H. OF R.] Duty on Sugar. [JAN. 11, 1831. much less than the average annual importation of the the raw sugar from which it was made. In fact, that the whole period. Nor might it be improper for him here to article alluded to as thus receiving drawback, was not remark, that there was a considerable annual exportation worth the average price of brown sugar, and that little, with the benefit of drawback from 1821 to 1829, inclusive. if any, loss of quantity had probably been sustained by If it could be necessary for him to go further to account converting the one into the other. This, he said, he unfor the gradual decline in the price of sugar throughout derstood, had undergone judicial investigation, and the the commercial world within the last fifteen years, it would court had been compelled to decide that the article came be sufficient to advert to the large amount of labor re- within the technical meaning of refined sugar, under the leased from the purposes of war about the commencement law. But, although this was an abuse, he would not leave of that period, and the consequent diminution of its value the subject without a passing notice of the protection in all the productions of human industry. But, as the afforded to lona fide refiners of sugar in this country. By kindness of a friend had furnished him with the means the tariff of 1816, the duty on refined sugar imported of doing so since the commencement of his remarks, he into this country is twelve cents per pound. He believed would state some additional facts bearing upon the pro- that one hundred and seventy pounds of raw sugar were bable causes of the diminished price of sugar within the generally estimated as equal to, or sufficient for, the manulast few years. He had brought down the price of sugar facture of one hundred pounds of refined. imported into Great Britain to the year 1823, and was He did not know precisely how it was estimated in this now prepared to trace it to 1828, at the close of which country. He knew that this was considered to be the it was twenty-seven shillings the hundred weight. Nor standard in Great Britain, and, as he understood five cents was this occasioned by diminished duty--the duty having per pound to be the drawback allowed on the exportation been permanently fixed at twenty-seven shillings the hun- of American refined sugar, presumed the English and dred weight, or one hundred and twelve pounds. He American standard did not materially vary. What, then, was also prepared to state specifically the effect which said he, is the consequence? That the refiner of sugar the protection afforded in France to sugar extracted from in this country receives a drawback to the whole amount the beet had produced on the consumption of West In- of duty on what he exports, and a protecting duty of dia sugar in that country in the year 1827--the con- seven cents the pound on all that is consumed in the sumption amounting, in a population exceeding thirty country. He did not pretend to know what is the cost of millions, to no more than one hundred and thirty-two mil- refining, but, to his mind, the tax appeared to be enorlions of pounds. But, when we consider that the whole mously disproportioned to the value of the article upon consumption of sugar in France, and the British empire which it is laid. But, in discussing this subject, it is in Europe, equals six hundred millions of pounds annu- necessary that we consider its influence upon some of ally, (the consumption of England alone, in 1823, having the various and important interests of the country. We been estimated by Mr. Huskisson at three hundred and have been told by the Secretary of the Treasury, in his sixty millions,) and reflect on the immense additional annual report upon the finances, that the navigation of quantity necessary to supply all the countries of the world the country is in a most languishing condition. This must which consume the article, it must be manifest, that its be manifest, if we look at the diminished value of our exmanufacture in the United States exercises a very insen- ports and imports within the last five years. If he was sible, if any, influence on its price either at home or not mistaken, though he had not very recently examined abroad. But our own commercial history furnishes an the subject, he believed that both exports and imports instance of the decline in the price of brown sugar within had declined in annual value within that period about a few years, as remarkable as any that has been men- thirty millions of dollars each. He said, although, for his tioned, and that, too, without any possible reference to its part, he had no doubt the evil just adverted to had a manufacture in this country. If gentlemen will examine much deeper root, he was prepared to believe, and did the prices current of Philadelphia for the years 1804 to believe, that a due proportion of the depression under 1807, inclusive, they will find that, from June of the for- which American navigation now languishes, may be justly mer to the same month of the latter year, the price de- attributed to the restriction imposed by the existing duty clined from twelve and one-half to nine cents per pound, on sugar, upon our intercourse with sugar-making counand that, too, at a period when our foreign relations with tries; and for evidence of the partial effects of these the most powerful maritime nation in the world threatened restrictions on American trade and navigation, he would serious interruption to our foreign trade, and consequently refer gentlemen to the correspondence between General a diminished import of sugar. He said, that a strong Von Scholten, the