FEB. 2, 1830.]

Mr. Foot's Resolution.

[SENATE.

Has

There was but one from the North of Ma

amounting in the aggregate to twenty-seven miles, which to the politician that shall attempt to cut it or to break it. would unite New Orleans and Georgia; which would The late Presidential election was an affair of some, inconnect, by an inland steam boat navigation, safe from terest to the West. The undivided front of the Western storms, pirates, privateers, and enemy's fleets, the Cha- electoral vote tested the unity and the intensity of her tahoochee and the Mississippi, the bays of Mobile, Pen- wishes on that point. Was that election carried by Northsacola, and St. Marks; and enable the provisions of the ern votes in opposition to Southern ones? Was the West Western country to go where they are exceedingly want helped out by the North, in that hard struggle of four ed, to the cotton plantations on the rivers Amite, the years duration? Yes, to the extent of one electoral vote, Pearl, and Pascagoula, in the State of Mississippi; the from the republican district of Maine; to the extent of Tombecbee and Alabama rivers, in the State of Alabama; many thousand individual votes; but these came from the the Conecuh and Escambia, in West Florida; the Chata-democracy, some few exceptions; but nothing from that hoochee, for five hundred miles up it, on the dividing party which now assumes to be the friend of the West, line of Georgia and Alabama. The Senator from Louisi- and so boldly asserts that every Western measure has been ana, who sits on my left, [Mr. JOHNSTON] moved the bill carried by Northern in opposition to Southern votes. that obtained the appropriation for surveying this route, The graduation bill, [said Mr. B.] is a Western meafour years ago; the Senator from the same State, who sits sure: there is no longer any dispute about that. It came on my right, [Mr. LIVINGSTON] has sent a resolution to from the West, and is supported by the West. Memorials the Road and Canal Committee, to have the work began; from eight Legislatures have demanded it; seventeen out and the fate of this undertaking may illustrate the extent of eighteen Western Senators have voted for it. to which the voice of the West can go, in selecting ob- the Northeast carried that bill in opposition to the South? jects of improvement within its own limits, and for itself. It has repeatedly been before both Houses--was once on Such are the results of the Western attempts to equal- its final passage in this chamber, and wanted four votes, ize expenditures, to improve their roads, and enrich them- which was only a change of position in two voters to carry selves upon public money by means of the Internal Im-it. Did the Northeast, out of her twelve voters present, provement power exercised by the Federal Government. give us these two? She did not. Did she give us one? The South, we are told, and told truly, has voted no No, not one. part of these fine allowances to the West. And thence it is son's and Dixon's line, and that of an honorable Senator-I argued, and argued incorrectly, that she is an enemy to the do not call him honorable by virtue of a rule-who is no West. Sir, the brief answer to that charge of enmity is, longer a member of this body--I speak of Mr. Ridgely, of that she has voted nothing on this account for herself; she Delaware, that little State, whose moral and intellectual has voted for us as she did for herself; the argument should strength on this floor has often kept her in the first rank be, that she loved us as well as she did herself; and this is of importance. How was it to the South? A brilliant all that conscionable people can require. But another view and powerful support from the Senator of Virginia, not remains to be taken of this affection, which is to be tried yet in his seat, [Mr. TAZEWELL] whose name, for that supby the money standard. It is this: That, if the South port, is borne with honor upon the legislative page of has voted us no public money for roads and canals, they Missouri and Illinois; a firm support from