Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-04-17
[From the Wheeling Argus.1
Distribution.

: Mn. Enron: The Know Nothing par,
ty; beaten down and discounted upon
every issue which was in the slightest
degree feature oftheir organization. is
endeayoring TO relapse into the Wing par
". hoping thus 10 acquire the respecta>
bihty which the party once possessed
But while endeayoring to accomplish this
result. the Know Nothing party is unwil,
ling TO part company with those of its
membsrs who were .educed from the De-
mocracy, and hence it lays, claim to but
one Wing principle. q /" Distributions" 1t
is now. according to It's own admission, q
patty OF but one principle. Ii has none
OF its o,OH principles left. and claims to
have stolen its only principle from the
party which it sIandered and ostracised
in rs platform vi 1855. and now seeks by
every imaginable Establishment 10 WOO
the Wings into their kindly embrace
II has occurred TO the writer that il
would b. we'll TO ash plain question. Is
the distribution now advocated the same
distribution proposed by Mr.. Clay: Did
not his distribution scheme have reference
exclusively to the public lands coded 10
The United States ? Was not his argu,
ment based upon the TACT thai these lands
having been ceded by the States 10 pay
the Revolutionary debt. and That pul pose
beng accomplished. it became proper
that what remained should revert 10 the
grantors, who we're the old States? But
little Of these lands now remain, and they
are Of but little value. This then is no.
the scheme OF the Know NothingS, and
their g get into power project is faJ
different one from the one above indica.
ted. 1t is proposed to divide all the pub
lie domain among .he States. This prop
Osition is not made to stand on its merits.
for The same argument would divide out
all the public property OF all kinds among
the States. and would carry with it the
assumption that the States are paupers.
and unable to provide their own ways
and means.
II is based on the argument that the
public lands are being mal-applied to
some objects. and therefore the old States
should insist on further NAL application
for their use. 1t is the rogue's argument.
" A and B are stealing from G. and
therefore will steal from G also, as he
will lose any how"
Is it not far better to put a stop to
wrong? Should we commit wrong. and
violate the plain meaning of the Consti>
tuition because others do +? Was it ever
in the contemplation Of the trainers Of the
Constitution that the Federal Govern.
meus should be converted into land
jobber TO acquire ard dispose of land. for
the States ? The writer is no admirer OF
the system which has been prac.iced SO
much Of late, Of giving away the public
lands, and which has been carried through
Congress by all the united Wing and
American vote. with some Democrats to
aid them. but he has yet to learn that the
best method Of putting and end to i'm.
proper legislation is to Join with the
wrong doors. and exhaust The subizct
matter BY aiding III further wrong. Is it
not better to pus the seal Of condemnation
upon such legislation. and FOR all honest
patriots to band together to put an end 10
such legislation These are the plain
views OF A CITIZEN.