Newspapers / The Raleigh Register (Raleigh, … / Jan. 29, 1841, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Raleigh Register (Raleigh, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
-a srii mini i ii in, , '" " T, i n y.- r 1 1 ii Mil rn-1 ii i 1 i" 1 1 i '-vrxr; iiAWGU' speech - . - TN THE C S. SBNA.TC, ON THS J R oSCTIVEPHEE M PT I O N B I L L. j The question, bising.upon the instructions j nitiee that reported it, with Instructions Jo report araandmeau thereto to the following effect: ' ' j let. To distribute the proceed of the sale of the ' ruMic lmn among u c4 t. y vur vmuaftrr,,-An nH f omora ratinrr 4 tn h sanrs In jui aad qaiUbie propomons. , . , - a t 2J: To erjnt to actual bna fi Je aeltlera upon the r PubCcl aa theHghtefpro-erapiipato any quantity thereoC not exeeedingone half section; or 32U acres, including place of settlement,; at the minimum price' of 1 1 25 per acre, with such provisions as snail limit this ' right of settlement and pre-emption, to actual bona fi de setuVrs whose estate at the time of neulemenbshall v not alue orfiuaifani further; nwith - iruch "provisions as hall vffjgt&rjj exclude the .weal- tbier-apeculatora from all benefits under this law, and hall prevent thera from interfering with, or participa ting in, die privileges and right of settlement and jpre- crhpiion whiirh aid hereby granted and- intendi-d for the solo advantage etuie teedy and honest settlers and y eQltivatoVa of the soflii tofj Mr Crittenden, having addressed the Sen ate in reterence to the instructions he had xnored,and Mr. Bentoa having violently op posed the -proposition, Mk. Manoum,' of Worth Carolina, said he was far from cob earring with' the honorable : Senator, (Mr. Bentou) iu the opinion that .there was any incongruity between the bill -under, consider ration jarid the -"proposed mendmenn ? a&tf ' far less did lie concur in, the justice of the propriety of denouncing the amend rnent as ' monstrous, as an' unfair mode of assault, as, ' lnshort, an jetiormity; i Tbe,truth is, (said , Mr. 1VL) th'ere is no rone who looks at -the tarious movements which arc made in rela tion to the public lands, and ' the (various questions which come up here, that does not perceive that a consideration of one of tbem necessarily and properly calls up the consid eration of all the rival and alternative pro positions. - '. " . ; t ; ' . 'As-to the -pre-emption bnitnow before the Senate, it is imposible to'form a just es timate of it,-and come to right, conclusions, linlaeff n AAnfiilfl 1 i in AAniiAviAMtmUL I I I -. uui6i vc juuu it ii .viui mill all the . Other measures of its . friends unless -we -. consider it (as it is) a part of a great ystem as an element in the great scheme of a definitive and ultimate disposition of the v- vast public domain of tha country. '1 ' It is, in truth, in the language of the hon orable Senator from Tennessee; (MrVArider son,) the first.step to a final disposition; of the public domain. , I thank the Senator for this explicit and -manly avowal of the purpo ses and views of the friends of this measure. The first step to a final disposition of the public domain 1 I Yes, sir ; it is the first step I in the rce; whe'ro each struggles to be first in; the great work "of squandering and scat tering this more than princely domain to all -. the winds of Heaven, by bestowing it in lar gesses, by giving it to schemers and specu lators, and inviting to its occupation all the ends of ths earth, the bandit of;the, Appe- . nines, the mercenary Swiss. tht hitntrrv. Lial - ferof the cities .ol tbfe Old World, the offal of the disgorged jails,: pehitentiaries,' and bougies "of -ftnrrer-.tiftrt nT fnrpirn nnntriPB-I all, are invited by this bill to mingle with out mericari citizens, and seize jupon the ": public lands', and . appropriate them, exclu ding ther old Bjates,; whose property! in coin-. "iaoa Withj Iheir sisters. .they are, from any .RUbstantial anlequar;participationi in this common property oT them all. I lp I confess (said Mr. JVf .) that I am at. a loss - to determine- which is. ths more objetiona ble, the principle or the details of this bill. Tcjne. it seenisthe cradest.the -most ieiune, and the least safely guarded that I have ever known to be introduced into the Senate, ' jit being,' boweVef, a sort of wholesale disposi ' tion of this vast property, without equivalent or consideration, the details can be of but little moment, -except to exhibit to a curious observer what vast results may be' found in connexion with. the weakest bunglin'gK'-'f... This bill goes tp revolutionize the whole system, of pre-emption itself, as s: that has heretofora existed, and in the end to abro gate the whole land system, which has been built u-p and consolidated through a series of " "--ij by'so much care and labor, and which itorted praise and eulogiur from all of this Chamber. : Heretofore, when ;?nt had gone in advance of a regular cf the'pubfic landsnd lhe.har Lad shown evidence of srood cit- by Labi ts - of ' honest .labor,- Con :css, out of tenderness for the citizen, and a aTcxunulous desire that everv one should enjoy Sn avai'- of his own