Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-05-22
The Land Distrlbution Bill.

the Kuow>Nothing party. The Wing
party had some little regard for the Con-
Ssitution of this country. The leaders OF
the Know. Nothing party have no regard
either for the Constitution of the country
or the plainrss principles of common JUS
tice,a Eaough has been said by them up
on the Land Bill 10 disgust every man
who has tie least sense OF the duty OF man
% abide by and reverence constitutional
obligation. saH sA
They raise the hue and cry about the
dissolution Of the Union, and at the same
q time, they drive the stiletto at the heart
that gives life and animation to its giant
foru-the constitution-Without which
g the Union could not and would not exist.
With the Constitution. the Union ia safe.
a our liberties secure: without is the con-
s,itutionAl Union is at an end. and the
battles of liberty must be fought over
again So long as the citadel ofour liber-
ties. the Constitution. is secure, the Union
10 safe; undermine and sap the citadel,
and all is lost. The Constitution Of the
: United States is the last battlement Of
modern liberty he who assails it is a
traitor and should die. And yet the
Know Nothing leaders. who by the Land
Bill, are driving the deathstroke at the
heart OF the Constitution are suffered 10
live. Were they ignorant. they would
be excusable; but they are doing the
deed, knowing the crime. The Consti
tnsion has conferred upon Congress no
power TO give Il public lands to States.
G,and yet these men are seeking to put
men.in Congress for the a' owed purpose
sf-giring these lands to the States.
= Hear Mr.. Weoster's views, (see his
speech delivered in the U. S. Senate.
February lllh, 1887. Niles Register,
Page784. 5-r. a-- .i,-a.
= :"Now, ak, where is the power TO
. make. lhistgrant ? live look upon it os
accession for the benefit OF the States in
which the lands lie. ii it was a gratuitous
grant OF lands in any degree. whence is
the power obtained. to authorize Con-
gress 10 give away the public lands
Well, the answ er 10 this question might
be, that the proposition is not to make a
gift Of it, as certain returns were to be
made TO Congress by The new States.
Now, by the Constitution of the country.
the trust. the management. the DISPOSE
lion Of the public lands were conferred on
Congress-, and ask, is it possible that any
man can. maintain the proposition, that
as they were placed in their hands. as
belonging to the whole people Of the Un-
:ited States. they could transfer the gen.
eral disposition OF them. 1t appears to
me that they might just as we'll entertain
this proposition as to farm out the Gus
tom house in New York on certain trims.
"Nor do know that Congress has any
more authority to give away these lands
than. the proceeds Of a custom bouse on
particular stipulations nor can they sur
render the control of,it any more than
they can assign to others the power Of
collecting the revenue Of the custom
house in Boston or elsewhere. | see,
therefore, objections insurmountable
whether they assume the shape of a grG-
taitous cession or Of a trust. In either
case. it transcends the power OF Congress.
What is the duty Of Congress Is tito
make the public lands a common fatnd for
the benefit of the whole people of the
Union. The object is to sell it, the pub
lie lands gradually; and whilst it is in a
state of ownership. have always held
that Congress might make it more Ualua-
DE By the creation of railroads. canals and
ether Improvements ct this sort. have
felt no difficulty, therefore, in supporting
grants to accomplish these objects; be-
cause it is q very efficient mode Of in
orensing the value of the public domain"
Now, gentlemen, Old Line Wings.
such are the opinions of your great ex-
FOUNDER, Daniel Webster; and be SAYS
plainly, your Land Bill is unconstitu,ion-
al. He says more-that the granting
OF portions OF the public domain to
construct railroads, DC. through the
public lands and make them more yslua-
BILE is constitutional.
But what is the use TO speak to Know
Nothings about Webster and the consti-
tuition. You had as well speak to a set
of bastard children about father. These
people have never known q father, and
never will, SO long as such molungeons
are their leaders. Their existence is the
feverish existence Of brothel, betrayed
by the very political prOcurers. to whom
they are ready to sell without any earth>
ly consideration, the citadel of our coun-
try's liberties-the Constitution ITSELF
Envying the beauty and the glory of the
virgin States of the Republic. they are
clamoring to make tho old States gaudy
with the fragments Of the constitution !:
nor caring though they expose the sacrum
Of their country's honor.
II is true that Congress has granted
to the new States alternate sections Of
land. for the purpose of constructing
roads. DC. but this was done for the pur
pose Of iacreasin. the value OF the resi-.
due and for the public good. and has
had that effect. Apd. again. while Con-
rress has been granting these lands for
these purposes to the S;ates-the young