Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-03-20
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
WTLmINGToN. n. g.. FRIDAY, MARCH 90 1857.
One OF the Re-Vamped IssueS-The Question OF the
d. Inn, tI.lI z

One of the Re-Vamped 1ssueS-The Question Of the
Public Lands impartIalIy considered.
Among the old, dead, buried and resurrected
political issues which, like Monsieur Tonson, are
sure to come again." we may now refer more parhc.
ulary to the question of the public lands. We heard
enthusiastic hater of mutt grass, swear the DINER
day that you might take it all up, burn it-make ley
out of the ashes and that the ley poured out on land
would raise crop of mutt grass. There Is something
of the same kind of peverse vitality about the expod.
ed but plausible theories of distribution, whether OF
the public lands themselves or of the proceeds OF
their sales Time and again, the stump and through
the press have all these theories and the plausible
sophstries by which they are supported, been met
and exposed, and the decision Of the people at the
polls marked their condemnation of the whole scheme;
yet spite of this, it is evident that the next rally
the rally now shortly to be made against the Demo-
cracy of the South, will be upon this issue Anu
when that rally is made, made 1t VIII De- OF all
the signs of the times deceptive, we ask OF our
Democratic friends 10 bear in mind that the troubles
and difficulties of Mr.. Pierces administration were
chargesble to the facous course of summer TRENDS,
disappointed of Office far more than TO any strength
inherent in the opposition itself Let none be de-
ceived this time by specious professions OF fidelity 10
Democracy on the part OF those who ignore its prin-
eipIes Every compromise OF principle from conSd-
eraions of expediency is positive loss to the Demo-
cratic party, and the who counsels any such
compromise is secret enemy or an unsafe friend
Let us look this thing fairly in the face as
we have done many time before; meet 1t falrly ana
sonarev, and defeat it in good old Democratic fashion
Much is talked about the cession made by certain
States 10 the General Cove nmen for the good oil the
whole, and the strengthening the bonds OF Union
Virginia and North Carolina ceded territories 10 the
Confederacy. They gave to that Contedcracy the
control over and the disposal OF, the property IN
the Iublic lands in these ceded territories, the reve
nues so arising, be applied to the general purposes
of the whole Umon But was this all that these and
other Sta es surrendered The Conederacy for the
general purposes Of the coufederated government 81
The stII more important and valuable right of mpo-
iro q fay nnon imports was also surrendered by the
St,ta and The revenues from this source constitute
the great fund by hich the federal treasury is fill
ed, and the federal expenses are paid The control
of he public lands is just consttuionaly and as
fully vested in the neral Govern ment, and just as
fully surrendered by the States as is the power oil
raising revenue by duty upon imports; and the
distribution of the lands their proceeds, among
he individual States, d, in fact, constitute as dl
rect change of the constitution of The United States
as would TIE claim of the Individual States 10 take
back into their own hands, and exercise by their own
authority, any other power Exclusively vested by the
constitution in :he General Government. Like other
express powers conferred, and duties imposed, upon
the Federal Government that relating to the public
lands is to be exercised for and in behalf OF the On1-
ted STATES and not of separate and distinct partners
and as wei nigh1 the individual States reclaim any
or all the rights and interests of sovereignty coded by
them to the General Gov eminent for the purpose OF
forming Union, this right and interest IN the pup
lie lands which constitute federal fund, under ted
eral control for federal purposes That abuses may
have crept into the mode and manner in which the
General Government exercises the power conferred,
and discharges the duties imposed upon it in this re-
sneet does not alter the fact that these are its excu
sve mowers and duties which il cannot give up, nor
the States reclaim without violation of the constl-
tnon Of the United States Establish this precedent,
and carry it out to its full consequences and one by
one the bonds of Union dropped or fall asunder-
tacit notification is initated-the rights of the
States and of the United States COMPOUNDED, and
their distinctions lost; and time alone can determine
whether we will become again disunited tumble of
isolated communities, or consolidated government,
all efficacy, but by some fancisd "higher law, which
has risen upon its ruins and in spite of its OPPOSE
ton"
But after all that has been said about the matter
the cessions made by North Carolina and Virginia.
can no longer be regarded forming any living and
practical element entitled to be brought into the dis
cusson of this question at the present Time The
lands in these cessons were, and spoken OF by
the Supreme Court as having been the property OF
the United States but they longer exist such,
from the simple fact that they have become the prop.
erty of private owners
The United States owns some twelve or thirteen
hundred millions of acres, of which all but an incon-
siderable rfe has been acquired not by the Stalesin
their individual capacity, but by the United States as
such No talk about cesson will apply to these lands,
They are federal properly, much as the ships
belonging to the navy, the forts and equipments of
the army or anything else which is known as belong
ing 10 the general fund
The title TO these lands, acquired by treaty, is in
the United States, the common trustee, to hold,
manage and dispose of them for the common
purposes for which it's trusteeship was created -
these purposes certainly do not include the Carrying
on of State works, the support of State Govern.
ments, out of, or by means of, this fund.- any more
than by of any other federal fund or property,
as the duty imports, Tor instance, and the cry OF
taxation being heavy in the States, and that ought
to be lightened by appropriating the public lands
to State purposes, is about as sensible as similar
cry would be to have State taxes reduced by making
a call upon The revenues of The General Government
oollnciad at tho CDstom HouseR