labor, have over looked the ori.aal intrusion, and iri a libe raljand parental spiritgiven the right of pre emption, so that every' one might continue to enjoy the humble dwelling and other, im provements the result of the sweat' of his - own brow and' the work of his hands. This ' was pure bo.untyj Unmi xed gratuity, conferr- ed by a uovernmeni unwuiing.io repressor thwart the energies and enterprise of these hardy rra3n who had sought upon .the. dark brow -of the wilderness a resting place'for their ives and them children It waa ra - kind concession "to lha restless energies (of this' Anglo-American Tace of. oursi which, thouch a little too unobservant of the rights ot others, yet had tne Hearts, tne nancs, toe rations of i American citizens--a .race that .loved their country, loved liberty, and were readj to peril all they had in enterprrsesj dangerous j or otherwise, in defence of their I country. . It may be thatr im any 'aspectj fi . nsncial or Dolitical. the occasional and iudi- ' cious interposjtion of Congress in their be- - Kinaf HDerai, aim parental . All tnese cases were retrospective, ' overlooking .initiative errorj'and quieting these hardy pioneers in their homes, their t Ules, arid all the fruits of their labprv S If this legislation was spme- what;.njust"ta' the iold . States yet it was ,1.t-J iA nnnniha whrtln miT nnt ta Kain But now, for the first time, it is proposed I to lha waois wona, io. come anu seize upon 1 J-.m .TVk inf4 nn tVii afftADTl. n prospcotrve measure, J nave heard doc r triaes avoTred mrrsl objectionable than the mfa r3 itrslf,.frct whjch my judgment re- roltr, trAx;i: I cm contder:tfccoiiia they be eubcitted cir. clly to th 2 whole American psK -rculd ,ba,idignantly, i(. jattm- temptuously, rejected.' 1 say this bill invites the ;vvhole. world, aliens as well as citizens to.comc and take J possession of our public domain; and how! -Under any rule t Ac cording to any uritformTcguIatibn ? iNoi no, air; o The' bounty is held out tot the swiftest seize, and defendAybat has been seized, With all the 'means Jhat God and Nature have paccj their hands. And all this' work V Wt V -?.- 1 M(IM M'aa.a.wa a aa w " "' tioned by this grave body ; ay, to.be invited, solicited by pur legislation. 1 v If we were a weak and feeble nation, phy sically unable to defend our liberties,' we might indeed hold out inducements to for-, eignera to bring to our "assistance tho pro tection of their physical' forcc.j ; Bt has it come to this i. that we are obliged to invite foreigners to assist us in the defence of our heritage of liberty ?i To bring amongst us the arts "of -civilization ' To .-enhance our power, either moral or physical? Can any one believeUhat we are reduced.to a neces sity, like" this No, sir.i The friends ?of the measure i would cast back such a taunt with' scoi. i and indignation! iAVhat .then t Can any ene doubt tht this'bUl is the first step towards the squandering . and wasting the public domuini so .far as the. old States are concerned? 5 That the new States feel as a fetter, that galls their oxer excited sen sibility thfr claim of thepld? Slates to land wiuiin ineir limits i to get na oi mis, ana to make the destruction' of the rights of the old States sudden and complete i t is propos ed to inydstyith ths" highest ii privilege of American .freemen, foreigners not? natur alized. -Togive to alien stranger&ywhb will come and take,' what 4 indisputably 5 belongs to all the States in common. j Aiid this to assuage a painful S3n?ibility,an over-wrought pride, that w jll concede nothing to ' those who have given ,lhem everything. ..As if not content with the desecration of our rights of property, it is contended that these favor ed aliens shall also exercise the ; rights of suffrage the highest rights of freemen, and be endowed by these States with the elec tive franchise, in disregard of Congress and all the co-State s' : -: ; : ' - -'-: . I mean not (said Mr. M!) to go into the argument of this incidental question mo mentous and alarming as it would b.e, did we. not feel confident that it will ever be met by tho teal people of the Unite.d States with a stern and.uncompromising resistance. 'TbpratrjnV. ;t is irhcom- patibl with the Very eonceptibh of a politi cal community endowed with the power of perpetuating i its ? institutiohs No nation that I know of, that had risen to the dignity of an independent community, ever tolerated the indiscriminate 'admission of foreigners and alien influences to a fulf participation in its elections arid its government. , What is our case 1 . Who effected our; revolution 1 The people of the respective States. They had formed independent political-communities. Those States, before the' adoption of the Federal Constitution, did of right ex ercise the power of determining who should bo considered citizens, and entitled to all the privileges and immunities! of citizens they further rightfully regulated the terms arid conditions Upon which aliens might be adopted in the community, with ait the rights and privileges of free citizens Who did, and might rightful ly.do, all this ? ,:f he people of the Stales. Who could