Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-04-10

the subject referred to, of Yours very truly.
HENRY A. WISE.
RICHMOND, March q, 1887.
DEAR SIR: presume that no one Is
chimerical enough to think of proposing edviion
of the public lands themselves. Such proposition at
this time would be virtually to TO d'SsoIue
the Union 1t would be mpracticable, if lawful, and
The latter is as untenabe as the former, unless there
be dissolution Of the Union. am opposed to this
because opposed to disunion. The question must be
treated then, as proposition to dispose of the pro-
ceeds of land and customs in the treasury undistin
guishabe masses of money there, surplus. from
time to time may arise. But two modes of dlsposing
OF surplus an the treasury other than is pointed out
in the Constitution have been proposed and each has
been tried Deposit acith the States and DISH ,bution
TO The States. The objections to both ale insupera-
bic.
Money in the treasury is not distingushable by
ls The source from whence it comes Whether
it from land customs, its is defined by The
Constitution, and it is common funi for national
appropriation.
The land fund has two sources:
LIST. CeDsioDs-deeds by States to the U. S.
I'd. Acquisitions, by
LIST. Purchase, or
3D. Conquest.
The deeds express II at the object of their cesson
10, "tor the general charge and e1pend'ture"-a
phrase equivalent to the provision of the Constitu
GlOn respecting Customs, 10 prOVuo IOr Tie COumJH
defence and general welfare" &c.
And the acquisitions generally and originally
maze by expenditures out of the Treasury from
money collected from customs certainly from COM
mon fund Of money in the use for common, general
and federal ends.
I'd Nor money in the Treasury distnguishatle by
I'd The ends of the powers OF Government.
The land power is 10 " make all needful rules and
regulations respecting the territory Qand) or other
property of the United Staes'' The cardinal end of
this power is the great object of settlement of terrific
ry. The end of the revenue power is the regulation
of commerce. Money to pay debts even is secondary
to that great end of the customs.
Accordingly, the lands have been so administered
as 10 be sold at price to cheaper homes'eads so low
as to yield no revenue; when revenue has aceu-
mulaed from the settlement of territory to aid the
other great end of regulating commerce, reducing tar
eS, and tsnfettsrang trade
Congress, then, whether we look 10 the sources of
revenue or to the ends of mental powers
do no more u,th land funds than yih customs funds
If they may give away the former, they may the lat
ter.
g. There is no surplus from the proceeds of sales
of public lands Debt and credit, cost of purchases
Indian wars, indian titles, surveys, registering.
ceving, pensions, alternate section system. &c, &c.
on the one side, and proceeds the other, and the
lands will be found many millions in debt to the Gus
toms. Seeing this
4lh In 1886, even Mr. Clay conceded that there
was no surplus from land and he resorted to deposit
for even be was obliged to concede, also that sur
plus cm customs couldn't be distributed given ob
solutely away. Then the supposed surplus Sc
mil IONS; % milliors distributed, and before
1910 there 10as deficiency under Mr.. Van Buren, Of
40 millions The surplus soon fell below Millions
and the 4th instalment was arrested.
Again
5h In 1841, the parties disributeda defcsency e.
passed distribution BILL ayhen there lcas no surplus
IN the Treasury, showing that neither surplus nor it's
want will restrain the allure of power from making
deficiency itself larger to increased protective tariff
and to defeat both the ends of the revenue power,
free trade and of the land power, the settlement of
the West. The act was made perpetual until
or unless the Tariff Compromise Of 1928
was disturbed. This condition, unfortunately car.
RED Mr. Calhoun. What followed The Tariff Com
promise was Immediately broken. and the deposit of
the fourth instament arrested. Another peremp-
tory provision is, that in of war; deficiency,
or any emergency happening, the deposit acith the
States should be returned to the Treasury War with
Mexico, which made the country bleed at purse and
euerg pore, came, and though debt aud deficiency run
up to 12O millions, yet not breath about return of
deposits to the treasury was ever heard Of The un-
repealed law is dead and unexecutei on the statute
book, and there the provision still .tares us out of
countenance, 10 show lis immortality, that il in
its very inception " in frauden Constitutions
9th. Again If Congress may so regulate lands
as to give them away, thsy inay other PROPERTY,
for the two stand together in the salae category.
7th. The system stimulates extTavaganee and en-.
genders corruption in the States, as well as at Wash.
ington. Virginia got $2l9s.O0O from her three in.
stalnents in 1886 What became of it Did it di.
minish taxation Futile and foolish was the hope
$249 900 only went 10 State expenditures, and ST.
958. 900 went 10 Bank loans at time when the
amount was appreciable in comparison with State
debt and LIABILITIES and it inflated appropriations so
that we ran up our State debt from about 10 or IL to
Is millions Taxes increased largely FROM that very
date, and have been steadily rising ever since.
9Th. The moral argument against looking 10 the
Federal government for its surplus-and it needs
every dollar it now has and more, for just and gener
al national objects-the moral argument against call
ing upon Hercules to put his shoulder to The wheel,
is stronger than all the material put togeth
er. Teach the people to depend on that node of
making their great works, of tightening their tax
burlhens and of paying the public debt, and every
nerve of selfresnce and of manly self-sxertion will
at once be relaxed You will emasculate your peo
pie!
This is but an epitome of what have not time 10
elaborate You have but to 60 back to the journals
of Congress to see my speeches and votes, and my
opinions there have not changed, but been fortified
by time. Hastily and respectfully,
Your cbedient servant.
HENRY A. WISE.
A clergyman was rebuked by brother of the
cloth few days ago for smoking. The oulpit re.
niled that he used the weed in moderation, What