Weekly Clarksville chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 185?-1857, 1857-06-05


public lands among the several States, as |
an attempt torevive an obsolete and nm
constitutional measure long since con
demned by the popular vote; and we see
in 1t an admission Of the wisdom of the
policy proposed and advocated by our
wisest Democratic statesmen, of setting
apart and reserving the public domain for
future homes of ourselves and children IL
1t is indeed time, in the language Of Presi-
dent Jackson, that the public lands should
cease to be looked to, as source of rev.
enue or an object of plumber, and dedicat-
ed to the encouragement Of q hardy popu-
lation, and the benefit Of the actual set
tlersl E1dE az lISII8E3 .HaI
The foregoing is one of the resolutions
recently adopted by the democracy Of
Tennessee, assembled in convention at
Nashville 1t contains declaration of
hostility to distribution, and denounces
that measure as "obsolete and unconstitu-
tional.P Can it be obsolete, when not
session of Congress passes without the en-
actment of some law comforting immense
grants of land upon some new State, or
Territory? Twelve millions of acres we're
given to Minnesota, alone, last winter, and
the people of Illinois are now exempt
from taxation simply because the demo-
cratic members of Congress have voted
appropriations of the public lands to build
the internal improvements Of that State,
whilst the slaveholding States have been
left to rely upon their energies for the ac-
accomplishment of that which is done for the
free States by the General Government,
|. through the agency Of the democratic
party. i.'- -. tf ri ~ "iaagn
Is it unconstitutional, as the foregoing
resolution assertsP Then democracy stands
self-aocused and self-convicted of willful
, and repeated violations Of the Constitu-
ton; and the attempt, in this resolution,
to make Gen. jackson authority for these
violations of the Constitution, is an act Of
injustice to his memory, and a gross per.
version Of truth. He was one of the first
to recommend the distribution of the public
lands among the several States, according
to the ratio of representation, and nowhere
has he declared such equable distribution
to be unconstitutional, or that it was con
stitutional to give the public lands to the
free States to the utter exclusion of the
slaveholding States. IF distribution BE-
constitutional and no man denies it, bu
for partizan ends-then justice demands
that it shall be equal in its operation, i
unconstitutional, the action of the demo
cratic party is in contravention of thu
Constitution, of justice and of State rights
whenever the public lands are partially
distributed for the bene/ of the free States
alone. "'l
But this resolution further asserts that
is "the policy" of the "wisest Democrat,
statesmen" to set apart the public lands
for culture homes of ourselves and child
rem" Is this statement true? Some sucl
theory has been advanced by members o
all parties, but that such is the policy o
the democratic party is anything but true
and again is the name of Jackson intro
duced to endorse falsehood That h,
asserted shat the public lands should
cease to be looked to, as a source of rev
enue, or an object of plumber" is true
but his position was, that the lands shout,
be equally distributed, or granted to &C
tual settlers. But where is the proof tina
he ever gave the lie to his own recommen
dations to Congress- for the disposal Of tn,
public lands, by advising that they be Sc
|, distributed as to buy up the new States, a
the cost of the old? When he advised
that the. lands cease to be source of rev
enue, or an object of plumber, he littl
dreamed that they would be held exclusive
ly for the latter purpose, or that his part,
would ever use his name to justify conduc
so at war with every principle of justice
and common honesty. i
The truth is, the authors of this resolu
ton know that it did violence to truth il
every line; and it was evidently prepare,
with view to cheat the masses, and t
mislead them on a point of deep an,
general interest to the entire South. Their
is evidently an understanding between tn
democrats of the North and South, tina
: the public lands shall be held as briber
fund-those of the latter section, agreein
- to sacraice the South for the sake of tn
" party, whilst those of the former, bin
themselves that the new States shall b
democratic, on condition that they ar