the two Senahave paid the West a great deal of their own private tors from Georgia, [Messrs. COBB and BERRIEN] since money for its surplus productions. The South takes the ceased to be members. A motion for reconsideration from provisions of the West, its horses and mules besides, and the venerable MACON--the friend of me and mine through many other items. The States south of the Potomac, four generations in a straight line--to reconsider the vote south of the Tennessee river, and upon the lower Missis- of rejection with a view of passing the main part, the first sippi, is the gold and silver region of the West. Leave section, which contained the whole graduation clause. Seout the supplies which come from this quarter, and the veral other Senators from the South, who then voted stream that Missouri is drawing from Mexico, also to the against the bill, expressed a determination to examine it South of us, and all the gold and silver that is derived further, and intimated the pleasure it would give them to from other places-from any places north of Mason's and vote for it at another time, if found, upon further examiDixon's line-would not suffice to pay the postage of nation, to be as beneficial as I supposed. Thus stood the letters, and the ferriage of rivers. This Southern trade is South and West upon that greatest and truest of all Westthe true and valuable trade of the West; the trade which ern measures; and we shall quickly see how they stand they cannot do without; and with these States it is pro- again; for the graduation bill is again before the Senate, posed that we shall have a falling out, turn our backs and next in order after the subject now in hand. upon them, and go into close connexion with a political How stand the North and South on another point of incaste in a quarter of the Union from which the West nev-calculablei nterest to the West--the motion now under diser did, and never can, find a cash market for her surplus cussion--no, not now under discussion--the motion now products. I know that the West is not credited for much depending, to stop the surveys, to limit the sales of public sagacity, and the result of her Internal Improvement lands, and to abolish the offices of the Surveyors General? partnership goes to justify the Beotian imputation to How stand the parties on that point? Why, as far as we which we have been subject; but there are some things can discover, without the report of yeas and nays, the which do not require much sagacity, nor any book learn- Northeast, with the exception of the Senator from New ing, to discover how they lie. Little children, for exam- Hampshire, on my right, [Mr. WOODBURY] against us; the ple, can readily find out on which side their bread is but- South unanimous for us. And thus, the very question tered, and the grown men of the West can as quickly which has furnished a peg to hang the debate on, which discover from which side of Mason's and Dixon's line their has brought out the assertion that every measure friendFold and silver comes. We hear much about binding the ly to the West has been carried by New England votes, different sections of the Union together; every road and in opposition to Southern votes, is itself evidence of the every canal is to be a chain for that purpose. Granted. contrary, and would have placed that evidence before the But why break the chains which we have already? Com- West in the most authentic form, if the ingenious Senator merce is the strongest of all chains. It is the chain of from Massachusetts [Mr. WEBSTER] had not evaded that interest. It binds together the most distant nations; aliens consequence, by moving an indefinite postponement, and in Eolor, language, religion, and laws. It unites the an- thereby getting rid of a direct vote on the resolution, which tipodes; men whose feet are opposite, whose countries has become current under the name of the Senator who are separated by the entire diameter of the solid globe. introduced it, [Mr. Foor, of Connecticut.] We have a chain of this kind with the South, and woe be

