Newspapers / The Salisbury Herald (Salisbury, … / Feb. 11, 1853, edition 1 / Page 1
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r - 1. f - y. . tL k. MILLER. ' 1 A. V iKJ w - , i y , : ..'-.. - 'tSod-Firty Cent-- if Prm t , fjSumsf, kid fhtee Dollan. if pot intlw the - . ?ort Order. etrge$25 per centgbr Ab. We.-vlU frrtiseiueiite mustTiaye jae number. - i " f times tbfey retO be published marked on them, ihey wiltie-iBMrted tiir" forWaand charged SPJIEC O:!! LEACH, r ",WrHEBAT The public domain pf the United ' -States ia the comiun property ojfM tie States,' " tmrthaieAl -ancTpijeured1 by tUecommon efforts and common treasure of thesefr States j -and in . which- eaeh and nil are fairly entitled to partici uat : ant ay appropriation of the public lands to particular States, for special and particular - purposes in these States, is creative! unequal, improper and Unjust discrimination in the use of ;- s eemmeo fund ; and ichrreas, the: precedent has bcen-sct, and the practice obtained in" the Con cuss of fche United femes -or. granting immense ) , iVdooationa iof the , Public Lands, i to particular A 'States for the purpose of Internal Improvements, A .-;'; education, etc. - And whereas, "the .State of Korth j"- - Carolina in a spirit jof generous patriotism and j fjmternal feeling ceiled to' the General Govern- t ment, a large and valuable portion of the public territory, and is therefore upon every principle of justice, equality, niid sound policy, fairly and legitimately entitled to her share of the Public . Lands.. .Therefore, ; - A i i It&olred, That our Senators awl Representa- A tf ves in Congress be requested to niake ajvplica-" : tion by Kill, or 6thcrwise,;to that I Body, for an u ..' appropriation to North Carolina of a; fair and V i equitable portion of said l'ublic lamls or the pro : - ; ceeds thereof ; which, when so appropriated sliaD - : be applied to piii'poses of Internal Improvement? public education, and in relief of the Treasury " and public burdens of thrState. .. J The alcove Resolutions poming up as the spc- cial order of the day, Mr.1 Leai-u said : ' j 3Ir. Speaker : I -regret tlrat tke rndis jKitionr labor under this , iuorning, from ' .'. eolit aud hoarseness, will render it difficult' . for nie to speak, or be Leanl, unless the , j House sludl be , very indulgent. . But as J this question jlias,. already, been postponed ,1 several times, and as there .is a manifest disposition and desire qn the. p:irt :of mein- bers, t6 ; enter upon its discussion, 1 will . not interpose any nbstacles, but. proceed iit once to the tjuest ion ; . as ; it ' peeins, to ;""'.;. have' been expected 1 would - lead: off;- - Laving bad the" honor of introducing the 'esolutipns'Jr ' ' ' J-- - F"-; -. . ' - Although, the : princfples J, involved in " khese resolutions, have not until now, come y ; p. regularly and; m fparliaraentary form for diSeussion, yet, sir, they have been al- . '-- " 5. - , .i - u .... lengtu, by, ootn panres on xms iioor y vso that,: we have already had . indications of " opinion upon their .merits. Sir, before voting on the great principles involved in the preamble -and resolutions, Ideire to submit to tlie considerationof the House, somc of the reasostlmt'will mfluencp me : in that vote : and I sfurther desire that , those reasons ami opinins'!shaUi go forth ! to my constituents, arid the jieqple, for whatever they are worth, accompanied by Mich facts and data' as I have been able to j obtain in the investigation of this all-ab-' j sorbing subject. ' - : . -, , I maintain, sir, that this question by Hi far, transcends in importance; ny that has, or will come before this Legislature, or that can, Dy any possibility ue-suumn .: tlire Ijegislaturcs of North -Car. can. bv anv'nossibilitv be submitted tofu arolina, ..fur - fours to com?. .And the receujt 'actjuisition of an immeuscvaiiiount of territory, obtain ed by the conquest Of Mexieoadds giratly j to the importance of this question, and ijo " the propriety of its settlement at an ear 'xlay.. I earnestly desire, and feo far. as 1 iny hnmble efforts can avail,-j-am detcrm ined, that this question,- in j which every- Korth Carolinian is so deeply and vi tally '- . interested, shall go before the people oi the State, to be considered of, arid examined ; upon its merits; - and that if shall enterj prominently, into every Gubernatorial Gon- : H gressional, and Jjcgislative Canvass, until the action of the State shall be .felt at. the General Govcrnmenty her rights acknowl ' edged, and until she shall obtain that large portion of the public 'lands, to which, she : i, by every principle ?of daw, equity, and': . justice, so clearly entitled ; or until a bill shall pass Congress,, and be signed by the H President, depriving' her -of every acre of I those public, lands which she, and the other old States, acquired, at the expense of so mwli 1kkI, iu the great V.ttlos of liberty 0fid freedom, winch 1 .tlnvy so ; gloriously faugh,Mm " "rTT; ' unCC wfiii ' lands they . afterwards ceded to the Government of the Confederation, in -'trust, for certain -pur-jpOscs, and upon certain conditions. And, . I remark here, it wak this . noble act of : patriotism, that made "the fruits of the "Revolution availahle, and without which, fho; Union, and the Constitution," under which,, this great Country has ho grown end prospered, could never have been form- ed. .' : -:- : ' , ' - '- -- ! .