Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-01-14
RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
s.TI1RnAY MORNING, JANUARY II. 1851.


AL.
,, dis,c ayowal on our part, that, however Tue P"
.a,v may vary there difference OF principle III 81,
- h,,. We have asserted our Willingness IN VIC" "
Inn ,een, corruptng system OF doing out tho puo'
- nc sent 10 any plan for doing justice 10 tue ou w.
const,u,ionality of which can be dem'hs'fa'su ,b
fear that the wise men of the country eau 'sos our
49,, a nc wa cannot assent 10 the proposition =" 49,
excellent Virginia friend in Congress- 10 give " o,i,
;,n If tho Constitution we begin to despair VI ."
tt - ,an,omen, which will enlist our aPptoo'''o'
s,,.-d, ,,on the platform on which the Dehioe'", "
,,,.,n,o has firmly planted i,sef-the platform u Wv
e,,,r,,on "a we beeve-wo arc impeliea " -
and nrincipe TO resist any plan, however s
wh;ch shall indirectly and by evasion W. -, -. ., ,,d
ZION. Never was Virginia more ouoi! :ro,, ho,,oro
nm 10 principle-especially when, as We 49, .',.
W !" p''n no,h,no bv the abandonment of her duty.
s'e con = ayo,pc much interest in our Legislature
LUZ ,..aa -, HING ON, much of the talent OF the
-. - nelso,,es where ii is being discussed. we
ha, e did not on Thursday hear the speech oil MT.
r,osor If Logan lie is gentleman oil strong 'fhu "'u
60 lsntz and we regret tina; he has seen proper ~
ro, himself from the Democratic party on 'hs
a;an M, having had the pleasure OF hearing Ills "es
and the ap reply of Mr. Lewis Of HARRISON
,yc nnbish ,hs brief report OF their remarks;
AZ rEeGl.SON rose 10 address The House lie saia NC
should take somewhat OF different eiIumu I'M, hs was
ray .assn nnocTat A. ever lie argued some length that
onaress had the constitutional power 10 Wv; ,h
as ~ the uublc lands amongst the States ana ci'eu 'e
80 f lection by Virginia to show that the Einos were
enc, subec, in the hands OF Congress US Gsee; w %
IS any nromnencc doubted the power before sie
son, . lands veto. But now gentlemen c"h'enu .o,
80. hod M such power, without giving single fcas"h
INV or wherefore and simply because was iTsso' l,
had learned 10 repeat. The reason Tor when 'e no., ~
rv had opposed the policy of distribution was una. 10
h y,en, If the proceeds Of the sales were widrawn rom
,he Treasury il would be necessary TO raise the ia
that Ind ceased he eSa sunrs to show
,h tho nubc lands would produce no revenue lot 10
Mr. presented statistics OF the quantity OF pubic MINUS
already coded and argued that virginia, ous1l ho W %
hv dly and sec them thus rered away IN conclusion
no called especially upon the anL teInal Improvement
marty OF the House for this propositon, as II !
ed no tax upon their constituents Tor mahing ba,d
Mr. F. closed his remarks saying that no haa eaaus'ea
himself but not his subject II no other gentleman wls'eo
TO speak would that the subject io TIC psen' "
laid on the table. ,;.
lions which he had to the resolutions and which he should Do
clad TO have answered. He thought II would &C grossly M
consistent, in the proud and renowned ota'e vi
after so long refusing 10 be bought ana SOLO WIN c 'ad
money 10 alter her course, and ask for portion oil IT,
Mr. FERGUSON asked Mr.. L. if the proud State OF Grsi'
MIA did not take her quota vi .iaho 'hohe' u1 ~
Mr. LEWIS said he was not aware of the fact-Friend
around him said that loan, yet to Us repaid oy e
Stare mir FERGUSON, in his seat said no human oen5
sYneced cent of II 10 be paid back Mr. L. objected iurthe
that the resolutions seemed 10 involve an assumption a
the Union had long 10 last, ana thal fis'a o"fr
therefore 10 lose time in improving nrf iesoees' az
Ia ~ aonh, the Southern Press Washington, pa
per with which he had sympathy Whatever, "ouu 'I
The determination Of Virginia 10 alter her pass poe}
n,oo Inn, sbe was looking disunion. o urged also
,ha, II il were ue that the lands had ceased 10 oe source
OF revenue hsy would be Of no material oeneht 10 ''S
Mr. Montague CT Nddesex, yesterday replied at length
10 the arguments in favor of the scheme HE'S new men,
her md we ne.cr before heard him. His speech was unVe
SALLY regarded as an admirable exposition of the true IN.
