Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-04-11
The Public LandS-Dislributi0n.

able article in s'The South" on the sahjecs
of Distribution. It is one of the most pow
erful articles that has appeared against this
Federal measure, which, if carried out, will
increase taxation, by increasing the Tariff
But We go further, and contend that the
distribution of the proceeds of the public
lands is a virtual distribution of the customs
IT, as we have said, the revenue arising
from the sale Of these lands is designed for
the support of the Federal Government, it
follows, of course, that the deficit caused by
q withdrawal of this fund must be met from
an increase i'll the revenue arising from tax
alton. We, OF course, argue on the sup
position that the Government is administer
ed on principles Of economy, and that only
50 much money is raised as is necessary for
the purposes of that administration. We
will presently refer to the question Of sur
plus revenue, and the proper disposition to
be made of that fund. There is no other
source than taxation, then, from which the
deficit caused by withdrawal of the land
fund can be supplied; and thus at last the
tax paying community are not benefited q
farthing by the humane sympathy aud sa-
gacious craftsmanship of their Federal guar
dams. Nay, more, they are injured by the
very process which was designed for their
benefit. 1t must be remembered that the
cost attending the distribution Of these pro-
ceeds is itself very considerable, and that
the expense Of reimhursing the fund 80 dis
tributed by taxation is estimated at about
ten per cent on the receipts Thus. for every
thousand dollars that the State of Virginia
is to receive by this policy, her people are
to be taxed by the Federal government
eleven hundred dollars Under the most
favorable view, the distributive share is but
loan, and loan, TO- at more than ten
per cent.
But if this were not sufFcien. to show
that distribution of the land fund is equity
alent to, and to be regarded in the light of
a distribution Of the customs, there is anoth-
or view which must be conclusive. We have
said that, for the most part, the public lands
now under the control of Congress, are de-
rived not from the State grants to which We
have alluded, but directly from purchases
made by the Federal Government. These
purchases have been made with the common
funds Of the United States-fu funds raised al
most exclusively by the system of taxation
The lands, then, proposed to be distributed
may be literally regarded as fund arising
from the duties upon imports, for it would
be illegal and absurd to suppose that mere
change of Investment changes the nature Of
the trust. We are, indeed, at loss TO con-
lecture what new property Of distribution is
10 i,14 L. IL.
land purchase. We can conceive sup
plant State appealing TO the Federal Her.
cules to help her through the mire of her
embarrassment and over the rocky strata of
her mountains. Give me. says the prodi-
gal State who has wasted her substance in
riotous improvement, GIVE me the portion
Of goods that falieth to ne" Aud what Is
the reply Of the Constitutional, ing Federal
father, to whom the appeal is made =: "fhe
funds in my possession are consecra,ed to
certain purposes specified in tho Constitu-
ton. But | will invest them all in lands.
and then distribute the proceeds Of the sales
of those lands among you"
We say, then, that there can be no real,
practical difference between the distribution
of the lands aud the distribution of the tax
eR. For the most part, these lands are in
deed, but the representatives Of taxation be-
cause purchased with the money derived
from that source; aud, where this is not the
case, for every dollar distributed among the
States, Its equivalent must be returned with
interest, by taxation, into the Federal
Treasury.
The next difficulty that arises in the way
OF the advocate for distribution, il to aseer-
tain on what system and according to what
apportionment the distribution shall be
made. And here it will be readily seen
that no equitable plan can be possibly adopt
ed. 1t is indeed difficult to conceive more
abstruse problem than the one under con-
sideration. If the distribution of the land
proceeds is in effect, the distribution of the
proceeds of taxes with which that land was
purchased, then in order to an equitable ap-
portionment among the States il viii be ne
cessary to ascertain exactly the amount of
revenue which each State has contributed.
The only plausible ground on which this
distribution can be made, is that the surplus
Of the Treasury after the administration of
the Federal Government, should be return
ed to the States from whom it was collected.
But first We must ascertain the amount
collected from each State, in order to FIX
the quota which she is to receive from the
surplus. Now the duties thus raised are
for the most part collected in Northern At
lantc ports. BY what calculation, then, or
with what statistics can the Guancier of the
distribution policy ascertain what amount
Virginia contributed towards the purchase
Of the lands to be distributed? Ascertain
the amount of imports consumed within her
limits, the amount of duty laid on each of
these, and you may approximate the result
But We defy the wit of man to devise a
scheme by which this can be accomplished
This difficulty did not exist in the old
confederation. when the Federal Govern
ment WAS carried on by a system of gradu-
ated qnotas,. to be paid by each State to-
wards the object. Hence it is that in the
original grant by Virginia of the North
western territory, it is stipulated that the
benefits arising theretrom shall be applied
to the States according to their usual res
peetive proportions in the general charge
aud expenditure" In other words, that in
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