The Hillsborough recorder., 1854-05-24
SPEECH OF
Hon. Sion H. Rogers,
or NORTH cARoIINA

HON. Sion ii. Rogers,
on NORTH CAROLINA.
On the Land Distribution Biii.
Delivered in The lIouse Of Representatives,
Apnl -. 1854.
conrluded.
Ihase thus far spoken with reference
TO the lands acquired hy cession from
the States. Let Us now see how stand !
the case with regard to the land pur,
chased by this Government, and fol
vhicha price. in mnney, was paid; which
meney has been raised. or is to be rails.
ed. under our revenue laws, operating
on aiLt the States.
Al the lowest estimate, the public
lands IN the original purchase. and the
management Of them, have cost this
Government about $500 ,000. 900 over
and above what has been received from
their sales.
4 get these facts from the speech Of
my honorable friend from New York,
Mr.. Bennett. which he delivered in
this Hall during the first session of the
last Congress; and have ascertained
from other sources that they are true.
And we still owe many millions of
annuities 10 Indians for land under
treaties; and the expense of Indian
treaties, Indian agents, commission
ers, &C., amounts annually to large
sum.
Now, sir. who pays the money into
yonr Treasury with which these pur-
chases have been made. and with which
your land system has been kept up ?
North Carolina, South Carolina, Geor.
gia, and all the old States, paw a pro-
portion. And think / will be able
to show that they pay much larger pro.
portion than they have in the repre-
sentation upon this floor. and yet they
receive nothing, either in the way Of
lands or Of the proceeds arising from
the sales thereof; but they are given
to the land States-States which bear
the smallest proportion in the general
charge and expenditure.
| will take the case Of North Caroli-
ma, andmake the estimateras IL she pay
a proportion into the Treasury merely
equal ~ her present representation
upon this floor. How much will these
public lands have cost her? They
have cost the General Government
$500, ,0O0,0 over and above the re-
ceipts from their sales.
There are two hundred and thirty
four members Of this House I; by arith.
metic you can see that they have cost
each district having a member here
%, lS6,752. North Carolina is entitled
to eight members, then eight times that
amount is what she has paid for public
lands, amounting to sl7 ,094 ,016.
But is this all? No, sir. Until the
last census; North Carolina had ten
members upon this floor, and the call !.
should be made for ten instead
Df eight; for nearly the whole Of this
outlay was made before the apportion-
nent under the last census, which !
would make her share i'm this charge
lpon the general Treasury SCI, 1867,
$40. So it is with Virginia, South
Carolina, Massachusetts,, and the other
I'D States. From statement which
have, and which is reliable, think
t can be shown, and clearly shown,
hat North Carolina, Virginia, South
;arolina, and Georgia, have paid a
much larger proportion of this $500.
100000 than they should. according
. their representation here; |
"It is generally admitted principle Of com.
nercial law, that the amount OF imports is regu.
ated by the amount exports. and since our re-
enuc is raised from duties upon imports, il fol-
ows, if it can he shown that two thirds Of the
domestic exports fthiscountry arethc products of
lave labor, that the proposition is sustained
hat two thirds Of the entire revenue from imports
$ paid by the labor of slaves
The value of our domestic exports
n 1852 was Sl92, ,368,984. OI this
mount, Sl26, ,4Ol .69l where the pro-
lucts of the southern States-more
han two thirds. 1t is impossible to say
With positive certainty what amount Of
hese products was raised in any par
ocular State, because States bordering
ipon each other will export the pro-
lucts of each other; but we can make
| near approximation to it.
North Carolina has two hundred and
lightweight thousand FIVE hundred aud
orty.eight slaves within her limits, ac-
:ording to the last census; which is
lbout one eleventh Of the entire slave
population Of this country, and We may
reasonably infer that she raises one
eleventh Of the entire products export
ID from the South, and therefore pays
INTO your Treasury one eleventh of
two thirds, or two thirty thirds OF the
entire revenue arising from duties on
imports.
Now. sir, if these facts be so, and |
think the calculation is near approach