Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-02-05

forth pretenSl0nS projects
lands within few years past.
And again. in I841 although advocating the distri-
button of the proceeds he repudats the idea that Con-
gress could ALLEVIATE the lands themselves. consistently
with the trust created by the deeds of cesson trust
has been created in the United States which they are
not now at liberty to decline transfer He says:
The rival plan is the general government to retain
the public domain make distribution of the proceeds
time of peace the several states equal ana
in time of war the proceeds for its vigorous
prosecution We think that the administration OF Inc pup
be regulated by uniform principles IMAM connoed 10 the
States to be administered according TO various ana per
which cede by certain States to the United States
the benefit of all the States, trust was thereby
created which been voluntarily accepted by the United
States, and which they are not at liberty now TO decline OF
transfer The history of public lands held IN the United
away by most of States that owned any, and that the
general government has displayed more Judgment and wis
dom the administration of them than of the States
Whilst it is readily admitted that should not be re-
garded the sole exclusive object the pecunia advan
y both the States and the Unon ought not to DC alto
gether overlooked"
What did General Jackson think Of distribution and
its effects in 1888 In his veto message of that year he
said:
1t is difficult to perceive what advantages would accrue
to the old States from the system of distribution
which this bill proposes if it were otherwise unobectona-
BILE. 1t requires argument to prove that three millions
al
treasury by this bill for distribution must be replaced by
the collected from the people by some other means
The old states VII & IN arg su Ui With
the expenses of collection and distributor
And Nr. Buchanan, in 1841, said -
But the absurdy of the at this time did not
stop here This bill made the pretezt or the why
we should pass the bill The defclency crea-
ted by the BILL is sad must be supplied by the other
And how supplied By tax of 20 per cent upon coffee
and teaartces which the habits of the people OF Pennsy
rendered
largely the consumption of family poor or rich
While that bill thus taxed coffee and tea left railroad iron
imported for the of corporations free of duty and yet
strange as might Pennsylvania senator was asked
to violate the express language of his Instructions and vote
for the land bill which t was avowed would render this
OdOuS bill absolutely necessary The annual diSulDu
ton under the land bill would he equal to but little more
than an eleren pcubh each individual in Pennsylvania
whilst the to which each OF them would be sublected III
of its passage the articles of coffee and tea
alone must considerably exceed that amount This truly
was wise legislation
In 1882, Mr. Clay, as Chairman of the Senate Com
mite on Manufactures made report urging the dlstr
button of the proceeds of the sales of the public lands
and accompanied that report by bill. AS the Com
mitec on Manufactures could have nothing to do with
the public lands the whole subject referred to the
Committee on Public Lands, who through their Chair
man, Hon. Wm r. King, of Alabama submitted an
elaborate report in opposition to the whole distribution
theory whether Of proceeds of the lands themselves
1t will be found doubt in the Congressional reports,
and also in Bentons Thirty Years View, vol. |, PIP.
276 277 278 and 279 1t is express against distrbu'
ton in every form and shape mood and tense.
We have now given-not isolated expressions, de-
tached from their context or twisted out Of their nat
ural meaning, is the custom with the advocates OF
disribuon-but long and full extracts which place the
sentiments of their authors beyond the reach of doubt
the possibility of misunderstanding The distribution
of the proceeds of the sales of the public lands seems to
have been abandoned, and new thing started. The
distribution of the lands themselves, OF bounty land
warrants Ready as Messrs. Webster and Clay were to
advocate liberal construction of the constitution, even
they could find no warrant in that instrument permitting
the common trustee to ALLEVIATE the common ond OF the
federation for the private and individual use of the sepa
rate States.
Having thus given as many individual authorities on
the subject of the consttutonaty and expediency of
distribution as our limits will permit-authorties of
general acceptaton-let subjon few sentences
which ought have bearing upon the position OF
those claiming membership with the political organza-
ton known as the Democratic party.
We submit an extract from every national platform
of the Democratic party for the last twenty years. and
commend it to the attention Of those who like our ven
cradle neghbor of the Commercial think that no dUoaCed
princple of the Democratic creed is involved. Remem
be we do not say that those who advocate distribution
have therefore, ceased to be Democrats on all other
points That would not be stating the fairly. But
it is point-t is made the issue against us. 1t Is the
issue we have noav to meet and it is the issue arr
now meeting, and those who join to oppose on this
ISSUE lend the influence of their talents and their position
weaken the Democratic party and to strengthen those
who seek its prostration. Can they, while thus acting
claim to be with US? Are they not, by their own vol
untary act placed in the ranks of the opposing force ?
Can they have any just right to complain if they 81
considered and so treated? We put it to the plain
common sense of plain sensible men. Mr.. Leak ha
gone SO far Oh this track as to tell the Americans
of Richmond county, that if that part
places dstributionis in the field he will not only vOt
for, but speak for him. in opposition to Democratic
candidate, standing the platform of the Democratic
party So it is distinctly stated in the Raleigh Regis
ter of this date I.Jan. 30tl 1858
FROM TIE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL PLATFORMS LAS
20 YEARS.
That the federal government is of limited power
derived solely from the Constitution; and the grants
power made therein ought to be strictly construed by a.
the departments and agents of the governments and that
nexpeden and dangerous to exercise doubtful consu
That the Constitution does not confer authority upon tn
federal government directly indirectly, to assume tn
debts of the several States contracted for local and nterna
improvements other State purposes, would such as
sumption he just expedient.
That the proceeds the public lands ought to be
credy applied to the objects specified in the Cor
ution and that opposed to any law for the distr
button Of such proceeds among the States alike
dent i'll policy, and REPrGNANT CONSTITUTION.
Mr.. McRae quoted a number of isolated and excer
tiona casts to prove that gentlemen whose deberatel
expressed convictions haye uniformly been against dis
tribution had one time another, given votes apps
renty at variance with the principles they have uniform