special minister from Denmark, and additional argument against the presumption that the the Secretary of State, which had lately been conmuniprice of brown sugar in other countries had been in-cated by the President to Congress, and printed by order fluenced by the manufacture of that article in this, was, of the House. He had not troubled the House with the that the price of white clayed sugar, an article not of inquiry whether the duty imposed by the act of 1816 American manufacture, had experienced a corresponding was intended for revenue or protection, or partly for both. decline. He had ascertained by an examination of the This was unnecessary, as he had expressed the opinion Philadelphia prices current, from 1803 to 1807, inclusive, at the outset, that whether designed for the one or the that, in the former year, this article was quoted in that other, repeal or reduction was now necessary. In inves market at seventeen and one-half cents per pound, and tigating the effect of this duty on American navigation, in the latter at but thirteen and one-half, a difference of he had looked over a part of the annual report on comfour cents per pound in the short period of four years. merce and navigation for the year 1829, for the purpose And although he had no means of ascertaining the cost of ascertaining the true state of the matter. Upon a in the foreign market, it could but be presumed to have careful examination, he had found, that, although our exbeen considerably higher than the average of the six ports for that year to the Swedish, Danish, Dutch, British, years ending with 1829, within which, notwithstanding and French West Indies, British American colonics, there was some variation in the prices of different years, Cuba, other Spanish colonies, Brazil, and the West Inhe did not believe the average would be found to exceed dies generally, amounted to fifteen million three hundred seven and one-half cents per pound. As the operation and two thousand and eighteen dollars, yet the imports of a part of the system of duties on sugars, he would amounted to no more than twelve million six hundred state what he had no doubt was true, that, in some instances, and seventy-four thousand three hundred and forty-two much more drawback had been allowed on the exporta- dollars, showing an excess of exports over imports of two tion of refined sugar, than the duty previously paid on million six hundred and twenty-seven thousand eight JAN. 11, 1831.] Duty on Sugar. [H. OF R. If this hundred and seventy-six dollars. As the value of the price, or duty off, can, at the present moment, be bought exports was estimated in the home market, and of imports at a considerably lower price in our Northern markets, in the foreign, it is difficult to reconcile the excess of the than the domestic in the market of New Orleans. former over the latter, upon any principle consistent with be the fact, would not the article, if the duty should be profitable trade. But the subject seems to present further materially reduced, come as cheaply from the West Inillustration when we compare the amount of tonnage dies, or, indeed, more so, than from New Orleans? But, engaged in this business, which entered and departed in the remarks which he had submitted upon the subwithin the same period. This comparison shows an ex-ject as connected with the navigation of the country, he cess of seventy thousand one hundred and thirty tons of had not adverted to the recent recovery of the direct shipping departed, over that which entered during that trade with the British West India islands. He could not year. He had not attempted an accurate estimate of the speak advisedly on the subject, but had no doubt a reforeign tonnage engaged in this trade within the period duction of the duty on brown sugar would have a most under consideration, but did not believe it would materially salutary influence on the advantages to be derived from vary the result. But, if we include the trade with Hayti, this acquisition. which shows a considerable balance of imports over ex- But, in advocating the reduction of this duty, it was ports, it will reduce the general balance against us to but not to be considered that he looked to that reduction as little less than two millions of dollars. He said, further likely to destroy, or essentially diminish, the manufacture comment on this subject could not be necessary. And of brown sugar in this country. The enormous profits here he said he could but regret that the information which he believed were now reaped by persons engaged called for by an honorable member from North Carolina, in this manufacture, might well bear some reduction[Mr. CONNER,] at the last session of Congress, and that and, when we consider the languishing condition of other which had been called for by a resolution which was agricultural pursuits, ought to be made to bear it. What offered by himself since the commencement of the pre- is the general condition of agriculture throughout the sent, had not yet been received from the Treasury Depart- country, it is not necessary to state, nor the large portion ment. And although he came not here as the eulogist of of our people who derive their subsistence from its hard any man, it would become him to say, that if the informa- earnings. He must again express his regret for the want tion sought for by the resolutions to which he had alluded, of more specific information on the subject. In the had been within the power of the able and diligent head absence of such information, he must rely upon an estiof that department, he had no doubt it would, before mate of the sum necessary to purchase and supply with