Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-02-27
lpmchbur1 1tiraiuiaw.
Friday MOrning. February 30. 1857.
Virginia Policy.

ago, had before IL proposition TO refund TO tut
States Of Virginia and Mary land the sum o
Si92s0O0, contri outed by them some sixty years
ago towards the erection of the public buildings
at Washington. n an inducement TO Congress t.
establish the federal capital at its present site
The orr ,in and character of the transaction were
stated BY Senator Wilson as follows
~ do not know. Mr. President, that have any Oh
lection voting for this bill That these States mad'
donation of this money is admitted. do not know
that wish 10 keep ia the treasury of the lnite'
States money that the States Of Maryland and Nir-
gina can claim to belong to them. But. sir il
voting for this bill, wish to say-what believe Il
be true, what know 10 be true and what every man
familiar with the history of the country knows 70 ot
true-that this m oney advanced by Virginia and
Maryland to induce the Federal Government to es-
tablish the federal capital ON the han&s o. Tue oio
There was a eoniest-a great oontest ""., ,
the national capital should be estaoits.o ~ .s
banks of The Delassa the banks OF tue oto-
mac These doua iious were made as inducements 10
the Federal Government to estabSh the hai'oha cap
ital here and they had an influence on the ha'oaa'
government in securing the establishment oil IA
tions capital here
Marylana comes here, sir openly, ami makes
claim on US to pay this moaey she held out TO us As
an iniucement to some here. Virginia comes hee IN
roundabout way having considered tbs sort oil
claim. and passed i to a railroad corporation
| do moi like this iadirect mode VI coming here SIR,
let Virginia come here and say what IS true. c
wanted the scat q: fhe national Government esiah-
lishcd on the banks Of tbs Potomac NE eontendcd
for il we bargained for it we made these advan-
ces these grants, these donations OF money. 10 bring
about that result we have enjoy ed its rich benefits
more of our sons have filed Office here than OF al
all the States of the Union besides; tie ireasu-
~ of the Fe ieral q Orernmen Is 10" full 10 overflow
ing now poor; wish 10 build fnilfoadsj
an we want the Federal Government to pay US back
this money! Sir. it is no debt, no obligation
These donations OF Maryland and Virginia brought
the Federal Government here, aud these two states
have had the benef OF is location here Maryland
to-day supports her State government, TO some ex-
tent by the benefits Of thi, e,pitd-hy the travel
over the railroad from Baltimore 10 this city
So far as We now. this Is a correct accoun, of
the matter. The bill refunding the amount pass
ed the Senate. We ara not sure whether IT haG
previously passed the House Of Representatives
In the Virginia Legislature, few sessions ago
this subject was brought to thd'aftention Of the
body. through a petition from tho Orange and
Alexandra Railroad Company. soliciting trans
fer 10 them of The States claim 10 the amount
advanced Ne; wihs'aad'ng The Legislature was
at tie time democratic by large majority, the
prayer of the mortal granted, and The in
terest Of Virginia assigned To this Railroad Com
pany. The intelligent reader cannot fail 20 b"
struck with the contrast between this action of
ceve the land fund now lyirg in one oi the banks
at Richmond, as well as TO sert any claim to Il
share of the public lands or their proceeds, WHEN
they being pareelled out amongotler state. ,
In the former case there a consideration re
oeived and still enjoyed and Ia be enjoyed indef
ni;elY. The money seems To have been he-tow
ed absolute ~ and if So, there j. tao Right Of
reclamation recourse erhinly hone 50 long
as the oonsid.- ration lasts. But in regard - he
Public Lands there surrender IN trust
only BY Nirginia's deed Of cessiop. il was ex-
pressly Stipulated that tia lands given by her
"shail be considered a common fund tor the use
and benefit of sucl " the United States as have
become, or shall become, members H the conieJ-
Grafton or Federal al iance If the said states,
Nirg mia i1clu sve. according 10 thtir usual RS.
peetirt proportions ia The general charge and er-
pendiIure, and shall be faithfully aud bona .fde
disposed of for that purpose, and ion no other
purpose tehats oertr.' Seeing the conditions Of
this trust VOL ated, tad the lands dspa- d Of and
appropriat ed mot in accordance with the respec
tive proportions of each State IN the general
charge and expenditure" bat with pariiaty. in.
equality and injustice, ihe Wing party of Virgin.
ia have demanded that the esiishould he arrest
They have insisted that whereas Illinois has had
certain appropriations made for her use aud
benefit out of this "comuon fund.- Virginia
should now be put upon an equal footing with II.
LIMOS, by having appropriations made for her
use and benefit much greater than those
received by Illinois, as the proportion of Nir
ginia's share sin the general charge and espcn.
diture" is greater than the share of Illinois
This is in exact accordance with the language
and spirit of Virginia's deed to the federal gov
ernment. b ut the Democratic party have said
No. Virginia shall not have her share. The
terms of the deed shall not BE- executed The in
justice done by the dsapportionate grants of Con
gress shall no t be repaired. Wear willing to sec
Va, GO upon her knees and hold on; her supplian,
hand to Congress,hegging back the pittance that
she gaze to ards the erection of the public build
ings at Washington, but are unwilling TO see
her standing in the Indignant majesty of an of
Tended and fearless ommonwenh, demanding
that her rights shall be respected and that jus.
tce shall be done her. She may kiss the dust, a
poor grovelling mendicant, before the gates of
the federal government. and her representatives
may fill their purses with gold the members of
Congress have voted TO them selves but She shal Il
utter no word of renonstrance for spoatons of
her property and denials of her equality as IL mem
Der Of the confederacy." Shame shame shame
Where her of courage and might where
is her ancient prde-where her historic resent.
ment! where her sense of right; her intolerance
OF wrong' the noble craftsmanship that crowned