Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-05-17

We have telegraphic intelligence of the pas
sage, without debate. through the two Houses ri
Congress. of bills making donations Of public
lands to Railroad companies in four or FIVE
States. embracing the two Southern States oi
Alabama and Florida. This is probably designed
more for appearance. and to weaken the point
which might be made agains, the Democratic
party If the South. on account of its suicidal
peey in this matter, than in spirit Of fairness
aud PREPARATION to the South The Federal gov.
eminent having long since forfeited its trustee.
ship Of the public lands, by the ineqoi'able uses
il has made of what was designed for the com
mon benefit Of all the States, the Wing party
have proposed. as q measure of simple justice.
that .ystem should be adopted either for the
fair and equitable apporticnmen, among the
States of the entire public domain. that the
Fedora. government. continuing It's agency for
the States. shouid be compelled to distribute
among them the proceeds resulting from the
sales. This the Democratic party have violent
ly and successfully opposed. The consequence
has been that the public lands have become u
prey TO political sharpers aud spectators, and
that millions upon millions Of acres have been
squandersd for local uses and the benefit Of indi.
viduals. Log rolling combinations have been en-.
tered into in Congress- every session. by means IT
which immense bodies of the public domain have
been granted TO stock companies aud Incorporated
institutions, by which the members have been en-
riehed. while the States in which they are located
have received but little bene6, and the country
al large none al all. The democratic creed for.
bids state TO receive appropriation from this
souroe.by which all its citizens would be equally
benefited - but the democratic party have not
the power to prevent stock companies obtaining
grants. by Which, individuals enriched as in
the case If The Illinois Central Railroad
A debate occurred H. she Senate al the united
States the 9th inst. which illustrates the con.
fusion Of IDEAS and the conflict Of crecd- among
Me democratic leaders On this important topic.
Its length is too great for our space. but we will
endeayor TO present some of its leading eharae-
teristics. We shall quote only from Demoore,io
Senators. The question on appropriation
of s25 600 for the construction of a bnrbor at
Marquette ON Lake Superior.
Mr. Cass advocated the passage of the bill ON
the ground that harbor at that point was neces
cary "a navigation.
Mr.. Stuart Mr. Cass's colleague) entered in
to lengthy and detailed explanation of the bill.
warmly urging its passage.
Mr.. Hunter objected to the plan Of tho bill as
departure from the system recommended by
the Department. lie thought that If we do go
into these improvements il would certainly be
fairer to go into them system than to do it
by parts and parcels, to meet the opportunities Of
a particular neighborhood, or the demands of "A
particular place. We either ought to leave these
works to the cities and States which are nteres.
ted in this eommerce,or else, if the General Gov.
ernment engages in them it ought to do so ON
some general system, distributing its benefits -
qually and generally throughout the Union"
Mr. Stuart replied that when it had been pro
posed heretofore To adopt the estimate of the De-
partment, that Senator opposed it because he
said there 'wouldbs no end toit. He never did
vote for one of these bills. and he never will do
So If you follow the estimates, he says there is
no end to the expenditure. Now when you pro.
poseby the bill to f1 IN end to IL expenditure,
he is-epposed to that: MIR. Stuart did not see
how the Senator'S argument could stand with it.
self.
But, sir. continued Mr.. Stuart cannot consent
that we shall be met at all points by the Senator
fromNirginia. Human ingenuity cannot devise n
DILL on this question for which he will vote | do
not'say this for the purpose of censu, ing the Sen
-ator, as he well knows. aude to his opinions.
II is his duty to stand by his opinions object
10 his mode OF attack. When we propose one
plan he attacks il for the reason that he does not
like that plan. When another is proposed he al,
tacks it because he does not like it. You NAV
change the plan as often as you please and the
Senator will attack IL, because he is opposea I,
the whole.
Mr. Hunter replied The Senator from Michi
gan hassaid that he cannot frame bill on th
subject for whiohi will vote That is true, but
ID know thatthere are very few who entertain m,
opinions; and now make appeal to that ma
lorty who have the power and who are nov
moulding and directing this policy. say tina
those whod not entertain these opinions and VIII,
have the power to institute the policy ought $,
to mould it that it will be most conducive to Jus
tlce and impartialityto the progress and improve
ment OF the country. say that fihose who hay
the power and means to introduce this prinoipl
will look TO the best interests of the country the
will find, think. that it will be Far better TO hav
some general system which shall diffuse its ben
efits equally and generally over the Union tina
to spend the money in particular localities in ia
vored and special places.
Mr.. BUTLER. Mr.. President, have 80 ofte
troubled the Senate on this subject that l sha
not enter into the debate now. | rise simplv ,
make an appeal to the MAJORITY who entertain th
opinion that Congress can regulate commerce b
the appropriation of money for internal in
provements. Whether gentlemen term it ger
eral or partial system, care not | SUI
pose that If there were an entirety Of desigl
which look ed IN that il colIad N -a,a,oI .,,..a