now, have been communicated to this House. He re- the necessary stock, machinery, and subsistence, for one gretted the absence of this information, particularly as year, a plantation for sixty hands, and the probable prowe are without any specific data upon which to estimate duct of their labor, as a standard of the profits of this the amount of capital employed in the culture of the cane pursuit. The estimate he would first offer was one said and the manufacture of sugar in this country, and the to have been made by an individual who has had some annual profit which it affords. It has been stated that the practical acquaintance with the business, as conducted in quantity manufactured in this country in the year 1830 one of the sugar colonies of France. He said he did not amounts to one hundred thousand hogsheads, or one intend to rely solely on this estimate; but, after presenting hundred millions of pounds. Assuming the amount im- it, he would offer others to the notice of the House, ported in 1829 as the standard of importation of 1830, which, he was persuaded, would be found not to present and it may be taken for granted that the consumption of a picture too favorable to the manufacturer of brown the present year cannot fall short of one hundred and fifty sugar in this country. The estimate to which he had millions of pounds. If this estimate be correct, it is not referred, puts down the sixty hands at an average of three difficult to arrive at the amount of contribution levied hundred dollars, making an aggregate of eighteen thousand upon the whole mass of consumers by the operation of dollars. Five hundred acres of land at ten dollars per the present unequal and most burdensome tax on this acre, five thousand dollars; dwelling, negro, and other article. In his view of the subject, there was no doubt houses, works, tools, steam engine, &c. at twenty-three the consumers were taxed at the rate of three cents per thousand dollars; one year's subsistence, including incipound upon the whole consumption of one hundred and dental expenses, at four thousand dollars-making a total fifty millions, making an aggregate of four millions and a of fifty thousand dollars. Taking the quantity of land half of dollars for the present year; thus showing that cultivated in cane at three hundred acres, and the average this tax, which carries into the treasury but one million product of sugar at twelve hundred and fifty pounds per and a half of dollars, puts the sum of three millions into acre, will be three hundred and seventy-five thousand the pockets of the American manufacturers of brown pounds. The quantity of molasses at eighty-four gallons sugar. If he should be asked how he arrived at this con- per acre, will be three thousand seven hundred and clusion, he would answer, that he had been informed, and fifty gallons of molasses. Estimating the sugar at five did not believe the fact could be controverted, that the difference between the short price and the long price of sugar in our greatest commercial city was precisely the amount of the duty of three cents per pound. cents the pound, and the molasses at fifteen cents the gallon, the gross revenue will be twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars, from which deduct three thousand dollars for yearly expenses, and it will leave, of nett inAs his remarks might, perchance, attract the notice of come, nineteen thousand five hundred dollars, or about other eyes than those of commercial men, he would state, thirty-nine per cent. upon the whole investment. Mr. H. that the short price was the price without the duty, and said, although the estimated average value of slaves in the long price the price including the duty. So that, as other States might seem to justify the average assumed no foreign sugar regularly imported can be consumed in for the gang of sixty, yet, as the estimate might, by some, the country without paying the long price, the duty is be considered too low for Louisiana, he would add ten necessarily paid on all so consumed. It might be object- thousand dollars to the estimated cost of the establishment; ed, that domestic sugar is lower in the market of New and then, assuming the same annual product from it, if Orleans than the average price of foreign sugar in the he had made no mistake in the calculation, the nett profit Atlantic cities on which duty has been paid; but he ap- would exceed thirty-two per cent. But suppose we set prehended no essential difference will be found between down the capital invested at one hundred thousand dol the prices of the foreign and domestic articles in the Atlantic cities above referred to. And he has been in formed, and believes, that foreign sugar at the short lars, instead of fifty, and calculate upon the same product, the profit will be near twenty per cent.; and if we add half a cent per pound to the estimated value of the sugar, H. or R.] Duty on Sugar. [JAN. 11, 1831. (and he had been informed that the last advices from New dollars for the labor of each, exclusive of the value of Orleans placed it at that sum,) the profit, taking the molasses. Shall the hundreds of thousands of hands emwhole cost of the establishment at one hundred thousand ployed throughout our wide spread country in raising dollars, would exceed twenty per centum per annum. grain, tobacco, cotton, and other agricultural products, be But, suppose the medium sum of seventy-five thousand taxed four millions and a half of dollars, to enable twenty dollars be taken as the cost of the plantation, hands, &c., or twenty-five thousand to cultivate from eighty to one and estimate the product at four thousand pounds to the hundred