-'..' Now, sir, if these things that I haye as sumed, be - true, (and I -. sliall bej most on1 fortunate if I fail to establish them beyond controversy5,) I then fsubmit, and .hall bo argue, that if Congress shall at any fu ture time, become so regardless iof justiee and faithless to principle, so fatally bent Jon. mischief ; so corrupt and unprincipled as to exhibit to the country and theworld, such a palpable breach of . good ' faith, and such flagrant, abuse of power as to deprive N, Carolina, and the other old States, of every. acre of the, public, lands; , that the . Uach' Act, .would stand forth without, a parallel in the annals of human legislation - Sir, I use strong language, but 1 have weighed it well, and I mean what Iiay y for, I express . the nonest conviction ot my judgment, at- J ter having investigated this question with a innch care anc attention. rJ a r i . . X wo years ago, wnen a memoer .on ; tuis " floor. I intreduced resolutions "of a substan- .tive character with those how 'before the : - ' .--'.',- . -"----;-;!"---''.'.."--. - -i: I -' -' "' " - '' . - - . : 'a ; ." '"iA :; .a i- )-'-!! I "; ,a-..; m ; . . - . .va,i I "' - -' A:-"''!j:V-. '"".'A - ;,-,:-) a:.aa.'aa. ; -;' - H- y yy y yi I . , ' - y ) - ),' , ;n.;,r:- ' . "a -" .'"-.-- .- a -. ' - a a :-. .- Ia ' ".'A aa:a- , : -aN j : a :,i ... J . y " . . A;jjVi- -- '. :- ' '. - i- -'-. y a."'-r.f : House - jLudjf l should be; her tw-a years hence, '(though I 'tioljf.4.oi, ppt desire. iih I shall stilLpdsis iniclajmitfg, as one of the'Kepresentatiyes oi .tno estate, at tue handsUof - the General , OovCTpnient, iier luSt share ia the public lands Umd '.'shall etijl be ibun presting. againgf,; t&tn just, and partial .policy bywhxch immense aonauons .oj uiose;iaa.qs, are.-. Deing -matSQ every session of Congress to new States': inus pinnaermg ana ; robbing :tiie Dldjones, without any reason, or show of. rcasonfor sujdiiniioh. f Vliy. iirAt-i fearful and: portentous - crisis, that ''feed last session!' inthfl niflrW tf.mhmi-rbm'trVnVaraanna'" ' ' A."'! .'. -1 '!' :': : ' "li - 'i 4 . Iat session, inUhej auxse of.Bm $eraarl that 1 submitted tin this ;queatiatk, J pr&- $kiffifatitf&rv, ii the? opinions Expressed: by jnempers then fen .tliis floor.V ihat Qon, gfa would iBontinue se'ssicfn after sessions um&iug large onMion ox. tne- .public-.dOr mVto'VaienlaStaltesAa withm JlukBdwled2 Tis true that similar resolutions introduced by me" last sessioii, passed this House by a considerable : majority,4 several prominent numbers of the Democratic, party having supported them, but. it is also .tfue, (and 'if generally known by the people would, I think, be a inaitei- of surprise arid regret,) that. thcy were ,lad on the table in the Sen ate and frft thrrc, until thd adjournment of tlie Legislature br a strict parti vote. I say this is matter; of deep regret!, for this great subject sliQuld- o foyr be maJe a party question,! bhtghquld be lifted high above ' the mirej and dirt" ,of.' party, and made, what in IHith it is,-a North (uro Juu'i qwstton I j There ought to be harmony arid unanimity jof sentiment upon it, and there ought to go up to'Cohgress, an unani mous vote expressive of the feelings and opinion of the State, as one: of the " old thirteen" on this momentous quistiori. Especially shquldi this be' the action of the State.at this cqnjunctCfrb, considering the course of Congress for the , last few vears.. I feuch unanimous fictronjof a soverign state, claiming her just rights, would be likely to carry with it, much .more .moral force, than a mere majority jrote; but unfortunately, we hive already had indications from mem"-' bers, that, such a -result, however desirable, caiiuot be expected.- ' ' ' i i i , It must bo manifest, to ever)1 intelli gent and thinking man, that the ppneiplcs involved in my.. resolutions will bd settled, finally settled by Congress in a fw years at . farthest; and j hence the importance of 'proinpt and decisive actions, on the part of the State sought to be excluded by Con gress" from this great source of future wealihA Anu.-with the settlenient of this, question the immense territories acquired from MexJ ico, including goidehCalilornia, will all be 'disposed - of. And if - North - Carolina, through her LegislatureV don't ask for hex rights,; don't urgp : upon " the attention of her'delegations id Congress, the importance of demanding them: and if the other Atlan- policy, 'who, I ask, is snr stupid, as to sup pose! for a moment, that! wc shall ever get an acre .or the ic lands. or a dbllar of their proceeds 'And yet, while whole del- euations irom v astern ctatcs, ( botn nisj and 15einikritic,)!urged on by Conventions of the people,; au by their respective Leg islatures; arid pressing into their service that sort of politiclai loy-riJltwj, and those appliances, by which dtxterous politicians so otenisuc-ceediu carrying favorite measures- throuirh that Ibodv, are asking furaud receiving at the hands1 of Congress,"' dona tions, amounting to ..millions upon millions of acres of those; land 4, for Itai broads, Ca nals Education:, arid other .purposefe.--North Carolina, true toher former instincts, remains asleep; bi what i.