How stand the South and North upon another point,

SENATE.]

Mr. Foot's Resolution.

[FEB. 2, 1830.

also of overwhelming concern to the West-the scheme will become an object of high consideration to these new for partitioning out the new States of the West among the lords proprietors; and hosts of spies, informers, prosecuold ones? Whence comes that scheme? Who supports tors, and witnesses, will be sent into the new States, to it? What its real object? The West will be glad to know waylay the inhabitants, and dog the farmers round their the when, the why, and the how, of that new and porten- fields, to detect and persecute the man who cuts a stick, tous scheme. But, first, what is it? Sir, it is a scheme to or lifts a stone, or breaks the soil of these new masters keep the new States in leading strings, and to send the and receivers. While the land is public property, and the proceeds of the sales of the public lands to the States from proceeds go into the treasury, like other public money, which the public lands never came. It is a scheme to di- there is less interest felt in the sales by the individual vide the property of the weak among the strong. It is a States; but, from the moment that the proceeds of the scheme which has its root in the principle which partition- sales are to be divided out by a rule of proportion which ed Poland between the Emperors of Russia and Germany would give nearly all to the populous States, from that and the King of Prussia. Whence comes it? From the moment it would be viewed as State property, and every Northeast. How comes it? By an innocent and harmless engine would be set to work to make the lands produce resolution of inquiry. When comes it? Cotemporaneous- the utmost possible farthing for the individual States. ly with this other resolution of innocent and harmless in- Each would calculate, in every question of sale or gift, quiry into the expediency of limiting the settlement, check- how much his State, and how much he himself, as a unit ing emigration to the West, and delivering up large por- in that State, was to gain or lose by the operation. And tions of the new States to the dominion of wild beasts. who are to be the foremost and most insatiable of these These two resolutions come together, and of them it may new lords proprietors? Let the vote, on the reference be said, "these two make a pair." A newspaper in the of the resolution, answer the question; let it tell. They Northeast contained a letter written from this place, giv- are the States which never gave any land to the Federal ing information that the resolution of the Senator from Government! Massachusetts and Maine, which retained Connecticut [Mr. Foor] was brought in to anticipate and their thirty thousand square miles of vacant territory, and forestall the graduation bill. I saw it in that light, [said are now selling it at twenty-five, at twenty, at ten, and at Mr. B.] before I saw the letter. I had announced it in five cents per acre. Connecticut, which seized upon two that character long before I received the letter, and read millions of acres of the land which Virginia had ceded to it to the Senate. This resolution then was to check-mate the Federal Government, and held fast to the jurisdiction my graduation bill! It was an offer of battle to the West! as well as the soil, until the Congress agreed to give he I accepted the offer; I am fighting the battle some are a deed "to all the right, title, interest, and estate, of the crying out and hauling off; but I am standing to it, and United States" to the soil itself. Who are our defenders? mean to stand to it. I call upon the adversary to come on They are the States south of the Potomac, which were, and lay on, and I tell him--themselves, the great donors of land to the Federal GoVirginia, the Carolinas, Georgia-these are our defenders! And without their defence, the West Fair play and hard play is the game I am willing to play would fare now as she would have fared without it forty War to the knife, and the knife to the hilt; but years ago, in the times of the old confederation. let the play be fair. Nothing foul; no blackguardism. I have now, [said Mr. B.] gone through the " 'chapter" This resolution, then, from the other end of the capitol, of the conduct of the Federal Government, and the relatwin brother to the one here, comes from the Northeast; is tive affection of the North and South to the West. I resisted by the South, and is ruinous to the West. New commenced without exordium, and shall finish without Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New peroration. On two points more, and only two, I wish to Jersey, and Delaware, were unanimous for it: Massachu- be understood. setts, nine to one for it; South Carolina and Georgia were First, As to the reason which has induced me to enter, unanimously against it; Virginia, ten to one against it; with this length and precision of detail, into the question North Carolina, eight to four against it. This scene pre- of relative affection from the North and South towards the sents itself to my mind, [said Mr. B.] as a picture with West. That reason is this: that having been accustomed, three figures upon it. First, the young West, a victim for the last five years, to see and hear the South repreto be devoured. Secondly, the old North, attempting to sented as the enemy of the West, and the Northeast as its devour her. Thirdly, the generous South, ancient de- friend, and in the very words used by the Senator from fender and savior of the West, stretching out an arm to Massachusetts, [Mr. WEBSTER] on this floor, and having save her again. always maintained the contrary in the West, I could not,

at.

"Damned be he that first cries out enough."

vernment.

