DEC. 28, 1832.] WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28. PUBLIC LANDS. Public Lands. The House then resumed the consideration of the resolution moved by Mr. BLAIR, of Tennessee, on Thursday last, as yesterday modified, at the suggestion of Mr. VINTON--the question being on the amendment yesterday submitted by Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. DUNCAN rose, and said that he had offered his amendment from a sense of justice to the State and people he had the honor to represent. He had hoped, as it was a mere inquiry into the justice and expediency of a measure, that it would have passed without opposition; but as the gentleman from North Carolina, [Mr. CARSON,] and the gentleman from Virginia, [Mr. MERCER, ] had opposed its reference on the ground that Congress had no right to dispose of the proceeds of the sales of the public lands, as proposed in his amendment, he felt called upon to say something in reply, however reluctant he might be to enter fully into the discussion of the merits of a question of so much importance at its introduction, and in the shape in which it was then before the House. [H. of R. application he explained at large. He had, however, no all the land in the State. He said every principle of jusobjection to the second branch of the proposed inquiry; tice would require the Government to contribute its full but strenuously opposed any new system of land laws, or share of every expenditure which went directly to increase new mode of disposing of the public domain, the present the value of the public lands, and make them sell. being, in his opinion, the wisest that had ever been, or Gentlemen, both in and out of Congress, are greatly could be, devised by the wisdom of man; the beneficent mistaken about the real value of the public land in its preeffects of which he briefly pointed out, in contrast with sent condition. He said he had seen published in some the evils which prevailed in those of the new States east of the newspapers the most extravagant calculations of the of the Ohio, where a different system had been pursued. amount that would fall to certain States, when these lands When Mr. M. concluded his remarks, Mr. BLAIR, of were sold to the States in which they lie, as suggested by Tennessee, rose; but the hour for considering resolutions the Secretary of the Treasury in his late report. Mr. D. had expired, and the debate was suspended. said he was convinced that the new States would never give the price that was likely to be set upon them, even if they approved the policy recommended, about which there was, however, a great difference of opinion. He said there had been a meeting called of the Senators and Representatives, to consider the policy of submitting a proposition to meet the views of the Secretary of the Treasury, in which meeting there was a majority against the policy; and, except himself, he said that no member present was willing to pledge his State for more than three cents an acre for all the land, good and bad, within their limits. If this, said Mr. D., be any thing like the real value of the public land in its wild condition, how does it sell for one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, unless it receives its value from the improvements made by the money and labor of the settlers, and the States in which they lie? Mr. D. remarked that Congress had bargained the new States out of their right to tax the public lands within their limits; that they had gone further, they had even made the new States agree, on their admission into the Union, not to tax any land for five years after it was sold by the United States. He did not hesitate to say that this purchase of the right of sovereignty was in direct violation of the cession of 1789 by Virginia, and in equal violation Mr. D. thought it was too late for gentlemen to start an of the constitution of the United States. He said that, by objection to the power of Congress to make a just, libe- the surrender of this right, the State of Illinois had lost near ral, and enlightened use of the moneys arising from the $400,000 per annum; as a tax on the public lands, as high sales of the public lands; he understood the power of as that paid by the citizens, would have amounted to that Congress very differently. Mr. D. agreed with the gen- sum. He was not disposed, he said, to question the valitleman from Virginia, that the present system of selling dity of this bargain, by which his State had lost the only the lands, so far as it related to the correctness and safety right of sovereignty worth contending for; the bargain of titles, had done much good, and he was not disposed to had been made, and he would not now call it in question; change the mode of selling; his only object was to change but he could not see how gentlemen, so tenacious of State the manner of disposing of the proceeds of the sales, which rights, could ever have sanctioned such a measure. Mr. had operated heretofore oppressively to the citizens of D. here alluded to the cession, the ordinances, and the the new States, by exacting from them the highest prices constitution, to show that Virginia intended, and it was so for their lands, and spending nearly every cent of the mo- understood at the time, to secure the right of the new ney on the seaboard, in building ships, harbors, &c. He States to tax the public land, by compelling Congress to said that the embarrassments growing out of this policy admit them into the Union, with all the rights of sovereignhad been severely felt by his constituents, as would appear ty, freedom, and