Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-05-20
The PnhlIc Lands.

our Judgment incontroveruDle, hamely -
hat unles, all the signs fail, the democracy in this
untrv can only be defeated by the democracy
a poicv has been approved of by the country
has been tested, and the people are prosperous
ore sc than at any former period-while the I'M
ense preponderance which the democratic party
avs achieved in every section of the confederacy,
YES TANGIBLE evidence of the public confidence in
nose distinctive tenets under which the party who
imported General Pierce, fought and trumphed,
nd presents no reasonable prospect to the vision OF
ven the warmest partizan of opposition, for any
General revival of Wing measures. Few, II any, OF
ur Wing friends wish for such contamination
one we believe, expect it. If, then, any danger
houd threaten the permanently OF the present state
6 things it must arise from the existence OF some
hing like sctism in the ranks of the Democratic par
itself, produced by the adoption or avowal by
ome of its members Of principles or systems of pol
CIV at variance with those under which the united
Democracy advanced to, and achieved its present
,nouestioned pre-eminence SOme of ardent tenn
permanent, may, perhaps, be so deeply embued with
the progressive spirit of the age, as to believe that
even principles themselves change; and begulledby
plausible theory, seduced by the prospect of tenn
uorary advantage be willing to abandon portion OF
tho PLATFORM and ignore fthe principles reestab
shed and re-afrmed by the united party, no longer
ago than the first week in June of 1852, at the Ma
tional Convention which assembled in Baltimore and
whose deliberations resulted in the nomination of
General Pierce and in the adoption of platform of
principles one of the resolutions of which aft rms
that the proceeds of the public lands ought to be
crcdy applied to the objects specified in the constu
ton and that opposed to any law for the dis
hut IF Sfot Sal
incxPedent in policy and repugnant to the consttu
tom In the convention which adopted these resolu
tiuns North Carolina was fully and ably represented,
as she was also in the committee which framed
them, and neither public statement private in
formation has yet reached of any dissent at that
time, either in convention in committee. To these
resolutions the one relating to Public Lands incu-
died. General Pierce replied, giving the fullest assent
both of his judgment and his feelings, and from
stump to stump, wherever Democrats were assem-
bled or political discussions held during the
paign, they were avowed and defended, throughout
the length and breadth of the land That campaign
has closed but little six months, and official
communication has yet been received from the ad
minstration to which the popular will confded the
executive department of the government for four
years. from and after the 4th of March, 1853
Apart from the principle involved apart, too from
our own full committal to that principle, how can
consistently agitate for the abandonment of a
plank of the very platform upon which we placed
nominee, and upon which We elected him How
We, upon cool reflection, deliberately elevate a
to Office the exponent of certain principles,
and then, before he is warm in his chair, attack
these very principles, to which we are equally
pledged with the President elect Such however,
would be the position of the Democrats of North
Carolina, should they, any important portion of
thcm impelled by an idea of rery rapid progress go
for distribution Of the proceeds of the public
lands after having through their representatives at
Baltimore. deliberately approved of resolution in
which such distribution is stigmaliSed alike mex
pedent in policy and repugnant to the constitution.
This was done within the year,-their voting for
and helping to elect General Pierce upon this same
issue, dates back no farther than November last.
Although the largest portion of the lands at pres
cnt constituting the public domain, consists of our
acquisitions yet the basis of that domain is un
questiOnaby the territory coded at different times
previous to the formation of our present Constitution
by the States of Massachusetts,, New York. Virginia
North and South Carolina and Georgia.
These States ceded their lands for the purpose Of
general harmony, and 10 defray the expenses of the
Revolutionary war. Various reasons might be as
signed why such cession should have been consider
cd essential to harmony, the chief of which might
perhaps, be set down a desire to avoid future col
lislcns between different owners, by merger in
common proprietor, and under common manage
ment and growing jealousy of the almost illimlta
BILE territories of Virginia, which, if retained ant
grown up to, would have seriously endangered thu
independence and equality of the other States. How
lily the sacrifices of Virginia have been requted,
IS not necessary, in this connection, to say. TIL
territory cedcd by the other Southern States, ha
not turned against the section by which it was &c
ded. At the commencement of the Government
in its youth and weakness. this domain was regar
died. and justly, too the back bone of the nation
al credit, and is placed by the Constitution, unde
the control of Congress, which has power to dispos
of, and make all needful rules and regulations re
Fpecting the territory other property of the I'm
ted States.
By far, the greatest and most valuable portion
tho land, lying within the limits of organized State
have already passed from the control or ownership
the United States, and it is only in the very newe
that the public lands other than those of Ii
poorest character naturally, or situated to
rendered comparatively valueless by their rcmot
ness from market, or the absence of any facilities
communication Indeed, very slight considerable
of the subject must convince any person of this fac
when it is borne in mind that the great body of IL
public lands, lying within the limits of the State
have been in market for greater or less number
years. and much, if not nearly all offered at Il
minimum price, without MEETING anv huvers n sta