Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1858-05-26
The REGISTER and Distribution.

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claim to, without exhibition of egregous vanity.
We begin, therefore, in to-day's paper, with the
speech of the Hon. A. G. Brown, Democratic Sem
ator from Mississippi, delivered in the Senate in op
position to the reasons alleged by President Pierce
for vetoing the 6 INDECENT Insane Bill in 1854. /
This veto and the assigned for it. brought up
the whole question of Distribution in all its aspects,
whether of constitutionaty, precedent authority or
expedency, and to Mr.. Browns argument, we COM
mend every fair and unprejudlced reader, whose
mental vision is not hopelessly obscured by the
heavy msts of party politics, for as complete dem
onstration made of any proposition in
Euclid. 1t is an argument that cannot be refuted-
from its conclusions the wit of man cannot find
loop-hole from which to escape and so earnestly do
think so, that in good faith, and most respect
fully, propose to the Standard that if it will take the
argument up and dissect it, will publish its reply
in the Register. This is at least fair proposition.
We clip the above from an article in the Register
of the 10Th inst. Conclusive as the argument of Mr..
Brown may appear to the Register, we shall essay,
however rashly show that in respect it is di-
rectly against the constitutonality of the hvorte
scheme of the Register and that in another and the
only aspect in which Mr.. B. presents distribution
constitutional his argument will not bear the test of
examination.
But, before we proceed to our task we cannot but
express admiration Of the tact of the Register in
letting it be known that Mr.. Brown is :" Democrat
ic Senator from Mississippi" Mr.. B., 1t is true, is
of the very few Democratic Senators who enter
tain such views He says in his speech that he is
"a new State man." He is one of those who have
usually gone for land grants to his own and other
new States of which the Register and its friends
complain much. In other words, he belongs to
that class of politicians who in the political vocaou-
larry of the Registers candidate for Governor, a
cetously called land grabbers" 1t is little sngu-
lar therefore, that he should be strongly endorsed
and commended by the Register.
The President in his veto message, had taken the
ground that Congress had the same power to give
money raised from duties and imposts to build up
Insane Asylums in the States as had to dispose of
the public lands other public property for that
purpose. And as it had not the power to donate
money thus raised, so it had not power to donate
the public lands the proceeds thereof What says
Mr.. Brown to that?
"The President tells he will not discuss the
| question Of power sometimes claimed under the
general welfare clause of the Constitution, because
| he copceves the question Of power under that clause
to have been well and wisely settled. He thinks
Congress has the "power to lay and collect taxes,
Duties imposts, and excises, in order to pay the
debts '-and az order " to provide for the common
defense and GENERAL WELFARE In all THIS quite
| concur with hm-but one, to my knowledge,
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sttution to pass this bill, and the Presidents
marks on this point do not seem to me to meet the
argument presented by the friends of the bill, |
do not clearly perceive the purpose for which they
were introduced"
| Again he says
"The President respectfully submits that in
constitutional point of view, it is wholly immateria
whether the appropriation be in money in land.
think differently. The Congress has power to
dispose of the money but for purposes named in the
Constitution 1t has the power to dispose Of" the
land for purposes that not named in the Consti
tuition 1t follows that Congress holds its authority
the money by one tenure and its authority over
the land by another and so [ apprehend, it has
always been considered"
Again .-
"The purposes named in the constitution for
which money may be used are, to pay the debts and
to provide for the defense and general aoeL.
ta7e The Presidents reading of the money clause
is correct. He reads it thus: The Congress shall
have the power to lay and collect taxes duties, i'm
posts and excises, IN order to pay the debts ad in
order to provide for the common defense and general
welfare" Congress does not provide for the general
aoeItre when its takes charge of local interest
whether il be a road, school, asylum. Oh
jects that general, and not local, may alone re-
ceive the patronage of the Government under the
; money clause" =
''When, however, the lands are sold, and the mon
ey is palu INTO tue treasury, It becomes part aiC
parcel of one treasury, and can only be used mon
! ey raised from taxes, duties, imposts and ex
cses may be used, IN order to pay the debts and IL
order to provide for the common defense and gener
al welfare. Before it is sold while it is yet land,
i may be disposed of not alone to pay the debts,
= not alone to provide for the common defense ant
general welfare--there are no such words in tn
land clause of the Consttuon-but it may be dis
posed of for any purpose not inhibited by the Con
stitution 1t is thing to dispose of the none,
order to pay the debts of the Government, and
is another thing simply to dispose of the publ
: lands. l respectfully submit therefore, that tn
;. President is mistaken in supposing that Congress
:, has the same power to appropriate money as it ha
to appropriate land"
IL We shall make no further extracts to- day. W
y intend to examine hereafter, and will endeavor
show the fallacy Of the proposition to dsposng
the public lands contained in the latter clauses
T. the second and last extracts made by US.
> We submit that by the extracts given, the VI
constitutionalty of the Registers well known plan
{, distribution to w.t. distributing among the State
~ the money arising from the sales of the public land
has, by the Registers much vaunted authority, bee
demonstrated as conclusively as was ever any pro-
Il ostion in Euclid.
r We have, by the aid of Mr. Browns speech-he
ie up as the very embodiment of and truth
|" driven the nail SO to speak, through and throus
70 the Registers favorite platform. >"
ai But knowing how hard it is to keep our neighb
~ to his plank, wish, by way of cliachiag the
merely to remind him that his candidate for Cover
or, in 1852, in his Wilmington letter. says follow
81 am further reported as having endorsed Il
old measure of Mr. Clay-the distribution of the pr
to ceeds of the public lands among the States New
N. was greater msapprehenson. have always