thousand acres of land, at a profit of from sixteen hand, and he would venture the decided opinion that the to near forty per centum per annum? Surely justice forhands actually employed do not fall below that average, bids it. But some advocate for continuing the duty might estimating the sum of two hundred and forty thousand say, that the sugar culture cannot be profitably carried on pounds of sugar at five and a half cents per pound, without it. If he believed this to be the case, which he twenty thousand one hundred and sixty gallons of mo- most certainly did not, he, for one, should say it was high lasses at fifteen cents per gallon, and the result is the time the culture was abandoned. gross sum of sixteen thousand two hundred and twenty- Mr. H. said, that, among the motives which had urged four dollars, which, allowing four thousand two hun-him to bring this subject to the consideration of the House, dred and twenty-four dollars for annual expenses, leaves there was one, which, although it had been omitted at the twelve thousand dollars clear profit, or sixteen per cent. outset of his observations, it might not be immaterial to per annum. mention. He came from a State which might be consiWhere is the agriculturist, engaged in any other branch dered by some as having an interest in the continuance of of this widely diversified pursuit, who realizes one-third this duty--a State which, as she had gone into the revoof this profit from the capital and labor which he em-lutionary contest in defence of principle, was ready to ploys? Surely not the grain grower, of whose limited maintain it now. Yes, sir, it was for principle that Geormarket and scanty profits we have heard so much; and gia made common cause with the oppressed of other coloas surely not the tobacco or cotton grower, who, with so nies, in that dark hour through which the sun of indemuch difficulty, brings the two sides of the leger to meet. pendence has risen on this continent. As one of her He said he had no practical information on this subject, representatives, I came here upon all subjects connected but, from what he had heard upon authority he did not with the tariff with clean hands. If I did not, I should question, two thousand pounds of sugar had been manu- not be her true representative. But, sir, I did not introfactured from an acre of cane, in one of the southern duce this subject alone for the purpose of addressing this counties of Georgia, and he had understood that a like House. I know not that any fact or argument which I quantity had been manufactured by some individual in could offer to its consideration, would have the smallest Florida, since the commencement of the present winter. influence upon the decision of the question now before it. But why go further into detail on this subject? If his cal- Sir, I had another and a higher motive--it was, that I culations were to be relied on, and he had little doubt that might from this place address myself to the practical good some one of them might be, the result is, that the manu- sense of the country, that, perchance, I might awaken in facture of brown sugar can be profitably prosecuted in the bosom of the laboring man, as he whistles over the hanthis country without the aid of a protecting duty. dles of his plough, the inquiry why this unequal and burdensome tax should be continued, mainly for the benefit of the lordly capitalist. [Before Mr. H. had finished his speech, the hour allotted for the consideration of resolutions expired, and he concluded his remarks on the following day; but they are given unbroken, above.] The House took up the following bill: But let us view the subject somewhat more in the aggregate. If one thousand pounds of sugar to the acre be a fair average, and, if it varies from the truth, he believed it was below it; and if a hand can manage five acres, and he believed, from his general knowledge of Southern agriculture in relation to articles requiring similar cultivation to the sugar cane, he can do so, we arrive at the conclusion, that the land cultivated in cane does not exceed, and "Be it enacted, &c. That so much of an act entitled probably falls below, one hundred thousand acres, and An act to provide for paying to the States of Missouri, the hands cultivating it cannot exceed twenty-five, and Mississippi, and Alabama, three per centum of the nett probably do not number more than twenty thousand. proceeds arising from the sale of the public lands within Taking then the whole product of eighteen hundred and the same,' approved the third of May, eighteen hundred thirty, at one hundred millions of pounds of sugar, and and twenty-two, as requires an annual account of the apthe molasses he should not estimate, because he had un-plication [by the State of Alabama] of the said three per derstood it would cover the annual expenses of the plan- centum to be transmitted to the Secretary of the Treasutation on which it was made, at least, the expenses of ry, be, and the same is hereby, repealed." cultivation-and the value of the sugar amounts to five Mr. CLAY explained its object. It was supported by millions and a half of dollars at New Orleans, and proba- Messrs. CLAY, WICKLIFFE, PETTIS, and DUNCAN, bly two millions, or two and a half more before it gets and opposed by Messrs. VINTON and JENNINGS. into the general consumption of the country. If we [The debate on this question involved on one hand the divide the five millions and a half between twenty propriety of relieving the States referred to from the thousand hands, the distributive amount to each is two mere formality of rendering accounts of the expenditure hundred and seventy-five dollars. If a like distribution of the fund in question, vexatious to them, troublesome to be made between twenty-five thousand, it is two hundred the treasury, and of no consequence in any view; and, on and twenty dollars each. Then is it just, is it reasonable, the other, the impropriety of altering the terms of a comthat the whole agriculture of the country should be bur-pact by a simple act of Congress, and the inexpediency of dened by a tax of four millions and a half of dollars?