None could do more, my noble steed
For freedom's cause, than freely bleed
Upon this fatal day.

Our freedom's lost-would I had died-,
Whilst fighting nobly by thy side-
My faithful, gallant gray.

When strangers tread this battle ground,
And some kind friend shall show the nound
Where honor'd heroes lay-

1

An uncary'd stone shall mark the place,
Where rests the noblest of thy race-
My faithful, gallant gray.

H.

ments and certificates. It is needless to apply to them the epithet of falsehood, because they have sunk under the pressure of investigation and of truth. Vox populi vox dei, is a favorite maxim in republics; and to that I appeal to testify in favor of the moral and political life of the Senator against whom this wretched attempt has been made, by the Chief Magistrate, through his mechinery, by a resort to libels, condemned at their inception, and which have slept quietly in the tomb to which they were doomed by popular indignation for 18 years. I invoke the detestation of every honorable man on this foul transaction. If I could stoop to follow this degraded example, and fortify my statements by evidence of a like character, Areprimand.--A correspondent has favored 1 might safely say to Gen. Jackson, and prove us with the following version of Mr. Speaker. t by newspaper extracts of more recent date-Stevenson's address to Gen. Houston, on re“You are a traitor and a conspirator with the priding him for his assault on Mr. Stanbery. It notorious Aaron Burr. You are a murderer and strikes us as conveying the whole of the origi a tyrant." But I scorn to adopt the vile and nal, in familiar and intelligible language: infamous example of the purchased press; nor 'Sammy Houston, stand up! you've been charged with a is its influence to be depricated when its en- breach venomed shafts are levelled at a man whose whole life has exhibited, in bold relief, the pure and lofty principles of honor, benevolence, and patriotism. FIAT JUSTITIA.

Extract of a letter from a gentleman living near Fredericksburg, Va., to his friend in this city, dated 20th May, 1832.

FROM THE N. Y. COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER.

Of the rights of this House, and our freedom of speech.
You have beaten a member for stating a fact,
And the House can't afford to approve of the act.
It's a delicate matter for one Jacksonman
To censure another, but well as I can,
I'll do it. So Sammy, you know we have lost
Nearly all of four weeks, and how much it has cost
To consider your case—you've had counsel allowed,
And been marched up, in state, every day through the
crowd.

"About two weeks ago, there was a call in
the newspapers, signed "Many Voters," for a
meeting at the court-house, to take into con
sideration the propriety of sending delegates to
the Baltimore Convention. On the day ap-And now, in a 'moral and dignified' way,
pointed, it appeared that "Many Voters" was
a single individual, and he not being present,
the meeting, of course, was not held! A man
as conversant, în politics as yourself, and aware
of the predilections f the people of this sec-
tion of country, might indulge the suspicion
that Executive influence must have had tome-
thing to do with this affair ; but when I tell you
that it was a brother of Speaker STEVENSON,

We have heard all the law learning out of the book,
We have also heard you discourse on your hook-

"

I proceed to the utterance of what I've to say.
No matter what led you to make the assault,
The House thinks, decidedly, you was in fault,
And they censure you, Sam-to be censured you stand,
And I must administer their reprimand.
Ifit were to a pauper that I had to preach,

Or a changeling or scrub, who knew no parts of speech
I should lay down the law with portentous effect,
And make them hereafier behave more correct-

who tried to get up the meeting, suspicions But as you've been a member yourself, "twould be vain

must vanish!"

FOR THE U. S. TELEGRAPH.

THE PATRIOT TO HIS FALLEN STEED.
WHEN Freedom first her war-note blew,
I chose thee, 'cause I thought thee true-
I'll ne'er forget the day-

My bosom swell'd with martial pride
When, sword in hand, I leapt astride

My faithful, gallant gray.

No more you'll hear the trumpet's sound,

And if you see fit, you may do it again.
You may lick any body you like, and may ride
About, with the Sergeant at-Armis by your side,
And then may, perhaps, have the pleasure to stand
Again before me, getting my reprimand.
You certainly know that if all our body
Should be licked every day, it would look rather oddy,
And the Fearons, and Fauxes, and Trollopes would tell
Some truths which in print would not sound very well.
Oh, Sanimy, for shame! think of this, my dear son!

I am sure, bad you thought of the risk that you run

That made thee prance and paw the ground, of displeasing the House in the manner aforesaid,

And eager for the fray:

No more shall curb thy will restrain,
And keep thee from the battle plain—

My faithfu', gallant gray.

