Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-04-10


Bile, iflawful. and the latter is as untena
bio as the former, .inless there Be dissosu-
ton ot;fae Union. ] am opposed to this
because opposed 70 disunion. The qnes-
ton must be treated then, as q proposi-
ton TO dispose of the proceeds Of lands
and customs in the treasury; undistin-
guishable masses Of money there as q
surplus, from time to, time may arise
But two modes Of disposing of surplus in
the treasury. other than is pointed ont in
the constitution, have been proposed and
each has been tried. Deposit auitk the
States and Distribution to the States. The
objections to both are insuperable.
Money in the treasury is ,aot distinguish
able by go
list. The source from whence It comes.
Whether it comes from land or customs,
its use is defined by the constitution, and
it is a common fund for national appropri>
alton. a. ~ .gg lie ~
The land fund has two sources
LIST. Cessions- by States to the
u. s. f ,.s
ed. Acquisitions. by
LIST. Purchase, or
Cd. Conquest. ,,.s ..a..3sz
The deeds express that the object Of
their cession is, !" for the general charge
and expenditure" "a phrase equivalent TO
the provision Of the constitution respecting
exstoDss, /" to provide for the common de.
fence and general welfare" &c.
Aud the acquisitions were generally
and originally made by expenditures out
of the Treasury from money collected
from enthusiastically from common
fund OF money in the fisc for common, gen
eral and federal ends.
Cd. Nor is money in the Treasury dis
tinguishable by fg
Cd. The ends OF the powers Of Govern
ment. ,}t..s;
The land power is to make all need.
full rules and regulations respecting the
territory Gland or other property Of the
United States" The cardinal end Of this
power is the great object OF settlement Of
territory. The end OF the revenue power
is the regulation of commerce. Money to
pay debts even is secondary 10 that great
end OF the customs.
Accordingly, the lands have been SO
administered as to be sold at price TO
cheaper homesteads so low as to yield no
revenue: or, where revenue has accumu-
lated from the settlement of territory. to
aid the other great end Of regulating com
merce. reducing taxes, and interfering
trade.
Congress. then, whether We look to the
sources of revenue. or to the ends Of gov
ernmental powers. can do more with land
funds than with custom funds. II they
may give away the former. they may the
latter.
Sd. There is no surplus from the pro-
ceeds Of sales OF public lands. Debit and
dian titles, surveys, registering. receiving,
pensions. alternate section system, &C..
&C., on the one side, and proceeds on the
other, and the lands will be found many
millions in debt to the customs. Seeing
this
4th. In 1886 even Mr.. Clay conceded
that there was no surplus from land, and
be resorted to deposit, for even be was
obliged to concede. also, that surplus
from customs couldn't be distributed. or
given absolutely away. The act Of 1886
was made perpetual until, or unless the
Tariff Compromise Of 1832-33 was dis
turbed. This condition, unfortunately,
carried Mr.. Calhoun. What followed
The Tariff Compromise was Immediately
broken, and the deposit of the 4th install
ment arrested. Another peremptory
provision is, that in case Of war, or def.
cheney. or any emergency happening,
the deposits with the States should Be
returned to the treasury. War with Mex.
leo, which made the country bleed at
purse and every pore. came. and though
debt and deficiency run up to 100 mill
ions, yet not breath about the return Of
deposits to the treasury was ever heard
Of. The unrepealed law is dead and I'M
executed on the statute book, and there
the provision still stares us out Of counte.
nance, to show its immortality. that il was
in its very inception "in Jraudem Consti.
tutionis."
Again
9th. In 1886 the supposed surplus was
SO millions; 90 millions were distributed.
and before 1910, there was deficiency
under Mr.. Van Buren, Of 40 millions. and
in 1841 the parties distributed deficien:
cy, i. O., passed distribution bill. when
there was no surplus in the treasury,
showing that neither surplus nor it's want
will restrain the abuse of power from MAJ
king deficiency itself larger to increase
aProtectiye tariff. and to defea. both the
ends Of the revenue power, free trade,
and Of the land power, the settlement Of
the West.
9th. Again: If Congress may so
regulate" lands as to give them away,
so they may "other property" for the
two stand together in the same category.
7th. The system stimulates extraya>
ganee and engenders corruption in the
States, as well as at Washington. Viz
Rinia cot g Iaa onn from .hes 49, l.