The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-07

ly adhered 10, would necessarily render Il peTpst-
ual. Are there no evils in this relation which, as
statesmen, we are bound to ferret out and remedy
What are Its effects upon this government upon the
free, sovereign, and independent States--ay, and
even upon the legislation Of this hail. Its natural
and direct tendency is 10 make this confederacy
parchment soyereignty-the creature of the States
arrogant in her pride Of power; while the States
with original soyereigDty-lhe pillars that support
this mighty fabnc-are reduced To the condition of
suppliants TO benefsetor. How do gentlemen of
the State-rghts school relish this picture Yet il is
true to the life; and they all must see, feel it, and
know it, The Illuminating spectacle 10 daily pre-
scented 10 our view Of sovereign States begging Of
this great landlord pittanoes Of their own sacred
soil, which almost an imperative necessity requires
they should have the control of. A striking illus
uauon Of this is TO be found in ball upon your
table, providing for draining the swamp lands nl
southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. As
this case presents apt picture Of the workings of
the system, and It's frequent deeterious operation
upon the prosperity OF the States, he would beg
leave to invite the particular attention Of the House
TO IT, In the southern part Of Missouri, and some
distance back from the Mssissippi river, commence
a line OF sWamps, produced by the choking up Of
rivers and outlets, and running sosth nearly parallel
with the Mississippi, extending a considerable dis
lance into Arkansas Between the swamps and the
river, extending along down, is a beautiful section
OF high rolling country, settled and improved TO d
very high state. Immediately west OF this line Of
swamps are the uplands again, with a considerable
population. Thus section OF the State, on both
sides Of the great swamp, is beautifully diversified
With hill and dale, we'll watered, and fine climate
being about the temperature Of southern Virginia!
lts valleys are rich, and in many cases lis
hills abound with mineral. The land in
these swamps would be one of the richest
valleys Of land Of the same extent in the world
If Il was only reclaimed. In the surveys Of the cosn1
try, II Is returned worthless. The surveyors not
being able to penetrate It through the Shiny waters
Il yaueless and II remains and so ii
10 destined ever TO remain in the hands of this gov
eminent The amount Of land thus covered with
water in Missouri is something like half million Of
acres; but stretching along in line casts its balefu
influence millions Of acres on each side of L.
There II lies stretched out, long black line of corr
Tuptlon, disease, and death, occupying territory
that ought to be yielding up rich harvest, and vel
1t cannot be touched. Why Because this govern
ment owns 1t, and clinss to it with the mser grasp
OF rich landlord, TO whom it is utterly useless and
will neither improve it, or let it go. In the mean
ume what Is the condition Of the people in that sec
ton Of the State The outlines have been skeched
every gendeman's fancy can fill up the picture.
The State, always anxious for the health, happi-
ness, and prosperity Of all her citizens, has again
and again brought this matter to the attention OF
Congress. She has invited you to drain them and
reclaim as prize the rich and beautiful valley they
cover. The response is, that il is an improvement
OF too local character for this government to en-
gage in. She then invites you If you will not use
them, abandon them to her, she will reclaim them
and bring health and prosperity to the surrounding
country, and rich valley into cultivation, adding 70
the general wealth Of the republic. Even tina, has
been SO far refused. Ii Is true a committee of this
House has worked up its generosity far as to re-
port bill, giving the State one. half of what they
reclaim. That Is, if the State can at her own ex-
penss, manufacture something out of nothing, WE
70 Ahar, sh. .4E, ~ Il. =
better than nothing. As you the State will Ire
TO do the work time for the preset
Walton OF the health of her citizens your consciences
will only allow you to take from her half Of her
generous and humane labor. But he trusted the
House would be more generous than the commit
tee, and he intended to try them when the bill came
up for consideration. She ought to have all that
she reclaimed upon every principle Of justice, right,
and common honesty This is but striking illus
tatIon OF the effect of your policy under the present
~ stem upon the States; you retard improvement,
check population, and sonsgn whole sections to die
ease and death, simply because, like the dog in the
manger, you will neither eat the hay nor let the OK
tit. You will neither reclaim the country nor SUI
fer others to do 1t, and enjoy the fruits of their la
Dor.
Sir, it is familiar spectacle in this hail to see the
States, through their representatives, like sturdy
mendicants at the foostoo of power, asking appro-
priatlons of pittances Of their own lands for some
public purpose. They como forward with their tab
ular statements, exhibiting the amount that each one
has been enabled to secure by the process,
warrant for their ciam-upon the principle that ia
vors granted were to be graduated to specific
standard amongst the applicants. Does this humi-
latlng spectacle present the relation that ought to
continue to exist between the free sovereign States
of this cohfederacy and the confederacy itself Are
gentlemen prepared to adhere to the workings Of a
system which Is destined to give perpetuity to this
condition of things' If not, the remedy is at hand
not by radical and sudden change of the sys-
tenn, righting ourselves by injustice to- others; but
by slow regular process, looking through the vista
Of time to the period when relation working in
Jury TO both should have happy terminate N
This is all the people of the new States desre it
is all they ask and the mmutable principles Of JUS
hce would not allow them to demand less. They
seek not to take the land, which is the joint product
in it; but only that il shall not be held up masses
at price beyond its value, bgh,ing their prosper
lily and their hopes of future ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
Another evil of the system upon the new States,
for which this bill Is an immediate, but only an
ultimate remedy, is the constant and eternal drain
OF money from these States in payment for their
lands. This is drain which nothing but the in
domitable and unconquerable energies Of the pioneer
could Withstand. He well aware that the bill
afforded no immediate remedy for this, but rather
aggravated it for the time, as he would show when
he came TO examine II as arevenue measure; but it
u
would cease-and the new States could husband
their resources, and employ them in advancing their
own prosperity. They preferred sudden attack
and return to health, to lingering and in,erminabe
disease. Though the drain upon their resources
would be greater, il would be of shorter duration
When the lands in the hands of individual propre-
tors would contribute to the resources of the State,
and the general wealth of the nation. '. ~
Having briefly reviewed he said the evils of the
present system, he should now proceed to the inyes-
legation of the general character Of the BILL and test
by the soundest principles of Justice II is then,
but an act of sheer justice to sell those lands for
their intrinsic worth-jusice to the purchaser who
pays his money-justice to the State in which they
lay, az she is deeply interested in their occupation
and cultivation. To FIX standard price upon all
the lands of country, regardless Of the variety Of
the character of the SOIL varying from very rich to
poor is unjust to the purchaser and grossly unjust
the State interested in their settlement IL il TO
establish kind Of bed Of Procrustes, which every
thing must be forced 10 conform regardless Of the
ncongruity Such doctrine is absurd, if il Is in.
tended for any other purpose u,an retarding the
growth and prosperity Of the country. There is
nothing in which greater variety exists than in the
qualities Of the soil Of any large extent of country