Thy crimson'd hoofs may plainly tell,
The means by which those warriors fell

Who check'd thy headlong way;
"The fatal steel, by which you died,
Lies, with its owner, by thy side-
My faithful, gallant gray.

You would not have done it, and there'd been no more

THE PUBLIC LANDS.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1832.

Mr. WICKLIFFEE, from the Committee on the Public Lands, to which the subject had been referred, made the following report:

imports should be so regulated for the present, at least, as to continue adequate protection to the home industry of the country. In his opinion, after the discharge of the national debt, authorised by law, will not exceed $13,000,000. the expenditures of the Government, as now To give the protection necessary to our domes

tic manufactures, a revenue of $15,000,000 is Under the order of the House, so much of proposed by the Secretary to be retained, derithe annual report of the Secretary of the Treavable from sources other than the sales of the sury as relates to the public lands, was refer- public lands, and he recommends an augmenred to the Cemmittee on the Public Lands. tation of the expenses of the government to that The subject has received, by the committee, sum annually; that the whole of this sum shall that consideration which its importance de-be collected by impost dury.

serves.

The committee, in the discharge of the duty The recommendation of the Secretary of the assigned them under the resolve of the House, Treasury upon the subject of the public lands, are not called upon to present their reasons for is, that Congress now decide upon the pro withholding their assent to so much of the repriety of disposing of all the public lands,in the port of the Secretary of the Treasury as propo aggregate, to those States within whose territoses to augment the ordinary and annual expen rial limits they lie, at a fair price, to be settled ditures of the government beyond the $13,000in such manner as `might be satisfactory to all. 000. The aggregate price of the whole may then be apportioned among the several States of the Union according to such equitable ratio as may be consistent with the objects of the original It is proposed by the Secretary to withdraw cession, and the proportion of each may be paid the public lands from the sources of revenue, or secured, directly, to the others by the re-to sell the bank stock, and to leave the $15,spective States purchasing the land." 000,000 to be collected upon the imports of The committee are of opinion that any such the country, and in this mode to afford tempo. disposition, at this time, of the public land, and rary and permanent protection to the manufacthe distribution of the proceeds, as recommend-turing interests of the country.

The sources from which the revenue of the government has been derived, are, 1st, imports, 2d, public lands, 3d, bank stock.

ed by the Secretary of the Treasury, would be Whilst the immediate benefits resulting from inexpedient; that it would paralyze the growth this protection are almost exclusively confined and prosperity of the younger States, if they to the northern and eastern sections of the could be seduced in the purchase at any price Union, already in the enjoyment of more than which the older States would deem reasonable a due proportion of the advantages resulting The reasons urged by the Secretary of the from the expenditures of the public money, it Treasury in favor of this disposition of the pub. lic domain, are understood to be,

1st. That the amount arising from the sales of the public lands is no longer required in aid of the revenue for the payment of the public debt, and the support of government.

is proposed that the new States shall further contribute to their prosperity and capital by the purchase of the public lands, and by becoming bound to the States, directly and individually, for the payment.

The committee do not assent to such a modi2dly. That such a disposition of the public fication of the revenue of the country, or to lands is well calculated to remove all cause of such a disposition of its present sources. difficulty with the General Government, and The public lands should not be, they have the States upon the subject of these lands.

The committee are aware that the period has arrived when the public debt may be considered as paid-when the government will no longer need an annual revenue derived from taxation and the sale of the public lands, equal to the average annual amount collected under the present revenue system.

not been, regarded as a profitable source of revenue to the Federal Government, nor should they be converted into the means of wealth to the several States. They should be fostered and disposed of by the National Government, in such manner, and upon such terms, as will be subservient to the building up of great and flourishing communities, whose members, when It becomes the duty of Congress to reduce interested in, and attached to, the soil, will the receipts into the treasury, from all sources, give physical strength and moral force to the to the reasonable demands of the public ser-nation.

vice, after the payment of the national debt. It It is true, that our government has attained is a duy which ought to be performed at the that condition, unexampled in the history of napresent session of Congress; and its prompt dis- tions, when it has become the duty of the taxcharge is demanded by the highest considera-ing power to lessen, and not to increase public tion of patriotism. It ought not, it cannot, be longer deferred, with justice to the country, or safety to the government.

