Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-06-17

WIGS SQUANDERING THE PUBLIC LANDS.
The people of North Carolina have been address
al and appealed to for years by the leaders of the
roderal party on the subject of the public lands
This subject has, indeed, constituted at times al
psent almost the entire political stock in trade Of
those leaders, they have rung the changes upon it in
al their newspapers and from every stump; and
ro,uv, to listen to and believe them, an unsophsti-
Gated man would come to the conclusion that the
democrats had combined to waste the public lands
or give them away, and that these Federal leaders
had been exerting themselves necessarily to retain
these lands and secure justice in them and by them
n be old States But what are the facts? Why,
e facts show that these Federal leaders have
redeemed the first pledge which they have made to
the people on this subject. In 1e41, when they had
the power as the result of political victory which
it was boosted would lead to distribution of the
proceeds so as to enable North Carolina to increase
vastly the usefulness of her Common Schools and
build Railroads almost in all directions, they passed
aLi making distribution but the bill was so franz
cd out of Difference to the States and the Tariff
States that the old Atlantic States North Carolina in
elusive received nothing in comparison with what was
given to other sections 1t provided first that the
new States should eceive each five hundred thous
and acres as gift AMI secondly that the old States
should have money out of the treasury in the way of
poceeds in case the Tariff should not be raised above
twenty per cent Tie States, under this act, at
once located their andsof course they selected the
best and their right to them became vested and fix
ed But the Tariff States clamored for more protec
ton and expenses were running up under Wing
rule and the Tariff was raised by the same party
above twenty per cent and the old States ecere hS
cut off, North Carolina got some twenty-thousand
dollars instead of the millions which were promised
her; and she had to pay that back in duties on i'm
ported goods, and hundred ofthousands more, under
the operations of the increased Tariff thus imposed
upon her by these leaders.
This is one specimen of the justice obtained for
this State by the Federal leaders. Their only
is that they tried in raising the Tariff to strike out
the proviso about distribution so to continue dis
tributon to the old States well as the new, but
John Tyler who was opposed to distribution, would
not have signed such bill; but then, who elected
John Tyler? Was l. not their work? And why
did they insert the proviso at all? Why did they
thus prepare the 0ay for injustice and aorong, accor
ding to their own admission, to tile old States?
Tho people of this State have heard good deal
Of late, from Gen. Dockery and others, about the
grant of land by Congress for building the Illinois
Railroad; and though this bill was signed by Mr.
Fillmore as all others of the same kind were during
bis administration, yet these Federal leaders would
have the people believe that Democrats are en-
tirely responsible for these measures We now
assert, and the records will show that this bill, of
which so much complaint has been made, ac0s roted
J0r in the Senate By Nessrs Nangum and Badger, |
OF this State, and sustained by q majority Of
Wings and opposed By majority Of Democrats in
lie House of Representatives. For the vote of Messrs.
Badger and Mangum, see Cong. Globe, vol. 81 part
1page 904. What is true of this bill-for it |
leading one-holds good in relation to the others.
Here then we have body of men attempting to
Oe an opposite party responsible for the very thing
ueE have done themselves, and striving to make |
oes BY condemnirg the policy which they have
OPted and acted upon for years. They passed these
US making gifts, grants and the like by alternate
sections and otherwise for Railroad improvements
wi the benefit as tev insist, of the new States
uef President approved them all without word of
rOFSt or objection; and now they have the assur-
~'e 10 set up cry over the injustice done to North
ca'Onna, to denounce Democrats the of this
IJuSuce, and to charge even that the lands are
Nis squandered, when it IS notorious, and they
NuO~ 1t that not the first bill of this character has
elVed the approval of President Pierce! What
DuS the honest masses of the people think of such
hen?
another noticeable feature in this matter is that
-, last Wing National Convention was silent on the
~'ece OF the public lands. The reason for this 81
.e was that the question might be handled to suit
NUS localities. In the West and portions of the
I'm nun tne leaders for homestead bills, graduation
~ ana for policy which would result in the loss
H., whole domain and in the old States South
g., uanor for division of the lands among the
,Dd =, oppose all homestead and graduation bills
h,. ''S tney do as good Wings because their plat
Met y, not bind them to any thing on the subject
d. erai patriots they in the new States, rea-
h,a " give every man, whether foreigner or not,
Sev WITHOUT charge; most afflicted patriots are
av ~ Tue old States ready to say or to do almost
au,t is TO rouse the peopleaganst the "locofoco''
and d"1 as they term it. Of giving the lands away
" 'p,i'ng North Carolina Of her rights
ha,s 'narge it on these Wing leaders that they
The - 4uandered the public lands, and we point to
sss, t i and show the proof Let them now an
iva. =, " 'ne people Let them tell why and how
Npoi. MI Mangum and Mr.. Badger voted for this
Ap,aa:, and why and how it was their Z. mo-
Sesn e IN Mr.. Fillmore affixed his signature to
es Of ."ey have charged that this BILL and 9TH
''' character, were grossly unjust to