independence, which were then enjoyed from the numerous memorials from the Legislatures and by the original States. He said, the right to tax the land the petitions from the people, which had been piled from was an attribute of sovereignty universal in all the old year to year upon the Speaker's table. He said it was dif- States, and was indispensable to the freedom and indepenficult to impoverish a people by a tax, however high, dence every country, and could not be denied to the if the same money was expended among them; but new States, without reducing them to a state of inferiority that it was equally difficult to stand for a very long time a and dependence, wholly at war with every principle of perpetual drain, however small, without some return of it. the constitution and the compact. Mr. D. said it might Mr. D. objected to the system of selling the public lands, be, and perhaps was, too late to correct this error, but he because it held up inferior lands, until the improvements hoped it was not too late to do justice. And the present made by the settlers and the States gave them value. This was an auspicious period, as the national debt was about he considered unjust. He said that the people of Illinois to be paid off. Congress was at liberty to use the public had been taxed five days' work, or five dollars per annum, lands in such a way as to satisfy every just expectation of for making roads, which, supposing there were but 30,000 the new States, and to improve and enlighten the old ones. taxable inhabitants, would amount to a tax of 150,000 dol- He said that there had been expended about 700,000,000 lars. That the State had made large appropriations for dollars on the Atlantic seaboard since the commencement roads and bridges, to connect neighborhoods and facilitate of this Government, and comparatively but little in any of commerce; that the county courts often levied taxes in the new States, and that nearly all the revenue of the Goaddition, for the same purposes; which improvements, vernment, say $15,000,000 a year, must, from the nature however necessary to the convenience and prosperity of of things, be expended on the seaboard. To all this he the State, were calculated to benefit and give value to the made no objection. But he thought it nothing more than public lands, six or eight times as much as it did that of just that a portion of the money paid for lands should be the citizens. The United States owns about six-eighths of expended in improving the States in which it is paid. Mr. H. OF R.] Public Lands. [DEC. 28, 1832. D. said that a distinguished gentleman from the South had [rolina, that, on a mere question of reference, the merits remarked that the Government should use these lands for of the resolution did not, properly, come up for discusthe purpose of building up great and flourishing States, sion. But when an inquiry was proposed into the expeand that the proposition he had submitted would not only diency of appropriating the public domain for specific be just to every interest, but accomplish that great object. objects, such as those contained in the amendment to the He said that the first branch of his proposition was to give present resolution, the mere vote to refer implied someone-third of the proceeds of the sales of the public lands thing like an assent by the House that such an application for works of improvement in the States in which they are of the proceeds of the public lands was a proper subject sold, which would create a fund sufficient to adorn and for inquiry. Viewing the matter in this light, he felt it beautify the country, and would ensure such an increased incumbent on him peremptorily to deny any right in Convalue to the remaining portions of the land, as to render it, gress to appropriate the proceeds of the national domain through all time, an inexhaustible fund for the accomplish- to such objects as were specified in the gentleman's ment of the other objects contemplated in his amendment. amendment. To whom did the lands belong, which the He said the second branch of his proposition was to ap- gentleman from Illinois claimed as belonging to the sevepropriate one-third of the proceeds arising from the sales ral States where they were situated? The manner in of those lands to the construction of roads and canals, so which those lands were ceded to the United States, and equally throughout the Union as to connect this expan- the causes which led to the cession, was well known. sive valley with every seaport on the Atlantic, which, he Early in the revolution, those States whose charters cosaid, independent of the great commercial and military im-vered no unseated lands, advanced a claim to their shares portance to the Government, would do more to unite and in the lands which should be ceded to the confederacy. harmonize the States than any thing that had been done Some of the States maintained that their chartered limits since the revolution. As to the third branch of his propo- extended as far west as to the Pacific Ocean. But some sition, which was to appropriate a third of this fund for of the States, among whom were Maryland, New Jersey, purposes of education in all the States, he thought it and Rhode Island, having no claims of their own to unenough to say (as was universally admitted) that the free-settled territory, insisted that the public lands ought to dom and independence of the Government and the happi- be viewed and treated as the joint property of all the ness of all depend upon the intelligence and virtue of the States that had embarked in the