Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-02-05
ron THE SPECTATOR.
APPROPRIATION OF PUBLIC LANDS.

APPROPRIATION OF PUBLIC LANDS.
AIn. PRINTER,
In yonr paper of the a2d inst. | find an
article signed Justice respecting the
right of the old states to participate
equally with the new, in the appropria-
tons Of the public lands for the purposes
Of education, whose statements and views
appear so erroneous and illiberal, as to
merit animadversion. While the writer
acknowledges that "to encourage edu-
cation throughout the United States pc
nerally, is certainly an object worthy the
attention of the general government" he
appears greatly opposed to what is con-
ceived one of the most equitable and
feasible plans Of accomplishing this OBJ
jec,, that has ever been presented to pub
lie attention. He talks about the old
states owning, at the formation of their
governments, the whole Of the soil with
in their bounds, &c. and compares them
TO San elder childwho having sqnander-a
ed away tie property given him by an
indalgent parent, comes in at his death
and boldly claims an equal share of the
inheritance with the younger children
who had received nothing" New TO
say nothing about the run of the state
rneni respecting the old states Gaming
The qohoie oftteir SoiL what he m ea'ls by
it, or whether it has any relation 10 his
subject, think iittle reflection will
Shcw that the cases are nor " nearly ana
logous 2 Tie old states did not receive
their lands from the general government.
They were not acquired al the expense
Of the nation. They were their private
property; and if they had sluandered
them away, that circumstance could not
prejudice their claim to other property
to which they have an equal right. Our
own4state has recently established bank,
for the redemption of whose paper our
public lands are pleged. Suppose We
are ultimately unable to redeem that pa
per, without disposinB ofthose lands, and
they should thus be g squandered away"
will it follow that we shall not be entitled
to our quota Of United States arms for
the use ofour militia, or allowed to par
ticipate in any other grants forpublic pur-
poses, out ofthe common property OF the
nation! But, says g Justice,' some of
the old states have had their share of the
public lands, or s'in fact their share has
been much greater" Will he conde-
scend to tell US whicl, Of those states,
when they received their lands, and
where are they situated doubt not the
old states would be glad to be informed
on these subjects, and avoid the NORTH
cation ofbeing held up to the view Of the
world as elder children, who have squan-
dered away their share Of the public pro-
perry, and now "look with a jealous eye
on the pittance allowed their younger
brethren"
The public lands, whether acquired
BY force, by acts or deeds of cession from
particular states, or by purchase from
foreign governments, are the common
property Of the union because they have
been obtained by the united efforts and
at the common expense of all the states.
Such Of the lands as have been coded
by particular states, have been thus
granted on certain conditions, which each
Of the other states has been bound to &C
cede to. Thus when Virginia coded her
claims to the tract Of territory we inha-
bit, she stipulated that all the lands not
included in other special conditions shall
be considered as a common fund for the
use and benefit of such of the United
States as have become, or shall be-
come members 9th confederation or
federal alliance Of the said states, Virgil
sipia inclusive, according to their usual