Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-03-21

The Register and the Public Lands.
Our cotemporary Of the Registe" calls upon us to
"come out manfuy" in favor of " North Cardinals
share of the public lands" We beg to be excused.
NorthC Carolina one of the thirtyone States, has
common interest in the public lands; and the fed
era government is ker agent trustee dispose of
these lands for the common benefit. The federal
government has more power to divide these lands
than it would have to divide the ships and mum
tons of war; for, general thing, the lands were
acquired just these ships and munitions OF war
have been, by the common blood and treasure, and
should be sacredly preserved and used for the COM
mon expenditure. We much opposed as the
Register can be to squandering these lands pri-
vate corporations and we have assurance in Mr..
Buchanan's Inaugural, that this squandc,ing will be
arrested. But if the constitutional power to divide
the lands clear, the policy of distributing eth.
er the lands their proceeds among the States,
would be useless, injurious and unwise We
pect to show this soon, in reply to contemporary.
We perceive that the main issue of the Know Moth
ings this State and Virginia is to be the public
lands. We arc ready to meet it. 1t will not bear
the touch of examination. 1t is the weakest is
sue which could be presented
the action of the Wing and Know Nothing parties
on this subject? In 1910 the Wings obtained pow
err. They had both houses of Congress and Pres.
ident of their own selection. In that campaign the
public land question of the main issues;
and they promised the people that if they would
only place them in power, they would at once enrich
the States from this source. They passed a distri-
button act wi a proriso however, that if the Tar
if.tayes should be raised above twenty per cent.
distribution should cease. What then? They dis
tributed pittance-this State go:, believe,
twenty thousand dollars; and then raised the
Thrift and thus cut off distribution. Has our CO.
temporary forgotten these facts? Has he forgotten
that the Wings of 1912 thought more of the manu-
featuring States, shown by thus raising the Tar
iH than they did of North Carolina and the other
agricultural States?
Again: How did it happen that the last Wing
national Convenon-the one which nominated Gen.
Scott-said nothing about the pubic lands or their
proceeds? Will our contemporary answer that?
Again: How is it, and why is it that the Know
Nothing platforms are also silent on this subject p
Was it more important to persecute "strangers in
the land and Catholics, than it was to obtain
"North-Carona's share" of the public lands? And
have the Catholics and " forei gners' been extermi
mated? Has the evil in this respect, which it is al
legged exists, and to which much complaint has
been made, disappeared? Are we to hear nothing
more about Americans ruling America" After
the action of the Wing Convention that nominated
Gen. Scott and in view of the further fact that the
know Nothings as party have ignored the public
land question, what right has our contemporary to
raise his voice for distribution? All. we beg par
don-he does it " citizen" and not "as party
man." This being the case, we trust he will be
more explicit hereafter Let him write under his
pctures this is a man." and "this Is horse
Let him say, "these the acords of a citizen u
and "these tile aoords of party man." We
shall then begin to understand him, and to appreci
ate the nature and the quality of his editorial pro
auctions. As it is, we are frequently at loss to
determine scho 1t is that is addressing the public
whether the "citizen" Editor or the "pnrtizan" Ell.
ltor. Our contemporary has cbligingly stated the
difference between himself and himself the Pacific
hallway question-has announced that I" as citi.
zen ne is opposed to it, but "as party man" he
was in favor Of it. We ready and even anxious
10 discuss the distribution question with him; but
We Want no 'prbbles and prabbes'' about il, I've
ues're to understand hi and to know the difference
In this case as in the other. before fairly com.
mence What say you neighbor? Are you for
distribution as citizen" but against it, or ndif
'erent about it {" as party man? Let US hear from
you.