.-f-t, hia Dn--An
his strong views were enforced with power and occa
sonaly with stirring eloquence Some few OF MS pone
NAV have failed TO come up the mark but, on tho WHOLE
I, was one of the best speeches have heard in the virgil
min LEGISLATURE for some years. Some playful and amusing
hit, occurred between Mr. NJ and Me,ss Ferguson and
Burwel on tho other SIDE but MI NJ Showed great TACT
In managing his case and the force If his arguments we are
satisfied produced ost favorable Impression we give
mere skeleton of his remarks lie said these resolutions con-
cede 10 Co ess the right construct works oil internal m
in the States to educate the people the States
nd also 10 distribute the proceeds OF the safes oil tie poc
lands among the States. Mr. VI. showed from the haosoh
papers that the convention which formed TIC consuoh
refused 10 insert in the constitution any authority 10 con-
struct such WORKS ITO establish sennares Tor me promo
on Of literature and the arts and sciences and argued that
a. this power was refused by tho convention TO Congress- II
had now no authority whatever exercise such power
BELONGED 10 the General Government In its Federal and
united character and the States individually; and az
they belonged 10 the Government in its Federal character
Congress- necessary consequence had no power 10 os
tribute the proceeds OF the lands among the States lot any
purpose whatever but that they should be held ana 50 u.s.
posed of BY Congress- to carry out the design OF inc oeeos
Of cesson which declared they should be held as COM
mon fund" and disposed of for tina, purpose and for
other use or purpose whatsoever"
Mr. VI. then showed, hatif the lands were sold would
afford preey for increase Of the tariff and he conlended
that If Congress had not the right to distribute raised
by tariff among the States had right TO distribute the
lands which were purchased with these very funds and he
conended ha, the money would go the people OF the
States but to the State Legislatures be squandered by
them in email local improvements general chnracter that
would be than taking from pocket and putting
in the other because would lose in the transfer about II
per cent the expense Of distribution He conondod that II
would So cucumber commerce. by being the PrceX for an
additional tariff nure seriously the navy OF the coun-
try the great right Of the national he podu
ced statistics to show that during the tariff period from 1874
10 1890 the tonnage fell off l65 $40 tonsha from 1880
TO lSI under the compromise period the tonnage went up
10 763 nearly double He also exhibited statistics to
show hn, the commerce of the country had fallen off in the
ratio.
Mr. NJ also showed tina, the whole amount Of duties from
egn merchandise exported 1927 050O9 or this the
South paid I'll 900 dollars and the free States only
S25 S50097 These resolutions propose to divide the land
fund among the States according their representation In
Congress- which would give TO the North largely than
her JUS, share The whole amount OF tho sales OF the pub
lie and. up to the Isl of January s49 l37 Millions
Now Congress has the power under the Constitution to
distribute the lands has II not the equal right to dis
tribute among the States the l37 millions already received
from the sales of these lands and what effect would this
produce upon the counlry7
But tho great objection these resolutions Is that they
concede 10 Congress right do that indirectly which it
canno, do directly and it will do for Virginia to
furnish such precedent She should go TO Congress not
mcndican but she did in former days demanding that
the Constitution of the country should be observed and
pec,ed as il is written
Mr. BurweIl spoke for time n reply He ia always
sensible humorous und happybut his effort on this occa
sion did not seem TO produce much effect in ovetnnlng
principle 10 which Virginia, believe, is lndissolubly
welded.
THE MANASSAS GAP RAILROAD.
In speaking the other day the subject Of tho action OF
the Northwest in reference TO !s schemes OF internal i'm
provsment Inadvertently stated that me Manassas Gap