In this reduction of the revenue to the wants of the government, it is recommended by the Secretary of the Treasury that the duties upon

exactions upon the labor of the citizen. The diminution to be made should be extended with impartial justice to all the sources from which revenue is derived, when that can be done without jeopardizing any of the great interests of the country. We should exact from eaab

Bource in proportion to its ability to pay, and culty with the General Government and the take from none more than the wants of the go- States upon the subject of the public lands. vernment require. The cause of difficulty to be removed by adopt

If, then, the amount of tax imposed upon iming the course recommended, is not indicated ports, and the revenue derived from the sales by the report.

of the public lands, are greater than the just If it be that exhausting operation, and conand ordinary expenses of the government de sequent embarrassment, produced by the conmand, and all admit that they are, that amount stant drain of the circulating medium from the should be reduced, and reduced by lessening west, the result of the action of the Federal the exactions made from each in a fair and just Government upon the subject of the public proportion. The reduction of the revenue de lands, to which the Secretary of the Treasury rived from the sales of the public lands, to be alludes, the remedy proposed will not cure the effectual and beneficial, must be made in the evil, unless it can be demonstrated that the price at which they are to be sold. If the States separately will exact less, and disburse amount now received into the treasury be not more money in the purchasing States, than the required for the purposes of the Federal G States united. vernment, (and such seems to be a conceded Whilst the General Government shall confact,) the committee are of opinion it would be tinue to derive a revenue from the sales of puba better mode to rid the National Treasury of lic lands, it may be expected, at least it should this unnecessary and dangerous influx of public be hoped for, that, in some mode, a sum of money, to reduce the price of the public do- money equal to the exactions for the public main, (and thereby render the acquisition of a lands, will be thrown back by the public dishome easy to all in every condition of life,) bursements in those States so much affected by than to sell the lands to the younger States, if this constant drain of their circulating medium. they were willing to buy and able to pay. A Can it be believed, that, when the proceeds sale to them, upon any terms, the most reason- arising from the sales of the public lands shall able, in the opinion of the older States must become the separate property of the States, acrender them tributary to, and dependent up-cording to any ratio of division which will be on, their more prosperous and opulent sisters agreed upon, the amount derived annually of the confederacy, Their present population from the debtor by the creditor States, either would be encumbered with a debt to be trans- for interest or principal, will be returned into mitted as a curse to their posterity, the interest circulation among those States thus made tribuof which they would be unable to pay by the tary › sales of the lands which they could effect.

This difficulty and complaint of the new The whole amount of public lands in the States with and against the General GovernStates and Territories, remaining unsold at this ment, will only be transferred to the several time, may be estimated at 340,878.713 acres. States who become the receivers; and, instead The lowest sum per acre at which the United of peace, concord, and harmony among the States would be justified in selling, according States, we may expect to witness discontent to the opinions of many who have spoken upon and discord, bitter and unceasing. this subject, has been 30 cents per acre, others The Secretary of the Treasury may probably have fixed 50 cents.. A sale at 50 cents per have reference to a pretension advanced by acre would produce a debt upon the new States some politicians, by which the right and title alone of $54,757,705 50, the annual interest of of the United States to the lands within the sewhich, at 6 per cent, would be $3,285,462 33 veral States have been denied: if so, this is a -a sum greater than the past or future annual question the committee will not discuss. If the average receipts from the sales of the public acknowledgment of the right of the United lands under the present land system of the Uni States to these lands by the organic laws of the ted States. States in which they are situate, does not proIf such a disposition of the public lands could tect them from the claims set up for some of be maintained upon principles of sound policy the States by a few politicians, who labor to as to the United States, can it be seriously con give to the terms "free and sovereign States" tended by any one, that the States in which some magical influence, and thence draw these lands are situate could be induced to strange conclusions; nothing which the com. make the purchase, and place themselves un-mittee can say, by way of argument, can save der mortgage to the other States for the pay- the public domain from this newly discovered ment of the principal, when the estate pur-right in the States. It will be time enough to chased would not yield, annually, a sum equal argue this question whenever the States shall to the interest? The committee do not believe attempt to appropriate the public lands. The that any State in this Union would pursue a po- committee are of opinion that no "cause of diflicy so suicidal, and therefore deem it wholly ficulty with the General Government and the useless to propose to the States any terms up-States" ever can arise upon this question; at on which they may become the purchasers of all events, that it is not expedient to avoid it the public lands within their respective limits. by disposing of the public lands as recomThe second consideration presented by the merded:

