Western Sun & General Advertiser, Volume 20, Number 9, Vincennes, Knox County, 11 April 1829 — Page 1

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WESTERN SUN & (BlSNTSRAlL ABtERTISEK -1 BY ELIHU STOUT. VINCENNES, (IND,) SATURDAY, AFHIL 1 1, 1839. Vol. XX. No. 9.

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CONGRESSIONAL.

upon the subject of the resolution before them, yet he could not but request their indulgence whilst he made a few remarks in reply to the honorable gentleman who had just taken his scat. The resolution which he had proposed, had been impugned as invohingan act of injustice toward the state of Illinois ; and certainly if there were injustice and dishonesty on the face of that resolution, a portion of the stigma must necessarily apply to the person who had submitted it fcr their consideration. After some observations on the claims of the state of Illinois to the lands within her own territory, he observed, that if she had been contented to retain or to acquire, merely what was her own, his observations would not have been called forth ; but she had manifested a disposition to grasp at lands which of right belonged to others. With what propriety then, could a charge be brought against the state of Maryland, part of which he, (Mr. Yeemsy) was honored by representing in that house, or against him individually, of wishing to obtain the sanction of congress to an improper or unjust measure ; as the gentleman from Illinois, (Mr. Duncan,) ha 1 designated his resolution, a resolution in which nothing was advanced beyond the just claims which Maryland, in common with all the old states of the Union. Besides, what immedi

ate grounds were therefor stigmatizing the resolution as unjust. Let the gentleman from Illinois look at the concluding clause in it in fact to its whole tenor. It went to refer to a committee the task of inquiring into the best mode of disposing of those lands which (mark the concluding clause) ' were acquired as a common property by the joint expenditure of the blood & treasure of the whole Union." Was that an improper, or an unjust mode of proceeding f Was it then presumption in him, or could it be considered insulting to the state of Illinois, to bring the subject under the consideration of that house ? He had a right, as the representative of 40,000 free and in

dependent citizens, to bring forward that, oiLany

uuu r pi opuMuon, to vise nonce oi uic iiuuse- aim when he should be unworthy of the seat whrch

he occupied in that assembly. If the charrrf of

injustice were intended to be applied to him in a

personal point of view, he threw it back with disdain to the source whence it came.

The Speaker here interposed. He observed,

that the observations of the gentleman from Il

linois, had reference to the effect ot the resolu

tion alone, and had not been considered by the

Chair as personal allusions.

Mr. Wef.ms said, that he was gratified to find himself mistaken, and in being thus corrected,

he repeated, thr.t his object in offerine the reso

lution was to bring the subject before the house.

in order that they might be justly and equitably disposed of. He concluded by moving that it be

referred, to the same committee to which had

been referred bill No. 145, to graduate the price

of the public lands.Mr. Duncan, said that he was surprised at the intensity of feeling so needlessly displayed by the gentleman from Maryland. He had not in the outset, thought the resolution worth lKs4.no-

- who were unacquainted with i ticc' untl1 lThc attention paid to it by the cntleoliowcd the apportionment of m 1,1 from Kentucky, (Mr. U ickuffej in moving v nates So far from benefits ! aM amendment to it, stamped it with importance.

i m memuer wno naa last auuresseu tne nor.se, had accused the state of Illinois as evincing a disposition to grasp at lands to which she had no claim, and which property belonged to others he denied the charee. There was not a state in

the Union whose public conduct had been mark

FROM THE UNITED STATES TELKGBAPH. The House then proceeded to the consideration of the following resolution submitted by Mr. Wccms: Resolved, That the committee on Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of appropriating so much of the Public Lands, or of the proceeds of tne sale of those lands (not found to clash with any previous contract lor the payment of the public debt) for the advancement of common schools in the thirteen ol ' states, equivalent to what has been granted to Those states that have been introduced into the Union since the adoption of the general government, so as to equalize the advantages to each and all the states ; seeing that the aforesaid lands have been acquired as a common property, by the joint expenditure of the blood and treasure of the whole Union. The Question was on the motion of Mr. Duncan

to amend the resolution, by adding the following words: And that the same committee be instructed to inquire into the justice of paying the new states an amount in money equal to the tax upon all land sold or disposed of by the U. States, and which has been exempt from a state tax by compact, in the same ratio that lands belonging to individuals has been taxed by said new states." Mr. Duncan, said that it was not his wish thav the resolution, even with the amendment he had proposed to it, should pass. The original resolution, and the principles upon which it was founded, were injurious to the new states of the Union. The proposition went to give to the thirteen old states a quantity of the public lands, equal to that which had bceii granted to the younger members

cf the confederacy ; and it wore a very piausmie

appearance to those

the results which followed

the lands to the new

having been derived on their part, the reverse -was tiie fact ; for they had sustained a positive injury from the system which had been adopted and acted upon in the management cf that great hr-mrii nftiic nntimnl interests. An iirmressiou

