Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-03-04

The Public Lands.

The Public Lands.
This subject is again, very properly, occupying
a large share OF public attention in Virginia and
all of the older States. The recent course OF
Congress has been such as to demand change
of policy, unless we have determined to permit
the whole of this vast domain Of common prop
erty to be appropriated to the use and beneht OF
few of the States of the Unicn.
When the schen.e of Distribution was origi-
nally proposed by Mr. Clay, there was show OF
plausibility in Democratic opposition to 1t. AT
the same time the subject OF protective tanh
was agitated, and the opponents OF both meas
ures contended that the object OF tile Wings was
TO divert the proceeds of land sales from the
Treasury, so as to render high tariff necessary
They argued further that the public lands con-
stituted sacred fund, held by the Federal Gov
eminent for the benefit of all the States, and
that the money arising from them ought to be
applied to diminishing the common burden land
upon the people in the way of custom-house
taxes. Every dollar of the land money, they
said, must go into the Federal Treasury, ana be
paid out only to meet the expenses OF Govern
ment. Divert the money to other purposes
they continued, and you must Immediately in
crease the amount raised by imposts, the whole
amount of revenue from all sources of supply
not being more than is needed. To free-trade
men this was sound argument.
But matters have now undergone change
and to use the same argument at this time is
simply ridiculous. The Federal Treasury is now
full to overlooking. On the 30th of June next
it will contain upwards of twenty-five millions
of dollars. The Government is bothered to know
what to do with the money. So long as it re-
mains locked up the business of the country sut-
fers grievously, as Mr.. Letcher shows; and,
moreover, any tariff that will or can be devised
will raise as much revenue as is required. In
stead of calling for more money, the officers OF
Government are beseechng Congress to reduce
the revenue and relieve the bursting Treasury OF
| its contents. What then, under these circum-
stances, shall be done with the proceeds of sales
of the public lands9 Not, surely, put them in
the Treasury The gold and silver already there,
are greatly needed for circulation, and every sum
added to the amount increases the public incon-
venience. There is no alternative left but to ap-
portion the fund among all the States, or to al
low the new States and Territories to appropr-
ate the whole of it.
To show that all the States, and particularly
Virginia, have an equal right to the public lands,
it is only necessary to refer to the act by which
Virginia ceded the Northwest Territory to the
General Government. This act stipulated ex-
pressly that the lands should be a common fund
.for the use and benefit of the States of the IN
ion, Virginia inclusire; and shall be faithfully
and bona tide disposed of for that purpose, and
for no other use or purpose whatsoever. And
now look at the recent history OF Congress in
connection with the subject. Thousands and
millions of acres have been granted to the new
States, while Virginia has yet to receive the first
onel The people OF Virginia are grooming un
der taxation, imposed upon rs on account OF our
various works of internal Improvement; while
the people of Illinois will in few years have no
taxes to pay, because Congress has g'ren them
enough public land to build their Railroads,
which in a short time will defray the entire eX-
penses of the State Government. Is this just
and far9 Will the people of Virginia submit to
it longer9
1t is now too late in the day to discuss the
policy or consttutionality of Distrbution-the
thing is resolved upon, and is going on every
week. The Democratic party is in for it, Wit
ness the vote on the Minnesota land bill few
days ago. This bill passed the Senate by 80
yeas to 10 nays. Among the yeas we find tie
names of not only Cass and Douglas-who have
long been in favor of Distribution at least to the
new States-but such od-line Southern Demo
Gratis as Brown, Johnson, Mallory, Rusk, Sebas-
tan and Yulee, not to mention the neophytes,
Benjamin, Geyer Jones, and Pearce Of what
use is it then for Virginia to stand out against
the measured The simple question to be deci-
ded is, shall we demand our portion or allow the
West to take all The politicians of the State
have taken their position it remains to be seen
whether the people, who have no pride of opin-
ion to maintain, will not look to their own self
interest.