revolution. Even prior people. Mr. D. concluded his remarks by saying that he to the articles of confederation, bounties were promised hoped the House would give this subject the consideration to officers and soldiers, to be paid out of the lands which its importance demanded, and that the committee might were to be acquired from the States by voluntary cession have full power to report what in their opinion will be or by purchase; where they were not voluntarily surrenmost expedient. dered, Congress was to defray the expense out of the Mr. McDUFFIE expressed regret that any discussion public treasury. No specific provision, however, was should have been provoked as to the direction this resolu- made upon the subject. And how did the States thus tion should take. For himself, he was entirely willing it situated conduct? Maryland withdrew herself from the should assume any form its friends could agree upon. But confederacy; and both Rhode Island and New Jersey rehe considered it very improper, and an interference with monstrated again and again. Congress, by repeated resothe usual course of business, that gentlemen should, in the lutions, solicited, and at length obtained, the cession of the present stage of the business, enter into the merits of the lands. New York was the first to surrender her unsettled general subject of the resolution. On the merits, at a territory, of which she owned a vast amount, as a common proper time, he had much to say, but he forebore; yet en- fund, for the express purpose of carrying on the war, and tering, at the same time, his protest against the principles defraying the public debt. These were made the specific assumed by the gentleman who had just taken his seat. conditions of the grant. And, at the termination of the The new States had no right whatever, either morally or war, the lands thus contributed were appropriated, under politically, to tax the public domain of the country. Land, the articles of confederation, to reimburse the principal merely as such, was not a rightful subject of taxation, any of public debt, the interest being to be discharged from more than air or water. It would be as reasonable to tax other sources. When the new constitution had been the streams of water in a country, because they were sus-adopted, at the first Congress held under it, an appropriaceptible, at some future day, of being used in propelling tion of a similar kind was made, and the faith of the Gothe machinery in factories, as to tax lands because they vernment was pledged that the land should be applied were susceptible of being cleared and improved. Lands only to the purposes which New York and Virginia had were taxed only because they were used: nor could any specified in their acts of cession; and even the releases thing be more absurd than to tax a domain of which no use made by Connecticut contained the same thing. was made. As soon as they were occupied and improved, And this very land in Illinois, which the honorable genthey became a rightful object of taxation; and he regretted tleman claimed as belonging to that Statethat the United States had ever insisted on having its do- [Here Mr. DUNCAN interposed, and denied having main exempted from taxation after it was actually used. asserted that the land belonged to his State.] He would be in favor of repealing the law on that subject.-which the gentleman, continued Mr. R., claims as of The exemption had no manner of effect whatever upon right, and in equity, belonging to his State, (for he says the price of the lands. The United States never did, and that it is unjust that otherwise they should be required to never would, get more than the minimum price, whether improve it by constructing roads through it,) whence taxed or not. He concluded by repeating his protesta- came this same land? The land in the north part of the tion against the principle that the new States had any State was ceded by New York. A narrow strip, extendgreater right to the public lands than the old States. Mr. DUNCAN, in reply, observed that the gentleman had misapprehended him. He had not asserted that the new States had a right to the public lands, nor did he now claim a right to tax them. As to the idea that unimproved land was no more taxable than air, any gentleman who would open a statute book of any State in the Union, might learn to what consideration such a notion was entitled. Mr. ROOT agreed with the gentleman from South Ca ing half a degree above the line in the ordinance, was claimed by Massachusetts; but that in the northwest part of the State had been surrendered to the General Government by the State of New York. Now, if that land has been ceded for an express specific purpose, when the mortgage was redeemed, to whom did the land belong? Surely it belonged to all the States, New York includedto all the States who had expended their blood and treasure in advancing the common cause. Gentlemen, indeed, spoke of these lands as if they had all been ceded by DEC. 29, 1831.] South Carolina Claims.