J i..iiv. " - A

1. ol....wl t'ur. l.mlc in nnptinn WPVP uic ui

, k., f i eil with a hieher sense of honor, or a ere ate r

i.r.i ..i n nM n na,uv-di iiui.iainy man uiai ui ins siaic. out

n i v n ill iri u iiimlll,v: iti

a pure donation

the case. The loth section ot

each township for the support of common schools had been granted under peculiar conditions. Here a message was received from the Senate, with various bills. Dr. Duncan resumed. Peculiar conditions, he paid, had been imposed upon the new states, with respect to the school lands. The 16th section of land was not given tothe state, but to the citizens of the township in which it was situated ; and the state, which of itself, derived no benefit from the gift, was obliged, in consideration cf it, to exempt from taxation for five years, all lands sold by the U. States, and all lands granted as military bounties. What was the consequence cf this arrangement ; and what been the loss which it h ad occasioned to the treasury of Illinois ? A million of acres of laud had been sold by the U. S. in viiat state, since it came into operation ; the tax upon which would have amounted by this time to SO.000. Three millions of acres of military bonntv lands had been distributed, the tax upon which", would have been 90,000 more ; making a total sum already paid, as it were, by the state vhich he had the honor to represent, of SM0.000

far the school lands. IVit that was not all. 1 he

J. States still owned in that state 34 millions

acres of land, the exemption of which from taxation, would be a loss to that state of SL'G0,000 more. There was thus taken out of the treasury ( X Illinois, by the present pernicious land system the enormous sum of SL840,000. Mr. D. then adverted to the still heavier losses which had accrued to the state of Ohio, from the working of the same system ; and observed, that the state- ! -nts which he made, clearly demonstrated, that the states had paid, and paid dearly tco, for the 16th section; which, after all, was not, he repeated, granted to the state, but to the citizens cf the respective townships. Much, he continued, had been said about the liberal grant of land from

the V. States to the state ot Illinois, tor the con-

had been most heavily oppressed by the opera-

sion of the land svstem. More than one half of

her active legislation was performed by congress the general government exercised supremacy over nineteen twentieth's of her territory, as owner of the soil ; and he did, in common with his constituents, most ardently long fcr the arrival of the period, when she could take her proper station among the free, independent, and sovereign commonwealths which formed the American Confederacy. For himself, (Mr. Duncan continued) he greatly doubted the power of the general government to impose such restrictions on the state of Illinois. He doubted their,power to enter into a compact with the new stated for

the purpose of an exemption cf their lantM from taxation. He had proved that it was a most injurious measure to new states ; and he saw no reason why a s stem so partial in its effect should be continued. Petitions and memorials had been again and again presented by Illinois on the subject ; and were they to be scoffed at, as asking more than their due ? They wrere not ; and he trusted that no such impression would prevail in the House. He had not meant to charge the

c- gentleman from Maryland, (Mr. Weems) with

injustice ; nis remarks naa Deen directed against the wretched and ruinous system at present adhered to. It was for that purpose he had made the observations with which he had troubled the house. Mr. Weems explained. No part of his remarks, he said, had been intended to apply to the state, or to the people of Illinois, whom no one could respect more than he did. His observations alluded solely to the message of the governor of that state. The question was on the adoptiomff Mr.

Weem's motion to refer the resolution tRd

same

see why this subject should be embarrassed, and the investigation into it impeded by its

being encumbered with extraneous matter.

In the event ot a bill being reported on the

subject by the committee, the gentleman from Maryland would have an opportunity oi

proposing an amendment in the course ot its

discussion in the house. Particular and nar-

tial donations had been made of the lands : he

(Mr. Stevenson ) was in favor ot grants being

made where the object to be attained was na

tional ; but let all the members of the Union

be upon fair and equal terms, and let public

domain, if it must be apportioned, be appor

tioned justly and equitably among the differ

ent states.

