember ii:
CSC. %. ind be II further enacted, That the
proceeds the sales Of the public lands i'll Wes-
tern Territory, now belonging or that may aere-
after belong to the United States, shall be, and
are hereby appropriated towards sinking or dis
charging the debts, for the payment whereof
act may he holden, and shall be applied s0icly to
that use UNTIL the said debts shall be discharg-
ed
"Approved August 1, 1902
"GEORGE WASHINGTON"
1t is thus ConcluSivcIv shown, that the
lands were ccded by the States and accep-
edby the u. States for the sole purpose OF
paying The deGt Of The Reroyu,ion. 1t was
not contemplated, in the original grant.
to apply any portion of the proceeds of
the lands, to meet tire current expenses of
the government.
In 1906 The income of the United
States had increased to such an extent. as
~ he adequate to the discharge Of the
current expenses and the instruments of
the national debt, as fast as they become
due Beyond tins there was prospect of
a surplus, beyond the proceeds of the
land Mr. Jefferson, who was then Pre-
sident. in his annual message to Congress,
called the attention of that body to the
subject. Ills advice was "Nor TO SUP
PRESS THE IMPOST. One TarilI} and
give that ADNAN TAGE TO FOREIGN
OVER DOMESTIC MANUFAC-
auREs.' But he proposed the eslab-
llshmen. by donations of land, of ma
lonal establishment for education. This
is the first recommendation to Congress TO
keep The proceeds of The public lands out
cl The National Treasury. in orier PER.
MANENTLy 10 PROT ECr AMERICAN
MANIFAC1 uRES. Remember that.
lie. says:
"The present consideration of IA nation
al establishment for education, particulars
w. rendered proper by This circumstance
also, that If Congress, approving the pro-
position, shall yet think it more eligible
{" found 1t on donation Of pubHc londS,
they have now in their power TO endow
it,"
This object was not accomplished. and
The matter remained until General JACK
SON was elected Pres deni it, his first
message to Congress, he recommended
THE APPoRTIoNMENT OF THE PRO
(EEDS OF THE PUBLIC LANDS
AMONG The STATES. His language
Isl
sit appears to me that the most safe.
just and federal disposition which could
be made of The surplus revenue, would be
its APPORTlONMENT among he States
according to the ratio of representations"
In lis secord message, he SAID
y have leit it my duty to recommend
the adoption OF s.me plan for the Dis
lRlbUliON OF the surplus funds which
may a any time remain in the Treasury
on IA
been paid, among the States III proportion
10 the number OF their Representatives, t.
be applied by them to ohjocts OF. INTER
NAL IMPROVEMENT"
Again, in his FOURTH message, he NOR,
explicitly says:
"Prevlous TO the formation of our pre-
sent Constitution, it was recommended
by Congress that portion of the vast
lands owned by the States should be cedet
to the U. States for the purpose Of gener
al harmony, and as fund to meet the Y
PENsEs OF WAR, law OF l79U, above quot
ed, as the lands may now be con sidere'
as relieved from the PLEDGE, the objec
for which they were coded having bee
accomplished, (by the paymen, Of the wa
debt,) it is in the discretion of Congress
to dispose of them in such way as bes
70 conduce TO the quiet, harmony an
general interest of the American people
81, seems to me to be our true polio
that the public lands shall cease, as 500
as practicable, 10 be source of revenue
tit seems to me best to abandon tn
idea of RAISING A Future REVENUE OF
OF THE PUBLIC LANDS.
30. u have expressed my conviction tia
the Constitution does not warrant the az
plicaton of the lands of the General &c
ternment TO objects Of Internal lmprov,
fnent, which are not national in the
character. If the STATES feel themselve
competent to these objects, why shout