--Public Lands. [H. OF R. Virginia, and they referred to the terms of the Virginia troops would have been incapable of doing duty at all, as grants. He should not dispute titles with that ancient part of their term of service included very cold weather, commonwealth. Gentlemen might, if they pleased, suffer and they were miserably provided with tents and clothing. their minds to run on the line which separated Virginia He dwelt on the pernicious effects of refusing such an from North Carolina, all the number of leagues which had allowance under the peculiarly hard circumstances of the been claimed, even to the Pacific Ocean. But they would case, and the discouragement which might thence ensue find that their grant would fall as having nothing to rest to future patriotic exertions of States in danger from the on belonging to Great Britain. Even if the charters to enemy, &c. which gentlemen alluded had never been annulled and re- Mr. WARD supported the view taken by Mr. DRAXmodified, still that entire region which the gentleman Tox, and stated the circumstances under which the blanfrom Illinois [Mr. DUNCAN] so honorably and usefully re-kets had, on application of the officers commanding, been presented in this House, had belonged to France down to voted by the Legislature of South Carolina. He warmly the year 1763. It had all been held by France previous insisted on the equity of the claim. to the grants to Great Britain; it had subsequently been Mr. McCOY complimented the patriotism of the genacquired by conquest, and had been solemnly recognised tleman from New York, and if the House would take up as belonging to the State of New York. The claim of the subject, and make the allowance general, he had no New York was derived not only from the Dutch grants objections. He stated what had been allowed to other anterior to the reign of the second Charles, or to the last States, and especially to Virginia, to whom compensation grant to Virginia. She had held land at that early day on for expenditures of this kind had been refused. He said the Hudson, and north, to the French possessions. The that his State would be a great gainer by the passage of fact had been so admitted. The region round Detroit had the bill, as she could advance and support a claim of at been acknowledged as part of the Crown lands, and not least $200,000 on similar grounds. He did not see why to be included in the grant to Virginia. The country had South Carolina should be made an exception to the genebeen acknowledged for a century by Great Britain, as ral rule, which had been applied to the claims of other pertaining to the colony of New York. The presents States. If the States were to be paid for all the munitions from the British Government to the Six Nations of Indians of war which they had purchased for defence, Virginia and their tributaries, had passed through the hands of Sir could present a heavy bill, and would be entitled to a William Johnson as the agent of Great Britain; and all great deal of money from the treasury. Hoping that the the lands belonging to those Indians and their tributaries subject would receive a more mature consideration, he had been owned to belong to New York. Mr. R. was moved an adjournment; which motion succeeding, about to read the terms of the cession by that State to the The House then adjourned. General Government, when he was warned by the Speaker that the hour allotted to the consideration of resolutions had expired. An unsuccessful attempt was made to suspend the rule; so the debate was here arrested. SOUTH CAROLINA CLAIMS. The bill making an appropriation for the purpose of satisfying the claims of the State of South Carolina for moneys advanced by that State during the late war, in the purchase of military stores, and the payment of the militia called on for the defence of the State, came up as the special order of the day for this day; and the House went into a Committee of the Whole, Mr. DAVIS, of Massachusetts, in the chair, on that bill. The bill having been read, Mr. DRAYTON, who had reported it from the Com. mittee on Military Affairs, called for the reading of the report of that committee, accompanying the bill; and it was read accordingly. He then moved that the committee rise and report the bill to the House. Whereupon, Mr. McCOY called for the reading of a report made last session by the Committee of Claims, (of which he was then chairman,) in opposition to the claim; and it was read. The committee then rose, and reported the bill, which was amended by the insertion of the following item: 5th. The sum of $7,500 for blankets purchased by the State for the use of a portion of her militia, whilst in the service of the United States. Mr. WILLIAMS, of North Carolina, said he should be glad to hear from the honorable chairman of the Military Committee whether the allowance of blankets to militia serving less than twelve months was not unusual, and whether that item in the bill did not involve an extension of the rules heretofore uniformly observed in disposing of claims of this kind. Mr. DRAYTON replied. He admitted the allowance to be unusual, but insisted that the claim was equitable, and ought to be allowed; inasmuch as, without blankets, the VOL. VIII.--92 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29. The consideration of the resolution offered by Mr. BLAIR, of Tennessee, on the subject of the appropriation of the public lands, together with the amendment thereto proposed by Mr. DUNCAN, (which goes to appropriate the residue of the public lands, after the national debt shall have been paid, to three classes of objects, viz. one-third for roads and canals, one-third to other works of internal improvement, and the remaining third to education,) came up as the unfinished business of yesterday morning; when Mr. ROOT resumed the course of his remarks, in substance as follows: Since addressing the House yesterday, he had had an opportunity of examining the journals of the old Congress, and some of the grants made by the several States, which enabled him to state more distinctly the facts to which he had yesterday briefly alluded; and he thought it proper