Western Sun & General Advertiser, Volume 25, Number 10, Vincennes, Knox County, 29 March 1834 — Page 1

BY EMHU CTOUT.J VZInTCBSKTBTBS, (&.) SATURDAY, 29, 1835.

t-ftir SKfCl'trrtt Si I It I

to trt j .Ai en . r- r.o ' ue enabled to become i freeholder. Our IS published at 82 50 cen s, for f2fktite wouM he ficd with a lhrlvinff har. rubers; which , may be dcha population. Hnving

numbers; which may be discharged by the payment of $2 at the time of subscribing. Payment in advance being the mutual interest of both parties, that mode is solicited. A failure to notify a wish to discontinue at the expiration of the time subscribed for will be considered a new engagement; and no subscriber at liberty to discontinue, until all arrearages are paid. Subscribers must pay the postage on their pa pers when sent by mail. Letters by mail to the Editor on business must be paid, or they will not be attended to. PRODUCE. will be received at the cash market price, for subscription, if delivered within the year. Advertisements not exceeding one square, will be inserted three times for one dollar, and twenty five cents for each after insertion longer ones in the same proportion. Persons sending advertisements, must specify the number of times thev wish them inserted, or thev will be continued until ordered out, and must )e paid for accordingly. LIST OP AGENTS John Murphy, Washington, Ind. John Vantrees, do do. John Arbuthnot, Princeton, lad. John I. Neely, do. Thomas Cissell, Mount Pleasant, Ind. Post-Master, Owl Prairie, Ind. Post-Master, Bloomfield, Ind. Post-Master, Sandersville, Ind. Post-Master, Owensville, Ind. Post-Master, Stinkard's Mills, Ind. Jesse Y. Wilborn, Mount Vernon, Ind. Levi Price, Evansviile, Ind. John W. Davis, Carlisle, Ind. Isaac Ong, Merom, Ind. Post-Master, Turman's Creek, Ind. John C. Reiley, Lawrenceville, Ill. Post-Master, Palestine, Ill. Post-Master, Boonville, Ind. Post-Master, Rockport, Ind. Lewis Gex, P. M. New-Harmony, Ind. MR. WHITCOMB'S REPORT Relative to the Public Lands. The select committee to whom was referred a resolution of the Seriate, instructing them "to inquire into the expediency of memorializing Congress for the gradual reduction of the price of the public lands, where the same shall have remained a reasonable length of time unsold in market, under such regulations as will encourage actual settlers, prevent speculation, and best comport with the public welfare;1 having, according to order, had the same under consideration, are convinced that the important measure embraced in that resolution, is equally demanded by justice and sound policy. The subject of the public lands a subject at all times of abiding interest and peculiar difficulty, is at this juncture, one of absorbing importance to the western portion of the confederacy. It must be obvious that, as the national debt is extinguished, the proceeds of the public lands are no longer needed as a source of revenue A crisis has theretofore for the first time arrived, calling for a permanent settlement of this important question. The great alley of the Mississippi, al

though unrivalled in natural resources, is | more thickly settled country. This in--but sparsely populated. Under our pre-| crease of value is already obvious in the gent system, the better portions of the pub- |older counties of this state, and still more lic domain have been gradually culled and | so in the old states. In proportion as the selected by the first fortunate purchasers. | Number of cultivated farms increases in

Nearly 100,000,000 of acres of refuse lands are left scattered throughout that portion of the country, much of which has remained in market unsold, since that system first went into operation. Large quantifies of these refuse lands, will not, in all probability, be purchased and settled by individuals, short of fifty years, and probably nerer while lands of the best quality can be procured on the frontiers, at the same price. Were an individual to fix the same arbitrary price on his lands, his horses or his cattle, which he might; offer for sale, without regard to their quality, he would be justly chargeable with caprice or folly. Yet such has been the absurd policy hitherto pursued by the General Government in relation to the ; public lands, and that too without any corresponding results of a beneficial ten - dency. The best practicable mode of ascertaining the absolute, value of these lands, your committee conceive tube that which is briefly sketched in the resolution of inquiry. The fact that the best lands are selectd by the first purchasers, and that the residue remains unsold for a considerable

time, at the same price, affords conclusive | the blessings of virtue, intelligence and a | sentation were to be the scale of distribuproof of that it is less valuable. A Reduc- | competeacy. Empire would accelerate | |tion of the public moneys, the slave states