Let these two resolutions pass, and ripen into the mea-without suffering myself to be gagged hereafter with an sures which their tenor implies to be necessary, and the unanswerable question, sit still and hear the same things seal is fixed, for a long period, on the growth and pros-repeated on this floor, without entering my solemn disperity of the West. Under one of them the sales of the sent, supported by authentic references to its truth; espelands will be held back; under the other, every possible cially when I labor under the thorough conviction that the inducement will arise to screw up the price of all that is sold. object of these statements, both in the West and in this From that moment the West must bid adieu to all prospect chamber, is to produce a state of things hostile to the well of any liberal change in the policy of the United States being of this confederacy. Secondly, That in repeated in the sale and disposition of the public lands; no more reference, in the course of my speech, to the federal party favor to the settler, no justice to the States; no sales on in the United States, I mean no proscription of that party fair and equitable terms. Grinding avarice will take its in mass. I have a test to apply to each of them, and accourse, and feed full its deep and hungry maw. Laws cording to the proof of that test docs the individual apwill be passed to fix the minimum price at the highest rate; pear fair or otherwise before me. The test is this: Is he agents will be sent to attend the sales, and bid high against faithful to his country in the hours of her trial? As this the farmer, the settler, and the cultivator. Dreadful will question can be answered, so does he stand before me be the prices then run up. The agents will act as attor-a fair candidate or otherwise for a ratable proportion of neys for the plaintiffs in the execution. The money is the offices, subordinate to the highest, which this country coming to the States they represent; they can bid what affords. This declaration, I trust, sir, will not be receivthey please. They can bid off the whole country, make ed as arrogant, but taken in its true spirit, as a qualificait the property of other States, and lease or rent small tion due to myself of things said in debate, and which tracts to the inhabitants. The preservation of the timber might be misunderstood. I am a Senator; have a voice

FEB. 3, 1830.]

Mr. Foot's Resolution.

[SENATE.

upon nominations to office; and the country has a right to tion this, that the position which I occupy may be distinctbe informed of my principles of action. ly understood. Animadversions upon party measures af [Here Mr. BENTON brought his remarks to a close.]fect no particular geographical division of the country, but Mr. BURNET said that he did not rise for the purpose only the individuals who sustained them, wherever they of engaging in the debate; but merely to explain a law of may reside. But the gentleman has assailed all the Norththe State of Ohio, which had been referred to by the Se-ern States, and particularly those of New England; acnator from Missouri; and to state, for the information of cusing them of narrow views, and systematic hostility and the Senate, the circumstances which induced the Legisla-injustice towards the West; while, on the other hand, he ture to pass it. One of the motives, and, perhaps, the has lauded the South, as her generous, liberal, and magnaprincipal motive, which actuated them, was a desire to nimous friend. Such assertions, in order to gain any creprevent runaway slaves from seeking shelter within the dence, must be supported by proof. Of this, the gentleState, and evading the pursuit of their masters. On that man seems to have been aware, and has, accordingly, atsubject, frequent and loud complaints had been made by tempted to sustain them by a recurrence to historical the citizens of neighboring States, and particularly by facts. I shall endeavor, concisely, to remark upon such those of Kentucky; and, if his memory was not incorrect, as appear to be of importance enough to deserve attenthere was a correspondence between the Governors of the tion, and which have been stated with sufficient distincttwo States on the same subject. The Legislature of Ohio, ness to render them susceptible of being followed. desirous of removing the cause of these complaints, and He has gone back to the days of the Old Confederation, of checking the evil complained of, passed the law which and the records of the Continental Congress; and dwelt has been referred to in the debate, by which all persons upon certain proceedings, in 1786, relative to the defence of color, on coming into the State, were required to bring of what was then the western district of Virginia, now the with them authentic record evidence of their freedom, State of Kentucky. A proposition was made to send two and to exhibit it to the clerk of the county court, whose companies of Federal troops to the rapids of the Ohio. It duty it was to record it, and give a certificate of the fact. is to be recollected that we had just then emerged from The law also imposed a severe penalty on every citizen who the war of the Revolution, that tremendous struggle, in should harbor or employ persons of color, who have not which we had strained every nerve to agony, and had sunk complied with its requirements. Thus far [said Mr. B. down to a state of exhaustion; destitute of money, without it will be admitted that the law was well calculated to revenue, and without credit. To send two companies to guard the rights of property in the neighboring States. the then distant wilderness on the Ohio, was a severer burBut, sir, the Legislature had another object in view, of then on the public finances than to send thousands now to great importance to themselves and their constituents. the mouth of the Columbia. Upon this proposition, the They found it necessary to take steps to guard the State, votes of New England were equally divided. During its as far as possible, against the evils of pauperism; and, for pendency, on the twenty-first of June, a motion was made that purpose, they introduced a provision that no black or by Mr. Lee, a delegate from Virginia, to add two compamulatto should be permitted to reside in the State with-nies more, making four in all, for her defence; which out giving bond and security, in the sum of five hundred was supported by that State alone; all the delegates from dollars, to indemnify the township against any expense that the other States, excepting one from Georgia, answering might be incurred in consequence of their own inability in the negative. to support themselves. These [said Mr. B.] were the pro- It was upon his stating this vote, that the gentleman exvisions of the law in question; and he submitted it to the claimed, in tones of delight and exultation: Magnanimous Senate whether they were not both justifiable and com- Virgina, ay! mendable. The people of Ohio had excluded slavery, She is a great and magnanimous State. I would not with its advantages, if it had any, and it was natural for retract aught from her merits. New England seeks not to them to desire, as far as was practicable, to escape its evils. prostrate the fabric of others' fame, in order to erect her Knowing the general character of free people of color, own from its fragments; she is rich enough in her own they were desirous of having as few of them as possible, splendid materials. But the gentleman has not been forand of having some indemnity against the charge and ex-tunate in selecting this vote, given for her own exclusive pense of supporting such as might settle in the State. benefit against all the other States, as an illustration of her Mr. B. further stated, that the law, which he understood disinterestedness and liberality. To attribute in this inthe gentleman from Missouri as complaining of, had been stance so great merit to her, is an implication of demerit in force more than twenty years; and that the movement in all the others, which I leave to be repelled by their older at Cincinnati, to which he had referred, was nothing more and abler representatives around me. than the giving of a notice, under that law, to those persons on whom it operated, and who had not complied with its directions, that they must do so, within a stated time, or leave the State.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1830.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the resolution heretofore offered by Mr. FOOT.