to advert to them, because the honorable gentleman from Illinois [Mr. DUNCAN] had stated that these lands were derived from the State of Virginia, supposing, perhaps, that the circumstance of their having been granted by that generous and high-minded State would have a favorable effect in enforcing the claim he advanced. He would, in the first place, recur slightly to the claims to the Western lands, preferred by several of the States, in virtue of their respective charters. The territory northwest of the Ohio had been claimed in part, or in whole, by Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and Virginia. Massachusetts had claimed under an ancient charter, granted to the Plymouth colony, the boundaries of which, passing over whatever land was held by other christian nations, extended to the Pacific Ocean. This charter had been confirmed after the revolution in England, by Wil liam and Mary. Connecticut advanced a claim, extending in width one degree of latitude, and also running west to the Pacific; Virginia rested her claim on several ancient charters, in one of which, the boundary extending for a certain number of miles from Point Comfort, ran after H. OF R.] Georgia and Florida Boundary Line. [DEC. 29, 1831. wards west and northwest, to the Pacific Ocean. Its the articles of confederation did not contain any express westerly course was along the present boundary line of recognition of the principle that the lands ceded by the North Carolina, and it ran from a line somewhere in Ma- several States were to form a fund in which all the other ryland, he believed, or in Delaware bay, a northwesterly States, though possessing no unsettled lands, were equally course, striking the ocean above Behring's straits, so as to to share. New Jersey had remonstrated, and Rhode Island include those islands of the West which are contained complained, on the same account. As Virginia advanced within Mr. Poletica's narrow seas. This charter was a claim to the whole of the Western region, Maryland conrelied on by at least some of the gentlemen of that com- tinued her refusal even for two years after the federal monwealth. It was no matter whether the charter was or constitution had been submitted to the different States for was not afterwards revoked and annulled by the King in ratification. But when New York surrendered her wild council, or whether it was considered as revoked by sub- lands, Maryland did come into the Union. Here Mr. R. sequent grants to Carolina and Maryland, including the further quoted the journal to show the opinion of Congress three lower counties on the Delaware. The claim advanc-as to the importance and necessity of the cession of these ed by the State of New York was founded on possession lands, and also the objects to which the proceeds of them and settlement by the Dutch, on a right acknowledged by were to be applied when ceded. He adverted to the claim the Crown of Great Britain, on the reduction of the coun- of Virginia to be reimbursed her expenses incurred in try to that Crown, on its recapture by the Dutch, and taking the Western posts; and contrasted this claim on the subsequent cession to Great Britain by, as he believed, part of Virginia with the conduct of New York, when the treaty of Breda. The territory was held as a royal Major Willet had marched through the wilderness to the colony, extending all the way to the French settlements, reduction of Oswego. He stated the cession by New to the north and west, for a century before the revolu-York, in 1781, and referred to the terms on which the tion. It had, indeed, no defined limits, but was held as a cession was accepted by Congress. He quoted the recolony originally settled and held by the Dutch anterior port made by a committee of the 1st May, 1782, respecting even to the most ancient grants to Virginia. The claim the cessions offered by New York, Virginia, and Connecrested on the recognition of these lands by the British ticut, and the petitions of the Indiana, Vandalia, Illinois, Crown, as belonging to the colony of New York, which and Wabash companies. And he argued, from the terms recognition had been confirmed by repeated treaties. of this report, that the claim of New York to all the lands Anterior to the French war terminated by the peace of occupied by the Six Nations and their tributaries, was 1763, the Western country belonging to New York had acknowledged as valid, on which ground claims of the been held by agents of the British Crown; the whole land companies were rejected. He then particularly adregion occupied by the Six Nations as tributaries, being verted to the reasons why the cession of lands offered to considered as appertaining to, and depending on, the colo-be made by Virginia, had at first been rejected by Conny of New York. Before the French war, these lands gress, inasmuch as the land was included within the claims had been in the possession of France--the Indians inhabit- of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. They were ing them receiving their subsidies from French agents; claimed under an annulled charter of James I. Part of but when, by the treaty of 1763, the whole of Canada them lay to the west of the Virginia boundary; part of was confirmed to Great Britain, that region was placed them had been sold before the declaration of indepenunder the control of the agents of the colony of New dence, and part had been separated in 1763 by the King York, and became part and parcel of the dominions of of Great Britain, with the knowledge and assent of Virginia that colony; the Indians indeed holding the