gainsay it t Could the nglishman,the Hollander,the Ital ian, or the Pole 1 -Unquestionably n6t.WTho then 1 None-but the people of the States.1 By the adoption of the Constitution, each State conferred upon the General Govern ment, as: a common agent, all those powers which it could better exercise for the bene fit of the whole than could the States res pectively for themselves ; ' reserving to the States such as could be best exercised by and for themselves.' Thjs common agent had in charge all our foreign relations, and had the regulation of all our intercourse with for eign '.Powers -This , Federal Government and these State Governments were made by arid for the People of Jhe United States and their posterity. The power of passing uni form laws of naturalization of foreigners was, conferred on the common agent -the Fede ral Government.-; This grant passed the whole power. Such was the opinion of the enlightened and able contemporaneous wri ters tn the Fede ral i st ; such has been the uniform opinion of every respectable writer on constitutional law, as far as I know ; such has been the exposition in. a majority of the States, as I suppose;. certairijy such has been, the expositioa in North Carolina by all its authorities, judicialthd legislative The distribution of political power in the States, as well as .the General Government, rests upon a right enumeration of the people of the respective States, Our whole political scheme crests upon . it. It was provident, therefore, thatin a matter so jimmediatrjy affecting th'e7felative; power of the States, there shoQjd be some uniform rule fegula ti ng accessjoris from abroad of If al iens, with habits, feelings, "and principles "often alien," not to, say Kosli le, to the genius and spirit of ouirinstitutiojjsJ. ; Such a provisionals con formable to the general sense of mankind in all ages in' well-regulated political A commu-nites.'"- Hence ll regard the1 provision- in the Constitution "of Illinois as in coriflict witfi tlieUniteaSratesarirl of "course. void, and that a persUtancc.in the enumeration of aliens: as eitizen'so as to affect the rela tions of political power between' her and the, other Spates, arid the permitting of them toex' ercise4the jelective franchise so-as to affect the action of , the Government common to al l the States ; would be in bad faith and clearlv tfiolatory :of their common bond. ' f Thev uestion is not wbether Congress can presQfibe thequ constitute a voter in the. Slates. -No . one contends r for any such thipg. The States can eacli 'prescribe for itse! fin every respect, except where i nhibiteji by. the conferring of the poweripn the G eiiral'XyernraenJ ntT those who. are. empowered to. rote for, mem her of the ,most" numerous orancn ot.,tne State Legislature may also voteor members of Congress i and none others - The only difficulty is, not "in the non-existence, but in 'the application oMhe'remedyiIri cases where the , States shall .transcend their constitution al authority. Vherever the "authorities of thia Government can -reach thecaaethey j Can apply the, remedy.' If -aliens shall yote for a member of the. House -of Representa-: tiveSj uport a questibn of contested eleclioni the-Houso may take jurisdiction and rectifjr the error. ' ' Vjl 1 Here Mr. Wright; of New York, asked, w&at will you,, do in the case of a Senator elected to, this body by a Legislature in -part formed by the-votes jot ahehsJJ i -i... :Mr.JM.said the only difficulty-consisted in applying the remedy In : the, case putj great difficulty and inconvenience might a rise, perhaps insuperableand4 soin many other cases that might be put. What would the Senator da in the case where a.majorrty of the States slrouldecliiie or refdse to- lect Senators to' this Chamber Y 'Ii) the lat ter case it would operate "at once-to'tlie des truction of the Governrtierit and yet Lkriowl of no. remedy.1 The truth is, in our complex political system, much has been left, andrpf necessitvk must have been left, to the ffood faith of the States, the authors and creators - ': -. ; .1 - 1 .... . ., .... . . . . i ...... of our system. And jerhaps, in every case where a practical remedy is not provided, it was deemed safe to, leave it to the good faith and good sense of the parties to the covenant. But I have j, turned aside to this incidental question mainly to enter my protest against the doctrines avowed; and to show that North Carolina, in that good faith which has always characterized her. relations with this Government, holds that the "adoption of the Federal Constitution has abrogated her con stitutional provision for; the naturalization of aliens, and that she may hot swell her rela tfve power in the Confederacy, either by the enumeration of aliens or the permitting of them to exercise the elective franchise. -; "Isaid inthedutset,thatl found greatdifficul ty in' determining, in reference to the pres eiit bill, which was the more objectionaole, its principle or its ddtails. In respect to the latter, they have been 'exposed ,by various Senators so fully and clearly, that " he who Lruns may read." When before now has it been proposed to