The southern press., 1852-03-09

lanuS Inc States OF lnlS Union are All equally
entitled to participate in the advantages grow.
ing out of the pubic lands Is there senator
upon this floor who dares, in violation of his
own good sense, to get up and announce here
that each State in this Union is not entitled to
its share Of the public lands? Who dare do it
And yet they win waive that question, and
adopt course of policy by which they deny the
principle IN their action that they dare not rise
IN their places and disavow in the Senate. They
will by degrees cede away all the public lands
They take from them, time after time the best
land, two or three hundred miles upon a river
like the Des Moines, and then six or seven
hundred miles in another course and this NOT
for the general government, but for individual
States. Mr.. President, if we, the Senate Of the
United States, composed of sixty-two persons.
were partners in this great land fund, and owned
it MS we do, and if we were divided as we are
among the ihirty-o one States, two from each
State of the Union, if we held these lands in
stead of the general government, and by the
same compact and articles of cession, under the
same treaty, would it be possible that there
would be man here who would violate his
honor and that faith which is due to integrity.
and say that we should dispose Of those public
lands to the injury of some of the States by
giving them to individuals not for their benefit?
would not your Supreme Court Of the United
States instantly arrest this attempt to deny 70
one of the parties all their just rights, and force
them by the united power of the whole govern
ment to do justice 10 one another? And vet.
here we are without just cause-without good
reason--disposing Of our public lands in this
same inequitable and improper way.
MIR. President, let me make suggestion to
you. | say now that here is the only question
which is remaining between the two old parties
of this country. The tariff is settled, the cues.
ton OF internal improvements is settled, by
mixture Of parties Neither of them are strictly
Democratic or Wing questions, but portions of
both parties are mingled together in every di.
recton That is settled. The public land sys-
TEN is the only question now left unsettled and
wish now to present this idea: Is il rrht. is IL
prudent, for Congress to legislate in such way
as to give dissatisfaction to any portion of this
country in relation to their rights? And is it
not known that this partial mode of distrbuting
the public lands is producing discomfort, and
that this discomfort is growing gseater and
greater as the acts OF taking these public lands
Il will call it by no harsher name--shal in.
crease? If this be the only question, and
founded upon such justice and such equitable
principles what ought we to do? Settle il. ad.
just lido it amicably-do it with justice and
liberality towards the ne v States. I
am one of those who will 90 as far in this dis.
tribution as the furthest, and do more than Justice
to them. AS the younger members of the con-
federacy grow up in an age like this-n will.
derness and in forest-I will do for them what
no other man will do.
But do we all know what has already been
done for them? NY worthysfriend from the
State Of Kentucky Mr.. UEDERwooDl has told
you of the advantages they have. And have.
through his fundamentally, before me here. a
statement Of what the "two per cent the
" three per cent" and the five per cent" funds
granted to the new States have amounted To
within few years in these various States
How much money do you suppose has been
taken out of the treasury, under these land
laws, in actual cash? Four millions and some
hundred thousand dollars have already gone 10
them, besides the immense quantity of land thew
have already obtained for educational purposes
and for various internal improvements. | do
not mention this for the purpose of creating Dis.
content or dissatisfaction; nor does il spring
from any unkindness. What | say is this
Here is liberality upon hberality, and Won saw
you are willing to do justice When are Won
going TO begin, gentlemen? Was there ever n
more modest, difhdent, and unassuming reouest
made than that made hY the amendment of NV
honorable friend from Kentucky! He asks only
fourteen millions OF acres for the old States
He says 10 you, Give IL 10 us we want II ia
educate our poor people; we want IL 20 increase
our internal improvements. Look ard see what
Illinois has got, what Iowa has got, what Indi
ana has got, and what all the new States have
got, and see how charmingly and how prosper.
ously they are getting on at our expense. Gen.
tl1men Of the new States, will you not do some.
thing! Fall back within yourselves. and act
upon principle in this distribution. DENY This
and you violate this principle, and you will have
to violate every principle upon which Won sbsu
attempt TO stand. What better way can Won
begiul Nhat better evidence can Won give a.
returning sense Of doing that Justice 20 Us which
the compact and articles Of cession and the t,.,.
ties require should be done Then, allow tbis
amendment TO pass il is small 10 lis eharseter.
aud limited-scsrcely enough 10 do much good
still, IL u The beginning Of a system which -
founded in equity and justice, and Il nav GROW
ard grow until content and satisfaction would
reign throughout these States, founded mon
the justness and the proPriety Of your le1i.la.
ton. But II you stop now, and declare that this
distribution shall never take place, nv word n,
il, this public land question vill be The prest
question that will disturb tie harmony of oar.
Ics and the aspirations OF iidividaa's For
lm resolved, for one, that this injustice 20 The
State which ] represent In part shall never DO
by any set Of men that receive nv
lfthey do me injustice here. in ease
where | am fully entitled 10 justice, SHAH cal.
culite that they viii do me injustice up IN other
grounds; and ] shall make IL the foundation
upon which 10 stand, - pursue n course against
even a.fricnd who is unwilling to DO Justice wben
i is claimed, and when he knows that be ought
10 do IT,.
This public land question will not only he
made question in politics, bat question in
morals; for by what light are we 20 combine
together to take certain property ON one por-
lion Of the people and give il 70 another. when
justice requires that il should be divided and
among the whole, thus acting con.
lrary 10 the law Ut the land and the moral law9
Are we to forget everything here and 20 into
one common melee for The purpose Of seeing
who can get the most, and throw ourselves be.
r.