Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-07-30

So The rroSsrhial reckiessness Of Know-Eoths |
inVism has never manifested itself more plainly ID
anything than upon its new hobby Of Distribution.
Tbs old Wing party aever contradiction such policy
as this new faction is now pretending to advocate
Such statesmen as Clay and Webster would have
been ashamed to have had it supposed for
moment that they had ever advocated such sridieu-
lOus proposition.
Mr.. Clay's first proposition wassimpiy 10 depOs"e
with the States the surplus proceeds OF The lands,
to be recalled whenever the expenses OF the Federa'
Government required it or Congress should think
proper. AT a subsequent period the same measure
was brought forward by Mr.. Crittenden merely to
rebut certain propositions that being made to
csde the lands to the new States, and when Mr..
Clay and his party were charged with attempting
to force their policy upon the country, he replied
"Let them Withdraw their BILL (ceding the lands
to the new States, and will answer for it that my
colleague will withdraw his amendment, and will
not at this session press any Of distribution
No, Sir; no." Mr.. Clay at astl later period, adVo-
Gated Distribution should be any nett
surplus proceeds, that's whenever the lands should
have paid into the treasury more than the treasury
shall have paid out for the snds-but not otherwise
What are the facts in connection with this policy
According to the most liberal calculation, the re-
cepts into the treasury from the sales Of the pubic
lands, from the earliest history of the Government
to the present time, amount to only $l64,OOOOoO;
while their cost TO the Government, as shown by
the official reports, has been as follows:
Distinguishing Indian titles, $l0G, l19Oo
Purchase of Louisiana, principal
and interest, 100000
Purchase of Florida, principal
and interest, $500, 900
Paid to Georgia, S,OS2, 900
Paid to Mexico, (Mesilla purchase
included, 25,OOOOOO
Released claims 6,OO0 900
Paid taxes, 100000
Land Office expenses,
SURVEYS and explorations, $1,000, 900
Total expenses, s195, 861, COO
Subtract from this the
proceeds of sales, $4,000, 600
Yould leave due the treasury S31, 361, 900
Thus it will be seen that the lands still indebt-
| ed to the treasury upwards of hIty-ons millions,
to say nothing of the millions that spent in the
| wars by which much of it was acquired. Where
then is the surplus nett proceeds that KnowNothing-
ism would put into the pockets of the railroad
Presidents? But it is not to be found.the pro-
/ pose to go and plumber the lands any how, and
leave the people to foot the bill with the treasury
And lest there may be constitutional objection
in the way of taking the money from the treasury
| Mr. Hatton favors the policy of parceling out be-
| tween the States the lands themselves; policy
/ which Gov. Jones characteristics as "the meanest
subteruge beneath the dignity of school-bOy sOphis-
| try, which seeks to sOothe the conscience by
making a murderous assault on the brain"
And this is the hmsy humbug resOrted to, to entice
old line Wings into the cOrrupting embraces Of
Know -Nothingsm! Was there ever so ridiculous
prstencs, such namby-pamby nonsense attempted to
be palmed off upon the people? Will anybody be
gulled by it? We shall see when the day of cleo
ton arrives.