-for releasing the States from the responsibility for the just if the million and a half now received as revenue can be administration of these funds. In reply, it was contended dispensed with, and by its repeal the country would be that the provision of the act of 1825, proposed by this bill relieved from an additional levy of three millions now paid to be repealed, was not within the contemplation of the to the sugar manufacturers, the whole tax may now be compact, and for that very reason ought to be repealed, considered as operating for their benefit-that the hands because it imposed on the States a labor and expense to employed in manufacturing brown sugar in this country which they ought not to be subjected.] may earn for their employers the annual return of from two hundred and twenty to two hundred and seventy-five The question being finally put on its passage, it was determined in the affirmative--yeas 74, nays 45. Duty on Sugar.-Mileage of Members. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12. DUTY ON SUGAR. [H. OF R. in. It is sufficient to know for the present, that it is an article which enters into the general consumption of every The House resumed the consideration of the resolution sary for the support of Government. If there be a part family, and the revenue arising from it is not necesyesterday moved by Mr. HAYNES, of Georgia, for a re- of this Union more interested than any other in keeping ⚫duction of the duty on imported brown sugar; and Mr. H. on the duty, it is the South, because a considerable porhaving concluded his remarks-Mr. ALEXANDER said, that it might be considered proportion to the reduction. But, sir, we do not come tion of the property there will be diminished in value in unimportant by the House, whether the proposition now here to legislate upon considerations of this sort, to calunder consideration should be adopted, or no. men should not lay this "flattering unction to their souls." it is a good one to observe in reckoning our accounts at Gentle-culate the advantage gained by the rule of three, although For himself, he might be said to be almost indifferent as home; looking as we ought to the great and eternal printo the disposition that may be made of it, although he con- ciples of justice, which, pervading as they do all laws of curred fully with the mover in the object desired. Mr. creation, should be made to govern the actions of men! A. was tired of appealing to this House, with a hope of producing conviction upon the minds of those who were grandest spectacle ever before exhibited to the world! What, said Mr. A., is the prospect before us? The interested in keeping up this system of taxation. The A nation, after having borne patiently the burdens of taxtime is not long, when an issue must be made up between ation, growing out of two wars, now nearly freed from the people and the Government upon this question. debt; and the question is to be brought home to the peoThere is a point of depression, yea, and oppression, in the ple, whether they will submit to keeping up a system of physical as well as mechanical world, beyond which we taxes, merely to promote the speculative schemes of pocannot go without meeting resistance. the good people of these United States have borne the their ruins! That is the question, and cannot be avoided. A great portion of liticians seeking to establish a personal reputation upon ills of Government with a fortitude sustained alone by their devotion to the Union; but they can bear but a little while upon salt, coffee, and cocoa, made at the last session of What, sir, has been the effect of the reduction of duties longer. They have remonstrated and protested, again Congress? Why, it was opportunely seized hold of by our and again, until these have become "a by-word," are minister at London, at a time when our negotiation seemed contemned and utterly disregarded, and their only conso-almost at an end with that court, and urged with such lation is, to be told that they have the right to protest and force and argument, to show the friendly disposition of remonstrate again. Their representatives have brought the United States towards England, as well as a sincere forward here, proposition after proposition for a redress wish, on the part of the administration, to re-establish amiof grievances, which have been voted down without even cable relations between the two Governments, as to result a respectful considération. There is, then, but one re. in removing the restriction from the West India trade. A source left us-we are thrown back upon the States and continuance of the reduction of the duty upon an article, the people for protection, who, alone, are sovereign, in the production of which the West Indies are so much where their rights are concerned. which we carried into the negotiation for removing the interested, must furnish additional evidence of that spirit shackles upon commerce, as perhaps to induce Great Britain to take off some of her duties which bear so heavily upon our productions. carding our local prejudices, feuds, and animosities, which Let us then meet together like a band of brothers, dishave too often disturbed