tion ot the price of such residue, would result in a further selection from it, leav ing a smaller residue, and so on by successive reductions, until the remainder should be relinquished to the State within which it lies or donated to the actual settler. The latter would probably be the preferable mode. The price of those lands which have already remained unsold for a given length of time, should be subjected to this gradual reduction, in proportion as the may have been a longer or shorter time in mar-

ket. By this means every citizen woul

an immediate interest in the soil, their pa triotism would be increased, their attachment to our free and unrivalled institutions strengthened, and the manly virtues winch ennoble our nature, cherished. Such men when called to the defence of their country, would fight, (not from mercenary considerations, not with extorted service for a country whose bounties they had not enjoyed,) but literally for their altars and firesides. Inspired by gratitude with a holier devotion to the common cause, they would be invincible. When we contemplate the glory of our arms in by-gone times, what an additional incentive to splendid achievments. would this act of justice afford to our citizen soldiers. It would cause the poor man, whose blood has ever been cheerfully and lavishly spilt on an ungrateful soil, to regard his beloved country not as a harsh unyielding step dame, but as a beneficent mother. Many of our citizens, compelled with their families, to leave the scenes of their childhood in the older states, in quest of a home, encountering: the fatigues, hardships and privations, incident to a distant journey, aggravated by poverty and sickness, have at last flattered themselves with the prospect of a humble home on the second or third rate qualities of the public lands which were not worth the government price, and have made valuable improvements with a view of purchasing land when able to do so. As soon, however, as by industry its value has been enhanced, two or three fold, some one, who perhaps has silently watched for a favorable moment, tempted by the value of the improvements, purchases the land, and the family frequently without the slightest compensation, are turned pennyless upon the world. Such is the injustice suffered by a poor but meritorious class of our citizens, who are sometimes unjustly stigmatized as ''squatters" and trespassers, many of whom have rendered the most essential benefits to the country. They have been the pioneers of civilization in the west. Your committee deem it but an act of sheer justice and of the soundest policy, that such a settler should have a preemption right to a quantity of land proportioned to the size of his family, and at a diminished price. It has been urged as an objection to a reduction of the price of the public lands, that land speculators would be thereby encouraged to monopolize them, deprive cultivators of the intended benefits and retard the settlement of the country. The inferior lands arc as dear at a low price, as those of a better quality area higher price, and offer as little temptation to the speculator. And Congress might impose suitable restrictions bv limiting the quan tity to be sold to any individual, if deemed advisable. Still less room, if possible, is there for any fear that the proposed measure would lessen the value of lands previously purchased. Will it not be more advantageous to the present landholder, that the inferior lands adjacent to his farm should be cultivated than that they should lie waste? Most certainly. It must increase its value. Lands of the same quality are (other circumstances being equal) the more valuable as they are situate in a any new state, in the same proportion will the absolute value of all real property in such State, be enhanced. Again, ought the purchaser of lands of inferior quality, from which the best have been selected, to pav as much per acre, as the purchaser who had 1 his first choice? Such a principle is arbitrary , unfair, unequal and opressive Besides, former purchasers would have the same privilege to purchase additions to their farms and procure settlemerits for their children at the diminished prices. As an additional reason in support of the proposed change in our land system, your committee would suggest that the sale at reduced prices, coupled with an ultimate donation of the refuse lands would invite emigration, and consequently increase to an incalculable extent, our population, strength and resources. Thousands in the old States, whose poverty disables them from purchasing a farm at the present prices, would seek a home among us, allured by the hope of independence. Here they would find a full field for their industry and enterprise. Many would exchange poverty, vice and miserv, for her steady march westwardly. The western States from this increase of their pop -

ulation, would at no distant period, havejoraw tor everv three of her citizen-

j an luttuence in our national councils, more nearly corresponding with their im - . A . - .1.

