Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-07-15
The Graduation Bill.

reference be had TO the pecuniary interest invol-
we'd, or to the political influences to which It may
DO made subseryient. Gen. Jackson perceived,
soon after his election to the Presidency, the Ia
cilIty with which demagogues might seize upon
this question, with an eye TO their own aggran-
dzement, and he proposed at once to forestall
them, while yet the old States had the power to
prevent the confscation Of the Public Domain, by
removing it from the topics Of party agitation
In order to do this, he assumed that the Public
Lands ought no longer to be regarded as source
OF revenue to the General Government, and that
the safest and most equitable mode OF administer
ing this great national trust would be to Distribute
by some fair and just rule, the nett proceeds oil
their sales among all the States. MIR. Clay, at
later period, concurred in this opinion, and re-
ported to the Senate a bill, which received the
sanction of both Houses OF Congress, by over
whelmng majorties, (although his political OPP
ponents were then in the ascendancy,) directing
the annual distribution of this fund.- in conformity
with Gen. Jackson's suggestion. But, IN the
mean while, under some as yet unexplained nhu-
ence, Gen. yackson's opinion had undergone
decided change-and in the teeth OF his own re-
commendation, sustained as 1t was by unprece-
dentedly large majoritios both of the Senate and
House Of Representative he vetoed the Dill.
From that moment, the Distribution Question
began to assume party aspect, although 1t re-
uuired period of not less than ten years com
pletely to drill the Locofocos into acquiescence
to this Executive dictum. In the mean while,
the Western members of Congress, aided by Las
tern aspirants for the Presidency and their friends
who feared to provoke the hostility OF thai rapidly
growing portion OF the Union. which is soon TO
make both its laws and iis rulers, have persove-
ringly taxed their ingenuity in devislng schemes
by which the lew States shall acquire undue ad-
vantages in the administration OF this trust un-
al they shall become strong enough TO carry into
effect the threat openly made on the floor OF the
Senate, some years ago, by passing law ceding
to the new States the lands which lie within their
limits respectively,-and, in reply to Protestations
against so enormous an outrage alike upon written
compacts and upon Justice, as Mr.. Benton said, to
'sIvE VOTES FOR ARsUMENTs.' Presumption bills
for long time successfully resisted-and in con-
sequence Of opposing which intrepidly and firm
", and with his eyes fully open to the conse-
suences, Mr.. Clay lost the votes Of the Western
States, in which otherwise his popularity would
have been irressuble-are now permanently en-
grated upon system. And the next step IN
The process OF sPoLIATIoN and PLUMBER IS the
often defeated but ever-recurripg proposition to
graduate the prices Of the lands by sliding scale,
the effect of which will in a few years be the en-.
tire alienation of the Public Domain from the
General Government, which will, i'll the mean
while, receive into the Treasury from the sales
scarcely sufficient amount to deiray the eGPen-
SEES connected with their survey and sale.
We had not aPprehended, that the bill now
before Congress would pass, because we could not
bring ourselves to believe that the representa-
Iives from the old States would be so recreant to
their obligations to their constituents to give
their assent to measure, the effect Of which must
be TO deprive them of their equal interest in the
Public Domain, while il will inAict uponthem still
more serious injury by stimulating emigration to
the great West, and impairing the value of their
lands by the double process of depopulation and
Of unequal competition. But, since the Admin
isration has adopted this measure-though we
can see no such ''pledge" in the resolutions of the
Baltimore Convention-and since we have seen
the heads Of Departments openly exerting their
influence upon members Of Congress, for the pur.
pose Of inducing them to change votes given upon
their representative responsibility--we confess
that we have very faint hope ofthe defeat Of this
Ubiquitous measure.
There was Graduation Bill before Congress
in the year lS39--and what, them said the House
of Delegates Of Virginia in regard to it By
nearly a unanimous vote, it adopted the following
resolution:
Resolved, That whilst the General Assembly
"views with becoming pride the rapid growth
Of the new States and would do nothing to
check their advance IN wealth and power, il
"nevertheess cannot fail to perceive, in the bill
"graduafiEg he Prtee Of The Public Lands, and
some Of the other propositions now pending be.
fore Congress, the germ Of measures calculated
." 10 unsettle the conditions which the Public
Lands were acquired by the United States, and
greatly 20 impair the equality Of benefits ari.
sing from the same, IN which Virginia, in com.
mon with all the States, is Justly entitled to par.
"ticipale.
The vote upon this resolution in the House OF
Delegates was most docisiye--ayes Ia, noes 3;
aud Of the latter, were some who avowed their
opposition to the principle Of graduation, but vo.
ted against the resolution for other reasons which
they stated IN debate--among whom were Messrs.
Watkins If Goochnnd, Edmunds Of Halifax, and
Smith Of Isle Of Wight Among the names re-.
corded IN favor Of the resolution is that Of g an.
Bayly Of AccOmac, now a member Of Congress
and whose course on the subject we therefore
have examined with especial curiosity. We find
that on Friday last on the third reading Of the
bill, whom It was rejected by vote Of o. to 80
Gen. Bayly, acting in conformity with the leso
luton which he sustained In 1899, voted agains
H. One would have supposed that so decisive q
majority should have put the question to rest for
the session. But no the Administration has
for some reason or othor, mo, very difficult to con
ject0re,) adopted the measure as its own, anc
Congress is invoked, by the Executive Organ, no
20 finch from lie passage Hence, as soon Al
che rejection Of the bill was announced Mr.. Da
MEL Of N. G., who had voted agains, il, moved il
reconsideration, aud the motion prevailed by the
casing vote Of the SPoaker-Gen. Bsyly not vo
Iine NJ all although his vote would have sea Ies