report as an argument in favor of a sale of the In connexion with this subject, the commitpublic lands to the new States, is, that it would tee have been called upon to consider the poli be well calculated to remove all cause of diffi-cy (so often the subject of debate in the House

of Representatives) of dividing the proceeds of male deeds purporting to cede lands to the the public lands among the several States. This United States. is a question surrounded by more difficulty and That clause of the Constitution which relates embarrassment, and one upon which the com- to the subject of the public lands, is in these mittee were unable to unite in opinion. A ma- words: "The Congress shall have power to jority of the committee, however, believe that dispose of, and make all needful rules and regany pledge or disposition of the proceeds of ulations respecting the territory or other prothe public lands among the States, for State perty belonging to the United States," &c. purposes, before the money shall have reach- Is this disposition of the territory to be made ed the Treasury of the United States, would be for the purposes and objects of the Federal Gounwise, and productive of incalculable injury vernment, or for the purposes and varied obto the States, whose growth and prosperity so jects of the several State Governments? Conmuch depend upon the amelioration of the pre-gress has power to lay and collect taxes, sent system of disposing of the public lands by duties, imposts, and excises;" but for what pur Congress. Pledge the proceeds to the States poses and for what objects? The answer is, for State purposes, and all hope of further re-the legitimate objects of expenditures by the lief will be cut off. The new States may then Federal Government, and the payment of the calculate to "pay the penalty of the bond, yea, even the pound of flesh."

public debt; surely not for distribution among the several States. Congress may dispose of The power of the General Government to the territory belonging to the United States for make this distribution may be well questioned. objects and purposes legitimately falling within Those who contend for such distribution of the the scope of the powers and authority of the proceeds derive the power from the grants of Federal Government; but the committee doubt the several States to the United States, and the existence of a power to dispose of them for from the second section of the fourth article of the exclusive benefit, and the separate interthe Constitution of the United States. A reests, of the several States.

currence to these grants, and an examination If the terms of the grants be resorted to in into the terms employed, and the objects in-aid of the clause of the Constitution, and taken tended by them, may not be unprofitable in in connection therewith, still it is believed the conducting the mind to a correct judgment up-power to make distribution of the proceeds of on this subject. the sale of the public lands may be fairly ques

The committee do not propose to inquire in- tioned.

to the right of the Congress of the United By the deeds of cession, the lands are to States to have, demanded, or the obligations be considered as a common fund for the use imposed upon the States to make a cession, of and benefit of the United States." their public domain. The necessities of the The money collected by taxation is regarded confederation seemed to require it, and the as a common fund for the use and benefit of the enlightened patriotism of the States yielded to United States; the money, whether collected that necessity, and surrendered them "for the by the sale of land, or by a tax upon land, is common good,” the revenue of the Government, and can only The terms employed in the grants by Virgi-be disposed of under the powers with which nia, North Carolina, and Georgia, will only be that Government has been vested by the Conadverted to. Virginia, in the deed of cession stitution. of that vast domain which now embraces the It would be difficult for those who deny the States of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, after sti-power to Congress to levy imposts and excise pulating for the political existence of its future for the purposes of collecting revenue, to be inhabitants, for the partition of the territory in distributed among the State Governments, to to States, and their admission into the Union, be expended for State purposes under State declared that all the lands within the territo-authority, to establish the power to dispose of ry so ceded to the United States, and not re- the proceeds of the public lands for the same served for, or appropriated to, any of the be-purpose. fore mentioned purposes, or disposed of in If the committee are mistaken as to the bounties to the officers and soldiers of the question of constitutional power, (which has American army, shall be considered a common been suggested more with a vew to invite infund for the use and benefit of such of the. Uni vestigation than to express their decided conted States as have become members of the conviction of its correctness,) upon the inexpe federation or federal alliance of the said States, diency of such a disposition of the prceeds of Virginia inclusive, according to their usual re- the public lands they cannot doubt. spective proportions in the general charge and Although these lands have been regarded as expenditure, and shall be faithfully and bona a source of revenue, the committee are aware fide disposed of for that purpose, and for no that, Heretofore, they have not proved to be a other use or purpose whatsoever." profitable one. Nor do the committee now wish them to be made the means of raising revenue in time of peace, but the instrument in the hands of a liberal and munificent Government, by which large communities may be The same language is found in the deed of built up, our population increased, and our recession by Georgia, and the other States who sources in time of war multiplied.

In the act of cession by North Carolina, the precise language, as above, is also employed, so far as relates to the purposes to which the domain shall be devoted.

