The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-03-30
works. of Internal Improvement. yc y,

WORKS OF internal Improvement, YOU
benefit sections only. The advan.
tagc would be local merely; certain
portions Of the country would be ia.
vored, and others would not; and it
is, therefore, best to leave the con.
struction of these works with the
States, WHO will take care of their
own interest in the premises. Their
citizens will be taxed for the con-
struction of those works, and they
will receive the benefit accruing by
the taxation for that. purpose. But
does this case come within that
principle? Sir, there is not the most
remote analgory? In the one case,
the Government undertakes the
work and pays for it out of the
Treasury, to the injury of every
citizen in the other, lands arc given,
because those retained will be in.
creased in value iniamount equal to
the whole before the donation. and
no citizens is taxed a cent.
This bill proposes to donate one
half Of the public lands within six
miles on either side Of the railroad,
to aid in the construction of that
work. Docs this reduce the revenue
accruing from the sale of the public
lands into the Treasury of the Uni
ted States? Not farthing, and why?
because the bill provides that when
you give away alternate sections, that
those reserved to the Government
shall be doubled in value and those
which you arc how trying TO sell at
81 25 per acre, lands Which have
remained unsoll inSinarketf for TWEEN.
ty, thirty, or forty years,at that price,
arc raised in price#to So so, with
the confident assurance, founded upon
universal. cxpcricncosthat those lands
will sell more rapidly then, at that
enhanced price, tlanHthey do now
at 81 25 per acre. If this was
proposition simply to- give the alter
nate sections, mitt6Nt those remain
'fn;;ss" Beng Ircrtdss.vs m Talues sor if it
reduced the revenue Of the Treasury
OF the United States from the sale of
the public lands, then I admit the
objection Of my friend from Tonnes
sec, Mr.. Jones. would be a valid
one. But that objection does not cx.
lst to this bill. 1t is a phantom fit
tlEG before his ina gination.
! have demonstrated that nothing
is abstractcd from the Treasury by
the grants for the construction Of
these works, and that all the re-
sources out Of which and from Which
the funds arc to come into the Treas
ury, are not reduced If this is 80,
how can it be charged that it is in
volving the Government Of the Uni
ted States in a system of internal
improvements, which has been war
rcd against by the Republican or De-
mocratic party throughout all time.
My friend from Tennessee, Mr..
Jones. also in the same speech init
mated that it was clearly anti.Dcmo-
cratic, as well rs unconstitutional.
What arc the facts? Almost every
one of the present and late leaders
Of The Democratic party have sup
ported bills identical with this bill in
principle. ! believe Mr.. Polk, while
he was member OF Congress here
i'll 1928, voted for a bill similar to
this, to aid in the construction Of ca
nails. Mr.. McDuilie voted for such
bills, az you have already heard from
some Of the gentlemen who have pre-
ccdcd nc in this debate. Gen. Cass,
Mr.. Douglas, Mr.. Davis Of Nlississip.
ri, Mr.. Calhoun and Mr.. Houston,
in fact the whole Of those who are
now or were heretofore looked up to
as the leaders Of the Democratic
party, have advocated and supported
bills identical i'll principle with the
bill now upon your table. 1t is not,
therefore, antiDcmocratic, if you
arc to form its articles Of faith from
thc principles and acts Of its high
priests, You may take the vote by
which the Illinois bill passed The Sen
ate, or The vote by which the Alissis-
sippi bill passed, and you will find that
a majority Of the Democrats voted for
it. Upon the Mississippi bill there
were but eight Senators, Of the cntire
Senate, who voted against it. | think
| Shall be able to :how that this
bill, us reported by the Comlnittrc on
Public Lands, is infinitely better bill
for this Government, than the Missis-
sippi bill. ] viii show when come
to speak of the bill itself, that il is no,
to be secuted from this Hall, first,
either upon The plea that ii is unconsti-
rulimal, or second, that ii is an!i-Rc-
publican or anti-Dcmocratir. douoG
credit it that either OF these prctcNts
will be available to drive the bill from
this lIall; and The gentleman from
Tennessee, Mr.. Jones, does injustice
TO his own party When he makes an