1 nuuisc territory. Again, oy unngiug me ! Again, is mere not danger m maKing ' refuse bin Is into tiie possession of individ- the general government tho tax-gatherer of j uals, they would contribute their portion tiie States? If the revenue of the States, ' of our present burdensome taxes. j should ty this circuity, be taken from their j So far as regards our interest, it would 1 citizens to be again returned to those be fir better that the refuse lands should states, is there no ground for apprehension ho absolutely d .mated to actu al settlers, that it would create a degree of subservij who would cheerfully contribute thjir.eucy on the part of the States, dangerous

portion of the taxes in return for the hie?-

sings of a home, than that they should lie id,Pnd unroductivc. The annual drain of moncv derived from the public lands is from $600,000 to $700,000 in Indiana nlone. This immense tax drawn almost exclusively from theazriculturalist the oone and sinew of the west powerfully checks the growth of the country. It has been remarked, that this tax is principally derived from the old States, through their emigrants. But the fallacy of this statement is obvious to every one in the west. When the, immense sums derived from our citizens for the extension of their farms or to make provision for their children, and from those who endeavour by scanty earnings to procure lor themselves a small freehold, are taken into consideration, the amount paid by the newly arrived emigrants, shrink into insignificance. It is incalculable what a debilitating what a paralyzing effect, this constant sluice from the life blood of the new States, has had in withdrawing the circulating medium, repressing iheir energies, chilling their enterprize and impoverishing their resources. M-iny politicians of the old States, in opposing the proposed system, have openly avowed themselves to bo governed bv the principle that, it would deprive them of their vorhin men, of the operatives in their manufactories, who tempted by the prospect of a freehold independence, would, were the price of iho public lands reduced, swell the tide cf r mioration to the west. In this opposition it is feared they have been nnra influenced by views of individual wealth at d sectional aggrandizement, than by a imre extended ami comprehensive regard lor the welfare of the p orer classes of their own citizens and the interest of the great national fam ily. Again, the recent extinction of the pub lic debt has already been anticipated bv a reduction bv Congress of the revenue, deiived from the duties on imports. That branch of the revenue is immediately paid by tbo importer in the- Atlantic cities, to -til -1 - mi ne oiurers 01 me government. 1 tus auv'unt, iu addition to his fair per cent inn of prolii, he receives tor his merchandize from the retailer, who, to secure himself in turn must exact the same, besides his prori', from the consumer. Th.ts, tho consumers, who arc settled throughout all the States, in this indirect manner, pay nearly the whole amount of our national revenue. Uv this means, the poorest man in Indiana, in buy ing of ins retail merchant articles of necessity of foreign growth or manufacture is in reality taxed, for national purposes, to an amount far exceeding his local taxes. Thus, the citizens of Indiana, in addition to their common share of the national taxes, pay an annual tax to the general government, of nearly a million of dollars for public binds. Common justice requires that, as the taxes on the other articles of revenue have been reduced, the citizen5 of the estern States, should receive at least a correspondent benefit bv a reduction of the price of that article of revenue in v. men inev are most lnteresien. i nis is called for the more emphatically, from the fact, that the western, unlike the Atlantic States, have scarcely a solit.try monument of national expenditure, within their limits. There are some of our citizens, who, (doubtless (rorn the best of motives) are in tavorof distributing the proceeds of tin sales of the public lands among the seve ral States in proportion to the ratio 01 iheir repiesontaiion in Congress, lirst re serving '2k per cent, to the States iu which the lands respectively lie. The advocates of this scheme urge in favor of its adoption ''that Indiana would thereby receive as her dis'ributive share to amount greatly exceeding her annual State rcvenucvto be devoted to obj?cts of education and internal improvement; that tiles? annual streams of wealth flowing to tiie several Slates, would create in them an attachment towards the government, which they would regard as a beneficent parent, strengthen the bonds of union am ong themselves and destroy the heresy of nullification.-1 Bat, would such a ratio of distribution be equitable? Many of the old States have never ceded any of their public lands to the Cieneral Government. Do they ! present ;is lair a claim for an equal sdiare j of the proceeds, as those Scutes which I have made very lar,Te ce-sions? Or, as much as the new States, which by settling I tuc trontiers and lavisiung their blood in j its dehuiee have ivvn those lands a value, j which otherwise thev would not possess? i Certainly not. Beside, if State rcprc i would receive as much for everv , groes within their limits as Indiana ; believe tint our tate is not urei jconcedo th justice of such a rule. & .1 ' t"

