Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1857-06-30
bly, with them, | would lend myself TO no such

bly, with them, | wOuh lend myself TO no such
fraud on their confidence.
There is another aspect in which this quss-
judgment with ininsnt danger &c its peace
and Tepose. In order to obviate the difficulties
that exist in the minds Of many as to the power
to distribute the proceeds of the lands, thus
taking money out OF the treasury, it is proposed
to divide the lands themselves. This is the
msrsst subterfugs beneath the dignity OF the
merest sshoOI-boy sophistry; you seek to
soothe the conscience by making a murderous
assault on the brain-if you can give away the
lands, you can give away the money you get
for the lands. The power in the one case, is the
power in the other, but the expedieney is a
wholly different thing. think it exPedient to
divide the proceeds Of the lands, but inexpedi-
ent and dangerous 70 divide the lands. This
proposition, to my mind, is so monstrous and
absurd as to leave ne in doubt as to whether
any, sane well informed mind, can seriously en-
terrain it FOR one moment.
Suppose such a system as this adopted, would
not conflicts between the States In which the
lands might lie, and the States owning the lands
be inevi;able7 How would you regulate the
question Of taxation? Would You pay taxes to
the State in which the lands layp II so, how
much? Would you leave this to the State in
whose jurisdiction they were? Would not
some OF the States, those cut Of debt, and no
great works Of improvement to make, keep
their lands, thus occupying ths position Of large
nonresident lssd holders, neither occupying or
ment, Gan evil Of which all new States CON-
plain,) would not this b cause, and Just cause
Of complaint? And would it not lead directly
to toe establishment OF toe dangerous doctrine
Of anti-rsRtism, which is, when simpliied, moth
Ing more nor less than that a man shall have
no more land than be can occupy? But how
would you divide the lands in equal proper
tions2 According to population? Well this looks
right, but what becomes Of the horrors Of some
of our friends at the idea Of giving a poor for
eigner a fsw acres Of land, when they propose
to divide cut equally according to population,
when the fact is a large portion in many of the
States and in some a m~sjOrity are foreigners.
How much do you propose to divide at a
time? If you give at all, you should give lib
orally. Suppose you give Tennessee ten mil
lions Of acres, of course you must give to the
others an equal amount, according to Popula-
ton. This would give to the States of Ohio,
New York and Pennsylvania, from thirty to
forty millions each; where to be located?
When your warrants are issued they may be To-
Gated where the holder p~leases. Suppose Ohio
should choose las she most likely would to
locate her thirty or forty millions OF acres in
Arkansas; Massachusetts, her millions in Lou
siana; Vermont and other abolition States
their millions in Florida, how long, with the
assistance Of Emigrant Aid Societies, stimu-
lated by fanaticism and hatred to the insIitu-
tions of the South, would l. it take hem to change
the Institutions OF those States, or, rather, /
might ask, how long before, under this system,
We should be saved from all the horrors and
desoiations Of civl war? If, however, as
some may suppose, The States would not locate
their warrants, but put them on the market for
sale, the effect would be SO to depreciate them,
together with those issued TO your %soldisrs, as
to render them comparatively worthless.
That a proposition like this should have
originated with the disorganizers Of the North
would not have astonished me, but hat it should
have found birth in the South is not only matter
OF establishment but regret
After the fearful struggle through which we
have Just passed in the late Presidential cleo
tion; seeing the strength and spirit Of that par
II at the North, seeking as | believe to destroy
the Union-with all the facts before us-the
dangers we have passed-ths fears that sur
round tn. future, / had hoped the people Of
Tennessee and the whole Sosth would have
sought every opportunity Of healing the breach
IS that had been made between them, rather
than seek occasion to make other and new ones.
| DO not know what lessons We require to learn
US wisdom, but fear we shall learn our duty
when it may be too late.
Ihaye endsavored, my dear sir, to answer
your Inquiries fully. feel l have done so
and with assurances Of my continued
respect sndfrisndship, I an
Your obedient servant,
JAMES c. JONES.