-f equally unfor- tuu;tte dor her interests and her character t for intelligence, stijuds; h vjtff neither asin for, 'nor demanding her just share, nor even showing 1u any way, that she has a knowl edge! of. its existence! j Such, sir, has here tofore been the suieieial . policy of North. Carolina, and such was the action oft the last; Legislature-at least of the-) on ! this great question! ofthe rights of a Sov ereign htate, .in thej tr$e sense and meai.it tiy of &tate Sovereignty. - - ' If therefore, it shall be established, that North -Carolina, liasf a' cle;ir and equitable right to a , portion of the. public domain, as the preamble. and resolutions declare, -and if millions' of acres have been given to par ticular States, (as I i.shall show,) which if giycn'to North (hrolina, would pour into her treasury million? of dollars, if these be'4 so. -1 ask gentlemen,; it 1 have exaggera ted the importance of -this great subject!'' And whether it is not the bounden duty of this Jjcgislature to pass the re;olutions,.and urge upon Congress with earnest importu nity this great and just. claim of. ti Stiver- cijrti State"' ' Such sir, I believe," are the sentiments of itlnHeerithr-iweatieihs'roi the people -of Nortn Carolina,' however their ltepresenta tives may act or vote; and those sentiments and opinions will be strengthened beyond measure, ,when jthey come to ; investigate thisiquestion-, and as the vast interest at stake," shall loom, up before their minds, in its different bearings, upon the future pros perity and greatness of the State., j ; . i i proceed now to examine this question mOre in detail, arid ihjs. firstimportant con- siaeration tnai presents lracii, is, to estao lish what I have assumed the riylit of Northi Carolina, and by; consequence, of all 1 jl . ej ! 1 m the old States, to their respective -equitable proportions ot the t'uDlic domain as con templated by the deeds bf Cession Jjly -. the old States in the original grants, and that it would be 'a gross vicdation of faith on the part of the General Government to exclude them. '- It is neces.saiyj -therefore, to exam ine the deeds of Cessitm, when made, .for what purpose, with .w'hat conditions!. and restrictions, and underj what circumstances those lands, once belonging to seven "of the colonics, Afterwards, became , the common property of tlie thirteen; Confederated State's. These are important questions,.; and, abso lutely necessary to a clpar apprehension of. the; subject.- - j- . -1 - - -.- -';---, -; .By going back to thei history of the.timcs . it will be found, .that; those."- lands were crranted. from time to time, under ichartera from the- Crown, Tong .before . the :Bov6Iu tion,.to heren of the Thirteen Colonte. in t . eluding tne uolouy of jortn Uarouna, as one of the;Taatccg. iThejemamin Six terest whatever 'in . them. Ami Ihus-S the matter' remained,' until Ihe oppressioft of a L trajxs-atlinUc tyrant, -;jwmmoned togeilffirj tue great Spinta; or . that dayr from aU ihe .Colonies- the descendenti alite'of the Pu ritans, the Cayiliers and'-llugueuofe-who methe great emergency i like MExl'aiid I wh( Xough t together Biae , tyi. side, ironi Jssutt"stffJe6rgla, itlirouga. i jthat Their iirtnf"t'ririifnV1iAl '"nTiiT Uliftit':'!ift'-1 independent ;werei achieved. 1 In this ta-eat struggle the btat kati incurred a xlebt or twenty millions pj dytlw;, imJ; ih e Qoiifcdy erated Ooveraurenfc a ' debf of Ji fif&ix m& 'rf4hfe6i -teia tutHttld - more provided for, and the Federal Gpvernment was entirely without means, j A' question here arose, of most jrrave and solemn im- port; how -wag. this heavy debt to be paid? J And here it must be borne m inind, that this, was during the Cbnfcderatioiia.tid several jrears bafore .the adoption of the Constitution of the Uiiited States. ; Aftht time the stUeT6eninhatieaUy.Sovereijn; for the simple 'and obvious reason, that they had not parted from, or yielded up, to the Congress of Confederation, a sinyleutlnbidfi of Soiereiynty; but were so many indepen dent nations, confederated, or united to-' gether for the purpose of. more effectually prosecuting the war,, against a common en emy. The old Congress, under the old Confederation, had no power, whatever! to enforce laei, indeed the enactment of laws amounted to nothing, ancti were ot none er feet, until the States ! respectively passed upon and ratified them. J, ; ! . j j L, h There was therefore,-'' no'.' cwvcieci-pfyiecr. in the' Continental Congress, by which he" '"Could carry into effect any of their nieas- uires. " ..There was no power , to slay tuxes .and collect revenue, for this power wa ejx- pressly reserved by the States, in. the Arti cles pf Confederation. Bad feeling aud ri valries sprang up between the States," prin cipally on the question of taxation,;jarid what shoukl be the' quota of each,' toward paying the public debt; for which, asjyet, no provision had been made, notwithstand ing, the Continental "Congress had urged upon the several! .States, the proprieryarid absolute necessity, of prompt action. ! Jn fact, after the peace of 1782, the StateSj lie came still more indifferent on this , the greatest of all questions, at that time; pro viding means for the 'payment of this heaVy debt. The requisition of Congress upon' the States, for funds, .even for the payment of the interest of the -debt,! were openly dis regarded. ..'