t the State rights and State indepen-. denoe? j

.auii. i.ii nnu 10 save incuonoi me oenaic. sucn neing the case expense and trouble of transmiting the ! it cannot become a law unless by a m.ijor! revenue to the respective states for ulterior : ity of two thirds of each house of Condistribution, it would be but an additional j jrres?. Of this there can be no reasona. step for the general government at once to j ble expectation. But if a bill, providing meet State disbursements and pay State j for gradual reduction of the price of the ofilcers. Ot:r State functionaries would j public lands, should pass Con"rcs bv a thus become (at least in appearance) the i bare majority, there is everv 'reasonable

pensioners ot ine lederal government. ! How would this comport with that whole-j some jealousy which the federal constitution and the constitutions of the different States have so carefully interposed between federal and State action. Our glorious Union has lately been disturbed by the discordant voice ot "nullification. j

In avoiding that heresy , let us beware if j both. Let us cordially unite in the s ipthe opposite error. History admonishes j port of a measure, which wc all approveus that mankind are never so prone to! in common, and whi -h, wc confi lenilv. rush ir.toone extreme as when they have j believe, will, beyond any political mensjust escaped from the vortex of the other, j ureever agitated, advance the prosperity This remark is equally applicable to poli-i and glory of the west, tics and morals. Lugland would not have j The time is auspicious. The subjects been disgraced with the licentiousness that i already introduced on the floor of Cm-

characterized U13 reign of Charles II. had ' lt not ocen preceded by the hypocritical ! austerity of the revolution. The fright ful anarchy of the French revolution, was followed by a military desootism. Let its rally in defence of the Union, but in eo doing, let us beware that we do not so act i as to change its beautiful harmony of checks and balances into a consolidated government. Hie distributive scheme, is believed, even as a matter of immediate pecuniary oeneui, 10 ie less aavaniageous 10 me new States, than the principle of reduction. 15 v reducing the prices gn ihe public lands to the extent contemplated, more money will be saved in the pocketsof our citizens, than we should receive in our State capacity a; our distributive share, with the 23 other Stales. It has become an axiom iu political ecouoniy, that a full treasury ! does not necessarily imply a wealthy State. That government is the most wealthy, which has the greatest amount of productive industry, and (as a necessa ry consequence) the greatest amount ot comforts and necessaries of life, the most equally diffused among its citizens. Those citizens would ever be ready to strengthen and sustain the purse and sword of the government, with their lives and fortunes. Your committee are aware, that there are some members of this body, who are in favor of connecting the distributive principle with the principle of reduction, and urge that they are not incompatible. 15ut your committee regard it as hopeless, that those States which have espoused the former principle, will ever consent to adopt the latter. Some of their prominent politicians already regard ihe vast territory, stretching from the Alleghany ri.'ge to the l'-tcific as a field frorn which thev are to draw perennial streams of wealth. In their dreamy speculations, they have estimated it at thousands of millions, with which their fellow citizens of the west are to be taxed in all time to come. Should they once share in a distribution, like leeches, they would never relinquish their hold, and would never consent to a reduction of the price. Still less would they then, over consent to a donation of thi public lands to the new States or to actual settlers. Yet every government, ancient and modern, barbarous Jtnd civilized, republican and monarchical, except the United States, have adopted the policy of making donations of lands to its poorest citizens. Tiie same policy is now pursued by 'the Mexican and South American repub lirs, and by Great Critain to her settlors in Canaui. And whv do not the3 enlightened States, with an immense territory to spare, wih the national debt paid, cherish, under proper restrictions, the sain;? policy ? Uy so doing, only a comparatively, trilling amount of revenue (vhifh is not needed) would be lost, iu re turn for which a dense population would be gained, composed of hardy, intelligent and independent freeholders--the only true and pcrmancat source of wealth to a country. Cultivated fields and industrious inhabitants are fir more valuable to a community than silver or gold. Until the discovery of the American mines, Spain ranked in p'iint of strength, wealth and resources, as one ot the first powers of Europe. Since that time, she has contmued to dwindle. The cause, to the reilect ing statesman, is obvious. our committee are aware, that consti . 1 n 1 - obtaining an entire donation of the lands. j They believe, indeed, that an application j tor that purpose at present, would not only ' be attended with oisappointment, but bv ; asking too much, we should endanger what is attainable, hut ,t a system or a grad - ua reuucnon ot price be established, it will be less dilncult afterwards to obtain . 1 4 .1 . -.1 prinLipiu ui mis ume, even vver 11 eversu j , advisable. This principle is the prominent feature in Mr Clay's land till, to which the President has recentl refused his assent, on the ground of constitutional and oihcr objections Your committee have not the requisite time to enumerate t those objections, ucr is it nectary. The,

would proper restrictions. It would gradually Iif. nnv . cn rcll,VfcJ of lhf! riam!lfwl

