Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-02-15


benehcaly TO The new States not The vote shall give
depends upon other considerations than these. Nor will
the argument Of the Senator from Georgia. in which
be eloqueny described the obligations Of humanity and cha
ry because do not consider Government one found
cd for great eeemoynsy purposes We have already been
far diverted nom the original object of this Government and
from year TO year we getting yet further from the purposes
for which was ordained and established This Government
was established as the agent Of the States in their foreign
atons, and umpire between the States in their relations
TO another not TO dispense charities to the INDECENT nor to
establish worhousss houses of correction for the vicious
within the States These objects were all left to the
reign States in which they resided before the Union was
formed There they remain now with other kindred duties
and powers save when they have been removed by that
ing usurpaon which the hand Of the Federal Government
has constantly stretched the weaker power the States
II we have the power to grant charities to class Of the
community who may be suffering, why to another If
to the unaic, why not to the blind II to the blind, why
not to the deaf and dumb and the whole range Of
whose provision now con6ded 10 the communities which
they belong
II is but subeuge to say that we do not appro-
pirate money but grant lands for the purpose We have
more right TO grant lands than have grant money for
the purpose These lands surrendered the Federal
Government as fund for purposes Of all
the States and he who will refer to the history Of the og
nal grant to the Federal Government Of the power to dispose
of public lands belonging TO the States will find not for
the purpose Of giving this Government fund from which
should dispense charities to the INDECENT to be diverted to
any other than the purpose Of placing money in the Treasury
should always have been limited such those in
which proprietor might have made grant, In other words
they should never have been gven where the grant
would benefit the United States through its Treasury On
occasions have voted for such grants but always with
that rule before me a limitation.
have heard time and again. the argument that the old
States bad equal right with the States to the public
lands. Who denies Il do for This public do
main the properly of all the States would not rob the
old States in order to benefit the new States. Congress
should watch the public domain great proprietor
and especially should the object and purpose Of
The grant by which they became the proprietor
Mr. President, this is object which know appeals to
the sympahes of every Senator and may say Of every ci
Of the United States The suerugs Of the INDECENT
arrest the attention and command the sympa
thes Of every Too much credit cannot be given to the
lady at whose solicitation this bill introduced. But
should remember that here under delegated powers
dispense justice and not 10 feelings We
but agents with limited powers and bound to execute those
powers strictly according to the grant. These the cons
deratons which will induce to vote against the bill.
look not at the question whether the old States the
States will be benefited by it, whether any particular State
will gain lose by the grant But oppose it the prin-
cples of the constitution, which alone gives power to
legislate.
Mr.. BORLAND. deem it proper to say few words
response position assumed by the Senator from Mis-
sssipp claim be strict constructionist of the
stution that Senator any other agree with him fully
in the general principle which he has laid down in regard
the powers of this Government and duties But
that in laying down general principle he has gone
little further in its practical application than think the facts
Of the warrant believe the position that assumed
just to the proprey Of grant like this, within
the rule that he himself lays down. stated that the
trolling motive with in voting for bills like this was,
establish high and sure foong strong foundation
the rights and soveregnes of the States and
possible, and far possible the land Of the Federal
Power from within the limits Of the States agree with the
Senator that this Government exclusively of limited
delegated powers; that has powers which not
erred by the constitution. And agree with him, too that
the of this Government has been onward steadily and
earfuly onward towards concentration, accumulation, and
consolidation of power which will unless resisted speedily
be destructive not only the sovereignty of the Sates but
to the existence of this Government The great motive with
in voting for this BILL and all such bills is take the
and power out of the hands of the Federal Govern
ment which il ought have, and exercise
and give the proper power the State great motive with
in vnna fer sueh bill is that consider the public
lands as constituting in the hands of the General Govern
mens mt me means q exercising 9ndns p1.as s
cppes the States from the attainment Of their true positions
soveregns the whole country which they claim te
hold II is runous power in the hands Of the General Gov
ernment which in my opinion they ought not to exercise
within the States
have understood all along that the srcest construers
the constitution Of the United States held that this Govern
ment had the power and that would be proper distribute
the pabc lands among the several States That has been
my understanding, though may have been mistaken For
one have always held that the Government had the power
and ought and ought exercise for the very
and very considerations the Senator from Mississippi
has stated check the onward course of Federal power and
to place the States earliest possible day upon the strong
est and surest foundation Of State sovereignty.
Mr.. DAVIS, of Mississippi My friend from Arkansas
agrees with in the general principles but he thinks this
bill within the rule by which both gov
erned He thinks this in which grant of land will
result 10 the benefit Of the proprietor but always the
papabe the direct not the doubtful and benefit such
benefit as an individual would recognise in his
would ask my friend from Arkansas how be expects that the
establishment and endowment Of unatc asylum in Connec
cut benefit the Treasury increase the value Of lands in
Arkansas If be show that then he cannot bring the
within the rule because the rule requires that the land
shall be granted for purpose which would enhance the value
of contiguous lands and result in benefit the Treasury
But the Senator says it is his purpose to dvest the United
States of their territory within the States in order that the
States may be actually sovereign the domain within them
Very good may be proper object but tbs not to be OBJ
tanned thus with any proprey, in my opinion We lately
had among whose wisdom only equaled by the
elevation and purity Of his character whose mind expe
rence and intensity Of feeling and of thought had shed more
Of prophetic light than have ever found in any other in
dvidua He once adorned this Senate and occupied this
seat Pointing to the seat occupied by the late Mr. Cal
hounl He known the very embodiment of the doc
trine Of strict construction of the constitution He could
have proposed odsbute the land among the States He did
however, make the States agents for the sale the
public lands by suenderng the public lands them and
quing them certain per centage of the nett proceeds
into the Treasury of the United States One of the objects
which he had in view to all possibility Of COLI
sion between the Federal Government and the Sates grow
ing out this Of the domain and which he thought
likely future day might produce collision between the
Federal Government and States At the PROPOSE
ton was presented believed the soundest made n
ton public lands. Iwoud be glad to adopted
would be glad to all the public lands turned the
States which they lie those States being under obligations
dispose of them according the rules and regulations laid