! a .: L The, Congress appealed again and again, and the .States still ,i-ef use J the neocswary ry was empty, the credit of the Govemnient was gone, the debt was increasing,- and the yubiie faith was prostrated. Even the Fit thrr ofhis Country, appealed .in vainiq the sevcral States, called upon ttiem lor their respective quota, ; a.nd .warned then that unless tliey voted. -tlie; necessary . jup plies, to aid the goveinmerit in this ciiiefl--geucv-:, that the battle of the Revolution j would have been fougl in vain, and that ; its, fruits' would be 'forever lojt.. Suchjisja brief history of the thncf. ( -' , ! j : This iudifferenee and dangerous state of thiusrs' had its origin, r rincipallv, .with- tlio six States, before alluded' to, that " owned no portion of the public lands. Thev: in sisted that they had shared, alike with the other States, in the. perils and disaster pf the war, and had contributed their full quo ta bf men and arms, in wrestling the cb'u& try from the power of England, aud thait 'therefore, it was unjust that seven of j tlie States, should hold all the public lands, "which were acquired ' by the bravery' and blood of all in a common struggle for lib- j erty ;- but that those lands ought of l ight,; to be ceded to the contederacv, as a coin jiioii fttnt,.fvY the payment of the debt in curred by the war. IJlic cotitinental Con gress seeing the difficulty, arid the crisia; and anticinatini action, on the part of the States, owning the l'ublic Lands, in the year IT SO, passed the following resolution! i TfpMJrnt That th linnTiovonrintod liinid: lhat may be ceded or relinquished to Jibe United States by any )articulai State, pur suant to the recommendation' of Congress ofthe Gth of September last,? shall be'dis nosed of for the common benefit of the United States." ' ' ;; -" '. ' ; j f And, s"4 as soon as the gcntiineiitsj;of those States having no claim to the lands were thus made known, by their Repreeri tatives in the Congress of the confederacy, the Sjtates owmrig those lande, including our own noble old State, stepped forwird and in that spirit of generous patriotisp and fraternal feeling, declared in the pre amble and resolutions under discussion-! ded to the confederation,' in trust their pub lic lands for the purpose,' arid for thej jsole' purpose of paying off" the debt incurred ! in the war of the lievokition. " : !,r, : It-will be found, on. examination, that all those deeds of cession are of the same, import, and bear the same meaning, f 1 New York ceded her lands first, i In 1784 Virginia ceded hers, with the follow- -Ung -condition : ' -' ' . Hi.! " That all the lands within the territo ry, so ceded (and not reserved "for certain uses specified) shall be considered a Com mon Eund for the use and benefit of such of the United States as have become, or shall becoirie members of the confederation or Federal alliance of the said States, Vir ginia inclusive, according to their . usual respective proportions in the general charge and expenditure and shall be faithfully and hona fide disposed -of for that purpose, and for no other use or purpose whatever. "i : " " "Without comment, at present, pn the ob vious meaning bf the plain and definite lan guage here Used, by Virg'nia, I' will pass on to North Carolina. In 1784 Massa chusetts ceded, hers upon the same condi tions. In 1786 Connecticut ceded hers for the same purpose.' In 1787 South Car lina. ceded hers with the same conditions and restrictions ; and in 170, a few months t lefore th'e";doptionf of the' Coristi the';Umted"SutesJ Kbrth VCarUiiieeae her public lands in Ith'e. following Ungua ; All- the land intended ta he: ceded bV Virtoeof theeV comrnhnytdft. for . the iise aiid ilenT-of the United (corifederatedT Statesfof ;"A&iprIf ; Anuw:f tiK-i k- r ,L-' 1 . jvnj ii V m vaivnLuv-t rtixusnt. aceoraino'-- to 1 t keir respecti ve and; usual proportion' in the general charge and expenditure. an4 shall be:faithfufljt -disposetl of for that;:"prp6Se, and. for no othr luse or piirplwjiifever'j :-" Such are th itorms hyxigehgfrrih (hft plinay then i$ &U inlerit4ud.' p:u rpoles - a vi56vereigu 'Sratein indepgfelent member of puDuc iaao3 f-jof veyrrtrm-rm the lan-i .11' , -1 " ' - .. .. ". and certain reservations. Xhe rule; f dis tribution is herc-giveh.:: " according to the charge and expenditure." It ia t-e k.l fjr the use and benefit of the conFxh-rated States, 'North Caroiiita 'inclusive." It is ceded for the purpose of constituting-" a common fund" to pity off j,he debt of the Revolution, and " tor no other use or. pur pose, jcfiatevcr, so that, in every instance",, those deeds of cession contained a restrict ive, cl luse, providing that the lands ceded, should be held as, a jcouinion fund, to pay off a common debt ; and for the use tind benefit; of all the; States which at that time formed, or might, thereafter, form a part of the national : confederacy. -r ? It '.was, most ciearl; ', therefore, Conveyed, : not for the bencfi; of the United or confederated ov-ei-nmerit, (after the payment of the public debt,) '.hut 'ia triut for the benefit, of the States in severalty, according to th-j pre scribed rule.' . ' ! I; ,','' Thus it is made Uianifest that this was a compapt- between the ."several ) sovereign States! and . the ' coiernment : fer,' if the lands lad been given to the .United States, as a consolidated government, : it would have been folly, for the States to have made reservations and required conditions. The United States jreadily agreed to the iiiarnrnhnous -propokitioii ofthe States, en- tered: nto the covenant, accepted the trust,' and tl us became the agent and Trustee of the se reral States, to carry out the condi tions if the deeds of cessions ; the States beinc the redid que ItrusK And this was the opinion entertained at the -time, and uniyei sally accepted and approved for more than a ' quarter of a icentnry ifterwoods; until ambitious anjd linpiincipledriK'nia- goguesi, and rapaciojus States farmed out ot the very territory thus ceded -set' up claims to all the public lands, as unjust, as they -ere extraordihary-and iinfourtded. v . The States having thus ceded their land very p-operly insisted that the United States uliould assume - tho , tlebta . of . ,ihurovci'at act of Congress containing the tollowing section; . ; --. '.,.." :-. . ' Section 22. And be it further enacted ixAt proceeds i f the