The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-02-20


ory OF practice Suppose you attempt to make the dis.
uncuon. You refuse 10 distribute the money arising
from customs, but you invest il IN the purchase OF the
Lousaas or Florida territory The lands thus purchased
you sell again, and the money thus obtained you dlstrb
ute after II has gone through thus process And thus you
do indirectly what you said you could not do directly,
Dir, you cannot maintain The Distinction between The
right 10 distribute money raised IN Tue one case or
the other il the power exists in the one case II
exists also in the other and if you exercise in the
one you will soon discover that the time is not lar
distant when you will exercise II as to both. What.
sir could be more dangerous than TO make the States
dependent upon the bounty OF the general government
STR we altered the articles OF confederation because they
made the general dependent upon the States for
supplies and shall we now reverse the hing and make
the States dependent upon the general government Tor The
means oil domestic legislation Especially shall we do
so on The condition proposed And what that condition
The senator from Kentucky has shown us that II is 10 be
done upon the condition OF our controlling the domestic
Legislation OF the Slaes and perhaps IN the end Their
county police And what is 10 be the effect OF distributing
this property among the various sections OF the Union
What would beget but The bttees strife and the most
unwhoesome agation' How long, too, before such a
policy would bring ON conflict between the different
ctasseso society," IN their anxiety 10 secure as much as
possible OF the plunder which such legislation would offer
as the prizes TO those who could effect the combinations
OF the greatest numbers For, sir there propositions
not only to distribute these lands among the States, but
| even amongst individuals And yet the senator from
Tennessee thinks is surprising that we should not agree
TO enter into system which is TO lead which can lead,
TO nothing else than the snbyerson and destruction OF
which must eventually end in the deepest corruption OF
public morals Sir, if this were once done there would
be hope OF arresting the process OF centrazaon,
which is going on far too rapidly
But, sir, he says are opposed to protective tariff,
and disposed to dicule and sco at the opinions
OF those who maintain the great principles OF Tree trade
Mr. President ii is too late in the day 10 treat with rd
cule the principles Of free trade. They have forced
themselves upon the respect of the word-have forced
themselves into the legislation OF some OF the most en-
lghlened countries OF the globe, despite OF antquaed pre-
jiudicp md Wha we called
will 20 and will shake thrones and dynasles, II
thrones and dynastes are nteposed in the path OF their
progress They constitute OF the greatest reforms OF
the age; and rejoice to believe there is no power ex
tant, in this country at least Whch can arrest Their pro-
gess strong are they in the affections OF our people
Sir, the who would ridculc the principles OF free
trade this time must be rated chronologcay according
to the Old Style. His Ammo Domnl must be very dlfer-
from that OF the of mankind And yet this, too.
of the counts in the indictment which he raised
against us.
| Mr. President, have endeavored 10 dispose OF
the objections which have been made by different sena-
tors 10 the remarks which offered on former occasion
come TO a different branch OF the question II may
perhaps be asked what would do IN order 10 prevent The
evils which threaten the one side or the oherthe
evil OF having thisgrea property administered without
Just OF responsibility to the source oil authority
in system of improper corrupt, or Impure legislation,
and the other hand the evil OF seeing II wasted by
being partially distributed among few States ior their
benefit and perhaps TO the injury OF the rest OF the con-
feteacy! | say there is mode by which believe we
may escape both these evils--by which may steer
between Scya and Charybdis and draw 10 the public
treasury much money as we are ever likely TO
derive from any other system. -
Sir say if you wish distribute the benefits Of the
proceeds from The sales of these lands equally, you
apply them the payment OF the debts and expenses o
the government. II you have TOO much money III the
treasury under this process, apply IT TO relieve The bur
dens OF taxation and thus you will distribute II by
rule which precisely lust, and which is certainly exact
You thus relieve the tferenl portions ol the people III
the precise ratio in which they contribute 10 its
But in doing this we should not lose sight of what is
inst IN he ey w
lie you must look not merely 10 the poht which The
general government may derye from the lands, but also
you must have just reference to the settlement and IN
crease of population within these States. And in order
TO effect both these ends, would be willing 10 advertise
the lands al the present price ior certain number o
years and after that time | would diminish the price
In other words, would graduate the price afterwards
and cede them 10 The States upon liberal tefms-such
terms as would compensate them fairly and generously
for administering them Let us see how tins would ope-
rate upon the old States and upon the new.
1t would have greater tendency than any other one
thing conceive OF TO purify The Legislation here
We should thus take away large public fund which, as
said is administered here without proper sense OF 70
sponsbity the part OF those who appropriate IT. lhe
people paying taxes towards this iund they do mol
scrulinze closely enough The manner IN which we ex
pend it. DO not see that every wild scheme, foE
which projectors would not ask money directly, II
brought here and aid is asked Tor by appropriations
of public andsl We have seen petitions from an ind
vidual asking appropriations OF land enough 10 enable
him to make railroad across almost the entire breadth
OF the continent Another bill has passed here, more
than once think, 10 appropriate lands Tor lbe estabsn
ment of lunatic asylums in all the States OF the Union
Suppose that money had been asked for such purpose
what an outcry would have been raised throughout The
country We seas the honorable senator from len
nessee has said-bls brought here which appropriate
many millions OF land bounes TO persons Tor services
which have been fully paid long snce-seryices tha
have teen already compensated according TO contract
Could this have been done il the money Distributed
had TO be raised by taxation upon the people We see
too a proposition 10 distribute these lands among The
States and already conflict is going on between differ
en sections OF the counryas witness the speeches o.
the senators from Kentucky and chgan-in relation tt
the inequality aud injustice OF the proposed mode OF d
vidng them We see, too, propositions to give every
man a farm proposition TO give all the exlles who may
come from abroad, and who may be SAID 10 be victims
oppre sson and probably we shall soon have PROPOSE
ton to put the lands down 10 a merely nominal price
Such schemes these most nalllby lead TO agrars
agations to strife between the different sections oil th'
oonfederacy and warfare IN the very bosom OF society
amongst its various classes, contendlng with each othe
for plunder under the forms Of legislation
But Mr. President these not all The evils we should
escape so far respect Legislation. believe that
is matter OF cardinal Importance to this country, ths
the stream OF emgraton and population should De prop
erly directed and distributed ! believe we should rea
the stream OF emigration precisely as we do That oil Trade
| would pass laws TO prohibit or discourage ~, no
would give bounues to force y INTO ialse ana aiunca
channels, or give IL an unnatural impulse and energy
believe this foreign element when infused IN Just such
proportions be assmilsed by the American body
| polite is emneny beneficial and useful II inParis
greater variety to American IDEAS and gives new strength
and impulse TO American thought But II infused IN
greater proportion than be thus assimaied, Il may
change entirely the political current oil our thought anf
action and destroy the identity OF The American system
As an American | am bound to say that should regart
such result injurious and mischievous.
Sir wish to pursue the old path ol progress, anC
10 follow the landmarks TO which American experience
1 tt,pvt .all Tho adj