Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-05-12

ils Itnldih lldl IH'N mlSHb nll JIlclr cN-
pcctations iallacious," because if the Terrific
rial inhabitants were to vote on the subject
the Shareholders might be out voted. and
thus lose their point and perhaps their Slaves
too
Queer state of the eyes, that They need
eye water. \ little "cuphrasy" would do
them good.
The Veto Message
The bill for appropriating ten millions of
acres Of the public lands for the support of
the INDECENT insane in the different States. is
vetoed by President Pierce as unconsttu-
tional, for the following reasons.
!. The object is an clccmosynary one with
in the several States and the administration
of the proceeds of the lands is to be under the
direction of the several States
2. That the public lands are pledged to
secure the payment Of the public debts
We have M disposition to review the long
string Of rerctitions which the message con-
tains The whole argument, such as it is, on
each head, might have been given in one
quarter of the space. But wordS are Pres-
dent Pierces forte
1t is very odd, that whenever any applica-
ton of the public means. whether of land or
money, is proposed, which is to benefit the old
States as well as the new ones. the North
as well as the South, how quick the southern
politicians and the northern men with
southern principles, raise the cry of unconsti-
tutional. But if a Cumberland road is to be
built to benefit the Southern States, if rail
roads are to be helped in the West by aid of
public lands-if public money is to be paid
away to buy new lands in order to help
favorite regions and favored objects, there
are ways enough found to get by the fact that
the Constitution does not mention any such
things in any of its provisions. Millions Of
money and millions of acres are at command
with very little scruple. Millions have been
granted and millions will be granted wherever
and whenever there is prospect that votes
can be got by it. But the ,n9igent insane
are not likely to trouble Office seekers much.
To buy some wilderness lands of Mexico for
ten millions of dollars, especially if it is to
helm the route Of Pacific railroad for tho
Southern portion Of the country, is all right,
all constitutional enough, although the major
part OF the money is to he drawn from the
labors of Northern freemen,-but to arpro-
mi.
fii''' 'Vi u''lliolis VI "crcS u VIII lal'S Ill
such way that the INDECENT insane among
these freemen, as well as elsewhere in the
Union. sbould he nrotoctod and beIrod in tbo;r
door of1;o,ion ,ri,,15 ,o,.an l., e., ,a.I.
49,. ",ii'0 '''"' "'u'' i,'' w. 'l'' i"''''
ny ihilhohs 10 rallroau corporations ana TO
individuals, and the security of the public
debt il all safe enoucb-bnt to onnlv a smoli
,,or.;a, :, .,,,h :. 1.s, IN 49,.
- u "'' '''
states equally ana thu> make them all more
able to pay the public debt, for which all are
holden. wnuld he a GREAT ,inluti,n Of tho
Constitution M r,n, n..atI..i...,..'.r
tne humane WI when II" had ihtrodnccd INT"
the Senate. in his remarks when the veto was
received. said. and said well
uo.-.,...I IT,. ...,,. c... ,.......
but particularly because it would hazard. if
not defeat, the passage of the great and bcncii-
cent measure He had heard when the hil
was before tn" House. when it PASSED that
body. and came up To- this House, that 1t
would hc vetoed, but he had never believed
that the President would disclose his purposes
To those busy. tilc-bcarIn%, rumur-circulatiug
and inlrutug individuals. Geographic and
letter writing correspondents, - who live.
move and have their being in the smiles Of
Executive favor. For once the ten thousand
lying tongues Of rs'nor have spoken the
truth. W hat was doubt and uncertainty
yesterday is to-day historic truth The bill
was vetoed on two grounds, -incXred
and unconsttutionahty lie thought that,
though considerations of eXpcdicncv of lcgls-
lation dld not exc uSlycly belong to Congress
nd ,eG 'I t,i'tu -" Ioln,u.
of land mentioned in the MESSAGE. to the
grants of land for school purposes, to endow
colleges, to establish universities, construct
iIaus cI,l"ls' rallIoau9' lne snip canai At ~ q
Which had received the sanction Of Govern.
ment for % years There were one hundred
acts in the statute book, granting land to the
ala.es lot spetinc SHlec's: ~ was singular I
vetoed ,yas tLo fret nne Which gavo land "a
all the States, in something like an equitable
and Just distribution, If this bill be uncon-
sIltu'iohai' then no act granting llhu 10 any
st,ut;onal Tbo ",ora Corrros,
full and absolute power to dispose of and
make all neediul rules and regulations res
PectihP sne territory Ut otner properly VI .ne
Constitution. That thew rave annie mower
to Congress TO DISPOSE of the publc lands no
man could doubt. This provision was So
clear that no man outside of a lunatic ASYLUM
could have anv difficulty in interpreting it
He argued the subject for A considerable
time. contendinq thai the bill was lust. wise
humane and constitutional
T., a. Al. L;.L c,,,o,,,a NJ d.,
80 '"' "''0" ''1
saiu ne saw nothing IN the Dill thus vetoed
differing in principle from the many acts
making grants of lands for various objects