Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-03-31

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Die, feeling more immediate interest III
obtaining money to tighten the burdens Of their
constituents than for the promotion of the more
distant objects intrusted to tho federal govern
menf will naturally incline to obtain meanI
from me federal government for State purposes
Ii question shall arise between an appropria-
ton of land or money to carry in to effect ths
objects of the federal government and those o.
the State, their feelings will be enlisted in tayol
of the latter; this is human nature and hence
the necessity Of keeping the two governments
entirely distinct. The preponderance Of thu
home feeling has been manifested in the passage
of the present bill. The Establishment ct thest
colleges has prevailed over the pressing want
of the common treasury. No nation ever bae
such an inheritance as we possess in the public
lands. These ought to be managed with the
utmost care, but at the same time with o libcra
spirit towards actual settlers.
In the first year OF war with powerful
naval nation, the revenue from customs must If
great degree cease. A resort to leans viii
then become necessary and these can always b
obtained as our fathers obtained them, on adj
vantageous terms, by pledging the public landl
as security. In this view of the subject, i
would be wiser to grant money to the States
for domestic purposes, than to seuander away
bodies into the hands of spectators.
A successful struggle on The part of the STATE
governments with the general government fol
the public lands would deprive the latter of the
means of performing its high duties, especial,
at critical and dangerous periods. Besides, i
would operate with equal detriment to the bes
interests of the States. 1t would remove thu
most wholesome of all restraints on Legislative
bodies-that of being obliged to raise money BY
taxation from their constitucL Island woult
lead to extravaganza, if not corruption. Wha
is obtained easily and without responsibility
will be lavishly expended"
This is very decided intimaten on tho par
of the President that he is hostile to any legs
lation that will benefit any State. If there il
anything to this reasoning, it proves that an.
bill that in its results, may tend to Tighten tn
burdens now borne or that may hereafter be as
sumed by any State ought to be stifed by tn
Presidential veto, if it ever gets enough Titalit,
to aspire to that fate. But under that genera
proposition the Administration could not stau'
minute, the government could not move
How would Mr. Buchanan have reished SINH
lar objection to his desire for Specific Quite
that he might thereby strengthen and protcc
the iron interest in Pennsylvania Would no
such tariff as he recommended have been bet
ter for Pennsylvania than donation of u mill
ion of dollars from the National treasury? |
there any measure of the government that doc
not benefit one State more than another?
there be. it benefits all the States equally ant
in either view is liable to Mr.. Buchanan's OBJ
lection, of lcgislating for the benefit of States
Perhaps it is upon such logic as appears in thl
part of tho message that the party, Of which
Mr.. Buchanan is the illustrious chief, bas
hostility to every measure that looks to tn
good of the Country, and limit themselves en-
tirey to legislating for the interests of Slave
owners and Slave breeders.
But allowing the Presidents reasoning to b
correct, his premises are false, and Of course hi
conclusion must be fallacious. This bill doe
not legislate for the benefit of States, no
tighten any Of their burdens, but rather in
creases them.
Our Colleges are not State Institutions, ar
not supported by public grants, or BY taxation
The lands given by Mr. Morrill's bill were give
to the States only as trustees, the real donee
being the colleges. The burdens that would b
removed, BY tins bill, would not be from States
but from the poor, toiling, and ambition
scholar who was working his way up the rugge
ascent to the sunny heights Of learning
the bill had become law, the course of sue
students would have been made easier, thel
physical tasks by the way lighter, and many tina
now havenot the means, might have attained t
the eminence of ripe culture and generou
scholarship.
It is true Democracy would have little +
hope, and everything to fear from such educate
men, but our institutions, and our Republican
government would have had much to hope from
them. Perhaps the President Of the party tina
looks for its support to the ignorant, not to So.
depraved multitude, thought Of this.
Mr.. Buchanan further thinks, that the Rep
resentatives in passing this bill, were influence
by " home feeling" by regard for the pros
pcrity of their States and constituencies.
And pray. Mr.. President, who will take car
of the interest of any constituency, or of an
State, if its own Representatives do not? VIII
will see to the iron interest of Pennsylvania
Ito bring the matter directly honey unless MI
Buchanan, and the Representatives of tina
State take the matter in hand? If this Admin
istration is willing to so before the people
claiming that the "home feeling of the Req
resentatives of the people must be crushed, an
that those Representatives must do nothing ez
cept attend to the wants of the demoralize
sham Democracy, it is our individual opinio
that as popular as the present Administrator
is, it could not stand minute on such q pla
form.
Under this objection, the message furtht
very frankly acknowledges that the Presider
had rather pledge the public lands to rai'
funds to carry on war with ga powerful nav'
nation,' than to "squander them away ft
the purpose of scientific education
We are profoundly obliged 10 King Buchar
an for speaking his mind so plainly. Has til
King an intention of precipitating such war
Is he laying by funds for that purpose? an
what powerful naval nation does he mean ?
Wouldn't 1t have been as well to have though
of this when he asked thirty millions with whic
to purchase Cuba?
Here is the Sd objection entire.
3. This bill, should it become law, will or
crate greatly to the injury of the new States
The progress of settlements and the increase c
an Industrious population owning an interest /
the soil they cultivate, are the causes whic
will build them up into great and Gourishin