hold out temptations and rewards to infants, who by law owe allegi ance to the j head of their family 1 . When before now has it been proposed, for the sake of encouraging emigration; to. break up dorrrefstic relations those primeval bonds of society which it is of so much importance to keep sacred and intact 1 The ambition that looks to the highest office in the Republic, may have an . interest in iuviting' into the melee uW infants that, at the end of the next four years, may be invested with the right of suffrage, This bill holds out the ; same bene vblent I intentions towards widows How excellent a virtue is benevolence i . And how cheap, too, is the beneficence that confers bounties out of other people's goods and chattels, lands and tenements 1 But, like the witch's prophecy, while it keeps the promise to the ear, it breaks it to the hope. The whole is mere delusion it is worse it is ' imposture. Such widows as reside in the immediate neighborhood of the lands to be settled may possibly get the "benefits of the bill,' but. the great body, of the destitute widows throughout the Union, and especial ly on the Atlantic frontier, will not be ben efited a stiver. . ' ..s: ' .-n ' Again, there is another principle in the bill more objectionable. Its operation is ex tended1 to land urisurveyed. The entire alien population of the globe as well as our citizens, are invited and - tempted into .our national domain before a chain Carrier has entered upon it. Proclamation is made to all to come and seize upon oufbest spots, and" they shall keep whatever tptey take. Has any Government in the. World acted up on a principle like this ? . : Must it not inev itably lead to riot, bloodshed, and general confusion 1 Where have ever such -lures been held out to alien interlopers, bandits, and scape-graces of foreign lands to come" and seize upon- so. rich an inheritance, and, hold it by strong arm, or at the muzzle of the rifle f All tbey are required to do is to come upon the land, to build a log cabin or some other dwelling, and call it a settle ment, and the rht of pre-emption is fixed.? How long are they required to occupy ? A Week, or a day, is sufficient.; for no specific length of time 13 required by the bill. How many settleriierits'may be made by the same person ? The bill as introduced prescribed no limitation. .A reluctant limitation to one in the sams'Statc, has been imposed by a vote of amendment ; yet the same -person may make the tour of all the frontier barrier of States "and Territories, and in each, the work of a day,may secure a quarter section of land in the most favoreJspots at. the min im uihpricei and thattoo, on a credit, to be paid, whenever, rid ojy whenever, the con venience of j the enterprising, and travelled gentleman may seem best to admit off h.-t What a broadcast waste and squandering of this vast national property 1 : The waste would be a reproach to the age, and the con sequent riots, feuds, and confusion,- would mark this measure as an epoch in the career of profligate wastefulness, of at discomfitted , defeated, and' desperate Administration.----; True it is,. by an amendment,, the same per son shall be entitled, to but one pre-emptiAn. i But what may hinder him from getting oe in each and every - State and Territory ? Where arc the guards? " What check is pro vided ? None not one. I ' V .' One of the amendments declares, that a man may not move off from a settled home and get.i pre-emption by . going on the pub lic land in the same State; ' What prohib its his doing the thing by. going into the next State . or Territory ? or all the othe r States and -Territories ? 4 It ' is declared to be for the-benefit of the poor, arid yet a man On a fraction of ; forty acres may ' not have thej benefit, while , the wealthiest , money-, holder may, avail himself fine privilege.--? Admirable equality? The ? friends, of the measure hav "refused to confine these boun ties to the poor; worth not more than $1,000 or S500iaod.':yet..the man fixed;to' a poor spot riittlef?valnewithlhis wife and chil 'dre'n, shall be inhibited,- while the rich1 iti bank stock, money or otheV personal estate,' shaU'enjoy it.:. ,; This is orie; of the beauties of a scheme conceived in a spirit of such ar. dent devotion to, the interests ofi the poor ancMabori rig. man f Jt j 1 ' -But an objection, yet stronger, if possi ble, exists to the .mpdeof adjusring and set tling the' disputes arising from conflicting claims s amqngt these settIers".TIie jaoda proposed in;the Vill, is""qUite characteristic of the principles of the past and the present Admjnfstratioii which now liesr fitranded. It brings the masses of Conflicting claim! that must arise under tW bill, within, the range of Executive determination, to be des patched summarily -and with a sort of milita ry 'celefity--thei executive - agent diiposing of a Complicated and knotty question of-private right, with the facility tha hs would wheel a squadron'f well-disciplined politi cal troops- Sir, it erects a new sort of ju dicature,' with vast and unrestrained , pow ers, taking, within.the scope of its jurisdic-. tioh. vast and complicated