which shall be made tif lands iii the western ' territory, now belougiiigj or lon: tp the United that niav-'hcix-after bc- Stafes, shall I!, aud hcreb 'appropriated towards sinking ordis- char nir t le debtsi ior.tne paynwn: wuere- ot tnej virtuq United States " now are, or by 'of this act ni:iy be, holden, and sh-iil be applied solely tq tfurf use until tlie said dclU haU he paid llere'is.additioiij il, and to my iin 1, c-on-, for what purpose the and in the second place clusiv p proof ; first lands when were ceded fthcy. would case to he under a pledge The-1 purpose ".was. to to thd sroverunient itay o ff tlie public debt ; tlie time: when the pledg! was to j.eea; paidvj So that as was wheu tlie debt was ioon as t tie should be paid, the ) State's would be treed troin, the p ledge -djio itr) ustj would expire and all the States Avonld e jcntitled to .their res ! shares of the remainder pcctiy e diMributiv of thd public d om i inj la kcn,l jFurther proof of, the ground lwM-e ta- sk the ii dulgence of tlie House, while I .briefly tit some authorities on this point, of the very highest character Thomas Jefferson, in his message of 1800, where it appears that after defravinsc all the ordinary cxpe ises of tlie-"gm"oi-nnient, and piiyinir up the regular instalment on the piablic debt, there still remained a con siderable surplus in the treasury ; an 1 in antiei nation of thp ultimate payment of the public debt, rocojmuiended both a protec- tive tariff,: and. tbje appropi-iation ol the proceeds- of the salcls of the public lails to works of Internal Improvement and Jo the suport of education j ' -) i Mr. Madison, on after he lesd retired to private life,' it a 1 letter to a fiieivl, in speak ng of the wealth and resources .of the count ryr among 3ther things says : " The. public lands will soon cease to be under a picdg;."- : j i ,'; r. Again. General Jackson, whose demo cracy will h&rdl hd questioned (at least by gc ntleuieri who oppose the resolutions undei debate) in his annual message of 1832, after csprjessmg the opinion I have alreatly quoted irom!that message " that those lands word ceded by the States to the United States, jbr the purpose of general harmony, and as a fund to meet the expen ses of the war"--contmiie8 : . As the lands may i iOw be considered as relieved ; from .this fledge, thej objejet for which they were ceded having been accomplished it seems to mc to be our trud policy that they, shall cease as soon as practicable to be a source of.lXevenue'."i j ' - . . "'"'. ; '.' I commend the concluding paat of the above quotation from that Message, to those of General Jackson's special admirers, who, notwithstanding -this .solemnly announced opinion of the old Hero, persist in conten ding that the proceeds of the sales of the as a source of revenae, to meet the ordina ry expenses of thej government. ! But to this view of the subject I sliall hereafter allude, in another cjonexion. . ' . The last authority I shall quote, before dismissing this most important branch of the subiect, is from that immortal Patriot, arid greatest Statesman of the age Hex- jof 1832,urf(pnerai" hahmiitt'izMrt, as z 1 --Can 'Ian imase be moref ueunite".! nl-nrf i inann. Mthanjthat adopted usTjif eoii ? i "- When this m6ritrriha.n-nti dihg the old;State.VW chdmiri for th atteinpted to Be set up bjrth:gbvenors fnd Legislatures of the North-western States headed by Thomas II. Bento -bf 51issba ti, Mr.-.-;-Hi.fe!mprehenY patrii tram and polreyj waa iieyeiflimited' to -one State; o seetibnbui -comprised the .whole UnioHj met the question at thehreihhdld" afid as Chairman of the Committed on Man. Wfaetures to which thequesiion of the piK lie lihd4 wa 4e"rroi-mada-his .j r i - i J .... 'A- r T vivi ble report; iweompattied by his great speceh on t3ii&:qnestid&vitt-hich vhe-trbtesfed agamfst.ths ;poliey . Bohght V ise adopted J t-ijiuiw Mm. euorrairy i :-the r- claim? of the lands forj the ;nStafes eipltisively or -their proceeds and at the nex seH?rrt of Congress paflsexT hisbill throuab winch th 3 proi-eiils oi; uie sales ot the pub lic l uids ivero ta ba. distributed among all the 'States. This BilLwas prevented from becoming the law, by General Jackson, Vho" vetoed, or rather pocketed it ; under, "what circumstances and influences 1 will pot Stop to enquire." - j ' . ' -t . :' "' : In the ,sp3eeh referred to, after setting forth the vast importance of the question, and exposing the fallacies of the arguments 3ir. Clay says : '" ' ; " - : - ' " If the- gen ?ral 0 overnment ', had the pwer to edc the pubjic lands to the new States f-;r p irticulai jurpoes and on. pre scribed conditions, its power must be un questionable, to make some Reservations, for similar purposes! on behalf of the old. Its capac-ify "to1 bestow bencfitsjor dispense jus tice is not (confined to the new States, ..but is co-extensive with the whqle Union. And this comprehensive ': equity -is not J only in couf.)iuiity with the spirit of the; cessions in the deeds fromTthe ceding States,'but is expressly enjoined by the terms kf those deeds." f ... 