The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-06-27
pulairul,
Cessien Of the Public LANDS.
Mr.. PERKINS SPEECH.

We advertcd a few days ago to the bills now
pending in Congress for the transfer of the Pub.
lie lands within the States to the States in
which they are situated At the same time we
referred to the speech on this subject by Mr..
Perkins OF Louisiana, as one of marked abili.
~. Turning to that speech, we find two argu.
ments N favor Of the proposition so striking
and so forcibly presented that we deem it ap-
propriate to extract the II for the benefit Of Our
readers The extracts containing the two ar
guments alluded to are as follows:
A great argument in favor Of the substitute
is, that it curtals executive patronage. By its
adoption 22S federal offices will be abolished
and their dutie, imposed upon State officers.
Mr.. Calhoun, to whom it was given to de.
tect danger to the constitution before it was
visible to most minds, aud whose eloquence
was but the earnest prutes, Of the future against
the present. once said that the greatest instru-
ments of consolidation under our government
were the land Office, tie currency, aud the
post office.
The constitution, as originally interpreted by
its trainers, left the great mass of Legislation
to the States, and restricted the Federal Gov.
ernment to the management Of foreign affairs,
and a few internsl matters. Yet, so disguised
under pride of national greatness has been
the tendency to consolidation, that, insensibly,
one power after another has been assumed un
I'll the general government, almost to the ex-
clusion Of the State governments, has made
itself FELT in all the relations Of life. Its Ell.
croachments have been invisible, but constant
With the addition of each new State, the
relative greatness of the General Government
has been increased, and that of the individual
States diminished. With increased power to
reward, It's offices have become more valuable.
The popular mind has associated increase OF
constitutional power with national develop.
ment. Congress has absorbed nearly all the
legislation of the country--its sessions ncreas
ing in length, while those of the State legisla.
lures have become less frequent and shorter.
Under the administration Of Mr.. Jefferson,
in 1902, there were but five heads Of depart.
ment there are now seven. There were then
but $500 federal officers: there are now in the
employment of Government, throughout the
country, 35, 456.
The adoption of the substitute will abolish
22S of these; and, with advantages to The par
ticular interests involved, transfer their duties
to those of the States.
John Randolph, of Roanoke, speaking on
this subject in the Senate Of the United States
in March, 1926, said:
"I wish that every new State had all the
lands within the State, that, in the shape of
receiverships and other ways these States might
not be brought under the influence of this ten
mile square. In other words, wish that all
the patronage Of the land Office was in the
hands of the individual States, and not in the
hands of the General Government. I am the
friend of Stale rights, and will cSs down the
patronage Of the General Government, which
has increased, is increasing, and must be di.
minished or we-the States-shal be not on
" shorn of our beams sir, but abolished
quite"
Mr.. Van Buren, in May of the same year.
in the Senate, said: The public lands had "ex-
tended the patronage of the Government over
the States to great extent" and subjected"
those in which they were situated, to an unwise
and Improbable dependence on the Federal
Government. No man could render the coun-
try greater service than. he who should devise
some plan by which the United States might
be relieved from the ownership Of this proper.
ty by some equitable mode." He would vote
for proposition on such term
II 1880, Mr. Hayne in the Senate, said:
"More than one.half our time has been ia.
ken up with the discussion Of propositions con-
nected with the public lands, and more than
one.haf of our acts embrace provisions grow
ing out of this fruitful source"
In 1889, Mr.. Calhoun said the discussion
about their disposition consumed one-third of
the time of Congress.
Mr.. Speaker Boyd, in answer to- an inquiry
made by me under date of May 2l, 1854,
says:
Il state as my deliberate opinion that, du-
ring the sixteen years ! have served in Con-
gress, at least one third Of the entire time of
that body has been consumed in the considera.
tion of questions connected, in one form or
other. with our public land system"
The Clerk of this House, Col. Forney, in
note in reply to an inquiry on this subject says:
Fifteen. hundred columns of the Congres:
sional Globe and Appendix for the Thirty Sec
ond Congress, are taken up with debates on
public lands; and the expense 10 the Govern.
ment incurred alone by the time consumed, was
sl43520"
Again: THIS substitute not only reduces the
patronage Of the General Government resulting
from the administration Of the public lands, but
IL takes Msmoutof the political arena. Il ques
ton purely Of political economy aoiH no longer
be made one Of partisan controversy. It's nun.
Intervention in the local Interests and politics of
tie States.n
Idesire to discuss the subject upon elevated
principles, and without appeal to party feelings
But ask members if the disposition OF the
i. LIZ. ke.,