iiiterests. v The registers and. receivers.pL tre ianq districts, subject to th- regulation-; of :the head of the4 land ofSce. are to dispose bCall the questions of conflicting claim in. ' a sum mary war; - Can any one fail to perceive, that . there is held "out every conceivable lure and temptation tofrabd, 'that ! the bill onensthe wav to a reeutar system of corrup tion ; that these powers'wtftwB devolved on men not most distingufsliea generally ;iTqf ability, and yet with clutiervertasking the highest ability ? Will it not tend-to cor rupt both the Govefnmeni. and itidealers ? Mav it not be wielded sff as tosub'iuffate the entire ffontieV, from ' the lakes td the gqlf to the will of their politico-judicial masters? A dozen men make a rush for a mill-seat or water privilege:or salt spring,' arid in case the rifle ?nd bowie-knife shall fail as judi cial instruments to settle the controversy, then the appeal lies to this other eccentric judicial tribunal of the" registers and re ceivers, whose judgments are to be final and definitive, Isuppose we need not fear that the sword of?.Brennus,or the bowie-knife, or other extraneous matter, will be thrown into the judicial scales. . '" ' ' : -'But -this isa log cabinfbill.' 1 In. its title it purports to be ' especially for the tenants of log cabins. Its friends are friends6f the log cabin ;' it is designed to confer a boonty on the great body of those poor men who have no means to better their condition but to settle on a little . spot ' of ' w i Id land , a rid build themselves a log cabin'f Yes ! itisjto provide a home for the log cabin men j' for the poor, hard-banded; honest,-" industrious settler I A dnii rabble beneficence! I am glad lo see gentlemenVsympathies awaken ed for thjs great body, of our crtTzeM-thV greatest indeed, whether.; we regavd them for physical ' force, devoted patriotism, or for those homely, simply primitive, untaint ed, antj genuine virtues,;- so much oufcL&f fashion in the saloons of the great and pow erful. I respect them, I esteem , them, and I would cherish them to. the extent of my ability. Yet, with whatvconsistency have we seen the gentlemen act, who hold to its this language ? . Will they consent to a $500 limitation ? ' No. To a $1,000 limi tation? No, sir.; Theyjnvite . tq ,competi tion with them, not only the wealthy of,our own country, but the whole, world, of every tongue and clime, whether they come in rags or purple or fine linen.., I - s . ' And yet they talk, as if the bill were es pecially for the poor. Who can believe it? Of. who, does not believe and know, that the "bill is what one- of its friends described it, (Mr. Anderson,) the-first step towards a fi nal disposition of he public domain ? 1 am not, , indeed, , disposed, either as a private individual or a public man; to regard the public domain ; purely in a financial view.i . The - General ' Government - holds these lands as a trust. They should admin ister, or rather execute, this ' trust, ; reposed in them, justly, but witht liberality. " '- ; I am not restricting the system to such rules as bind a Alasterin Chancery J- T would, if I'couldj elevate myself to the posi-" tionf avStatesman. ifwould regard the pub lic doinVih as a trust, in which all the States have -art equal interest. . While . I ani just, I would be liberal ; but, while liberal,; I would be just; I a&k what right has thik Federal Government to administer this trust, but in such a manner that it shall inure to the ben efit of all the States ? Where do gentlemen find their authority t Jowhere. v t i : To judge rightly of this specific measure, we must consider it in connexion with the graduation bill. And who can doubt that tbe twb united, Will cut deeply iqto the finan cial resources of the cou ntry ? that they will djeduct'lafge sums from the fiscal means of this Government ? What'is the first step inUhe; practical, operation of this biJI JIn the first place, all the laridsfikely to bring a price over the minimum established by law, will be seized on forthwith, not only -i by our own citizens, but- by the renegadoes and aliens of the Old World. And then .what remains?' "What gentlemen call the!;refuse lands will be brought under the'auction eer's hammer on behalf of the Government; Who will bid No one. What next? These lands haying been offered, "and ' re maining unsold, the auctionf system wi II be withdrawn from them and . they will then be subjected to the Procrustean operation of the graduation system; descending rapid-' ly front $1 to 50 cents,' 25;eeritsf - ahd 12 1' cents, and then an unconditional surrender of the residue to the States, respectively "in which they lie. . The average amount of the auction sales under the present Administra tion does not much exceed the minimum price. But let all the lands which in. the first place would sell at prices greatly , exceeding the minimum go off at the- minimum j arid then apply the graduating principle to the ' resi due is it notplainthat the average income from auction t sales 'would be greatly'. below the minimum? 