Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-02-28
u.,,,,L. ,fur Garlic ef N In the fseu.s a
rl.p,e.esinri,e- FEB 1oth On the Land Ones

f ~ "a
.peech. or to be instrumental in retardng the ne.
ees.ary public business. | have obtained the
floor for the purpose of calling the attention Of
the COMM tee. aud Of The country, TO PROPOSE
ton which submitted some weeks ngo. aud
which i. now pending before the committee on
Public Lands. in the shape 81 bill entitled IAN
act 10 equaliza the grants OF land To the several
States in this Union" That bill the Committee
ON Public Lands hns not yet heen able to report,
and is still IN possession Of the committee; but
am informed they ready 10 report it whenov.
or an opportunity offers. Intimately connected
with the rubect Of the tariff which has occupied
for some weeks the attention of this body. i the
disposition of these lands. The chief argument
why there should be n change in our present tar
if law arises from the fact Of the abundance Of
money locked up in the Treasury aud Withdrawn
from the circulation of the country.
The argument heretofore urged against the
disposition Of the public lands has been, so far
M understand this; that the proceeds arising
from the sales of the lands went into the 1reasu-
". and Ia that extent relieved the people Of tax
alton That argument has now no force. You
have an OVERLOOKING Treasury. You expect that
at the close of the next fiscal year you will have
unless change be mnde in your revenue
laws. n surplus of sixty odd millions of dollars
1t does not require any great familiarity with the
business interests of the country to SEQ that sum
thus Withdrawn from circulation will operate ia
tally on all sections. and every interest IN the
country. This argument, therefore not having
any force now. shalt not consume time in meet
ing it.
Another argument has been urged by some
TINT it would be unconstitutional to make this
distribution of these lands. Sir, | hold that, in
view of the legislation of the past, in view Of tho
manner in which this Government has acted as
trustee of those States which ceded the land. for
special purposes in view of the manner in which
TINT trust has been discharged, oedng them
back to the States is the only constitutional way
in which we can execute the trust Sir. we Of
tho section of the country from which come, al o
reprouchcd with being backward in improvements
and in progress. That back wardness is chnrg-
ed by gentlemen styling themselves lovers Of
freedom, to tho existence of tho institution of
slavery; and they attribute what they please to
call their progress in the march Of improvement
10 the absence of that institution.
Sir, | think that the statstcal information
which was called for by this House the other day
by resolution which, through its kindness, |
submitted, will show, when furnished, that this
improvement,lt there be any justice in the claim,
arises from the fact that those who represent on
this floor the section of country where tho insti-
tuition Of slavery does not exist, have appropria-
ted millions from the public Treasury and from
The common fund, in the shape of land grants
aud direct appropriations, where not one dollar
has been appropriated for The benefit of those
States from which this land fund was derived,
Now, sir, as do not intend to consume more
fhan II few minutes will read from the grant
ihau' ny l"Eilh " INA! empire "h'ch sue give
!" 'n' '.',eu 7ta,'7 III 49, ana "o wiz there
see thHt Is violation oi ihe'tcrns OF that grant
10 MAKE donations Tor WORKS OF internal improve"
'n'i' anu "r 'a''Io"uS III ihe o'a'es III "hlch
these lands lie:
Thol al the lands within the territory so coded to
/ 81 M
tel to ANY o the before mentioned purposes, or dis
pased OF in bonntles to The officers and soldiers OF the
american army sha,l De considered a. common '"nd
hr use aad 9enfh oi such oil Inc United states as
~ .e'''''s III '''''' "'t '' inrnoe's % Tue ,o
- a. ,',''''' " 'ne s",' '.''es'
.r,; j., ,l,,. ,,,,a,1l ,1r,', a,I a,,allli,',r,
~ nm. f;,l,,.lr,. AMI =, r "a 1i,,,edia r g.,
,ii ,.,r.s am, f. no tl,.,,,.e ,,r ,,i,r,,,se ,.It
teeycro
nv" ms 'fs'n'" va nf' o"'i'' nor soaf' III
th',, common lnhdi ~ slat' OF LIMOS feo'''
v" IRON tue '"nErr'S Oh inc ,n',ea suites
einh' 81 hhd "hl'h mas ehnoeu her 10 make hrr
effai OeAt'a' tM''oA'' ana now, nI'f making 1t
lie has suiadlrn' quantity oi that iand lett to
sell Tor more money 'hhh wonid pay Tue "ho'o
dent 81 Nlfsinia
Ana YET Virgin" mas gehe on WIN no ana out
hef own means 'eS"r'hB To 'le t7Na''oh OF hrr
,,l@'hN III making h'f own improvements whil'
i''ln"'', Wh'en was "no' county Oh Nu6"hih'
ias rapidly shinE'd h'r whoie Sta'o WIN ran,
roads MOI ny n,f own nouns out oy grants OF
Tue" InndS' whi'h she np'ahcu from the Con
gfesS ot The United state. Virginia planted
Der sen here en- h'r desire that thrsr lands should
be h'I' sacred ana should go 10 delfay the com
mon expenses oil nus governments ana thereby
reduce tho taxes 81 the country but SIR she
has found TINT all rPr Efforts have been frntlesS
It's worse ihan id,' mat h'f people should be
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