'V- r - A ;v -. .'" ! And again ; ' - A -' I a " This question ought not tobe consider ed debateable. The rhrht of the' whole is sealed by the blood of the -revolution, foun ded upon isolemri deeds of cession, from sck yereigu States, deliberately pxecutpd in the fac.c of the world ; or, resting upon nation al treaties coucladed with foreign powers on ample equivalents contributed )from the common treasury of the people of 'the Uhi ted States." ' " y- T . -:- ; j ji I might go on quoting from 5Ir Clay, who, thus1 so. nobly arid patriotically stood up, and defended the rights and interests of the old States, but: I deem it uuneoces-, sary, as I think this p'art of , the question is fully established. ); . '...': " . "l It is hardly necessary, to argue the right of all the States t.j share in! the residue of the public domain ; tittier that portion ac- from the 'i-onuuest of "Mexico. The first wasV quircd by money from the common treasury of the khic- of the nation.' The latter, by the sacritices and , disasters inci dent to war; and partly-, also, by money from the treasury. Si that in both instan ces, there Can be no question of the right of ail -the; States' to share in these portions of the public lands. !,'-- " . ; , The public debt", ;for the payment I of .vkieli, the lands were ceded, as has been thown, was nearly paid olf, prior to thp late war. This just and. righteous war, ; in which the British, Lioil, was tamed, and made to crouch to the 'American Eagle, and by which t; proud England I was taught to knoy her place, resulted of i course- in the tiiuiiiph of i.iur arms, but brought upon the government a -debtof one hun dred; and sixty-eight millions.-i-And ab thouiih - from the terms bf the! deeds bf Cession, not a dollar, of) the proceeds of the sales of the public lands, could have been applied to the paymerit of that heavy debt, yet," the States with the same magna- juimity that; had characterized, themj step ped forward and perriatted the proceeds to be thus applied without a nmrmur; and the entire debt of the Nation fwaspaid off du ring thej Administration of General Jack son; and a large surplus revenue left in the Treasury at the expiratiop. of his official tenn. So that, after that! time, the ques tion at leasf of the ipriblic debt in connex ion with this subject, is put to rest. But there have been interposed to the 0 . . . ; , 1 . .4 , J. tions wliy;li,!iathougli, ot a minor character; i'..: -i.,J.A: I. v!4v. ..4- merit brief notice. And the first, is, that that these Resolutions ar "Abstractions' "a thing of abstractions!"! And that Con gress, and not "this Legislature, is the prop er place fof their- discussion. ' This, like every ihcr pbjeetiony. comes from the other .side Of i the1 llousoj nd from gentlemen, tioine of yhoni," two' yea ref ago warmly; es pdusedj and pressed upon this House and the Senate, that monstrous' (exploded) hum-' bug and urrt hcd ultraeion "Secession." A most, mudtiecous alstniktion 'which, fpr tunately for the peace an harmony of tho Country, is utterly ) withoiit friends or ad vocates; any wlicre, or) from any; party: and I am glad id ;'d f. Yes, sir, -this objection conies alone, : from that. arty claimirig to hexir ejccelleney State ; 7tfe J?-n; arid who have engrafted in their political creed some abstractions, and vagaries, that .U never could understand. And Vet, when a Sov ereign State, through its Legislature, claims from the General Government its just rights in the public lands, amounting in value to many millions of dollars;;' I 'am to be)met with the objection 1 that it' is an "abstrac tion!" Sirit seekns to fiae, most manifest ly, that the tendency of such "a policy,: is to deprive the States, of J their Sovereign rights, and .to i build, up, 5 and .consolidate power at "Washington City. ; For, the doc trine carried ,out practically, certainly would concentrate '' powerf at the Federal Capitol, j I am a State Bights man, regard less. of the,shadowj I am for the substance.1 I claim,) therefore, to be a State Bights man, in the true meaning and signification pf that terra, by.ctaimjbtg for Vie 'States, from tJjA Goverknient tlieirjust and well es tablished dues. , i Again, it is contended, that the lands should be sold, and their proceeds; remain uiuiiBiL-abeu tue just rignterot th old ISrates to an-eqaaj participation.ro the public 4oi inthe treasuryiis source iOf tevenuettbl be applied to th'ernaVv'e'xperiscs of the. Oenejl6yrnment..- This appears, to le tne - tavojit-policy with, 'tha Democratic puTtyj-Penje'rally, of this State.' -I haVe. ready-sh.wn' "that )Presiderit"J effersort V aijdl tUeneral Jacksori were win opposed to- ttuS- 'Tl is: true that tire J5alf rmora Democratie ; ijatiorm- contajus me iOHOWing reQiunptti td the national objects'specified: in the'Con- 1 stitutionyarid 'thatwe ar Opposed; Ut my law lor xue -uisiriuurura :oi sucn proceeus among the States:' as alike- w?iiRrn- poircyy an repvynant to tue TJonstitutiofl., Itttirigth'at donveAtiOA '--who wetTaebeiif -of )bngTess,ywTth-a ffiidlGlmllutfj - Re&H vtft, ; That that the "proeeeds of the priblio. lands ought to be mehxify -applied VouId:; haVehameetrird ;nhe'.?;gn.tlut fijugfit' tho battles jf the- large ddnati6ns of those lands to particula'j States. 1- ' . - - '-: -:- - . .." ; 'r If the principles enunciated in this reso lution,-shall be 'carried out; then the door is closed forever, against the old States get--j ting an acre of the public r domann I he immense donations made during the fast three or four Congresses, inwbiich the dem ocratic' party have had large- maioritiesi' "very clearly demonstrates, that a large mar jonty of that party m this "nation, are) not in favor of the " proceeds -being - applied, hereafter for the purpose cf revenue. And these indications of purpose, j and tlie -evidences that have been thus furnished must satisfy ejvery intelligent and thinking mind, that thej publie domain is no longer tollje regarded as a permanent source of revehtfe; and since those lands are being Vpancfcr- ed on "viestern States every session of (J:m gress in such large aud profuse quantites, it is high time that North Carolina, haylug never yet, received an acre nor a- -d6lrjrr,i should ho putting in her well-founded claim. ! -'a r.'