the harmony of our action here; forgiving and forgetting the past, intent alone upon doing justice to the great body of the people whom we represent, without regard to personal or political friendships. Louisiana, obtained the floor; but the allotted hour being When Mr. ALEXANDER took his seat, Mr. WHITE, of about expiring, the House proceeded to the orders of the MILEAGE OF MEMBERS. The States who have taken their stand under the banner of the constitution-not the striped bunting which has been hung up in this hall, to remind us only of their oppression-can never recede without dishonor, and a shameful dereliction of those great principles for which they profess to have been contending, in behalf of the people. Is it not far better, then-more honorable and magnanimous in a self-willed majority--to appease the wrath of an offended and insulted people, by alleviating the burdens of taxation, rather than go on in a heedless, reckless course, leading to consequences which all must deplore? Sir, we have seen, within a very short space of time, the most important events occur which have ever happened in the history of nations. A day, yea, an hour, has day. achieved the grandest revolutions of which we read, any where, in times past. France has resumed her ancient constitutional rights. Russia, alarmed for her own safety, has lined her southern border with an army of two hun-mittee on Public Expenditures, made on the 7th instant, Mr. HALL moved to recommit the report of the Comdred thousand troops. Sweden, Holland, all Belgium, is relative to the mileage of members of Congress; and Mr. in arms; and we have seen the failure of a single propo- CHILTON moved the following written instructions: sition in the Parliament of Great Britain, overthrow the ministry, and bring into power the friends of reform and tures be, and they are hereby, instructed to report to this Resolved, That the Committee on the Public Expendieconomy in the administration of the Government--the House a bill containing the following provisions, to wit: friends of free trade! These important results have been brought about by a degree of oppression upon the people Senate and Sergeant-at-arms of the House of Representa1. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the for centuries past, which they could endure no longer. tives, previous to issuing certificates to the members of We should learn wisdom from the examples of the times be- their respective Houses, for the amounts to which said fore us, and not permit ourselves to disregard results which members may be entitled for mileage to and from the seat must inevitably flow from certain causes. volution is now going on here, although Mr. A. hoped to ber so applying for a certificate, a statement, according The same re- of the General Government, to obtain from each memsee it accomplished in a different way. to the best of his knowledge, of the distance from the Mr. A. said he did not mean to enter into a considera- capitol, in the city of Washington, to the residence of tion of the amount of sugar imported into the United said member, computed upon the nearest route which States, or that which is produced here-the quantity con- may be conveniently travelled, and is necessarily and sumed, the capital invested, nor the number of plantations most usually travelled, from the one to the other point; that will be affected by the reduction. which will properly come up when a bill shall be brought ing the same. These are views which said statement shall be signed by the member mak VOL. VII.-30 H. OF R.] Surveys of the Public Lands. [JAN. 12, 1831. 2. That said Secretary and Sergeant shall record said and he would ask gentlemen if they were disposed to statements, so made and signed, each, in a book to be by withhold the necessary appropriations, and thus retard him kept for that purpose; and that the Secretary of the the settlement of the Western country. With regard to Treasury, in publishing his annual statement of the the remarks of the gentleman, that the marks of the suramounts paid to members, shall distinguish between the veyors would be destroyed, he would say that their amount paid for the per diem allowance, and the amount marks-the metes and bounds described by them--would for mileage to each member, placing the number of miles last as long as Government itself; the gentleman might charged for opposite the amount allowed. make himself easy on that point. The surveys, said Mr. Mr. HALL moved to strike out all the preceding, from J., should be continued, and homes be thus provided for the word "bill" to the end, and insert the following: the numerous emigrants to the West. Mr. J. said it was "Making it the duty of the Secretary of the Senate true that in some States the surveys were sufficient; but and the Sergeant-at-arms of the House of Representatives, there were territories to be peopled, and millions of acres with the aid of the Postmaster General, at the end of to which the Indian title had been extinguished to be every session, to make an estimate, as nearly as possible, surveyed. He considered that the sum proposed by the of the actual distance, in a direct line, of the residence of committee should be granted, as indispensably necessary; each member of the Senate, House of Representatives, they had shown a disposition to economize in reducing the and Delegate of a territory, from the seat of Government; sum recommended by the Commissioner of the General and that the mileage of members of Congress be com- Land Office; and, so far from reducing the amount proputed, and their accounts for travelling be settled, accord- posed by the committee, he was not certain