1' v .v ' ''On this subject my attention has beett re cently drawn to a"; very valuable and impor tant" paper, which discloses" that system of delusion which has: for., many V years; been played offupon the.- public mind J, such a systematic scheme of deception andiimpos turo as 'never cou-d Ihave beliered to exist, had it riot been proved by official documents. I refer to what has been constantly told us in reference to this principle, of grarTuation. 1 will notdctain the Senate by going through all the details;; th6ugk?tbey jerriinently de serve' the most careful and attentive consid eration, arid I bopqyou rWilLbaveCt.frqm those more familiar with the subject than! am, arid if a gross de!usion;has been practised, as 1 conceive, for yeafs,upon thfl old State, T true! will fjA inrripitAr, t find ' that; i rsuance of ,a. resolution adoDted brth- -te, the head of the'land bureau caused returns to be made of all the public1 lands unsold, irrthe respective Ctates and Territories, accompanied ; with - such other information as was deemed useful : in. forming irjust estifeatetr. lhfir value of this reat national broperti si find that, on' the 30th of JurieVlB28rtherererirdrrjed in Ohio 2,584,347 ' acres'oC public, land": unsold. . -. ' . . . -. - r : t-r.- The Iarid officers estimated tae vaiue oi iuw more . than two and a half millions of acres at Sl .74T.125. of . nearly one million and and three-auartefs of. dollars. ' "These lands had been offered and in market from eyen to twenty-eight; yearss but Uittle lesa-thah . half of them- had been in market twenty years and upwards 1 hey .were represented as inferior, and to effect, salesthe v prices ought to be graduated- Well, Sir, on the 30th of September,'.! 837,', soriie nine years thereafter, "upwards of .two millions of acres ot these lands had been sold at the mimmum of $1 25 per acre realizing to the Treasury t $2,726,599--exceeding the estimates of the officers,1 who ought to have been weu. in formed, by. the sum of; $979,473, , pr nearly one million of dollars ; there then remaining on hand nearly five hundred thousand acres,' the most of which has since been sold at the. Government prices. '. N ,1 find similar startling discrepancies be tw'eej0 the-estimated values . and the sums actually realized from sales, applying -to Indiana j Illinois, Alabama, Mississippi, Lou isana, Arkansas,' and Missouri. ;ln the SU Louis land "district of rMissouri; I find that on the,30th. June, 1S28, there remained of public lands unsold 2,219,426 acres, . These lands were represented as having, been '- in market under the Spanish Government for forty years, and qnder - this Government for ten yetrs.;i It was further .represented .that thev had been bqJ picked and culled" that there did" riot remain ; one quarter-section of nrst-rate land.' i. l hey. were valued at differ eiit prices, but the.gfeat mass at 124 cents per acrei, The total value" was estimated at $333,000, or about the third of a million of dollars, j .--. - i "Well, sir, again. Oa the 39th September, 1837 l or about nine years thereafter, the Treasury had realized. $711,000 from these lands, a sum exceeding the estimated value of the whole of them by three hundred and seventy-eight thousand ; dollars, and leaving 1 . I I - f nr Art - I 11 men unsojq ,uuu,uuu acres, mucu.oi wnin but how. much I amT unabl$Jtpf; state,has been since sold at the Goveruriient price. :- ; I have electdd the St. Louis'district' sim ply, because" Hhere we find a great bulk s of intelligence, and might haveexpected more correct information from that than ";alrrtost any other district, and yet from, that, what a startling difference between n the estimates and the facts. ; I well remember how, nearly twenty years ago, these Halls. were invoked in favor ofr a graduation bill, and howso lemrily wV were assured, that the . lands on which it was "intended to" operate, never would bring the minimum ' price. ; It" was argued in reply, and I thought with " great appearance of truths- that, as' the country should come to : be "gradually settled, and- lines of communication should be opened by turnpikes arid "railroads, or other facilities afforded for the transportation 'of producer the unsold lands would comov by degrees t& be " contiguous to t infant seCtlements, and would then go off at the vGovernment. price. In a dense population; every Toot of land fil for cultivation though v: poor, which yields any sort of : timber j will go "off 'it that 'price, in many instances,' if for rip'v"bther reason; than to keep off a too near and inconvenient1 settlement.,. . v , v '' ;- - 4 In looking into the history,' of our settle-' merits,, it will be found- generally,' if not universally, true, that, as the 1 country fills' with population, the inferior and refuse lands come to be prized, j and-gb off. " And so,' precisely in proportion as the population ad yances; westwardly, and fills, each locality, in the same proportion does " land once re garded refuse go. oft.