---. ":';- - -' -' H It is not a little remarkabTe, that mam? of those, who arc applying the proceeds ofthe lands, to purposes of revenue often fall into the error. and -inconsistency of contending that, ihcy are of little or no value. .1 will sliow bcforeSl am done wlwt a great mis take this is; and will only now, stop to re mark that the Bailroads they have built . the conals thy have cut, the institutions of learning they haye endowed, the public uir dirigs they haveerected, and the WallSfreet brokers they have, enriched, are so manj' aU testations, to my mind of their great v'aiue. 1- Again, the resolution"-?' claims for North Carolina! "a fair and . equitable portion' of the public lands or the proceeds thereof J' -Now gentlemen" attempt to make 'a very nice distinction between the distribution of die la lids, and that, of their prucecih in money'. j Certainly, a Very .nice distinction! -Well , sir , I must confess myself deficient in lt anrL of astuteness, necesssarv -to. a clear I niaintairi that the. distinction insisted on, is neither established by argument, nor ac companied by the force, of reason, and ' T ' ""Tis krange there should,; such diflereuce be, Twist itwedlci, and tweedleJt-t!" '. r';, ; I proceed now, to ' show, the prodigious amount ofthe priblic domain, its imnieuse value, North Carolina's equitable portion of it, anjd the vastquantities that havebeen donatedjto the New States. .'. I have an official statement, made out, by the proper Department, at Washington, of all the public lands sold and donated; and shciwin";, also, all the lands unsold, and undisposed of, up to the. 30th day. of September 1851. .'. ' ; v Front this official, statement, it is shown, there have been sold of the public, lands 0 hundred and one million (101,000,000) of aercsj and that the receipts have amoun ted to orie hundred aud thirty-eight' 'mil lions (138,000,000,) of dollars., I omit fractions. v There have beep donated, exclusive of large grants made at last session of Con-1 cress, eialdij-fire MiMioHs of acres! It is true that a little more than Hi ,uuu,um), thus granted was called (to save the con sciences of members, and by a' sort , of yic tion,) tcct, or sicahij lands ; Jjut it is a mat ter of notoriety, in the circles at "Washing ton and of infinite amusement and jest among western members, that large ajnounts of these "Swamp Lands" are thei most rich and valuable of any part of the public domain;; and that they have generally been cnoi-od nt thA irtttest season ot the vear i ""V a . , "tc and after the most noted freshets, m those respective regions ! Ami it has become a matter of political history, and oughtnot to be forgotten that these twenty-seven fhil lions of acres of the public lands were j do nated, and granted away," during tlie -session rf 1850, by a Congress, krgely Bpmr, ocratic, and that but eighteen of that par ty, in the House of Representatives, - vpted against this bill of plunder and rofebelr of th6 old $tates ; notwithstanding the - same partyl, a; short time "afterwards, .-inorra-', ted into' their national platform, tho rlso lution on the subject of the lands F liave already Jqnoted, certainly showing arathcr sudden change and a remarkable facility) of adaptation to Burrounlinj circuinstancesi"" 1 The following are the States and Territo-' rics that Congress,' (by an assumption- of power that I have shown' it does not pop.- sess,) has, made its beneficiaries. 1 giye it in round numbers,' dropping ana fractions : : ' '." " ' ''". 1 'Obio, A .5 Million? of Acre?, -Indiana, 2 " " Illinois. " " . " Miisouri 3 " . " " Alabama " 2 " " " . . ' : Misoiosippi ...4 " " ' Louisiana 10 , " ; i: Michigan . 6 " " Arkansas & ' ". " .. I Florida' ' 2 " - " ' Iowa . L 3 . " . ."'s ". . Wisconsin 3 " ..'-..' Tennessee A2 ". " " ', 't California . ' "; " ".". " i:Mm.Tehito'y2 " ''" M i i Oregon I " 10; " ; " A i New Mexico S " ." " Utah Terrify B " A ' "" ' " . " ' j 85,000,006 Acres ! ) ' - x -J-'' '-? ' Now, Isir, I" propose, show the value ofthe for j a-moment! to lands, thus -given away forinstance, I -will take as att'illastra- ticmthose'dDnatedin 1849i: lo -Miohicanr- plawaWlUirioi&r, ThwlatteStaW2,7& UUU acres lor tic .State. Antral-:.Itail - lioaa.TlrLaland: .was admitted aithotinjel. the doati'warf jWe'Jto te' Wrtl OTevV ' -:a;' than'S'?. nn "nrli- " Tin j swniiM - TnaTr"tlii ' .'i--'. graB;yrj ?5y4CK ?V made'tp ilUaois- forier Stated-Kail- ltoadl -'"" j Y; wliila at the,same timothe' fiorit; i)eoplo;V .-' - " pof Nottli- Carphnlt are taxed $2,000,000 forH", ' 4 . "-. uieirs. .. Ana yet, iortn ijaapiinaf-Bactjust.A. ? '"-i,i(Ji' irlit Q 7AA Aftrt !Vi,xAi.iil,- V; . A publio lands as Illinois or any othcr Siat.f '. i ' 7 x asK inis liouse u tniaa3 just f lcirtKVr - - ' - i ? on the. people of North Carolina tbsay whe4." .Itlioirnr milliniv lnnmxi i&st- oif Vrti -1 such-a glaring-outrage 2toon:their--utsV" thje goyfcxnjnejifcto thtf tiem tutcshUs: Bjevohitioij rstution, -and 'geaereusly cdedy for4io good. .y oiul mo iiu-gesi ponon oi miB.puuuc . .. main ; : and Lave since borne .their ' equiya- v '--lent part in jthe acquisition -of the'.bahiucejT- -have never received one acre, nor the'amount - ' . of one farthing I -' . i- ,"- ' -'" ---tl- - Si, it is timethat party harness be.cut. . that )party trammels; be knoic-ked off, -and -'' that politicians and the people; all, should ; ' unite in " claiming the dues of the State, anit in demanding her just rights at the' hands -:. of a mmpcred'and partial oyernment.f . "v j A By subtracting the .donations made 8p -!' !' lnliUons of acres from the aniOunt of the . . sales', 101 pillions of acrcsj ii is; shown '- -that fhc; amount of tho sales exceeds the " j amounbof the donations, onlyI6,000.,000sof ' acres! t Estiinatirig the value bf the donated a lands atonby SI an acre; a price much less thanthose already sold have brought, and we - .have the spectaclepresentcd of a government 1 A 1 ,11 m. ' ' vi 1 . 