The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-13

|
IL you are ever to have retrenchment, you must
begin with f~ducing taxation And where can
you begin 80 we'll rs with the taxation upon the
privilege Of cultivating the national estate But,
sir, we shall have no such deficiency Of revenue
to supply. Alarms Of an exhausted treasury are
continually sounded here, while the revenues re-
ceived under system Of imposts, which in many
| respects is most uuwise annually exceed all es-
Inmates Of administration. Last year, the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury predicted a deficiency Of
sixteen millions Of dollars and yet no deficiency
at all occurred. The revenues for the present
year are equally prosperous and they will never
be less prosperous while we are at peace, as hope
| we shall always be, for the wealth and industry
Of the country are constantly increasing and ex-
/ panding. | know, indeed, that revenue is liable
| to be affected by fluctuations of trade, but such
disturbances are only occasional and temporary.
The Senator from Michigan exsggerates the
| prodigslity Of what he calls the giUmg GWay of
the domain, by stating that it cost seventy five
millions of dollars-equivalent to twenty-five
cents per acre, or thirty-two dollars and twenty
cents for each farm of one hundred and sixty
acres. And from such premises AS these he ar.
CUES that il would cost thirtyfve millions of dol
lars to give away the public lands lying in Wis
consion, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Minnesota.
Sir, do not understand exactly the basis Of the
Senator's estimate of the cost of the domain, but
can, nevertheless, safely pronounce bis specula-
tons entirely fsllacious. IL the cost of the revo-
lutionsry war, the cost of the long controversy
with France, which ended in the purchase of
Louisiana, the cost of all the Indian wars, and
the cost of the late war with Mexico all of which
were in some degree connected with the acquisi-
zion of the public domain should be included in
the estimate, the entire cost of the public lands
would be seven hundred millions, instead of seven
ty-fve millions of dollars. II, on the other hand,
| the expense account be credited with all the ma
tional benefits, financial, commercial, and pohti-
CAL which have been secured the domain would
be discharged from all Indebtedness whatever to
the Treasury.
Sir the acquisition Of the domain, whatever
was its cost is a transaction completed ended,
| past Its value is what it is worth now, not what
it cost
| MIR President the question of such DISPOSE
ton of the public lands as have suggested is en-
tirey misapprehended. 1t is not whether we
| shall relinquish revenue Of one and quarter of
millions The revenue has ceased and the foun-
| tain from which it flowed is dried up already.
! We have by various acts passed within the last
ten years, given up seventy eight millions nine
hundred and thirty-two thousand five hundrd and
thirteen acres which are now in market and
coming into market, and which must be taken off
from the hands of States aud individuals be-
fore our own sales can be renewed. The Secre-
tary Of the Treasury assures US that the reve-
nue. from the public domain is suspended by this
legislation for period Of sixteen years.
Sir, a revenue that is suspended for sixteen
years, has practically ceased forever The Sen
ator from Michigan, perplexed with this argu-
ment, reviews the Treasury estimates, and redu-
ces the period Of exhaustion to eight years.
Sir, say, then, to the Senator, that he has not
changed the case.
A national revenue that is suspended for
eight years has practically ceased forever. But,
sir, neither the Senator from Michigan nor
even the Secretary Of the Treasury, has esti-
mated the period of exhaustion at its full
length. Congress is annually making new APP
preparations. The Senate has at this session
passed an act disposing of ten millions Of acres.
We all hope that that act will become law,
although its effect would be to add at least
FIVE years to the term for which the revenue from
the domain is suspended Let us then apprehend
the emergency as it is, and act accordingly. The
domain no longer yields, nor will never again
yield q revenue. Since it's financial benefits
have ceased, let no longer dispose Of it by i'm
pulse and caprice, not to say by Partially or
favor, but let US 80 dispose of it rs to secure
political and social benefits to the whole Union
II is objected that the domain is pledged to public
creditors The debt charged upon the domain is
S27, 935 $50, debt which is rapidly diminish
ing, and, if we practice economy, will have dis
appeared by the appliance of revenues from
customs alone long before the public domain will
yield q dollar for even the payment Of the inter-
ests on it, But if it be necessary to hold the pub
lie domain liable for the debt, we may properly
set apart sufficient lands for that purpose and let
the residue be disposed of as other interests re-
quire.
The Senator from Michigan resisted the policy
proposed on the ground that it would reduce the
value of real estate in the new States. 1t has
been urged that that inconvenience would also
reach the old States. The inconvenience, MIR.
President, if it should occur at all, would be mere
| ly temporary. The retaining Of the domain
would 90 on more rapidly and we oil know that
cultivated as well as vacant lands rise in value
just as rapidly as new lands lying amongst or
adjacent to them are improved What would be
lost in the first instance, would be abundantly re-
gained afterwards.
There is, however, Mr. President, one objec-
ton of more serious nature than any have yet
considered | hear it said on all sides, that the
domain ought to be disposed Of for great and benc-
fcent objects objects beneficial TO the old as well
AS to the new States. Sir, have always favored
such policy and it is upon that ground, that
have cheerfully voted hitherto rs shall continue
to vote hereafter for appropriations upon that
principle, so long as Congress shall continue to
adhere even in form to the ancient system. Ii is
upon this ground that | shall support the bill
now under consideration, which proposes to be-
stow upon the State Of Louisiana the public lands
within her limits to enable her to improve the nav
igation of the Mississippi-a policy that brought
before the Senate at the last session. of
great urgency and of conceded national Importance.
| have Had, moreover, a hope that this great re-
source might be applied to the establishment of a
system for the gradual but certain removal of
slavery, by scheme Of cOmpensating emancipa-
ton. | have thought that the slaveholding States
might wisely propose such system, and that
the free States ought to accede to it, But, sir, it
is manifest that if the old States could not agree
upon such system, or even upon any other sys-
tenn Of partition Of the public domain among the
States, or of distribution Of its proceeds, while
they held unQuestioned the political power Of
Government, they cannot now hope to agree
upon, and secure the adoption Of such system
when that power is actually passing over
| from them to the new States. The new States
will control the decision of this great question
We may, nevertheless, by yielding to what is in
eytable, modify the policy TO he adopted.
submitted, Mr. President, second principle
to wit That the public lands 80 to be granted to
actual settlers ought to be secured to them against
| involuntary alienation.
respect all lawful contracts and would not
unnecessarily interfere with even rigorous RENE
dies which existed when such contracts were
made. But it is wise as it is just and humane to
alleviate prospectively the relations between debt
or and creditor. Within the last twenty years,
imprisonment for debt, system which had pre-
vailed for more than two thousand years before,
has been safely abolished by every State in this
Union, and believe by every commercial nation in
Europe New York, the most commercial State,
has, with equal safety abolished the rigorous rem
edy of distress for rent and has exempted certain
portions Of estates from liability to sale for debts
contracted after such laws were passed. Other
States have adopted the policy Of protecting the
homestead from compulsory sale. A home is the