Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1858-06-02


are ansaeable, it is insisted that the same un.
limited power exists over the immense public do
main, purchased as it has been since the formation
of the constitution with money raised by duties and
imposts, (Which it is admitted could not be given
away,) from France, Spain and Mexico, at cost of
forty-two millions Of dollars, besides very large
sums paid to extnguish Indian titles, embracing
area of country more than twice large as the
original territory owned and occupied by the United
States.
We deny that Congress has any such power over
this immense domain. We have given some of the
for the faith that is in u.s. and have time
or space to 60 further into the matter to-day. We
have purposely refraned from quoting names to sus
tain our positions, though may have adopted
some of the arguments of others.
We know it is said donations of lands have been
made for some purposes, and the advocates Of power
insist that if il right and proper to do this it
is right and proper to donate for other purposes.
This is the main staple Of the speech Of Mr.. Brown
very ingeniousy handled, but it is a mere begging
of the question at ssue-nothing more. Instead of
manfully meeting the argument of President Pierce
in his famous veto message to which his speech was
intended a reply, he first misrepresents his posi-.
ton by saying that the President admitted the right
to giue the lands to colleges schools, railroad COM
panes and other State institutions, and then says
there is nothing in the argument that lands cannot
be given to asylums and other institutions" Now
with all due respect say that nobody ought to
know better than Mr.. Brown himself that President
Pierce admitted such thing The grants to the
States for schools and colleges are based, as
stated by the President upon the consideration that
they will not tax the residue Of the public lands
within their limits and that grants to railroad
panies upon the express condition that they
would construct roads through the public domain,
thus enhancing its value. And so of all grants of
the kind except some very small ones, at an early
date, as to the deaf and dumb asylums in Connec-
ticut and Kentucky, which the President admits
and insists were improperly and unconstitutionally
made; but which he very properly says should
as landmarks to warn against the exercise
Of powers not granted rather than precedents to
establish the existence Of the power itself.
A word to the Register, who has challenged US to
this discussion. Should it attempt to answer ms,
we hope it will recite argument fairly and square.
ly; and resort to such subterfuge as that to
which We have adverted.
We are free to confess that there have been
public lands But these abuses have been enacted,
in the main, by the opponents of the Democratic
party who have uniformly supported them, aided
by a few who have, upon other questions, been
with u.s.
Let US unite and put down these abuses, and not
act with those who have been guilty of them by in.
sisting on a general instead of partial punder.
These abuses ALL the greater part of them, of
late date. Shall we despair of putting a stop to
them? Has that been the course of the glorious
old Democratic party, brave fearless and unyieldng
upon every question involving principle? No; it
has stood by its principles through good and
through evil report, until it has conquered. 1t has
never been party of expedients. For nearly forty
years it has fought against the power claimed for
the general government, an off-shoo from this same
clause in the constitution, to regulate the domestic
institutions of the territories and to exclude State
from the Union because of its federation of slavery
| At last we have broken down that claim and the
highest judicial tribunal in the country has decided
that Congress had no such power. Shall We yelt
now upon the plea of necessity, throwing the con
stitution to the dogs, to the still more selfish
ignoble of dollars and cents9 Neverl never
Let stand by the constitution as our only safe
guard on this upon other important questions
claiming only our rights, and insisting that other
take no more than theirs
THE ONO CONTESTED Observation-Disclosures
Mr. Gilmer's speech in favor Of his friend, Mr.. Camp
bell Black Republican, that gentleman Gf it be al
lowable to call Black Republican genteman) ha
been unseated and Mr.. Valandigham, Democrat, ma
been declared entitled to the seat. Campbell it Wi
be recollected, secured his election by illegal fire
negro votes. Such is the Mr. Gilmer chose
Norils. do laat .ae Stat