Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-03-06
For TIE E%SaoiRER.

For TIE Enquirer.
7ys ,,or-erv Of tie Op2oshion-7 The r%seept'o" Of
v;,g,oia', ouosa Of tie proceeds Of the public
mnds-lhe last czp:r7"z hope q Inc Ama1sam o.
nd lphiy :ery, Kn v-.SoAlns', and The odds
and end. Of al djscoate.'s, &c, &c.
Me.sr,. ~Ea,,ols:-From the significant bulls of the
opposition press, it 'eerIs the only issue Designed TO
~ made bv Them in the spring canvass, will be the
reception OF V~i.giria's portion of the proceeds OF The
nubIilc lands; that in Tier kindness they are willing
~ drop other differences OF opinion, it the people
will belp them to this small triumph over the Denoc-
racy. They mhgnanimou.ly put ss!de me great is-
sues upon which the Wing party once Cid battle 30
yaliau,ly. The borrid ghosts OF The poor Catholics,
snd the sinking odor .: the w!etched foreigner 10
longer haun.s the know-Noihing in his hidlng.place;
bu, all come out in opeu dcy aud pray only 10 Ds per-
mitted to get u distant sntli OF the hssh-pots, or taste
but the crumbs which fall from the table OF the sue
cessful. Grant Mcm but This and YOU hare then
Hearty 20 operation!
It Is sometimes said in derisicn of our opponent,
that it is Ouiy necessary to touch lhs "pocket nerve"
10 bring i'm 10 terms, and it seems that the opposi.
ton has fallen upon this plan as the last hope of be
ing able to reach the teader nerve OF the Democracy.
am aware, Messrs. Editors, that the finances OF
Virginia are in a somewhat crippled condition., and
that our taxes arc high aud 10 some extent onerous;
but. sirs, are we 10 be bribed into on abandonment oil
our cherished principlesl 20 an ignominious crouch.
ing at the feet of the General Government, 10 follow
an ipnus fatuus in pursuit Of help, which will but
plunge US still deeper in the ~quagluire OF deception
Are we 10 take from the proceeds Of the sales OF the
| public lands a few millions 10 put in one pocke,
that we may thereby be compelled to psyout at the
other twice the amount, by the ins;dious and deep
tive workings Of this bribe offered 10 the. States1
Am | right in my recollection of the history of the
distribution scheme The advocates Of a high pro-
tectiye tarif failed in all their Efforts to bolster up
and support their odioHs schemes OF plumber OF ths
people, for the building up tue great manufacturing
interests at The expense OF the people at large; and
seeing that they could nc longer sustain their cause
by argument or -eesou, their great aim and object
was to produce O vacuum in the United States Treas
ury, whereby it might become necessary to raise
more revenue by & high tariff TO meet the necessa-
nv expenses ii government. The proceeds OF the
public lands were supposed 20 si!'Td n considerable
| portion of that revenue, Gnithsrrfore, fthey could be
distracted from the Treasury, thus an absolute ne
| oessity Yoald be presented for n high tariff. or di-
| rect taxation. thus, By the sriiui manouverlngs OF
the tariff party was this br.oe offered 10 tie people
os Ike States; but Virginia statesmen were too wary
10 be thus entrapped. 1t Is admitted that The temp
| ration was greet, 10 avail OF this boon, which, for the
present, might lessen Tie burdens OF the people; but,
10 every far-seeing man, IL IS evident that upon Inc
augmentation Of the tariff, every mai, woman and
child. for every article OF luxury or comfort whicn
they might desire to euioy would be constantly taxed
in the purchase Of such thiags 10 q far greater eI.
tent than any atvsntsges likely 10 accrue from the
reception OF ihe fund allotted to Virginia as her por-
ton of the inodey ari,,ng from public l6nda; and
seeing this lnsidious working Of the scheme, as pru
dent aud economical men, he Legislature of Fir.
giuia repudiated tho cifer. A still stronger objection
wgs founded upon the tact that the public lanes were
ieeigned Ia he sold, aud the proceeds exciueively
applied 10 the purposes Ut The general government
and in any manner TO divert them from that cEanne
was improper. No wonder tne people Of Virglnis
sSc:iG, in their wisdom, repudiate this attempt tt
br;be her into the schemes .: the tariff party.
But it is argued thatths iacts and circumstances o
the case have changed; that there Is a redundancy
now in the treasury, AID the abstraction of tine pro
ceeds of the public lands cannot produce a vacuum
! 80 great as TO cell for Il high tariff that Congress Ii
| giving away large portions OF lbs public lands Il
other States for building rail roads, &c. Here SCENT
again al appeal to the cupid!ty of Virginia, eEd no
10 her sense Of honor and pIOpriety.
There il no certainty that & general distribution o
tbs land fund might no. produce a necessity for
high tariff at this day; aud the farther fact that i isir
itself impolitic and improper 10 distribute that fend
ID sufficient for a high toned !irglnisn to oppose II.
AS regards the grants OF the public landE by Con
gres. 10 rail roads, DO the Democratic party Of Viz
ginia agree in a general Of its proprie'
y; SUD l believe her representatives have generally
if not uniformly, voted against those schemes. Du)
10 this, the opposition press, vixen conoe!nuiDgt the act
dc not ingenuously present iae question in lie true
iisht 20 the minds Of their readers. = l an: not mis-
taken, the gift has always been after this fashion
viz a company contemplate building a .ailroac
through the puoiic LANDS, Inch, 1t ie argued, W"
bring said lands immed:steiy III demand, es a 2oosa-
quence only Of this rail road ,uuu,cg through them
u proposition is made 20 Go. ;re.s 20 give 10 said raj
road company alternate sections OF the pab,ic land:
through which said road runs. The government price
Of the public lands is 81 .23 per acre. bat 10y :he railroad
going through this portion, the other alternate sections
are put up By tho governmental 81 50 pr. acre, and thu,
the government 10 paid for hes Irrnt 10 the railroads
sad the argument Of the grantee il, that wallet he
receives a benefit, The General Government is no
loser, but, iu fact, find. a lar r. sdie: sale for her land
p: the double prize, then she Gid osfure at tie mini
mum. These pubic lends happen 10 lie il oIker
STATES, end therefore beueii! those states; whilst FIr.
ginia having none in her borders, cannot share IN The
same way the benefits.
The great hue and cry ia. that all the States ought
to share equally in the benefits arising from the pub.
lie lands; a proposition most certainly assented 10 by
every man; bu: how shsl. rnis be Effected Shall
Virginia Gully her escutcheoa win ~d:sHCao-, 20 !nske
herself equal with others! If she believes it wrong,
Will che do rr0Rg? No, never. BilSsAsco.