On the 29th of June, eight days only after the almost unanimous refusal of Congress to send more than the two companies to the defence of Virginia, a committee, consisting of two members from that State, and one from Massachusetts, made a report in favor of authorizing the commander of those two companies to march into the Indian country and make war, or treat for peace, as he should see fit; and, also to call, at his pleasure, upon the Governor of Virginia, for one thousand militia. This reMr. SPRAGUE rose, and concluded the speech which port being under debate, a motion was made to postpone he commenced yesterday. His remarks were as follows: it for the present, in order to take up another proposition, Mr. S. said it was with reluctance that he entered into which, after reciting that there was not sufficient evidence this extraordinary debate. The gentleman who had just of Indian depredations to justify carrying war into their resumed his seat [Mr. BENTON] had most gratuitously country," recommended the adoption," without delay," given to it an unpleasant sectional character. Some por- of "such measures as shall effectually secure peace to the tion of his remarks related merely to measures of a party Indians, and safety to the citizens inhabiting the frontiers in opposition to the administrations of Mr. Jefferson and of the United States." This motion the Senator from Mr. Madison. Had he confined himself to those acts, I should not have felt myself constrained to participate in the discussion; because I was, from the first, politically opposed to them, and have never changed my sentiments. I men

Missouri pronounced "cold blooded, cruel, and inhuman; equalled only by the National Assembly of the French Revolution, which, when their fellow-citizens were falling around them by the daggers of assassins, passed to the or

SENATE.]

Mr. Foot's Resolution.

