The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-05-06

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Will my friend defend them l know he
did not rote for them, but he was on the
floor, presume, why did he not in the name
and as one of the representatives Of the
Commonwealth Of Virginia, sound the alarm
and Indignantly protest againt this gross in
Justice, this manifest intracton Of right
and Justice and the constitutions 1t will
not do for him to say that the Northern
Freesoilers overpowered and outyoted him
and those who concurred with him. No,
no for here among them, participants in
the business, we find Alabama, Missouri,
Mississippi, Georgia and Arkansas, Southern
State Rights, Strict Construction Democrat
ic States. IL is not Indiana, Illinois, and
Cass and Douglas alone, but the " chiyalry"
who have united in this matter, from the
Penobscot to the Sabine, men of every shade
of opinion, every variety OF interest and
every dissentient element, but all speaking
one shibboleth, viz: the great National
Democracy consented together that the
constitutional mode Of disposing" Of the
public lands, is to vote them away to certain
corporations in certain States. To distribute
the proceeds among the States is flagrant
heresv, flor in that event the Wings of the
Union might fall heir to = Share.4 but the
Democratic constitutional mode is to dis
tribute them among Democratic States, so
as to keep them chained to the car of :" Ma
tional Democracy" OF Cass and Douglas
it might have been expected-for do they
not quadreGally assemble with the Democ-
racy at Baltimore and Cincinnati, and vote
with junction a grand resolve, that works
Of internal improvement by the general
government are highly unconstitutional, !"
and rush Immediately to Washington, and
vote that million or so of acres are highly
needlu and beneficial TO their constituency"
Virginia takes her share in rcs0lutions-ll-
linois, Michigan, &C., take theirs in land. A
good resolution appeases and satisfies the
old Commonwealth at any time. Her Lam
guage practically is, g Plumber it YOU please,
gentlemen, but start fair and consiitutionoiiy,
ONLY pass resolution that YOU won't do it,
ahd then each State may cut for itself. SO
much for brief glance At the origin Of the
land fund, and some Account Of the mode in
which it has been disposed Of.
| Now, il is indispensable to inform you,
that the Supreme Court Of the United
states, the highest Judicial authority, has
dec died that the United States, so far as the
public lands are concerned, stands in the
position of Trustee. This has been 50 de-
cided more than once, but most emphatically
in Jackson W. Clark, &C., | Peters 635
I63l abridged edition.: /" The government
OF the United States then received thi:
territory, in trust, not only for the Virginia
troops on the continental establishment, but
also Tor the use and benefit o. the members
of the confederation, and this trust Is 10 be
executed ~ fqithth and bona .tfsle dispo-
sition OF the land for that purpose.
/ Gentlemen, ! submit II 10 you, whethei
] from the facts SO far elected, il is not mos
manifest that this trustee has most ecklessiy
nnjustlv and extensively squandered rht
trust snbject-appropriating il to purposes
entirely foreign 70 the terms creating u, ant
grossly unequal aud 0nerous to the othei
parties in interest. Why. gentlemen, il thii
we're case between my friend Caskie ant
mvself-a case OF northumberland o
between a State "a past generationl anC
States Ia living generationl the remed,
would be plain and ample. Upon applica
ton Of the injured parties Judge Mereditl
would arrest the trust fund, protect II iron
further perYersion. would remove the faith
less trustee, would send the accounts %
Commissioner in CnanCery, and require
pro rata restitution from the States or cor
poration. that have received any portion q
lie fund. nav, more, would pronounce thl
grants heretofore alluded Ia utterly r0id an
llfgm. But unfortunately here, from III
nature of the case, there Is no judicial forum
There is no Equity commissioner, unles
public opinion enlightened and aroused 81
he subject, shall coerce Congress 10 d
what Is just and necessary 10 tie premises.
Let % nov, nv friends. inquire into wha
are the various plans heretofore proposed 70
the " disposition Z Of the proceeds Of 81
public lands, and why any such disposition
other than their being sold and The proceed
paid into and disbursed BY tie Treasar
department, j. either necessary Or expeiieni
must premise that il is an admitted axiof
IN the theory II al well-regulated govern
ments, that there should never be an orer
Touring treasury; FIRST, because il eyincc
that die people are somehow Oyertaxei an
second, because tho much uf the circulatin
medium 81 the country useful 0nly Will
in circulation j. Withdrawn from the busi
mes. channels, aud produces monetary trOu
, bles: and third, because such oyerplus
liable to become fund Cor corruption an
! fraud; and fourth, the sword being in u
/ hands II the executive and with u.) legi.
! latiye bodies, large purse ought never
be 20 entrusted to any power already holdin
{ tie sword. For many reasons, not neeessar
. to detail, all this is pre.eminrntly true I
, or government. II i against the theory
our government aud fhe interests Of %
people TO have redundant treasury. W
!. have nov, and have had for some time, an
!. probably shall have, more revenue than ca
i. be disposed Of honestly--plunder is q
r consequence. 30 long ago ~ the time
/; Mr. Jefferson, when il became apparent thi
. the debt oT the Revolution would be, befOi
great while, discharged. il was begun
8 be discussed what disposition was TO
i made 81 the surplus arising from the " ~
!; posts and the sale. &c lands. The eonclt