1 - .1 ' inax snouiu ue jusran ltsauministrative poi- . icy to all, ; "bestowing on the new States; the magnificent gift of .85,000,000 of dollars !'. ' , This same official report shows that there . yet rcmaias unsold, and undisposed of," .. 1,400,000,000 of acres! y .. . Now, sir, it is for this prodigious" qua.'v. tity, of unsold, and as yet, undisposed of, ' public? domain, that I claim, if or North Ca- rolina her jpst proportion, before it, too, ". j shall be disposed of,- or ' its most valuable portions, squandered 'way, still"- to .the - ex- A. elusion of the old States., "J ' - . -' To, establish, to a still iclearer denion stratiori the. absolute necessity" of this-Leg- : islature and the Legislature , of the old s State, generally, taking prompt' and deci sive action on,-this subject ; and 0 show," . still further, the value of the public lands, that have been broueht into market I - call the attention of this body, to the .ao-1 tion of the last Congress on Jlr. 'Jkmetfi. Bill : or rather his amendment, to the Bill givmg - ,DUv,uuu jacres to jcertain enumerated States, in which they lay, pKh) vided then; for a dtstrthuUvn of the balance" of the. public lands, that is- the portion ; that had J been surveyed and brought into market,) among all the states of the Union, ' in the ratio of their federal .numbers, or their respective llepreseniations, in .Con gress. ' Ereri - YAs bill, thus amended, whicli disposed of 'buta small portion of all the public domain,) ancr which at the . same granting targe quanxiiies oi me puwiiB uivi ; tv ,. aj j - ' r,A' -to T.lfcmgan,. twra;? ItUsc ; and JC v) 1 a! i j - -H, r' 1 .States.:' Tnat 'aildmenV'acoMinfl .to 'i6y' ' "" na-'T ,1 11 . J a timerwas) not nieting out justice to uie old -States, gave nevertheless, to North -Caroli- -na, 1,1550,000 acres'. The bill, with' this' ." : amcfidmcut passed the House of lleprescn tatlves, all . the" AVhig delegation from; ; North Carolina voting foiji it, and f one of '." the Pemocrats. Itlwent to the Senate, y where, the liemocfats having a large riia- i ' jority,) it was kxid on thej table, and thus ,V-t defeated, by Senators frojnthe old State's aiding those ! -of the New. ''"'; ... : ' ) v ; N9W Sir, let? us see what would have ' ' A beeri the value of that land to North Caro-" . ' " J . 1 i na had the Bill ! passed the Senate, and ' j become a law; because its! value is. easily) arrived at. It must be remembered that ) Congi-ess has made Land "Warrants, assign-) able,' and rcpivalde foralt lands; and tha these warrants .will hereafter) eOn'stitute the -.... Vprinciple, if not the only currency in which these, payments will be made, for the lands ; and'I have it from- the best authority that those warrants are selling! in. Washington,) and in Wall street, at the! rates of $1.20 axi acre. So that. 1.050,000. acres, at this rate, would have poured into the Treasury - -' -i of ' North .Carolina, within a very small fraction, $2,000.000 ; A . - y : . Now sir, is not this a substantial reason, .why the Legislatures of. the old States, sjiould teach their delegations in Congress, r especially those ' whef- know . they are not 1 ; representing theinc-oristituents, theirduty ? ).. -; Anotljer consideration, for- the necessity of prompt; action, may be found, in the . -rapid growth, and increasing political power A' ofthe Western States -which will- oon be gyoat enough, tq control-the disposition"of ' tue-enure punuc uomm ; ana interring the future froml the 'past 11 is saie vcr con .; ' led on by Cass, - v- elude, that . thcse. Sttes. Douglass. Cliase lienton anl others, will . ; . exert all their power in excluding the old States from those lands. all participation, whatever in vV.-:-;-:f-V''- '.:-'-:. importanee Of" the question,; ."The jrredtt (that I have argued at some length,) of the " right of North Carolina, to her equitable share, in the public' domain,- becomes ob-L .' vious and manifest . when! we consider -the prodigious' amount as already given, and the immense value, of the pubhc lands. that still remain unsold, and undisposed o By dividing all ?Uie vpubiie 'domain, as T, i have given it froiii the official report of the Land Commissioner, amoii g all the States " . according to federal numbers, ot to make it . still plainer, according to the .number of .) Representatives in Congress, it will . be i found that; the; portion falling5 to? North " Carolina ill be more than 51 millions of ' acres!- -Put this down at only $1 an acre, which is. 2 5 cents below the minimum priee established by Congress, j and .ire have in -rouncLnumbera ' the enormous sum of : t0 , minions of dollars I In this jdi'vision the county that I - represent, would be entitled It is; true that Ito more than ?700,000 ! (CONCLUDEI) OX'.FOURTH PAGK.) f 1 4 v f A II" - .. .. - A nu AV ', 5 !"-. -i . -A, 1 1- -f i - .i .- -vi - - - T - L . s'S - - - f:. ; A'.; IV II .-11' ' - : i . I 1 ! : A: I
The Salisbury Herald (Salisbury, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 11, 1853, edition 1
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