- And so it' will be to the end; excepting only those lands covered w i t h i rreel ai mable swamps, or some Other obstacle of like difficulty. J Such has been the experience of the old States.' In my own, in; the 4 portion that ! know nest, lands that had been much worn fifty or eighty years ago', turned out and re-1 covered with a new growth, cannot be-bought any wnere,.tnere, as low as the Government priced si';0i jJii?! isUi'' Sir,. the graspin?. propensities of this An glo-American race of ours, with its Anglo Saxon blood j. (said, I believe,;, sir, to be the greatest land -robbers in the world,) would give the Government priceV' ay, knd more wnen tne, density-ot ' population i threatened too near a propinquity of some disagreeable neighbor. vf A laugh. . ?? " ' . n. . In Alabama, I find, from this table, the most "singular and extraordinary T results.- There the population hasi filled; and is yet niiinsr. In the Uahawba district nearly all the lands have been sold for three, four and fire times the amount of tlie estimated value by the land officers in 1828.5i'And sarit will be ,fq thet,end-rTouthe base ; of .; tbe Rocky Mountains, and; when you shall have scaled .theipj lofty summits, and passed., to tne western base, so ltwiIL continue to ,be, until the. re3less energies of our DeoDle shall.be 'stayed ,by theSbroad Pacific... I wuuiu jnvoge me serious attention- ot Sena tors, more,, conversant -with these -subjects than I am, to the marked contrast between the estimates in 1828 and the actual results1 as proved by the sales.-; I will ask their at ten tion to the singular accuracy with which the predictions of. the opponents of gradua tion, nave, been verified by. the- results. Mn phio they, have been completely tested and venueu. .; . jnunaiana, not so tuny but: the experience is in a rapid process of develop- ment anil ,11 V. !k1U.. c '"ivMw, augyr similar results.;! In Alissqurii the experiment isin its initiative process but as far as it has gone, it gives the most flatten ng promise of results equally satisfactory. . And so of " all Tiiere u another feature of tfie bill to which I Gil mo less objection ; and which has beea " animadverted ori by toe Senator from Kentucky , near me, (Mr CtAT. I think it presents i Vtrong objection tr the' bill -The -Government once fell severely the incoiv. yeniencel of fbm credit cyateav in wfcreuce to the of our public lands, pit evu will not aeon be forjou j teri.. Tlasbili 4- w s ." . exisunj., . Ii nteinU a credit' vJZSi??? the; Conventiod ,,f the World -end hen constituent,, ho TwJZ?' of them if thev fuil VX. 7?1 V6 T..u to Zt rU your bill convert the sy'rn of cash rTnL SIS? ; Lie,jr' p seea ee n ed out, and yo , aoT Vr k earj. " . wiia,uiiLii sir la..l . ? ' i lowed thordelrtor. a 'WW-4 ance. So it will le here. f Z Z .n n Up . it wiU be a m,tter of nwSI? ladThich mi,ht;sell wdffii!lW se.zed up6n and credit of hecety ensue C?entlemen cJmp!ain of the illibefaht or Stated They call them Ijhvl and Z our pound of flesh and all thaU I repel .11 !??nd puttion as fair as they are direrted . a-.inst !! participate as largely pride excited by .j!1 gress of our Western States as the proudest of , . Western men. I see with winder and joy the ' r developments of that vast portion of our conntrv i 11 am fully aware that it is ere. long to hecome ih S tnjtf our poli iral world. My constituents dnoi mand of ne to, become a $h;lock in their name the rejoice, as J'do, in the hourly expansion of thur ' Republic : thev exult iri the tion, bearinV wHh it; in U directions, the aruWdw' yaltMblo onstittStionit We sreprepured to go , t ' gentlemen from ther West themselves, in doin ai that can with liistiVe hf done to t?ivi a timii.,. . a. growth ojHh-new ta'ea of tho Confederacy. gut nitv Of forminr an tt):ni.in. it doea nfipm in moii..k i chirs o.inlibeiriylis as llle.ntainedl by facts an reason as' any arcit-alion 1 err; witnessed in rnv lit wnat is ttie relHtion nioO taw States bear, to tb Government' While tbey yet remain in their statrof territofSal nrjDilae ' S? Have the not" all. Unn ; . lift - - r- m .-- .- m , -r- -. . : z " hi ur. cessien. the firnllimrs and tbrrarelins of Ctvrft orc-we not qarwiea nera upon we Knees ot pai-on-aee. risked them in the era lie of Indukreaoe. , mil r.,i r. - ... . - -. r; 9 . .... icu them, like petted infantv with the nnney of thia fik ernmentf If an thin?.' we hav iruhilo-fl thsm i 1 fondlj; liH, like other ftsfc lhey have beeri fn dan w i of 4ecoming": spoiled by over-much kindness. t can. deny that :'th lAV' baa "ewer. been treated t; 3 with ihp' litmn.1 lihcratitir t -, Kamr kuia thou ..u.i for. either public or private aid at oar hands and bet refilled. ' We hare ive them lands and money, mi I we nave poured tortn tne cnivairy or tne old tstateMbr - - J . ----- ju grounds of complaint; ' Afjainst me tRey censudy hgv r j. am rcaiiy w -wini uicut nu me a;u in my nower tiwardattaininsr' that 'commanding . - ; O) f -"luvu which it is their dtfstlny to attain. ; , i iiut wnat, i aaK., is iitteiy, to tie tne enect of sneb i bill as this op-n tho older states 1 The ubic lands constrtpte a trust fund o. be administeredor the bene. fit of all tha KlatM. Vid.rinL.' Cnr th mlra f ilin.. into tbe Vest a rreternaturai plethora of growth and of the TTnioni l:AnI vet" what mnt fie. ibe such a bill on'.the atrnffth and;, piwpects of thU