Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-05-11

MT. hing. OF Newly DIRK, rose, not
with any intention Of opposing the pas
sage OF this bill, but merely TO submit to
the Senate whether it was not time to
pause IN that course ofpolicy which had
increased these land Offices to such an
extent. In the old states, all the land
business was transacted in one Office, and
no inconvenience was complained OIL
he land offices under the authority of
The United States, had already increased
to about thirty; and he suggested whe-
tier, at time when the contributions to
The puDllc treasury were daily diminish
Ing, i, was expedient to multiply chan
nels TO drain it. This grea, multiplicity
oil land offices, could not be necessary for
the public convenience; and so far from
| increasing the number, he conceived ii
his duty, or the duty oil some other gentle
man, to introduce q plan for abolishing
them altogether, and substituting some
less expensive mode of managing thai
branch Of public affairs.
re-. I.owRrE admitted that The sug-
5esuons 81 Mr.. X. were well worthy If
serious consideration. He admitted that
lthe creation of every additional land Of
Zee increased the public expenses 1000
dollars ; but he argu ed that The object oil
| the government was not SO much 10 de-
rive revenue from the public lands, as
to afford facilities and protection TO their
settlement; and, although be was not
prepared to say that the system ought
not 10 be changed, yet, while ii conllnued
as il was, it was right 10 afford the poor
people who emigrated to the new coun-
ny for settlement, every convenience in
making thcir purchases, and not subject
hem to the expense Of travelling long
Journey from the spot they wished to SCI
lie on TO a land Office TO make their en-
trics. The districts in that part Of the
county were very large, and the num-
Der Of land Offices, he thought, ought to
be sufficient for the convenience of all
parts of it, &c.
Ihc bill was reported to the Senate,
and was ordered to be eagrosscd fer
tbird reading.
Hhrii 5.
The Senate according to the order ot
the day, took up the bill! supplementary
% tic act Of last session, "for the reliet
Of tie purchasers OF Public Lands" 20
extend tbs time to September, 1922, III
which purchasers may avail themselves
IF the provisions Of that act.)
Mr.. THoMAs explained the reasons
which Induced the land committee TO
report tbs bill and the considerations
which rendered lis passage reasonable
md proper.
Mr.. CEANDI.rn offered few re,norl@
adverse 10 the policy OF The lcgislatlng
any further on this subject.
Mcssis Brown of Ohio, johnson @!
Kentucky, Barton, aad Uatker, sevc-
rally advocated the justice and expe-
dency Of tbs bill, urging tie s.lortness
of the time allowed, al,er the passage oil
the late act for The purchasers to make
the necessary application to the land
Offices, the Injustice OF excluding Q
great portion or them, who were actually
unable to make application in time after
the necessary instructions and forms
reached the different land Offices, in pre-
pairing and forwarding WHICH much o.
the time allowed BY tie &C: was CONSUME
Ell, and leaving very iiitIe fora conlpii-
ance with the law, by those for whose
relief it was intended, &c.
On motion OF MIR. KING, Of n. Y.
who wished gentlemen to have time
70 compare the provisions of this bill
with those Of the act of last session, the
bill was postponed to Tuesday next.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
.4hrH 8.
Mr.. KIRKLAND submitted for considc-
ration tie following resolution:
Resolrcd, That tl,-, Committee onthe
Judiciary be Instructed to inquire into
II expediency OF providing by law for
tue punishment of such officers of the
Uniied States as are entrusted with pub
lie moneys by virtue of their office, who
shall apply the same TO any purpose or
purposes incompatible with the duties OF
their Office, whereby the United States
shall sustain loss.
Mr.. BAssErr was in favor Of the rcso-
,ntion, but wished to extend it to those
who had the public property in keeping,
and he proposed modification to that
effect, BY inserting in the body of the re-
solve the words " or with the safe keep
ing Of public property )" which modih-
cation was assenied to by ,;,e mover.
Mr.. HARDiN was apprehensiye that The
punishment, which seemed to be contem-
nlated bv the gentleman from New
York, (Mr. Kirk'and,) would be toand