Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-04-10
WING ADDRESS
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA,
CoNcLupEp.
RECEPTION OF THE LAND MO.
NEW

what was known to be the Wing senti-
ment throughout the Commonwealth, subs
United the following resolution for the
Reception Of Virginia's Share Of the Land
Fund:
''Resolved, by the General Assembly
Of Virgins, That the Treasurer Of this
Commonwealth be and he is hereby au-
thorized TO receive ofihe Treasurer Of the
Uailed States the sum of S4l SGT, the
distributable portion of Virginia, arising
from the sales Of the Public Lands Tor the
year 1912, and any other sum to which
this Commonwealth is entitled under the
provisions OF the Act Of Congress to sp-
propraie the proceeds Of the sales Of the
Public Lands. and to grant presumption
rights, approved the 4lh September, lS4l;
and when so received, it shall be the duty
OF the said Treasurer 10 place the same in
the Treasury TO the credit Of the Com.
monweath.h
This resolution. which was adopted by
vote of IA to 81, was voted for, il will
be seen, by eyery Wing member present.
and by the following gentlemen OF The op.
posile party, VIZ:
Messrs. Street OF Franklin, BOWEN of
Williamsburg, iliner Of Pendleton, Gay
OF Pocahonias, Hamilton Of Preston,
Cowan OF Russell. aud Tate OF Smyth.
1t was sent to the Senate, and in that
body referred to select Committee, con.
ssting Of Messrs. Wallace, Voolfolk and
Newman, Democrats and Messrs. Pey.
ton and Carter. aMhigs.)
On the 9th of December, Mr.. Wallace,
on the part Of the majority Of the Com
mittee, made long report, concluding
With the following resolutions;
"Resoiued, That the Act of Congress,
providing for the distribution of the pro.
ceeds Of the Public Lands among the
States, approved the 9TH of Septembex,
ls4l, is a violation of the Constitution
and breach OF the faith Of the United
States; is of dangerous tendency, and
oughr TO be repealed.
"Resolred, That the aforesaid Resolu-
ton of the House of Delegates be reject.
ed.s
And this, too, in the face OF the fact,
which is avouched by the Journal OF tho
House Of Delegates, that no longer ago
than the year 1899, that body, by an
unanimous vote, affirmed, that the Publ c
Lands rbelong" to the States, and adopt,
ed resolution, by an overwhelming ma.
jor'ty, embracing many OF the leading
members OF the Democratic party" re-
commencing the distribution of the pro.
ceeds oil the sales of the Public Lands
among the several States, at the true pc.
Icy of the Government.
On the 3lst day OF January, lS45,
when the Report and Resolutions of the
Committee were called up for oonsidera.
ton in the Senate, Mr.. Carter, from the
minority, reported substitute, assuming
the ground that the Public Lands had
been coded by Virginia and the other
States, IN trust, for the original thirteen
States, and that they we're to be consider
ed common fund in the language of the
deeds of cession] "lor the use and benefit
of such Of the United States as have be.
come, or shall become, members of the
Confederation or Federal alliance OF the
said States, Virginia ixclusipe, according
TO their usual respective proportions in the
general charge end expenditure, and shall
be faithfully and bona tide disposed Of for
that purpose. and for no other use or pnr-
pose whatsoever;" and that, the Revo.
lutionsry debt beng discharged, the SUI
plus ought TO REVERT to the grantors,
and to those who were made, by The deeds
OF cesslon, benefciarles OF the fund-be-
cause. if the fund had been intended as a
national one, to be used exclusively for
national purposes, then the phrase, "Vir-
ginia inclusive" would have been sur.
plusage, and an idle employment Of terms
neither necessary nor appropriate.
The minority took the further ground
that the "Land is ours by contract, that #
IS no gift offered by the agent, but sim.
ply a HANDING OVER by that agent Of
what belongs TO his principles.
The report of the minority concluded
with the following resolution;
"Resolued. That the Senate concur in
the Resolution of the House of Delegates.
The substitute was rejected--ayes s,
noes Is, and the report of the Committee,
rejecting The fund, was then adopted
ayes l6, noes s.
AYBs--Messrs. Scott (Speaker,) Cox.
Dennis, Wallace. Baptist. Garrett, Sloan.
Penn, Taylor, Guerrant, Meffett, Nc Null
len, Wiley, McCauIey Crawford, Spark,
Newman, and Thompson Of Kanawha--
Is. IAN Democrats.
NoEs--Messrs. Thompson Of amherst,
Peyton, Sutton, Bondurani. GalIaher, Car.
ter, Crump, and Rogers. Gan Whigs)
Six members absent.
1t is deemed somewhat singular that
the party now oSjecting to the distrbu.
ton OF the Land FunG, on the ground Gin
the language Of the Majority Report) that
Congress has 10 power to bestow upon
the States the Treasurer OF the Union.
whether derived from incidental taxation
by means OF inpost, from excise, or from
direct taxes. or sale Of the public domain"
should not only have received, without
murmur, for Virginia, the sum of more
than t,co millions Of dollars, under the
distribution act of 1896, which sum was
derived liom G2ltke sources above referred
io--but that the amount so received has