land, but the to form a distinct colony. Besides which, the conditions Crown of Great Britain enjoying the pre-emptive right of on which she proposed to cede were declared to be incompurchase. Sir William Johnson, who was one of the patible with the honor and prosperity of the United States. King's council, had the charge and superintendence of He further quoted the journals to show the uneasiness Indian affairs from 1763 to his death, when it fell to his which prevailed, and the terms on which the difference son, Sir John Johnson, who exercised power and influ- had been finally adjusted, and the cession by Virginia acence over the Six Nations as far west as to the Mississippi. cepted. Mr. R. then left this part of the subject, insisting The claim of New York, however, to these lands, be- that, however the lands had been acquired, they now ing only an incidental matter, and not material to the formed a national domain, which, according to the terms question, Mr. R. said he should pass it over, in order to of the grant under which it was held, could not be aptake a view of the grants made by the different States to propriated to such objects as were proposed in the resothe General Government, and the purposes for which the lution and amendment. He then quoted the terms of the lands were granted, as almost uniformly expressed in the grant by Virginia, and adverted to the first act of the grant, viz. to be a common fund to belong to the United Congress under the new constitution, in funding the naStates at large for express and special purposes, viz. the tional debt, and pledging the national domain for its redempcontinuance of the war, and the payment of the national tion. From that time this publie territory had been, in debt. fact, the basis of the national credit, the imports being then comparatively small in amount, and not being looked to as the chief reliance of the national credit. At this point of the debate the hour allotted for the consideration of resolutions expired. Mr. WHITTLESEY moved to suspend the rule in order to have the debate continued. The right of the Union to this domain was asserted as early as the year 1776, when it was resolved that eightyeight regiments of troops should be raised, and that bounties in land should be granted to the officers and soldiers, either by voluntary cession, or by purchase of the land from the joint fund of all the States. But, in 1779, notwithstanding the call of Congress, urging the States to Mr. DODDRIDGE observed that, in consequence of cede their vacant territory and the beforementioned promise of bounty land, it was found that Virginia had commenced selling her vacant western territory; in consequence of which, Congress passed a recommendation to Virginia to forbear making such grants during the war. Here Mr. R. quoted the journal of Congress in support of this position, and also to show the repeated calls made GEORGIA AND FLORIDA BOUNDARY LINE. by Congress upon the States. He then adverted to the instructions given by the General Assembly of Maryland, A message was received from the President, and preexpressing her refusal to join the confederacy, because sented by the SPEAKER to the House, with a communi the course of remark pursued by the gentleman from New York, it would be incumbent on some member from Virginia to reply. But the motion failed, less than two-thirds of the members present voting in the affirmative. [Two-thirds are required to suspend any standing rule of order.] DEC. 29, 1831.] Virginia Land Claims.--South Carolina Claims. cation from the Secretary of State, on the subject of the boundary line between the State of Georgia and the Territory of Florida. The message and communication resulted from a resolution for inquiry, introduced by Mr. WHITE, of Florida, calling for copies of a correspondence with the Governor of Georgia, and other papers on the subject, and were accompanied by several documents illustrative of the particulars of the question. [H. OF R. Mr. DODDRIGDE said that he was not, at present, prepared to say any thing either in favor of or against the bill. He was anxious for further information respecting it, and therefore should move its postponement till next Monday two weeks. Mr. WICKLIFFE said the system of which he complained of issuing scrip, would, in the mean time, be continued, to the great injury of the public domain. Mr. DODDRIDGE said the appropriation was exhausted, and no further injury could arise. Mr. WHITE, of Florida, said he had deemed it his duty to introduce the resolution which had produced the com- Mr. WICKLIFFE asked if he understood the gentlemunication just read, from the President. It related to a man from Virginia to say that there were no further claims subject of deep interest to the Territory of Florida, as it on the military reserve between the Miami and the Scioto. involved a contested question of the title and jurisdiction Mr. DODDRIDGE said yes; there were no claims to be over one million and a half of acres of land. The United satisfied on the land throughout the whole State of Ohio. States were, of course, interested in an investigation of Mr. WICKLIFFE said that did not remove the injury that title, which is claimed by the State of Georgia on the he apprehended. The commissioner of the land office one hand, and the charter of the colony, and by the Unit- might issue scrip for the whole amount of two hundred ed States, under the stipulations of the treaty of 1795 and ten thousand acres, authorized by the bill, and for the between Spain and the United States. The Territory of whole of which the