[FEB. 3, 1830.

ders of the day." It was made by Mr. Pettit, of Penn- acted upon during that session; and at the commencement sylvania, and there were more votes for it out of New of the next session, in November, 1785, all the unfinished England than from within it. business of the preceding was taken up, and this appears But if the gentleman's sensibilities were so much outrag-to have been subsequently referred to the large committee ed by the idea of passing over that report in favor of war which the gentleman has mentioned. But the justice and and bloodshed, even for a moment, in order to take up a charity with which sinister motives are attributed to the substitute of peace and security, what will he say, how North, is further illustrated by the fact, that upon the mowill he bear the shock, when he finds that a motion was tion of Mr. McHenry to strike out this obnoxious clause, made, not by a delegate from New England, nor even from every member, with the single exception of Mr. Howell, the north of the Potomac, but from the South, from of Rhode Island, answered in the affirmative; and yet it is Georgia, to postpone the whole for six days; and that insisted that the North, who had the whole perfectly in there were no less than fifteen voices in the affirmative, their power, were wickedly intent upon it as a means to and two-thirds of them from without the limits of New cramp the growth of the West, and were defeated only England! Nay, more, that this very report, which it was by those of a more magnanimous region. so monstrous and horrible to hesitate even for a moment By the same ordinance, one-third part of all the mines in adopting, was, upon the final question, absolutely re- of gold, silver, copper, and lead, were in all sales to be jected, and that, too, not by a bare majority of the Con- reserved to the Government. Upon a motion to strike out gress, but by a vote of two to one-six States to three; this reservation, and thus leave the whole to the purchas and of the six, two only being from the Northeast! And of ers, Massachusetts was divided, Rhode Island divided, and the individual delegates, seventeen voted in the affirma- all the other States and all the other delegates, excepting tive, and nine only in the negative; Mr. Houston, of Geor-Mr. Monroe, answered in the negative. This instance of gia, being excused at his own request! comparative liberality seems to have wholly escaped the

I have been accustomed, sir, from my earliest recollec-gentleman's observation. tions, to cherish the memory of those who composed the Strange as it may seem, it has, in this debate, been Continental Congress with reverence and gratitude. I made matter of loud and bitter complaint, that the United have supposed that the very existence of this great, pros-States had sold the public lands for money; have coined perous, and happy republic, demonstrated the elevation of the soil into gold and silver, as it was expressed. The their intellectual and moral character, their wisdom, pu- right and the obligation of the Government to do this rity, and beneficence; that their monuments were every have been so unanswerably established by the gentleman where but over their graves. Is all this illusion? Is their from Massachusetts, [Mr. WEBSTER] that I shall not disepitaph still to be written? And shall we now inscribe cuss it. It would be useless, indeed, for me to follow upon their tomb, Here lie the members of the Continental where is seen the giant's track. I shall endeavor, throughCongress of 1786--those cold blooded, cruel, inhuman out, to avoid the ground which he has occupied. I will monsters, who are to be paralleled in all history only by only now add, that however illiberal some persons may now the fiends of the French Revolution, who washed their consider the selling, instead of giving away this common hands in the blood of their brethren? property of the nation, it is not a mere Yankee notion, There are some exaggerations too extravagant even for nor even confined to the wrong side of Mason's and Dixthe figures of rhetoric or the fictions of poetry. My own on's line; but has, from the first, been insisted upon by the section of country might be well content to appear sombre statesmen of the more congenial South. In February, and unlovely to that vision which can present the revered 1786, a committee of Congress, consisting of Messrs. patriots of the Revolution in colors so dark, and with fea- Pinckney, of South Carolina, McKean, of South Carolina, tures so distorted. Monroe, of Virginia, King, of Massachusetts, and Pettit, The next topic of crimination against our forefathers of Pennsylvania, held the following language: We “conwas a clause originally inserted in the ordinance for ascer-template with great satisfaction the prospect of extinguishtaining the mode of disposing of lands in the western ing a part of the domestic debt, by the sales of the westcountry, when it was reported by a committee, in 1785, ern lands, but a considerable time must elapse," &c. And and which prohibited the sale, by the public officer, of a in the Virginia convention, in 1788, Mr. Harrison said, second township, by sections, until after all the first should "the back lands and imposts will be sufficient for all the have been disposed of. It arose from an evident solici- exigencies of Government." Mr. Grayson spoke of the tude for the security of the frontier settlers, and a desire "domestic debt being diminished by the sale of western to keep them in some measure compact, that they might lands;" and Mr. Madison, speaking of the Mississippi, be competent to their own protection, instead of scatter- said, "a material consideration was, that the cession of ing over immense forests, beyond the reach of timely suc- that river would diminish the value of the western counThis is well known to have been the policy of try, which was a common fund for the United States, Washington. It is not a little singular that the gentleman and would consequently tend to impoverish their public should have made this a theme of reiterated and vehement treasury. These, sir, were rational grounds." And in condemnation, when he had just before complained so 1786, the Virginia delegation to Congress, with reference loudly of an alleged indifference to the safety of the new to the same subject, say, "the States who have ceded it, settlements. He insists that a majority of the committee and the confederacy at large, look up to the western lands lived north of the Potomac, and that their object was to as a substantial fund for the discharge of the public debt." stint the growth of the West. He did not tell us who The navigation of the Mississippi occupied a large composed it. [Mr. BENTON explained by reading the space in the gentleman's contrast of sectional liberality names of a committee consisting of one from each State, and illiberality. It is, indeed, a subject of importance, and A. D. 1785.] Mr. S proceeded. The committee, which vastly more worthy of attention than most of those upon the gentleman had just named was not that which origi- which he has expatiated. nally reported the ordinance, but one to whom it was sub- The specification of charge is, that, in the year 1786, sequently referred, and who do not appear to have made Mr. Jay, then Secretary for Foreign Affairs, proposed the any amendments or alterations. It was, I believe, first making of a treaty with Gardoqui, the Spanish minister, reported in May, 1784, by a committee consisting of Mr. by which the navigation of that river should be relinquishJefferson, of Virginia, Williamson, of North Carolina, ed to Spain, for twenty-five or thirty years, in consideraReed, of South Carolina, Howell, of Rhode Island, and tion of certain commercial stipulations, for mutual interGerry, of Massachusetts; and its paternity is thus transfer- change of commodities, by which all the productions of red to the south side of the Potomac. It was not finally this country, with the exception of tobacco, were to be

