Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-05-13
lIr. Letcher,s Speech.

On Wednesday last the Hon. John Letcher
addressed the people of this county at the Coutt
House. In his opening remarks Mr.. l.. gave 4
brief account of his course in the last Congress,
expressing his qualification that all the votes he
had cast, except those of strictly party eharac-
ter, had been approved of by his constituents,
irrespective of party After brief reference to
several subjects that had occupied the time of
the last Congress Mr. l.. turned his attention to
the subject of distribution"
The "public lands" are evidently favorite
theme with Mr. L., and he has investigated the
legislation of Congress upon the subject with
much care and industry; the results Of which he
embodied in his speech of Wednesday. We. in
this notice. only intend to state the positions as
sumed by Mr. L., with very brief commentary
upon some of them. We do not deem it neces-
sary to discuss the subject at length as it is now
receiving at the hands Of orr candidates for the
Legislature in this county, an able and elaborate
investigation. Mr.. l.. examined at considerable
length the distribution law Of 1871, analysing
with much astuteness its various provisions, and
eNnlDlllnG III u clStlI SlIlAlLS
tice it did to the old States. AS it not only gave
to the new or "land States Is per cent more
than the old were to receive, but also provided
in addition for large special donations of the
public lards to them for the purpose of internal
improvement.
Mr.. L., in the next place, took up what is
known as "Bennett's land distribution bill, and
showed that it was as unjust to Virginia and the
other old States as the law of 1871. lie also
contended that Carlile's bill was impracticable,
as it proposed to divide the lands among the
States instead of the money arising from their
sale. Now all we have to say upon this matter
is that the advocates of distribution in Virginia
are pressing tue adoption of none of these
schemes but in lieu of them are insisting that
Congress shall enact o law on the subject of the
public lands that will do full and complete jus
tice to Virginia and the other old States. What
we ask for is a distribution upon fair and equi-
table basis one that recognizes the full right Of
Virginia to share in the lands she so generously
gave to the General Government.
The next subject Mr. L. discussed was the
special donations of the public lands by Congress
to Railroad and other internal Improvement
companies in the new States Upon this topic
Mr.. L. is thoroughly informed-for he has al
ways made manly and fearless opposition to
these partial and often UBIQUITOUS grants. The
reckless and eytravagant manner i'll which they
are made was exhibited in clear and forcible
style BY the speaker. We also think Mr.. Is.
speech made it evident that this mode of dispo-
sing of the public lands cannot be arrested by
direct opposition. Mr.. Letcher's indomitable
perseverance aud untiring energy are well
known, and yet at the last session of Congress
they were entirely impotent in checking, eveu
these extravagant appropriations OF the common
property of all the States to the exclusive bene-
fit of a few favored ones. We are satisfied that
the only practicable method of arresting these
partial and unjust appropriations of the public
lands to the "new States" would be the enact
ment by Congress OF law, distributing the pro-
ceeds of the sales thereof upon an equitable ba-
sis among all the States. And this law could
easily be passed if Virginia and the other old
States would, with the frmness and unanimity
that the Importance of the subject merits, de-
mand that in this matter of the public domain
Congress should do them justice If our
distinguished representative would lay aside the
prejudices and trammels of party and advocate
scheme that cOmmendS itself by considerations,
both of State interest and public policy, to the
favour of Virginia, he would before the close of
the next Congress be grati6ed by result he has
been for the last six years striving in vain to ac-
complish. Distribution, and that alone, will ar
rest partial and extravagant special donations to
Railroads and other schemes of internal i'm
provement in the new STAKES. In fact it is the
only method by which the entire cession of the
public lands TO the States within whose limits
they lie can be prevented.
Another position of the honorable gentleman
was that distribution" would make it necessary
to increase the tariff, in order to secure sufi-
cient revenue for the wants Of the General Gov
ernment, and this would enhance the price of all
the important articles of consumption to the
masses. Every man can estimate for himself
the blessings of 4 low tariff in reducing prices,
by comparing the prices he has noO to pay for
the principal articles of consumption under the
low Democratic tariff of 1916, as compared with
the prices of the same articles under the high
Wing tariff of 1912. But the fallacy of this po-
siton of Mr. L. is shown by the fact that the in
come derived from the sale of the public lands is
so extremely fuctuating that it cannot be esti-
mated with any degree OF certainty, 1t has
heretofore ranged from over twenty millions Of
dollars to less than one million year. Under
this state of facts it is necessary to have such
tariff, as will secure sufficient revenue indie
pendent of the proceeds of the public lands and
hence it is that there is now large surplus in
the treasury-tbe sales of the public lands hav-
ing been for a few years past very heavy. M
L., however, says this surplus ought to be APP
propriated to the payment of the public debt Of
the United States, rather than to distribution a.
mong the several States. lie, however, forgot
to tell the people that there is now no portion of
the public debt to the payment of which it can
be applied, the Government having already call
ed in and cancelled all the certificates of debt it