Government would be responsible. Florida was concerned in the decision of the right, and The appropriation only restrained the locations. still more in the jurisdiction which will be brought in con- The question was taken on the motion for postponeflict very soon, if this question is not put to rest. There ment, and carried in the affirmative-yeas 77, nays 55. were already, between the two lines, serious apprehensions of the inhabitants whether they are under the control of the State of Georgia, or under that of the United States The House then proceeded to the unfinished business and the Territory of Florida. In a very short period ques- of yesterday, which was the consideration of the bill for tions will arise whether the inhabitants of the disputed the adjustment and settlement of the claims of South territory are to serve on juries, work on roads, and pay Carolina against the United States; and the question betaxes to one or the other Government. The State of ing on concurring with the Committee on Military Affairs Georgia had disposed of the question in a summary way, in the amendment proposed by them, which appropriates by running the line according to the view the authorities seven thousand five hundred dollars to reimburse that of the State entertain of the subject. We claim, and the amount paid by the Legislature of South Carolina for blanUnited States are prepared to maintain it, that this land kets furnished to the militia serving in that State during was ceded by Spain to this Government, and that the line the last war, SOUTH CAROLINA CLAIMS. has been run and settled, under the treaty of 1795, and Mr. BLAIR, of South Carolina, expressed his conthat all the land south of that line was acquired, is now viction that when the report of the Military Committee, owned by the United States, and is a component part of relating to this item of allowance, should be read and conthe territory he represented. To understand this ques-sidered, many remarks in support of it would be unnetion properly, it would be necessary to print, for the use cessary. of the House, with this message, the previous correspond- Mr. B. then entered briefly into a statement of the peence and reports on the subject; and he would submit a culiar circumstances under which this money had been motion to print the message, and documents accompany-appropriated by the State. He adverted to the inability ing the same, as well as those heretofore presented, that of the General Government to afford South Carolina the the House might act upon the subject with a full know- protection to which, by the constitution, she was entitled; ledge of the facts. Mr. W. moved to refer them to the its request that the State would avail herself of her own Committee on the Judiciary; which was agreed to. resources, and the manner in which the Government and Mr. WHITE asked the indulgence of the House to al-citizens had volunteered for that end. He admitted that low him to present a letter he had the honor to receive the allowance of blankets to militia serving less than twelve from Mr. Gallatin, and another from the draughtsman of months was unusual; but insisted on the necessity of the the General Land Office, relating to the report of the commissioners of Spain and the United States. The motion was, by unanimous consent, received, and the papers ordered to be printed. VIRGINIA LAND CLAIMS. case, and the equity of the claim. His State had never been a troublesome suitor before the House. She had rarely petitioned at its bar for any thing, and all she now demanded was sheer, substantial justice. She had been a large contributor to the national strong box, and he submitted it to gentlemen whether it was liberal, just, or politic to deal with South Carolina as if she were a swindler, and to apply to the equitable demands of a patriotic State the same rigid rule as if they were adjusting claims in a shop. The House then took up the bill for the adjustment of the claim of certain officers and soldiers of the Virginia continental line and navy, during the revolutionary war. Mr. WICKLIFFE, after calling for the reading of the Mr. MCKENNAN, of Pa., said that he had listened with report, expressed a hope that the House would order the attention to the arguments adduced, had read the rebill to be engrossed for a third reading. Scrip had been port with care, and felt an anxious desire, if he could issued from the land office for land warrants wrongly lo- consistently do it, to support the bill; but, after an exacated in the military reserve land in Ohio, from what he mination of the subject, he was constrained to say that conceived to be an erroneous construction of the law of he agreed in sentiment with the gentleman from Virgi1830 on the subject. The land warrants located on lands nia, [Mr. McCoy,] and could not conscientiously vote in of prior occupation should have been relocated on other favor of the item now claimed. He would briefly state lands, and not met by an issue of scrip. He adverted to the reasons of his dissent. It was conceded on all hands the speculations in them when they were selling at the that the State had no claim in law to this allowance; and rate of twenty or thirty dollars the hundred acres; and it was sought to be supported on grounds of justice and stated that scrip had been issued on this wrong construc-equity. What were the facts? The troops in question tion of the law to the amount of seventeeen thousand two had been draughted in the midst of summer; and before hundred and twenty-seven acres. the season arrived when blankets would be necessary, |