The General Government should dispose of veyed must be sold, must be forced upon the them upon terms accommodated to the wants emigrant. Public lands will be sold, but they of the community; and, when the unsold lands will be of inferior quality. The tide of emiin the respective States shall become refuse,gration, and the spirit of enterprise will be and no longer worth the expense of federal checked. Donations to the meritorious settlers superintendence and care, a relinquishment of to the new States, for public improvement, will them to the State in which they lie, or to indi- no longer be made. Pre-emptions in favor of viduals, would be the better policy. the honest and industrious pioneers of the west A cold, calculating, sordid, will be denied.

and selfi-h policy, must, and will, influence the members of Congress in all future legisla

It is not probable that the Government will again be placed in a condition when it will become necessary to resort to her public domain, either as the means of raising an army or bortion upon this subject. rowing money.

At a very early period, the minimum price of The committee have expressed the opinion the public lands was fixed at two dollars per that the period is approaching, if it has not al-acre, and the sales were upon a credit, and, in ready arrived, when it would be sound policy many instances, the price a public auction to reduce the price of the public lands. Argu-greatly exceeded two dollars per acre. The ments, other than the necessity of ridding the consequence was an accumulation of debt due Treasury of the revenue derived from sales at from the purchasers of public lands in the the present price, in favor of a reduction of the west, which they were wholly unable to pay. price of the publio lands, could be advanced, Relief was asked at the hands of the General if that were the question now under the consi- Government, antl although the proceeds of the deration of the committee. The price was re-public lands were pledged for the redemption duced in 1821, from two dollars to one dollar of the national debt, Congress released the and twenty-five cents per acre. Real estate,in community from a mass of debt of many milcommon with every other species of property, lions, and reduced the price of land from two has decreased in value since that time. The dollars, to one dollar twenty-five cents per price of labor has lessened. The appreciation acre. in the value of the circulating medium since 1821, has been very considerable, and still the price of public land is the same now as then. It should not be forgotten, either, that, in most of the new States, the best and choice landsings and interests which would inevitably have have been sold.

Should the revenue arising from the sales of public lands be no longer needed for national purposes, and the reduction of the price will not have the effect of preventing a too rapid accumulation of national treasure, would it not be better policy to give to every one of full age, or who is the head of a family, who would occupy, cultivate, and improve the same, a tract of land that he may call his own, than to sell these lands to the States, or to divide the proceeds among them?

Would this have been done if the proceeds of those lands had been devoted, by previous legislation, to distribution among the several States for State purposes? With the local feel.

been excited by such a disposition of the proceeds, can it be believed that the representa tives from the several States would have dared to surrender the interest of their constituents. or States, by releasing this debt which threatened ruin and destruction to the new States?

A further reduction in the price of the public lands ought to be made. The people in the A reducnew States look for it and desire it. tion of the revenue of the General Government must take place; they regard the price which Government exacts from them for the public So long as Congress shall retain the right and lands, as à tax, and a heavy tax. They have subpower of legislating over this subject, and the mitted to it cheerfully, because it was needed to proceeds arising from the public lands shall be discharge the obligations of their Government, regarded as national treasure or revenue, and not When the whole amount now derived from the the individual property of the separate States, sales of public land, united with the other rev it may be hoped that an enlightened and a libe-enues of the Government which will be colral policy will be pursued; when the States shall each have a vested interest separate and distinct, that policy which will be calculated to convert these lands into the most money to increase the annual dividend of the several States, will be pursued, regardless of the wants or condition of the States in which they lie. The Representatives in Congress from the old States, constituting a majority, influenced by a desire to make this fund lasting and profitable for If, however, it shall not be the pleasure of State purposes; to enlarge the dividend of their respective States, to exhibit, in bold reljef, on Congress to lessen the amount of revenue to their annual or biennial return to their constitu- be derived from the sales of public land by reents, the countless thousands wrung from the ducing the price, the committee are decidedly new States for the purpose of lessening the of opinion that the present system should not be burthens in the old; will stay the progress of disturbed. And if there shall be an accumulasurveying the public lands. All that are sur-tion of money in the Treasury over and above

lected under any possible modification of the tariff, will not be required for the wants and purposes of the Federal Government, can it be just that the same shall be exacted from the west by the action of the Federal Government, to be given to the older and more opulent States, to be expended in those States for education, internal improvement, or general emancipation? Such a policy would be unjust and intolerable.