Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-03-31
THE PUBLIC LANDS.

THE PUBLIC LANDS.
AS 1t Is the purpose and policy Of the opposition 10
enter the lists against the Democratic party at the
elections in Nay, simply and solely upon the land
question, 1t may not bs anss ocpa.ionalIy to remind
the people Of VirRinis Of their duty to themselves
and 10 the nsou In connection With the issue before
them.
While We have an abiding faith in Acknowledgements
patriotism and sterling independence of the c''zsna
Of our noble old State aud while anticipate w''hop
fear or doubt au verwhelming victory in tie Genera
result OF the elections ars not altogether Tree from
apprehension, that the ingenious arlihce' ppeclou'
sophisriss and animated appeas Of the oppo''''on'
may ssrve in some few localities, to reViVo 'ne
dropping spirits Of that party, and induce nen 10
delay striking hsIr colors in the strongest oi 'ie
strongholds until q later day. Ever aaVoc'''uh
momentsry measures Of apparent expectancy Q, '.'
price OF political principle, the opposition arc eun'
raby illustrating the false philosophy 'bat hA' e'''
made the Wing party impractlcable and unpopular
and pushing on sven unto doath in the pa'hway 'ns
has 10 often led them into discontinue aud defeat.
Itis the one peculiar characteristic OF the WING
party, traceable throughout s whole history from
is earliest organisation until to day, that 1t Is 'em
pcrising even upon the most vital elements VI '''
government. and always dspoeed to aeeo.n"ou"'e
Its policy as to effect truce to existing '' o'e
ry ssor6ce to provide for the present w'tnou. '.'o
snce to the past or the futurs-to quiet Inc pam
kills the patient. With the Democratic party " nae
ever bsen, and il still. quite to the contrary'-
Grounded In imperishabls principles 'a0opo'
BILE Of perverslon, but antic'Pa''e e"ookA
to embrace every emergency ana su'"e'
the requirements Of the country lh OH Ito
deyelopmsnts and on every occasion, 1t suo)ec" pro
position, of public policy come when or whence
thew NAV. 10 tbs test Of prine;Dle. Aud thus II "
that what seem a5,ractioaS to those who only look
upon tho surface, and never anayI" a'sse'' o.io
the iasues involved, according to the se@nee o' pom
toe, prove upou experiment and experience " 20
the conservative safeguard. Of our insutone' ina's
psnssble constituents Of the body poiuc' ""hou'
which the nsohinsry Of the government would break
into atoms.
This wide difference in the foundstion organisation
and policy OF the two parties tha. have always ais
puted for the control Of the country, Is evidenced no
more positively and plainly in any other queson''nah
that of an apportiopment Of the public lands ioe
essential elements and prominent features OF the one
and tho other, are here brough; out 10 bold relief
The public lands are universally admitted to be
the common property of all the States coplonty'
and Intended for such appropriations and uses as Will
best advance the interests, and further the welfare,
not of Virginia, South Carolina or New Hampshire
sngly and separately but Of the United S!cts', as
oonfederacy under o General Government. The
right and power Of the Federal Government to EN-
ploy the public lands for federal purposes, are rrevo'
cable and unslterable long g. the Cnion lasts.-
And, even admitting that The irust has been abused
and the contributions Of all made the fund for few,
the States still have no right reclaim, each its pro-
portion.
In forming Federal Government for tho super
vision and administration Of the affairs OF the nation
the States mus. needs have aso appropriated msans
for tho fu!6lmsnt Of those functions
There wore duties assigned, and provinces pre-
scrbed aud Of course, thers must be authorities for
the enforcement Of The duties and means for the ex'
srciss Of the authorities.
The machinery waa constructed, and already ar
ranged for the performance Of certain purposes, and
then the motive power was nesded to put 1t into &C
tion and continue /. in motion. be public lands
we're intended as portion Of that motive power, to
furnish the Federal government with fuuds for the
maintenance Of the interests Of the States.
I, is true that those delegated powers and indlvid
usl investments In the general fund for ali the States
can be revoked But /, can only DO done by dis
union or secession. Let the compact between the
Ststes be annulled the Consultation cancelled, and
the Federal Government declared no longer TO EXIT;
and the public lands should then be distributed 10
each OF Tho owners. Or, let single State seeede
from the confsderacyi and We hold that she would
bs entitled to hsvG her contribution to the Union
refunded. But having been eet aside a.
spe ohc fund to be disbursed by tbs agent OF ali the
States ior their common benefit as confederacy OF
copsrtnsrs, the des Of demanding them back to he
used for other purposes is irrecouciabe with reason
and contradictory to the express stipua,:ns OF cove
nan,., which cannot os broken without perverson
of tbs eprit OF our government Admit that the pub
lie lands are being badly used that th-y are employ.
ed for the urherance of tho interests OF the new TO
the de,r;ment OF the old Ststee, and that Vrginias
share would enable her 10 complete her great works
of Improvement and relieve her Of taxation. Would
1t DO 10 infringement Of faith With thnss States that
have no. been benefited by the partial spportion'
ment; no breach OF contract and Of confidence with
all the other Satos; no application 10 ole purpose OF
that which is expressly aud explicitly inienaad for
another, for Virginia to insist upon having her pro-
portion vf the public lands because che Is in need OF
money, and thinks that other parties TO the con.
tract are receiving than their share at the hands
of the agents entrusted with them proportion of
the revenue srisug from cns:ons belongs, sldo 10 Vr
gnis. lie, her deny that this revenue il disburaed i'm
partially for the general good of the whole country;
and she has the same right 20 demand her portion OUT
Of the collections Of the custom house at Richmond,
or Norfolk, to eIpsnd h4r railroads and pay the
tsxes Of her citizens, ehe has now to reclaim her
share of the public lnnds. When to this, the
Federal Government is stripped Of every thing bu'
its name, and the confsderacyis virtually resolved
into thirty States, each an independent republic
within itself.
The State OF Virginia Ia. an integra interest in the
old chip Pennsylvania, now lying al Gosport Navy
yard suppose she should conceive that the Pennsyi
vsui, Is not properly employed, would she be jus!i-
able in demanding tsr portion Of tie ve'sc-a apsr OF
piece Of -opsl Fortress Monroe belong, alike to
all the States. Should the State Of Connection; or
Texas object to its toe ground that i, protects
the commerce Of Virginia much more (which ID really
the fac than it does theirs, would that State be
rsned in csling for It's proportion Of the public pro-
perty at Old Pu:et The cases are analogous.
Are the people Of Virginia prepared 70 accom-.
pli,h radical revolution in their government to Sc
parste n fact and In form from their sister States
see the government emasculaed. and their country
under the control Of every whim end caprice and
temporary s1igency Of the Statss'
If not, let them adhere, a. they have ever done,
to principles, instead of opening the way for ali tho
III. Of every imaginable emergency, BY claiming their
portion of the public lands. All right and title 10
hem on the part Of each individual State have been
merged in tho corjpint ownership Of all Az long
there 10 Federal Government for the guardianship
of the welfare and the protection Of the rights and
honor OF the Uoitsd Stssss a. nation, the common