Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-06-19
speech Of rx-Gorernor n. $. brown.

this city on the Sd inst, upon the political |
issues of the day. Gov. Blows has won |
the proud distinction of being one of the
most upright of men as citizen, and at
the same time, one of the most honest,
patriotic and incorruptible politicians of
which Tennessee can boast. Anything,
therefore, coming from him will command
public attention, and the facts with which
his mastery argument is interspersed, will
be received as correct and reliable. We
only ask the people to read the speech,
then to weigh and consider it; and to let
this consideration be candid and dispas
sionate. The following is the speech:
SPEECH OF Ex-GOV. NELL S. BROWN
THE PUBLIC LANDS AND ALIEN SUFFRAGE.
Delivered at Nashville, Wednesday June 3d.
FELLOW CIrIzENs:-
have no apology to offer for appearing before
you tonight except the solicitations of many indi
viduas in this community. / am here for the pur-
pose of discussing the leading subjects of public
interest now before the people of Tennessee, and
upon which they will soon be called to vote. If
shall be able to enforce the views / am about to
take, 1 shall deem myself fortunate and well re-
warded buff shall fail, will have the consolation
of having endeavOred to do my duty. We are in
the commencement of another struggle, in which
are involved great national principles deeply affect
ing in my opinion the prosperity and happiness OF
the whole country, and to some extent, especially
important to Tennessee. 1t may be deprecated by
some, that we have to encounter the frequent re-
currence of political conficts-the collision of mind
with mind, and prejudice with prejudice This is
part of the price we have to pay for our liberty,
and has been incident in all ages to every organza-
ton of enforcement Whenever the people have
thought proper to employ few men to think for
them, or to leave their affairs to the control OF
chance they have found their cost that they were
paying an eIorbitant and ruinous rate for their
own repose. Unceasing toll is the penalty annexed
to our race and nothing that is worth knowing, can
be obtained without it. And this is as true in refer
ence to political as individual life. Toll on and toll
ever is the destiny of if he aspires to an hon.
oFabe progressl
Among the issues now before the country, and
in which the people of Tennessee have deep stake,
is the question of the public lands; and 1t becomes
the interest of every man to consider what mode OF
administering this vast inheritance, will best sub
serve the rights and interests of all. But before
proceed to notice the policy now being pursued in
reference to this subject and what the dictates OF
true wisdom and justice suggest, let us review
briefly the history of the public lands, and see the
precise relation they sustain, not only to the gen.
eral government, but to the States themselves.
Whence did the general government derive the hrst
lands which it assumed to claim or control! 1t was
from the States themselves, such of them as con-
tanned vacant land within their limits. Near the
close OF the revolution, the inequality which existed
among the States regarded their territorial pos
sessions became subject of dscord, and to oviate
this and promote harmony, such OF them as held
| vacant lands were induced by Congress to cede
them to the United States. Another motive which
impeed this policy was the embarrassed condition
of the public finances. The infant government had
struggled through long and bloody war upon
credit. 1t had commerce and no public property,
and nothing to buoy up or sustain its paper issues
Such cessions it supposed, would elevate the
public credit, and furnish the government on the
termination of the war; with means to pay its debts
The cessions were accordingly made within period
| of % years. from 1880 to 1902, and were made by
the States of Massachusetts,, Connecticut New York.
| Virginia North Carolina, South Carolina and GeOr-
gia. These cessions made in trust for the
payment of the public debt and expenditures, and
for the use and benefit of the United States. Such
at least is the tenor of those made by Virginia and
North Carolina.
The domain thus acquired by the government
was immense, both in extent and understanding
far to the West and Northwest, and embracing every
variety of latitude Equipped with this outfit, the
government commenced its career, and being with
out funds, discharged its military obligations to a
great extent by grants of land in different parts of
| the country. The numerous appropriations OF this
sort in Tennessee, may serve an illustration. Ad-
dtons were subsequently made to the public domain
| from time to time by treaty with the Indians 1t
was in lsOS however, that the first great accession
was made, by the purchase of the Louisiana pro-
vince from France, at the price of fifteen million of
dollars. This territory extending from the Gulf to
! the remote Northwest, invaluable, both on ac-
count of its locality and the character of its soil 1t
| gave US the command of the Gulf and of the Mis-
sisspp and its tributaries, and constituted bull
wark against external aggressions and the inroads OF
the savages What it has done for our commerce
need not now be noticed and could not be estimated.
How little did the great conqueror of France know
amid the fiery career of his ambition, of the value
of the jewel which he giving away
At the close of the war with Mexico, we acquired
| another large addition to the public domain, by
treaty and purchase from that republic, and which,
if udciously administered is destined 10 be OF in
calcuable benefit to our growth and prosperity in
that direction. The remainder of the public pos
sessions lie in Oregon, founded on original discove-
~ and defined by modern treaty. and in Florida
quired by treaty with Spain. Let this suffice for
brief history of the public lands, and the various
modes and times of their acquisition. Out of the
cession made by North Carolina, was formed the
State of Tennessee From that OF Virginia. there
have been organized States of Ohio, Indiana, H.
linois, Michigan, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Out of the
Province of Louisiana, have been added the States
of louisiana Arkansas, Missouri with the terrific
ries of Minnesota, Kansas and Nebraska, now on
the eve of admission. From the cession of South
Carolina aud Georgia, have arisen the States Of
Alabama and Mississippi. From the acquisition:
from Mexico has been form the State of California
with the territories of New Mexico and Utah-and
out of Oregon have been organized the territories
of Oregon and Washington. And in the North and
East, new States have been formed, partly by sub
mission, and partly out of territory coded by the
original States.
shall not undertake to show the amount of the
public domain from first to last, nor the amount
which has been appropriated in all the various ways
nor the vast sum of money which it has yielded 4
the government. All this is foreign my from pur
pose. What has been done must remain so, wheth
er wise unwise. But after all that has beer
cleaned and appropriated, there still remain, &C
cording to the lowest estimates, one thousand mil
lion of acres subject to be disposed of-and wha
that disposition may be, is great question beior,
the country. Shall il be given 20 the new State
in which il lies Tor the formation OF objects within
their limitsg Or shall it be given to whoever shal
60 and squat upon it, no matter whether he is al
American citizen or not? II will be admitted tina
all the States are equal under the constitution; ant
contend that the public land from the very mod,
of lis acquisition belongs to the States in common
according TO their population. This was intended
10 be so by the very terms Of cesson. Equality o
rights in the public domain prime object t,
be attained in the beginning, and il is not certain
that the government even could have beer
formed, without these cessiOns by several Of th,
States. Setting out with this idea of equality anon:
the States in this regard then deemed 50 importAn
as 10 command the attention OF the ablest men an,
bodies in the country, should not that equality hav
been maintained throughout, as well with references
to the lands subsequently acquired by purchase, a
TO those acquired by cessiOn. II il was wise and
proper for the States that had lands 10 relinquisl
them so that all might enjoy the benefits, how cal