The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-23

trade at this time, must BIZ rated chronoogcally
according to the "old style" His Ammo Domini
must BIZ very different from that of the rest OF
mankind. And yet this too was one Of the
counts in the indictment which he raised against
us.
Mr.. President, l have now endeavored to dis
pose Of the objections which have been made by
different senators to the remarks which offered
on a former occasion. come now to different
branch of the question. 1t may perhaps be
asked, what would do in order TO prevent the
evils which threaten US on the one side or The
Other-the evil Of having this great property
administered without a just sense OF response
blity to the source OF authority, III system OF
improper, corrupt, or impure legislation, and, on
the other hand, the evil Of seeing it wasted, by
being partially distributed among few States
for their benefit, and perhaps TO the injury of
mode by which believe we may escape both
these evils, by which we may steer between
Scylla and Cbarybds, and draw to the public
treasury AZ much money AS we are ever likely
to derive from any other system.
Sir, say if you wish to distribute the bene-
fits of the proceeds from the sales of these
lands equally, you must apply them to. the pay
mont of the debts and expenses of the govern
ment. If you have too much money in the
treasury under this process, apply them to re-
lieve the burdens Of taxation, and thus you will
distribute them by rule which is precisely just,
and which is certainly exact. You thus relieve
the different portions of the people in the pre-
else ratio in which they contribute to its reve-
nue.. But in doing this, we should not lose
sight of what is just to the new States within
whose borders these lands lie; you must look
not merely to the profit which the general gov
eminent may derive from the lands, but also,
YOU must have II just reference to the settlement
and increase of population within these States.
And in order 10 effect both these ends, would
be willing to advertise the lands ut the present
price for certain number of years, and after
that time would diminish the price. In other
words | would graduate the price afterwards,
and cede them to the States upon liberal terms,
such terms as would compensate them fairly
and generously for administering them. Let US
see how this would operate upon the old States
and upon the new.
It would have greater tendency than any
other one thing can conceive of, to purify the
LEGISLATION here We should thus take away a
large public fund which, as said, is administered
here with proper sense of responsibility on the
mart of those who appropriate it. The people
having no taxes towards the fund, they do not
we expend it, Do we not see that every wild
scheme for which projectors even would not ask
money directly, are brought here, and aid is
asked for them by appropriations of public lands?
We have seen petitions from an individual ask
ing appropriations of land, enough to enable
him to make railroad across almost the entire
breadth of the continent. Another bill has passed
here. more than once, think, to appropriate lands
for the establishment of lunatc asyums 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 see, as the honorable Senator from
Tennessee has said, bills brought here, which
appropriate many millions of land as bounties
to persons for services which have been fully
Maid long since-services that have been already
compensated according to contract. Could this
have been done if the money so distributed had
to be raised BY taxation upon the people? We
see too. a proposition to distribute these lands
among the States and already conflict is going
on between different sections of the country
as witness the speeches of the Senators from
Kentucky and Michigan-in relation to the in
equality and injustice of the proposed mode of
dividing them. We soc, too, propositions to
give every man farm; a proposition to give all
the exes who may come from abroad and who
may be said TO be victims OF oppression; and
probably we shall soon have proposition to put
the lands down to mere nominal price. Such
schemes az these most infalliby lead to aggra-
rian aeitatons, to strife between the different
sections of the confederacy, and warfare in the
very bosom of society, amongst its various class
90. contending with each other for plumber un-
der the forms Of legislation.
But, Mr.. President, these are not all the evils
we should escape, so far AZ respects our egisl;'.
ton | believe that it is a matter OF cardinal
importance to this country, that the stream OF
emigration and population should be properly
directed and distributed ! believe we should
treat the stream of emigration precisely as we
do that of trade. would pass no laws to pro-
hibit or discourage it,nor would give bountes
10 force ii into false and artificial channels or
/ rive It nm unnatural impulse and energy. be
/ Ieve this foreign element when infused in just
such proportions as can be assimilated by the
American body polite, is eminenty beneficial
and useful II imparts a greater variety to
/ American ideas, and gives new strength and
impulse to American thought But ifinused in
greater proportion than can be thus assimlla-
ted. it may change entirely the political current
If our thought and action, and destroy the iden-
| titv of the American system. As an American,
| I am bound to say that should regard such a
| result MS injurious and mischievous.
\ Sir, wish TO pursue the old path of our prog
ress, and to follow the landmarks to which
| American experience has directed u.s. ] am
|Iwilipr to receive all the additional information
land assistance, all the new light and knowledge
which may be derived from any source: but still
| II feel bound to say that choose to follow in
that path which our forefathers marked out for
| Ina uhen. if I may borrow woodlands phrase,
| hhev blazcd their way" through the wilderness.
But it may be said, that it is hardly possible
THAT there could be an infusion of greater
|por,ion of this foreign element, than we could
assmate in our system. believe this to be
|krue, if no false and unnatural direction is given
}to the tide of emigration by improper legisla-
{hion. If it is left to the natural laws of po-
hulation, to the principles of demand and sup
ply, it would distribute itself equally over the
whole country, according to its wants and its
ftness to receive such a population. Under
kuch circumstances, believe all would work
well and beneficially for both parties; but if,