otatea ! . - l no enterprising; the adventurous vonn men will all flee la tha Weatf arnT leave the nld St,i- to-weaknMi and deerenhnda and wa are" tn Im 14 t. support the comparatively inert ma which they feat behind. Ypi iii all that tends to elevate the homaa character in all hat Tos'ers moral and ihtellectuil er c Hence, they raisht have enjoyed at least equal ad. anttgea had they remained at t home. - Certain it is that North Carolina has poured forth fnto the Weal and Southwestern country n mass of r talent and ener gy such as, had it remained there, would have enabled HIT State tn Tift her hed nanrnndt ans una nf k sistenltirthaeat'famiV UnionAnd ought it 1 not to be the aim of the Government to infuse an equtl I M-tw V. utMI aiV '1141 11117 UUIUDU VI 1UI9 W TUB , , 41 .:. "r .. . '. wr - . -m . . epuouc 1 1 . uo -joor rv esxern. inenis. desire to see in impoverished, in order-tiiat tbey may be built, up and strengthened litl well know that, should we be inva ded by a foreign foe or our honor or safety threstoned with danger, the men of the West would be the first to hasten" to.oar side. I A more chivalrons people does not exist upon earth ; and nemaity is well known u forming a prominent feature .in their chiracter. Ani sure I am thaL could thev bnt ahstrari theirminda fnr? a niomect from the force of that prejudice which has gmwa ap with a false isystern of administration of ths pinuiic luuua, uw mw oiaiea wouin oe ina ia. io u. sire, by excessive and nnnathral atimnlna tn witbdratr tha resoorcen and prostrate tha strength of their vns. raoie moioers onine Atianui; teara. ,t;. , - i . s J ask the friends of this bill to point out. if they can, one single compensation it offers to" the old ctates for tmntinr their nnnnlat 1 m. i a . - 1 : . '--' . - a : I leave ineir nome ana ineir parenu and go into tut , new 8tatea. - I knntv nf nane .. T ean nawMu ham unless it bejlQ leave to desolation the patrimonial fire- I sid. None, none.' t ' """-'-"" I s out we are told by my' friend frmv Missouri (Mr. lalinr that it ia ifiilisnenanMe that Hi nii.nm f nra. emDtlona shnntd vif An' tvviinM that Jl mriin Pnt cannot be restrained from seizins on the land of the uovernment and that all atterr pU ttVputVa stop to it muat be -vain and idle.' ' I confes I Vaf surprised it different opinion indeed of CAmerican People and my me on it Knowing mat gentleman STjeo: to b brave, nrnmnt . nit rMntnli-l eni i.nW!i ,Wot wpn - . m vm. u.n. v. '. . l openly resisted,' he could and wouul enforce its I V . ...V HIV U . ailU rUVUHl 1 1 1 tm m execotion. " " " - f fMr" l.inn fsreakine across. I would resiirn first -1 -j, if-; v;f f. - ; Aj, the 8erafor 'mihi resisfn. ; The kindline of his heart and his habitual indulgence of, tha wishes of his constituents' misht induce it. - That proves no thing.- But his energy could arrest what his ktndm'si might r tolerate. .1 know., very . well, that, when vast throngs nf lawles rsetuVra-shall have been accumu lated on the frontier,; it would be an odl us task, ani a1horrent to the feeling of every , American cilizeo, to attempt to remove thira by the bayonet, , Happily, fhM n Ka Knm..M I.aik. :m . I . . CT ... t . . Hvwi im k uvuiii mu j im i im .COUUliJ' mWlmr' f ed death in such a. struggle ince tbe foundation ef tne uoveramenu., out a nave no doubt that this en - chtened and law-abidinr Jennie.. Aif&nm thn t ' do from the population of any nation under HeaveB f , would respect their own authority too much, to re-ist their own laws. In Europe, indeed, obedience maul 1 be enforced by a forest of bayonets and a park" of ar tillerv'r bnt bere.lrv ttsia f . utfiM.t DMnM!i. I ' j y T ..v iriLtuvillw: uruuviivr v Ik. ' t : I . . .. .. . i i. f uu hh uui cmv ne eniorcea dv tne conaxaoi' uu uis wii..,; Among my cmntrymQ a little scrip of tiarchment in .the hands of a nlinlv &rA. un armed citizen works like a charm ; no sooner i U.M molted than the oplsfted ' hand falls powerless t lbs "-"" 9m.v liuuic uvzm;viiii. n vt iuv i ii-i" Saxon vace it is. their pride; their choice, their glory to bow-; t tbo majesty of , the law: Jf, indeed, altnor nrhnta Htafo .. k. T Yia pardon, 1 mean'l-y gentlemen who tbink poper to ,lt J VM vn ii'iu.nuicuuncs nH DelODg IO lueiB. ai". ........w. .j fivKubE vi ukic " we IIIY pciri w retrospective pre-emption Jw to preasing our de mand and Slahdin? nnnn ib rM nf b fiovefO ment But,?forjvthe .future let lh, f rodent pl Upon oar new UrKla. not his nr.ifnrmeH nliliers. vnui their bayonets but a corp wf his Marshals snd tb"f tipsUven, and let the first intruder be brought op an tried. 1 1 have ho doubt tht ever there, a jory'of tbt vicinage would convict and punish biraF?f .wirr ' -fMr. Linn h; ahonk hia hei mJK aa'ul. Neter iHiaa herti tried, CTfr and over.?;- ! . -Sir, thefiilure mu?t have resulted from some aea qaeu--nsto' the iury.-vtha-'latwA Whether, there.' was jiitrasion into the laBdV, " Whether upon authority from this Govermnent, " all thai I Jd, nn t..A,.i4 nnt. thai tBf i i - . art m
The Raleigh Register (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 29, 1841, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75