Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-05-08

The swindIe, Explored and Exploded.
What is the scheme Of the Land Dfstri-
butionists |? What thing do they propose
for Virginia TO do (? What programme
plan-what measure is it that
they recommend all parties. all patriots.
all farmers, all tax payers, all sorts ofyo-
ters to pursue. espouse and push forward
with long pull. strong pull, aud pull alto
gether, might, main, heart and soul p.
Surely, where there is so much smoke
there ought TO be some spark of living
hre-surel5. where there is SO great cry,
there must be little wool, some mutton.
Again and again have we asked to be in>
formed of the precise plan ofthe land par.
celers, of the precise object of politicians,
If great crusade is to be made by eve
ry man, woman. child, and living thing
in Virginia, surely somebody ought to
know the plan of campaign aud the OBJ.
ject to be crpsaded for.
We have besought diligently to be en-
lightened in regard to the thing desired
and the modus operandt proposed for Sc.
curing it. But our invocations have re-
NAMED UNDECIDED. Occasionally, We
have thought we had caught glimpse of
land amid the hubbub and bubble of the
waters. but only to be disappointed
Senator John Bell made speech the
other day and proposed measure. which
promised to solve the riddle and to sup.
ply the opposition in Virginia. "a tangible
proposition to campaign for, and as corr
pus to dissect. The opposition clapped
their hands over tive prepared our dis.
secting instruments-only to be disap>
pointed. 1t turned out to be scheme
for perpetuating land robbery and plun>
dering the treasury to boot. The Dstri-
butionists seized it eagerly at first; and
since then have been more chary and wa.
ry than ever in settling down upon the
terra frma of practical, tangible. matters
of-fact proposition.
None of them will do us the favor to
say exactly what they want in,regard to
the, public lands, or how they are going
about TO get it and we are very much in
the condition of the hero Of Donnybrook
Fair. whom nobody would do him the ia.
vor to "thrid on his coat tail" And so
we must be content to beat the air and
the bushes, fighting vagaries, demolish-
ing generalities. exploding and pitching
into bosh and balderdash, to the end Of
the spring campaign or else. We must
construct for the land distributionists
their own proposition, and expose the
swindle which, from want Of confidence
in it, they dare not commit themselves TO
in positive terms.
In constructing the proposition Of the
Distributionists for them, we shall have
to frame it on the most favorable pTinci-
pies for their own side of the case. aud to
make concessions to them throughout,
for the sake Of argument, which otherwise
we should dispute at every step. After
stating the most favorable proposition we
can conceive for them, we shall expose it,
and if the proposition prove in our hands
TO be t1imsy man of straw, cheat and
a swindle. il shall not be on account Of
any unfair dealing on our part. but only
OF the miserable worthlessncss of the sta.
pie itself.
The first thing TO be done in construct
ing land measure for The Distribution
lists. is to concede TO them for the sake
of argument) the ability to secure for
Virginia an equal division Of the fund
which she has heretofore been unable 10
secure the honest administration Of Our
own opinion is, that the Abolitionists,
Black Republicans and Northern and
Southern American Know>Nothings who
have heretofore voted in a solid column,
aided by portion Of the democrats, for
the scheme of land plunder, will be as
apt to continue to do SO in opposition to
propositions for an equitable distribution,
as they have heretofore done so in oppo>
sition to the policy OF employing the land
moneys in the legitimate uses of the gov
ernment. But, for the sake OF argument
we shall assume that no difficulty of this
sort will stand in the way and assume
that Virginia's share of the public lands
can be obtained by the Distributionists as
it is said birds may be caught by apply.
ing fresh salt to their tails.
We shall also be liberal in assuming
that the distribution money. the proceeds
Of the lands. may be secured. rather than
the apporlionment Of the land itself. Pro.
badly our neigbbor of the Whig. will not
deem this assumption liberal. notwith-
standing the large amount Of money we
intend 10 assume as the distributsble fund /;
for our neighbor suppOses that there are
ten thousand millions of acres. worth
twelve thousand millions Of doIIarsI But
this will be available to the States among
which they are TO be apportioned onlY
aohen purebaserS shaH Be found and that
is to say, when allowing ffty acres apiece
for every man, woman and child pur>
chasing. The population on tie new lands
shall reach fifty na'lliOns Of souls "a peri
cd Of time rather too remote for the pre-
sent taxpayers Of Virginia. So that We
are quite sure We shall be liberal With the
Distributionists in assuming a large
sum of money as the distributable fund,