cor.

FEB. 3, 1830.]

Mr. Foot's Resolution.

[SENATE.

received into the Spanish dominions. This proposition only from what has just been stated, but from the facts was supported by the States of the North; and the gen- which I shall hereafter adduce, and to which he has made tleman charitably supposes, from a desire to deprive their no allusion. fellow-citizens of the West of that great highway so essential to their prosperity.

That a majority of the delegates from Virginia were opposed to the contemplated treaty, is unquestionably true; but is there not reason to believe that this was occasioned, in some degree, at least, by the circumstance that her great staple, tobacco, was not provided for; especially when we find that one of her most eminent citizens [Mr. Monroe] disapproved of it merely for its commercial regulations.

It is to be recollected that Spain, being then in possession of Louisiana and the Floridas, most positively and peremptorily denied that we had any right to participate in the use of that river. Prostrated as our strength and finances then were, the country was not in a condition to enforce our claim by arms. Thus situated, it was apparent that we could have no immediate enjoyment of the But the delegation from that State, in the same year, waters of the Mississippi, and it was believed that the best 1786, themselves proposed to enter into permanent stipu mode for securing the future permanent possession of them lations with Spain, by which we should relinquish, forever, was to lease it, for a while, to the Spanish Government, all right of transporting any articles up the Mississippi, for a valuable consideration; and that, by assenting to from its mouth; and New Orleans should be made an ensuch an arrangement, and holding it by our permission, trepot, at which our produce, carried down the river, Spain would unequivocally acknowledge our right, which should be landed, and pay duties to the Spanish Crown; would revert to us, accompanied by the possession, at the and a consul of the United States there should be responexpiration of the stipulated term. And it was thought, sible for every violation of these engagements. Now, sir, moreover, that it would be dishonorable to the country to compare these renunciations and sacrifices, to endure suffer a foreign nation to withhold it from us in a hostile through all time, with the mere temporary relinquishattitude. It was also apprehended that Great Britain ment for twenty-five or thirty years, and let the candid would unite with Spain in resisisting our claim, and ex- and intelligent declare which would have been most wise, cluding us forever from the enjoyment of our right. and have best secured the true and permanent interests and safety of the Western country.

