Richmond semi-weekly times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 184?-1853, 1851-01-31
completed, ard seq whether those compacts are not

completed and seq whether those compacts are not
still obligatory upon the United States.
The debt for which these lands were pledged by
Congress, may be considered rs paid and they are
consequently released from that lien But that pledge
formed part OF the compacts with the States or of
the conditions upon which the cessons were made
1t was a contract between new parties-betweeu the
United States aud their creditors. Upon payment ofthe
debts, the compacts remain in full force and the obi
cation OF the United States to dispose OF the lands for
the common benefit is neither destroyed or impaired.
AS they cannot now be executed in that mode, the
only leg Inmate question which can arise is, in what
other way thse lands be hereafter disposed of Tor
the common benefit OF the several States according
to their respective and usual proportion The general
charge and eIpenditure?" The SESSIONS of Virana,
n. Carolina and Georgia, i'll express terms and I'll the
rest implicitly, not only provide thus specifically, the
proportion, according to which each State shall profit
by the proceeds OF the land sales but they proceed
declare that they shall be "fdiMfully and bona fde
disposed of for that purpose, and for other
purpose whatsoever. This is the fundamental law OF
the land at this moment, growing out Of eompacs
which are older than the constitution, and formed the
corner stone which the Union itself erected.
In the practice OF the government the proceeds OF the
public lands have not been set apart separate fund
for the payment OF the public debt, but have been and
now paid into the treasury, where they constitute a
part OF the aggregate OF the revenue upon which the
government draws well for its current expenditures
as tor paynen; oil the public debt. In this manner they
have heretofore and do lessen the general charge
upon the people OF the several States in the pro-
portions stipulated in the eompacts.
These general charges have been composed not only
of the public debt and the unusual expenditures attend
ing the civil and military admnlsa Of the govern
ment but OF the amounis paid the Indians for their right
of possession paid for the purchase of ousi-
ana and Florida, and the amounts paid surveyors re-
gsters receivers, clerks, &C. employed in preparing for
market aud selling the western domain
From the origin OF the land system down to Septem
Der 3d. 1882 the amount expended for all these purpo
ses has been about $40 70l 2S0and the amount rece-
we'd from the sales, reducting payments account of
roads, &c. $50 1856 ga, The revenue arising from the
public lands therefore, has not been sufficient to meet
the general charges on the treasury which have grown
out OF them, by about SILL 3l4 Csc. Yet, in having
been applied to lessen those charges, the conditions of
the conpaets have been thus far fulfilled and each
State has pro6ed according to its usual proportion in
the general charge and expenditure The annual pro-
ceeds oil land sales have Increased and the charges have
diminished SO that reduced price those lands would
detray all current charges growing out OF them,
and the treasury from further advances on their
account.
Their original intent and object, therefore, would be
accomplished fully has hitherto been, by reduce
ing the price, and hereafter as heretofore, bringing the
proceeds into the treasury. Indeed this is the only
mode in which the objects OF the original compacts can
be attained, it may be considered tor all practical pur
poses, that it is one OF their requirements
The bill before me begins with entire subversion of
| every one OF lhe compacts by which the United States
became possessed OF their Western domain and treats
the subject if they had existence and as the
Uned States were the original and unconditional own
ers OF all the public lands The rs cessiCn directs -
there shall be allowed and paid to each of the States OF
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, Missouri, Mississippi
and Louisiana, over and above what each of the said
States is entitled to by the terms OF the compact entered
! into between them respectively upon their admission
into the Union and the United States, the oftwelve
and hall per centum upon the net amount of sales OF
the public lands which. subsequent to the day aforesaid
shall be made within the several lin IS OF the said States
which SAID OF twelve and halt per eentum, shall
be applied to object objects OF internal improve.
mens or education within the said States under the
dire elton OF the several legislatures.
This twelve and half per centum is to be taken Out
of the proceeds Of The land sales before any Apo
onments is made; and the same seven States which
first to receive this proportlon also to receive the
due proportion oil the residue, according to the ratio
| general Distribution
! Now, waving all considerations OF equity or policy
in regard TO this provision, what more need be said tc
demonstrate its Objectionable character than that it il
in direct and undsgused violation OF the pledge giyer
by Congress to the States before single cesson
made that it abrogates the condition upon which soms
OF the States into the Union; and that il sets a
naught the terms of cession spread upon the face
every grant under which the title to that portion OF the
public lands is held by ths fed raj government.
lnlthe apportionmen OF the remaining -eighs o
the proceeds, this BILL n manner equally undisgused
violates the conditions upon which The United Sta e.
acquired title to the coded lands. Abandoning alto
geher the ratio OF distribution according the genera
charge and expenditure, provided by the compacls, il
adopts that OF the federal representative populat Viz
giua, and other States which ceded their lands upon
the express condition, that they should receive benefit
from their sales in proportion TO their part OF the gen.
eral charge, by the bill allowed only portion of
eghths OF their proceeds and that not in the pro-
portion OF general charge and expenditure but in the
| ratio of their federal representative population.
The constitution OF the United tales did not dele
gate Congress the power to abrogaie these compacs.
On the contrary, by declaring that nothing in it "Shdl
so construed as 10 prejudice any claims Of the Uni
ted States or Of ana particular STATE" it virtually
provides that these compacts, and the rights they
cure, shall remain untouched by the legislative power
hal Onlu oil ~ tJoo md