that the whole ing to such estimate." sum asked for should not be allowed. He hoped, therefore, the proposed amendment would not prevail. These propositions liè over till to-morrow. SURVEYS OF THE PUBLIC LANDS. Mr. CLAY, of Alabama, said he had hoped, after what had been said in explanation, yesterday, no further objection would have been made to this appropriation for continuing the surveys of the public lands, and, consequently, had expected no further discussion of the subject. Mr. E. said, the effects of withdrawing the appropriation which was proposed, would obviously be twofold--first, to check the tide of emigration to the West; and, secondly, to cut down and materially lessen this branch of the pubMr. McCOY moved to amend the amendment, by strik-lic revenue. If the public lands were not surveyed, they ing out $130,000, and inserting $60,000. The House then proceeded to consider the amendments yesterday reported from the Committee of the Whole to the bill making appropriations for the support of Government for the year 1831, and they were all agreed to but one, which provided for the appropriation of $8,000 for the survey of private land claims, and $130,000 for further surveys of the public lands. labor, and money to improving and preparing lands for cultivation, of which they could entertain no hope of becoming proprietors, at least within any reasonable time. could not be sold; and individuals would not be disposed Mr. McCOY opposed the amendment of the committce. to remove to this new region, and devote their time, He said the surveys proposed were not necessary. There were lands already surveyed, and not sold, to the amount of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred millions of acres, and there was no good reason why one hundred Mr. C. said, the public lands, too, had been an importmillions of acres more should be surveyed and thrown into ant source of revenue. The receipts from that source the market. Some of the public lands, he said, were not had been gradually increasing, until they had grown to worth surveying; he was in favor of surveying as fast as an amount of no small importance. The amount paid by the lands would sell, and was disposed to authorize the purchasers during the year ending on the 30th of Septemsurveying of the good lands as fast as purchasers could be ber, 1830, was almost two millions of dollars; exceeding, found for them. Mr. McC. again alluded to the great ex- by about half a million, he believed, the amount received tent of lands surveyed, and said, that a considerable por- in any former year. Mr. C. asked if gentlemen were distion of them would have to be resurveyed--such, for posed to change the present land system, and cut off this instance, as the prairie lands, in which fires very often important branch of revenue. took place, and burnt up the marks, &c. which had been The gentleman from Virginia [Mr. McCoy] speaks of placed there by the surveyors. Under his present im- the large quantity of land already surveyed and remaining pressions, he moved to strike from the amendment unsold. Mr. C. said, if the gentleman would examine a$130,000, and insert $60,000. document laid before Congress two or three years ago, Mr. TEST said he generally had a great respect for he would find that a large portion of that quantity--perthe opinions of the gentleman from Virginia, who had haps thirty millions of acres--was sterile and worthless, just addressed the House; but he considered his motion and about eighty-three millions too inferior in quality to to lessen the sum proposed for surveys, to say the least command the minimum price. In the State from which he of it, inexpedient. He spoke of the public lands as an came, said Mr. C., good land, or that which was fit for increasing source of revenue, and made some reference cultivation, seldom remained long unsold after it had to the sales for the past year; and remarked further, that been surveyed and put in market; and he presumed lands to the amount of half a million of dollars had been that was very much the case in the other new States. No sold in the State of Indiana. danger, he conceived, was to be apprehended that good land would any where remain long in market for want of purchasers. Mr. JOHNSON, of Kentucky, remarked that he understood the surveyors had asked for an appropriation of $200,000. The Commissioner of the General Land Office Again, Mr. C. asked if it be desirable in point of policy had reduced that amount; and the Committee of Ways that the public lands should be long settled and improved and Means had proposed to appropriate only $130,000 to before they were offered for sale. This would certainly provide for past arrearages, and surveys for the present be the case if the surveys were suspended; and Congress year. Under these circumstances, the gentleman from might again, and would properly, be appealed to, and Virginia was desirous of reducing the amount to $60,000. importuned by petitions, for the right of pre-emption. He had supposed that, in a short session like the present, Those gentlemen who were opposed to the pre-emption there would be no disposition, on the part of any mem- principle ought certainly, in Mr. C.'s judgment, to opber, to introduce propositions for unnecessary discussion. pose a suspension of surveys. The lands would be settled What were the facts? A little over $100,000 was pro- as fast as they were acquired. It had been long the pracposed to be appropriated towards the surveys of the pub- tice to permit such settlement, and, when occupied and lic lands; it was necessary these surveys should go on; improved, the right of pre-emption had been, and Mr. C. |