These facts rest upon no doubtful authority; they are supported by the disinterested testimony of high minded and honorable men, actors in the scenes which they describe, and who, in 1788, were willing to do that justice to their associates which is now attempted to be withdrawn.

General Lee, in the Virginia convention, made the following statement:

"I feel myself called on, by the honorable gentleman, to come forward and tell the truth about the transaction

But the comparison ends not here. There was a time when the Southern States, and Virginia with the rest, were disposed to make an absolute and perfect surrender of all right to the waters of the Mississippi, but the Northern and Eastern States opposed it. It was at the period of their greatest distress, and for the purpose of obtaining succor from Spain. For this we have the high authority of Mr. Madison himself, who says,

"It was soon perceived, after the commencement of respecting the Mississippi." "There are men of inte- the war with Great Britain, that, among the various obgrity and truth here, who were also then in Congress.jects that would affect the happiness of the people of I call on them to put me right with respect to those America, the navigation of the Mississippi was one. transactions. As far as I could gather from what was then Throughout the whole history of foreign negotiation, great passing, I believe there was not a gentleman in that Constress was laid on its preservation. In the time of our gress who had an idea of surrendering the navigation of greatest distresses, particularly when the Southern States that river. They thought of the best mode of securing it were the scene of war, the Southern States cast their eyes Some thought one way, and some another. I was one of around to be relieved from their misfortunes. It was those who thought the mode which has been alluded to supposed that assistance might be obtained for the relinthe best to secure it. I shall never deny that it was my quishment of that navigation. It was thought that, for so opinion. I was one peculiarly interested. I had a for- substantial a consideration, Spain might be induced to aftune in that country, purchased, not by paper money, but ford decisive succor. It was opposed by the Northern by gold, to the amount of eight thousand pounds. But and Eastern States. They were sensible that it might be private interest could not have influenced me. The pub- dangerous to surrender this important right, particularly lic welfare was my criterion. In my opinion, I united pri- to the inhabitants of the Western country. But so it was, vate interest to public interest, not of the whole people of that the Southern States were for it, and the Eastern Virginia, but of the United States. I thought I was pro- States opposed to it.” moting the real interests of the people."

Mr. Madison said:

And Mr. Monroe, after speaking of the constant efforts of Virginia to preserve this navigation, says,

"There were seven States who thought it right to "There was a time, it is true, when even this State, in give up the navigation of the Mississippi for twenty-five years, for several reasons, which have been mentioned. some measure, abandoned the object, by authorizing this As far as I can recollect, it was nearly as my honorable cession to the court of Spain." friend said; but they had no idea of absolutely alienating It is not my purpose to censure those who advocated it. I think one material consideration which governed that surrender. They felt themselves constrained by the them was, that there were grounds of serious negotiation necessities of the war. But the Northern States, more between Great Britain and Spain, which might bring on unyielding in their purpose, never despaired of the rea coalition between those nations, which might enable public; they sent their own sons to fight the battles of them to bind us on different sides, permanently withhold their distant brethren, and freely furnished, from withthat navigation from us, and injure us, in other respects, in themselves, that succor which others were willing to materially. The temporary cession, it was supposed, purchase from foreign hands, at so great a price; and would fix the permanent right in our favor, and prevent now they are, even here, rewarded with contumely and that dangerous coalition." reproach!

For these transactions, as affecting the interests of the Such is the effect of partial or distorted views of distant region beyond the Alleghanies, the gentleman has cast events; of resting upon insulated parts of remote transunmeasured opprobrium upon the North, and bestowed actions; of seizing and following the mere shreds of hisa corresponding eulogium upon the South, particularly tory, which lead to error and injustice, instead of light and Virginia; with what justice or candor may be seen, not truth.

VOL. VI.-16