The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-07-07

Mr. TOUCEY / thought that AZ the institution was in
I asked with some view 10 embarrass mo fN 'e- '
Mr. BELL had no sncb tbonobt assprs tho se,o,or
Mr. TOUCEY / am willing TO ayow INV sentiment,
here publicly on every ouestion which comes ksf,ra ms
saw sir that over all this pronerty Iongng 10 The UnJ
States of every kind and descripo, in ,hss
three classes and equally over every part of II by thu
clause of the eopstitntion the sam. no. s,
ed in Congress to dspose of 4 and 10 rcua,e n Wha
YOU can do with one YOU can do with t6e nth. IF nr
can give away the one you can give away the other
YOU can sell the lands and give away The procceas va,
can sell the shps-of.war and give away the nroceed n
you appropriate the one to State YOU can
propra The other to State purposes also There is no es
same place in the same can he spnnossd t th
same time 10 bear two meanings The
the other In order to relieve s from onr constton
cmbarrassments
The honorable senator from North Carolina .r
says the United States hold the nub lands in absolte
dominion Then they hold the other public property in
absolute dominion for they hold both by the Same ryht
and title and in the same CAPACITY; and they have The
power both for is granted by the same clause
and in the identical words And at this late day
think no one will be bold enough to maintain unlimited
power in Congress over the public moneys or any public
property of the United States except the public lands
which seem 10 be regarded bv some as onsde az Tho con-
suton and not falling within its protection while thew
look to the constitution for all power over them
The lands the ships the moneys of the United States
all held by them in their fsdrare character The nnblc
property belonging to them must be held by them in that
capacity if held at all for il is ACQUIRED by the execution
of federal powers for federal purposes Ii not held bv
Sk0feS for ftyar
they would hold il as mere tenants in common and each
State could dispose of its interest for its own
poses without the consent Of the others Ru Il Is held bv
the United States in their eederatvc character soI G
the constitutional purposes of the government renub
can government is but an It's constitution Is ;s
power of attorney The federal government is but the
agent of the confederated States ITS powers are strictly
fdnciary lis propertv Is held in trsnot in absolnto
dominion but in trust for the objects of ,ba Thst
the agent should be the owner in absoute domnon o
of his principal nut into his hands in trust for the
oofb bu
men are expressly declared and the extent of his
clearly defined is proposton in itself yerv icnt tn he
compehended have no very precise idea OF that kind Of
absolute dominion meant to be EXPRESSED when n is sad
that the agent is the owner Of the ofhs
that the trustee Is the owner of the pronerv of bs
oue tru or that one man is the owner in absolute do
minion of the property of another
The public properly of every description drawn from
the people by the federal power of taxaion
and set apart and devoted by the constitution 10 the
cution of It's granted powers he carried hack 70 The
States without reversing the constitutional action Of be
government; for which no provision has been made IF
there be superuous property no longer wanted the ony