Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-01-12

" cedsd 10 the United States, iar the lofno>
of general harmony. and as trust fund I
meet The expense of The Revolutionary wa
and whereas. Ia the deeds Of erosion made b.
The States Of Massachusetts, Connecticut. Nry
York, Virginia, Norih Carolina. Souih Caro-
lima and Georgia. Il was expressly pro, idet
that cas- soon the war debt should lie paif
off The public lands should hr buDa fir III.
posed of for the use and benefi If such If H.,
United States IS have bcc' m, IT should be-,
como. mcmfer> OF th.ir existing confederation
and Tor no other nse or purpose t'atrvr,;' md
whereas, The rljccts for winch hey - cr, thu.
coded having hem sine o.npashrd, 'hr,
may now l,e considered ms relieved from thaf
pledge, and " hercas. millions II acres of pub
lie lands have been SIN c acquired by the Ioiut
blood and treasue of al the SAFES OF the
Union, and have thereby become The common
property OF al the STATES; and whereas, II Is vi
dent from The past action OF Congress IL graur
ing away argr quantities OF thee MS Il. The
States in which ihrA H. thn. prrp,lrasins
wrong and injustice 10 The old Suites. tie afi
ginal owner. ihereof) fhar tie po.iie land- y III
either be given away IL the STATES IN which
they are situated, or so disposed of as 10 be a
source Of revenue 10 thu General Government;
and whereas, the Constitution coufers upon
Congress POW or 20 dispose of the territory ~
other properly of the United States aud In The
language of The late president Jackson. it Is IN
the discretion If Congress rp dispose of them
as best 10 condnce t. the quiei. hafmont and
general interest Of the American people, md
whereas. n bill known as "Bennett's Bill"
providing for fhe distribution Of band arrnnts
among all the States. passed the lower honsc
of Congress al lis last session. and IA now pend
ing in the Senate, " hch bill. # II sh,nId be-
come a law, would s'conducc 10 the quet, lar.
mony and general interest Of the American
people," therefore,
Resolved 10y the General Assembly. That
our Senators In Congress be instructed and our
Representative he requested Ia usc oil proper
exernons TO secure a final passage by Congress
of"Bennet's Bill" or any similar measure.
Resolved. That the Governor 81 Virginia be
requested 10 transmit a copy Of the foregoing
preamble and resolutions To each Of our Sena.
tors-and Representatives in Congress
The propositions Combined in dis preamble
are all true. The records of the country and
the history of federal legislation establish
them TOO concusively for dispute or doubt -
Experience has shown that these lands. " hch
We're designed for the common and equnahlr
benefit of all the States. cannot be kept intact
fit were desirable that they should be. Thou
sands upon thousands of acres have beer
wrenched from the joint stock for the use am
behoof OF individual States, and 10 the wrong
and injury of such Us did not share in the di
vision. There is no power IN the prlm ant
prudish democracy of the South to prevent
continuance of this practice. Virginia ant
other s'rait.laced States may close their hand
and turn their backs on the pro1ered bounty
but the "plunder interest" cannot thereby b.
silenced. The Stotes Of the Northwest am,
West have received as yet only enough I
rouse their appettes and the demand for nor
will be heard, like Marat's unceasug cry e
"more blood" as long as tbereis an acre left =
There isno possibility of an equnl participate
by the States in the benefits of this fund, ant
some general system, applying to ol,is adop
ed
And why should not this be done Clear
and certainly the original objects of the cesson
have been accomplished as TO the colonia
lands Those since acquired are not subec
to any condition, except The one implied iron
their joint ownership by all the States. The,
are therefore entirely at the disposal of Con
gress, to be dealt with in such manner as ma,
best promote the individual interests oftLe par
ties united in the proprietorship. If Bennett
bill be Objectionable in form and detail, ia dis
covery which We have not madc) let som
Virginia member propose better
Why should not Virginia move in the ma
teri Her delegates are supposed to be yer
influential in Congress, and her democrac
omnipotent in the Union Is her conditio
such as to render her Indifferent to SO lich
boonl Has she no taxes to pay-no railroad,
or canals. or turnpikes, to make-no resource
TO improve-no children to educafei Has sh
not uses, manifold and momentous, appertain
ing to her political influence and destiny as
'''a.e'ahd to the reiefprosperty ,enlig henmen
ana happiness Of her citizens which sbo,l,
make her clutch the means of ob,aiD;,o al
these results Indeed she has-and i !,
lar hn llpn