The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1854-06-07

taS1 AAk&sAAN W kstr udktts
Sir. TO nv understanding i: il clear
todenonstrafion; either thsre 10 trut
attached to those lands. or there il nos.
Ii there is no trus, and the United
States own them a. property. absolute
property. 10 perfect Ownership, then
the power Of disposition on the part Of
the United States il not only legally
but morally complete aud full. That
power. whatever il 10, the constitution
Of the United States sssts in Coasressi
and therefore Congress has power TO
dispose sf the lands as il shall think
ht and proper. 7'hax. ia this siew Of
the case. all Constitutional objections
must disappear. Bat il. with REGARD to
the lands ce.ied "a the United States
by individual members If the Union.
the trust subsists. why. sir. il is paIter-
ing with US ia double sense to say
that yaa discharge that trust by sell
ing the lands and putting the proceeds
in the Treasury. You do not do IL;
you apply the fand to purpose and
in manner which was not designed. :
The debt that il was 10 enable the Co
sernment to pay has long ago been dis
charged, and therefore the money, IN
stead of being mixed with the general
funds in the Treasury, ought. according
to the principles Of equity and right. Il
YOU annex the idea al a trust for the con-
mon benefit Of all the S,atrs, 10 20 to.
'and ought always to have been iistri.
buted among. the members Of the Un>
ion, so soon as the pledge was satis6>
ed. That would meet not only the equi.
ty and the justice Of the case. That is
what. il il were the case Of . private
trustee. any court Of equits on earth
would decree aud it is what. there
fore. if we assume the principle Of
trust. the Congress Of the United
States. in my Judgment. Is not only at
liberty to do. but IL bound to do.
Now, Mr.. President, see the situs.
tion in which these old States have
placed themselves. We have granted
to asylums in Kentucky and Connect.
cut each twenty-three thousand and
forty acres; and those two grants. I
believe, constitute the whole amount
Of grants made for the benefit OF any
Of the old States Of the Union while
we have granted to the new States .
quantity which, estimated at the ordi.
nary low price which we hr ON ,hsin.
the value nf ei.2s an acre. would DC
J worth SI5S,I65,75i. Sir, this cannot
be right. Gentlemen may have logic
for it : but it is impossible that il can
commend itself to justice ; aud may
say thatany system Of reasoning which
results ia such conrluson, is obliged
to be fallacious. The States are equals
in power aud dignity. They have pro-
portional rights in the public domain.
upon the supposition Of trust. But
J whatever be the amount OF the right,
the right is perfect; and should be
ashamed to stand up and tell my con-
titutuents, You have no ground OF
complaint; it is true, more than three
millions Of acres.of lands cedcd BY you
, for the common purposes Of the country
have been granted by Congress to an
, individual State. More than ESQ.
, 100000 worth of land situated ia the
new States has been granted to those
. States for various internal improve
ments and other local purposes. Not
: an acre haseyer been appropriated for
e your benefit; yet it was held that the
7 United states were trustee for your
/, benefit in common with all the other
4 States of the Union; you can never have
an acre appropriated for your benefit
; you can never have an acre Of any pub
Z lie land which may be obtained by trea-
e ty or by conquest at any time hereafter
5 appropriated tn your benefit; yet it is all
1 right. it is all just There is logic for
/, it. The Constitution is against your
. having any of it. The Constitution says
e you are equals, but you must have no.
c thing. The Constitution says it is q
i common fund for the benefit Of all
$ but it must all be given to some; and
!. therefore, although you get nothing,
and they get all. you are obliged, BY
{ irresistible process Of reasoning. to be,
4 lieve. for you cannot dispute tie Con.
u sttution, that you have had all the
o time your full share, logically and con.
It stitutionally considered"
: Sir. we are not to be gulled in tha'
e way in my part Of the country. Th,
|. idea Of principle is very good thing
II but a principle to be Of any value mus
:, work out SOME practical and bene6cia
d results. To tell me that man hold
my property for my benefit. as well q
N tor the benefit of the other people, an,
1. yet it is against the law Of the trus
IL to let me have any Of it, is to assert
d. principle that would not commend il
Ii self either to may Judgment or my il
he terest; and. therefore. | should reie,
te- it. both with my heartand with my hes,
e. Hence. Mr.. President, I say that, tel
te ing this subject in any. view. the =,
~ tion is fallscious. II these lands b.
long to the II. States az rnnerfv. w;ti