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


nestly solicited.
Mr.. McRoe's Speech on Last Thursday Night at the
Court House.
On last Thursday evening, Duncan K. McRae, Esq,
addressed meeting of the citizens of Wilmington,
sembed in the Court House. The published object of
the address was to defend himself from the attacks of
portion of the press of the State
Circumstances prevented our being present and hear
ing the opening portions of Mr. McRaes remarks We
understood that he complained bitterly that he should be
singled out for accommodation from the ranks Of the
Democratic party because of his difference from the ma
iority of the party the distribution question, while
others similarly offending, were held amongst the pill
lars Of the party. He also, we understand, very
bitter in his denunciatons of the Raleigh Standard.
Now, if a gentleman chooses to place himself in oppo-
stion to his party what he himself says is the
only living issue remaning-if he throws himself forward
into the arena to receive the pauds of the opposition
for blows adroitly aimed at the avoWed principles and
recognized organization Of the party to which he claims
to beong-if he than hints that he will be can
didae before the people of North Carolina relying, as
he must rely upon the ntDemocatlc vote OF the State
assisted by the few Democrats whom he hopes to de-
tach from the true banner of Democracyfhe does all
this and expects to remain IN full fellowship with the
Democratic party of North Carolina he must surely
think that the party is too stupid to see too deficient
in energy and spirit to act. Mr. McRaes course before
he left for France was that of dsorganzer and oppo
ncnt of his party-hs first step his return is in
the same direction He jumps through-breaks down,
the lines and limits of the partyges beyond all recog
Missed Or recognizable ground upon which Democrats
stand-assumes position of hostility to the party
from which he has separated the land question: and
then, after all this finding himself outside of the Demo-
cratic pale he turns round with air of injured inno-
cence and seeks the honors of martyrdom He says he
has been prescribed, and attempt made to turn him
out of the Democratic party To our simple apprehen-
sion, Mr.. McRae has gone out of his own accord. He
may think differently He may feel like the reasonable
Juror who was cooped up with eleven fractions persons
who would not agree with him, although they accorded
between Themselves He will find the Democratic party
as stubborn as the eleven jurors.
AS to his reference to the Editor Of the Standard
did not hear we need say little about that the
more especially as Mr. Holden is abundantly able to
take care of himself Much of it, as learn, pref
ty much the old song of the Raleigh Register.
But all this was simply prefatory-the real thing was
the making of a land distribution Speech and to some
points in that speech propose to refer. Time and
space will prevent making than cursory re
view of an effort which occupied between two and three
hours in the delivery.
Mr.. McRae deduces the constitutional power Of Con
gress distribute the public lands from that provision
of the constitution which says that the Congress shall
have power to dispose of and make all needf rules and
regulations respecting the territory other property be-
longing to the United States He asserts what we have
before asserted that the public lands are property be-
longing to the United States and are to be disposed
like other property belonging to the proprietor In
what way is this right of disposal to be exercsed-how
far does it go? What obligations does it impose? These
are the questions be answered. and the questions which
Mr. McRae did not answer Let us turn to the opinions
of those expoundr of the constitution whom all respect
for their ability, learning and patriotism Calhoun
Webster and Clay, and see what they say about it.
Mr.. Calhoun, in l84l, spoke as follows:
Whether the Government can constituonay distribute
depend upon the fact whether they belong them the
united federal character individually separately
in the former it is manifest that the Gooennen their
agent trustee haze right to distribute
thenl for their individual, separate use find derired
from property held in their united and federal character
1oito special pocer for that purpose cch is not pre-
tended position clear of ITSELF and resting the
tabshed principles of law when applied hold
ing property in like manner needs illustration IT, on
the contrary they belong the States their individual
and separate character then the Government would not
y have the right but would be bound apply the
to the separate of the States So far ncontrover
be which presents the question In which the two char
acters are the lands held by the States?
ITO give satisfactory to this question: it will be
to distinguish between lands that have coded
by the States and those that have been purchased BY the
Government out of the common funds of the Union
The principal Cessons made by Virginia and Geor
ga The former of all the tract between the Ohio the Mis-
sppl and the lakes including the States of Ohio Indiana
the latter of the tract included Alabama and Missssnn
shall begin with the cesslon OF Virginia, as it is On thai
the advocates OF distribution mainly rely establish the
right:
Virginia deed of cessOn which has any bearing on the pon
at ISSUE taken from the volume lying on the tahIt
before me, with the place marked, and to which any
DESTROYS of examining the deed may refer.
The cession is to the United States in Congress as
sembled for the benefit of the said States Every wore
implies the States in their united federal character That
the meaning of the phrase United States. 1t stands in con
tradsncton to the States separately and individually anG
there could be by possibility any doubt that point
would be removed by the expression Congress assem-
bed assembage which constituted the very knot tina
mteo tnen regard the execution of such deed The
Ched deS SO assembled conclusive that the cessioI
to them their united and aggregate Character in
TO their individual and seperate character and
necessary that the lands coded belonged
to them their former and in their latter Character
that am at loss for words make clearer To den,
it. would be to deny that there any truth in language
SAYS that all the lands ceded shall he consdered
fund for the and benefit such of the Tnitef
States have become, or shall become members of til
Confederation Federal alliance of said States VIRGINS
inclusive, and concludes by saying and shall be fahfn
and bona tide disposed of for that purpose for no oha
purpose whatever If possible to raise donh
before, those full clear and explicit terms would dspe it.
impossible for language to be clearer To be considered
common fund is expression directly in contradisinction
seperae individual and is by necessary implication
clear negative of the latter if it positively
pressed This common fund to be for the use and bened