We ; pave the way to so desirable an event. I .v-akne,s ' incl4jeiit tr, it, nature. b,t i

wed to I Again, there seems to be a decisive ob-i M 1. . ;:., .IKi iMI;n. rio,,i.. tt.

nection to the agitation of the distributive. -, -? h - i-J

document, in which they were embodied, is too recent to have escaped the reenflec

nope, from the opinions expressed bv th& President, that his signature would not bo withheld. This system has the professed approbation of the members ot this body, who are friendly to the distributive principle. Let them not endanger its succera then by attempting to engraft upon it a principle whicb must ultimately defeat gress. It is the longsession. Cornmunications in relation to the public lands fr juithe new States have already been called lor. The voice of Indiana uo.iM strengthen and encourage its supporers. l.ct us not withhold it. This is the first Congress under the new apportionment. ana the west is there represented with increased strength. En'crtaining these views your committee have airected me to report a joint res Jolution in accordance therewith entitled ' & A 1. if tit rncliltlin in w.kl. . . I tiou of the price of the Public Lands." A Joint resolution in relation to a rcduc tioa of the prL-e of the Public Lnnds.n Be it resolred by the General Assembly of the Stale of Indiana, That our Senators in Congress t.e instructed, and our Representatives requested to use their best exertions to procure the passage of a law providing for a gradual reduction of tho price of the public lands, where th same shall have remained a reasonable length of time in market, and for an ultimate donation of the residue remaining unsold at the minimum price, under such rules and restrictions, as will afford a suitable protection and encouragement to actual settlers, prevent monopoly by land speculators, and otherwise best comport with the public welfare. llcsohed further, That tho Governor be requested to transmit to each of our Senators and Representatives in Congress, as soon as practicable, a copy of the fore going joint resolution. PIIILADi;LPiIlAPus r OFFICE. March 5, 15317 oVIock, The bags, containing news papers and pamphlets, were received on the evening; of the hh, from on board the William IVnn one of them partly burnt, srne of the packages missing, and a portion of the remainder so wetted and defaced, as to render further transportation uscle-s. One package, marked "Massachu-etU State," taken from the Washington City Mail, the only one saved, and containing inters fir parts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, was detained, the letters being too damp to be forwarded. A num'. er of bags, containing newspapers and pamphlets are missing; some it is supposed were burnt, and others thro wa over board and lost. Further search has led to the conclusion that two large portu ar.teatis, containing; ihe letters from Baltimore city, and iho Wr-st eml racing as it is supposed. Cincinnati and th Ohio State; (S-mhIi) Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, West Tennessee, Western Shrp, .Maryland, and W,hHgton, Brownsville, Unintown ami New Geneva, Pa., and for distribution bivo been entirely consumed. Their locks and j chains partly melted, were fund in tho wreck of the boat, 011 the falling of tho tide, by Mr. McCaham, chief carrier, and the proprietors of the hotel at Iviiugn's Point, Messrs. Taber and Potter, after a diligent search on the ilats, at low water were unable to discover any of the lost mails. It i impossible to tell the extend of the lost occa-ieaed by the destruc;in of the portmanteaus. JAMCS PAGE, P.M. In our last paper we published a receipt - r .u t - LJ, lor the hheumatism. which was simplv this: "Take a strip cf gum elastic and tie it round the j .'infs arTecied' This would not endanger life, and was well worthy the experiment. Sj we sav. Jt was tried upon a gentleman of this place, who had resorted to almost everv other , remeJ , lohis su haj the drsir. . e(J ctFe'ct. Ja fact he vva, su much redu. . ... .i.;,.!;,..,,.,,,!,,.... Cuu.Iiei;ll ihe remedy. Ltbanon Kevub - " -L&m Ingenious Kcply. kiWhy do you con tinue to retail spint us iiquor? Jf I did not sell it, thc drinking fellows would not come to my shop, and I should have nt cUaucc toive the in advice