Mr. Moore, of Alabama, rose and said, Mr. Speaker, I am inclined to believe, sir, that it must be pretty well ascertained by this

time, that nothing profitable can grow out of

uus immediate proposition, or tne one introduced by the honorable member trom Pennsylvania, (Mr. Stevenson ) which may be viewed as the original upon this subject. Sir, I have no hesitation in saying, that this proposition is predicated upon erroneous premises. It presupposes that the 16th section alluded to in this debate, have beeD grjtui tous donations on the part of this govei nment, to the new states which, I must be permitted t0 5ay,in my humble opinion, is not the fact. It is nothing granted to the state nor can it be regarded as a gratuity invfavor of the citizens of the townships. I view it, sir, as a step cr principle resorted to by this government, more for theft own interest, than that of the citizens of township. Sir, I do consider it as founded in motives ol speculation, in order to enhance the price ot the public domain and it will not be doubt cd, but it has had this effect. Strangers in coming to a new country, and in selecting a permanent home, have been induced to give mere for the public land, in consequence of a knowlcge of the fact, that one section within the township was appropriated for the use ol public schools, whereby they have presumed they would be enabled to educate their children, to some extent, without incuning the

expense oi semiine them trom home, to a

college or university, at great sacrifices But in this, they have been disappointed, for in many instances. (I now speak with reference to the country from which I cornc.) this 16 I . I i.t r i i

section nas proved to oe oi no vaiuc; a pei lec ' mountain or swamp, utterly unavailable anr in consequence ol it, a bill is now on 12 progress, authorizing the inhabitants otyov.nships to relinquish this section, and cntr an other in lieu thereof. But, sir, this onlyVon-

templates authority to enter lands which, have

been offered for sale, and could not be r.oM at the minimum price of 25. And this is the great act of gratuity, which has giv en l ist to these resolutions I regret Mr. Speaker, that the honorable member from Maryland should have permitted his feelings to be at a! excited by the message of the governor o. li linois to the legislature of that state. Sir, i' that gentleman shall think proper to attack the doctrine and principles urged by the gov ernor on this topic, in support of the lights and claims of the new states; then, ir, 1 must be permitted to say, he will find this a doctrine which will have many advocates on this floor. I am one of those who subsciibt to the reasoning and arguments urged by the governor of Illinois with so much abity, to their fullest extent. And I am glad to, say, I have every reason to believe, when the proper time shall arrive, this subject will have abler advocates here, and some from some ol

the old thirteen U. States too. The President's Inaugural Address is ro ticed in the following terms by the Richmond Enquirer : THE INAUGURAL ADDRLSS. The Address itself completely fulfils all our expectations It is some what in the style of Mr. Jefferson easy, but energetic; terse, but comprehensive. Without any pretensions to literary labor or fine writing, all its expressions are perspicuous and appropriate. It is in happy contrast w ith the n.cs sages of his immediate predecessor. It scarcely says too much or tco little upon such an occasion. There is no attempt at effect; no elaborate figures ; but it is equally remarkable for the simplicity of itsstyle, and the common sense which distinguishes every passage. The President expresses in a few tvords his gratitude, and acknow ledges his account-

s-truction of her canal ; bat if that grant were ev- 1 tor graduating the public lands. -r accepted by the state, it w as not difficult to 1 Mr. Strong hoped the resolution would

bav, that the benefits arising trom it wou.d be as . not tae tial direction, but cro before a select

a 1UOUS.UK1 to one in laxorea uicu. oui, i1 ! committee. He should move, as an amend

onlv as to the enhanced value ot her lands, wuicn , , ic , , 1V ment, that that committee also inquire

ry side, hut also with rsspect to its advantages to lne tact ot " nether tn thi whnte lTninn. a r work of ft-pnt untinnal im- ' lands was Vested in the

into

public

whose

pnrtance. After alluding to the object of the i limits they were situated, or to the U. States.

Mr. W eems, after a few observations, consented to withdraw his motion, Mr. Stevenson objected to the amendment of the gentleman from N. York, (Mr. Strong J The select committee appointed yesterday, to consider the resolution which he

had had the honor to propose, had to make a

ix 'eh:tion, Mr. I), concluded by saying, that ev

en if the amendment were to be adopted, he : hould vote against the whole proposition. He c n v.Jered it unworthy of the sanction cf that !:ou in as much as it was fraught with the gros-v-t injustice tothe new states. Mr. Wklms observed, that although he had a treasure, pledged himself to the house not

v.

anv

nfiilitv 'lhf hrnt rrtnrn hp ran mrtkp in tti

committee as had been referred the bill zealous dedication of his abilities to the pub

lic service. He states generally the duties which will devolve upon him as an ager.t in the hands of the federal constitution and in discharging them, he pledges himself to keep constantly in view the limitations as well as the extent of his authority to cultivate peace and friendship with foreign nations ; to cherish a proper respect for the rights of the States, those sovereign members of our Union, (as he properly styles them,) taking care to draw the line betweenthe powers they have reserved to themselves, and those which they have granted to the confederacyo introduce a fauhful economy into the public expenditure, in order to extmguiih the public debt, ss nt as to coun.

