Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-05-09
Of Mr.. SINNERS Speech,

from the sales of the pulic lands, than over
all other money there, from whatsoever
source derived. It would scarcely be con-
tended that Congress has power to distribute
the Federal revenues derived from tanation.
The power conferred upon Congress, by the
Constitution, ON this head, is 'tto lay and
collect taxes, duties, imposts and excuses, to
pay the debts, and provide for the common
defence and general welfare of the United
States" The end then of this power-as
he REID the Constitutions the payment Of
tho debts Of the Union, Gas contradistn-
guished from the States that compose il. J
and provision for the defence and welfare of
the Union, within the scope of the powers
expressly granted. or resulting, by necessary
implication, from those granted 1t is con-
tended, however, that Congress may distrib-
ute among the States the money in the Fed
eral Treasury derived from the sales of the
lands If this be so, it can only be because
Congress has an ntnztmitcd power of DISPOSE
ton over that fund 1t will not be contend
ed that there is any specific grant of power
to Congress for this purpose, or that it re-
suits, by necessary implication, from any
specific grant; it can only arise, then, from
the saet, that Congress can dispose of this
fand as it pleases, subject to no limitations
or restrictions as the objects to which it
should be applied. In other words, that they
can do with it whatever may be done with
money. The public lands are said, by Mr..
Stuart and other distributonists, to be worth
81, BAT ,479 ,460 This is the immense sum,
With which, we are compelled to infer,
Congress may do as it pleases. Are you
willing by yielding to the scheme of distri-
bution-tempting as the lure at first ap-
pears-to sanction the idea that Congress
possesses such giant power, and which, if
it please them, they may be guilty of the
tyranny of "usng like a giant" Remember
that the people of Virginia have absolute
control over the money in their State Urea
sury since they elect all those who have
the power to dispose of it. But, with the
money in the Federal Treasury it is far diff
ferent In the disposition of this you have
not exclusive control, but only voice, and
that .teetlc one. In the House of Repre-
sentatives you have but IS members out of
234, in the Senate but 2 out of e. In the ap-
plication of the Federal revenues, therefore,
theConstitution is your only protection Ifyou
admit that this imposes no restrictions upon
Congress, in the administration of the land
fund, your very liberties are at the mercy
of Congress. Did you but see this propos-
cd usurpation as | see it, you would resist
it to the last extremity. Let not the case of
Dame be yours. She, We are told in an
cient fable, resisted the seductions of the
King Of Gods when he strove with her in bis
own proner form, but fell an unconscious
victim to his artiice, when he wooed her
in the shape of shower of gold.
Mrs proceeded by saying that altho' he con-
sdered the want of power in Congress the
chief objection to the distribution proposed
since no advantage to be derived from dstri-
button could compensate for violation ofthe
constitution, he would, in the brief remarks
to which he was compelled to confne himself,
chiefly labor to show the utter nexpediency
and mischievous consequences of the policy.
His opponent, and other advocates of distri-
button, urged it mainly on the ground that
the public lands we're being consumed in
lavish special donations to the new States,
while Virginia and the other old States,
were receiving nothing, His opponent had
that day complained gricvously of the spe-
cal grants which had been made to Iowa,
Minnesota, and other States. And vet a
reference to Mr.. Stuart's reports, while Sec
rotary of the Interior, will show that he
himself sanctioned recommendations of these
very donations as operating no injustice to the
old States; 4 his assent to these recommends
tons in favor of the new States. were based on
considerations which could not by possibility
apply to the old Thus (said Mr. s. we
find that Mr.. Stuart aided in and encour-
aged the very evil, which he now suggests
as reason, why he should be selected as
physician to the body polite. The fact was
the schemes of distribution which had been
proposed had never been intended to pro-
duce equality The distribution bill of 1871
was SO framed as to give the new States ff-
teen per cent more Of the nett proceeds
than the old States, and contained proyiso
which left the door open to special donations
to the new States in addition, and at the
last session of Congress Mr. Bell of Tennes-
see, the patron Of a distribution bill then
introduced into the Senate, expressly mega
lived the idea that the intention of his bill
was to restrict the policy of special dona-
tons to the new States If then the new
States are to continue to enjoy these erciu-
size grants IN addition to their share in the
nett proceeds, he (Mr. S. could not see
that an equality would exist any more than
at present, and the only question to be con-
sidered was the plea Of producing equality
altogether failing whether it would be bet
ter that the proceeds of the lands should be
applied towards defraying the expenses Of
the Federal Government or be distributed
among the States.
He (Mr. Skinner) was opposed to distri-
button on the ground of cxpediency, because,
while it was productive of no advantage
since at best it was but taking money out of
one pocket to put it into another-the true
! state OF the case was, that an immense sum