uithcr observations , specific and epecial inquiry ; and he did net

teract the profligacy which springs fiom a profuse expenditure of the money of the peopie. He takes the broad and the bold ground, that in laying the impost, with a view to revenue, the burdens should be equalized ; the great interests of agriculture, commerce and manufactures, equally Javored ; and that fierhafis lhc only exception tothe rule should consist in the peculiar encouragement of any products ot either of them, that may be found essential to our national independency (such as arms, ammunition, perhaps seamen, kc.) The only equivocal passage in the address is the brief paragraph in which he speaks of the high importance of internal improvement, and the diffusion of knowledge ; though he guards his proposition by the condition, "so far as they can be promoted by the constitutional acts of the Federal

tjovernmcnt But what scope he means to give to the constitutional action; how broad

or now narrow 1 uhnhrr nit, n,ii;,rtf

school, like that at West Point, or to a road through the lands of the U. States, or to mote than these, we shall see hereafter. His just and beautiful compliment to the militia, like his pi ofessions of peace and good will to foreign nations, are not much in the style of a " military chieftain." His deprecation of an increase ol the standing army, his attention to the gradual augmentation of the navy, as well as to progressive improvements in both the branches of our defence, and hi. eulogium upon the navy and militia, arc " signs ot the times' which we hail with sincere satisfaction. There is one passage in his address, which cannot escape the reader's attention. Reform s legibly inscribed in the banner of Executive duties and more especially, such reform as consist in the correction of abuses, which have interfered with the freedom of elections, or the rightful course of appointment ; or, have thrown the offices of the nation, into unfaithful or incompetent hands. He then tells us plainly, that we are to have no more travelling Secretaries; no offices disgraced, no monies wasted, for the sake of rewarding the clectioneeiing minions of ambiiious aspirants He promises to keep in his eye the examples of Washington and of Jerlerson, the mind that founded, and the mind tiiatVefromed, our political system. Upon hV-vhoIe, we are much pleased with the spirit of the address ; its unpretending style, and its general principles, The Philadelphia Gazette, in speaking of the Inatiguiai Address delivered by Gen.

Jackson on the 4th inst. says : It is sound sense, expressed in unaffected language: It is too clear to require a com mcntary, and too concise to permit of abstract. President Jackson speaks as the chief magistrate ol the people. He adverts to most of the pi hiciples of government that are controfcrud among us: and though he expresses himsell briefly on each, it is in such language as affords evidence that he has bestowed ma nire consideration on all. On no one point ' does he tun into the extremes which mark he heated partizan. His sentiments, his language throughout, are those of the discreet and codsideraie stateman. The principles of his policy are distinctly avowed, and we doubt not they will receive the approbation cl the nation. Baltimore, March 25. From Matanzas. We learn from Capt. Teel,of the Pocahontas armed on Saturday f om Matanzas, says the N. Y. Gazette, that in consequence of the great excitement which existed there on account of the recent atrocious piracies in the mouth of the harbor, vessels would not sail unless in company. Tho Spanish government had stationed a ship and two brigs of war at that port and in the vicinity of the Double Headed Shot Keys. The piratical schooner had made her appearance off the harbor daily. She was a long low schooner, mounting ten guns, and having from eighty to one hundred men, and on the day she captured the Attentive she chased the Heaver, cf Portland, within five miles cf the shipping, and fired several guns at her. She had not, however, been seen since the arlival of the Erie,

From our attentive correspondent of the York Mercantile Advertiser, we learn

that the packet ship Britania. capt. Marshall, arrived on Saturday evening from Liverpool, and biought papers of that placeto the 3d, c hon London, to the 2d ult. inclusive. Mr. S. Canning, and the Russian and French plenipotentiaries, were at Naples cn the 1 7th Jan. The Paris papars of the 28th Jan. state that the Turks were crossing the Danube at every point; that the Pacha of Widden was marching with 30,000 men against the principalities, and it was thought that, unless the Grand Duke Constantine armed in time to stop the invasion, the Russian army would be obliged to re-cross the Pruth. There was a general movement of the Turks along the whole line of the Danube, from Widdcn to Silistria. A London paper says 11 the proposed ccnr.eztion between the Ottcxnin government

b