Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-02-05


faithfully and bona fida disposed Of for
that purpose, and for no other u8e or
hurhoSe qvhatsoeuer." These lands ION
the northwest of the Ohio were granted
ON the further condition that the United
States should reimburse the expenses
which Virginia had incurred in defending
the territory, &c. The other public
lands were paid for out Of the treasury
of the nation, and thus became equally
the property of all the states. But from
the manner in which" Justice" treats the
subject, one would be led 10 suppose
these lands were exclusively the aroher-
~ of the nezO states or that they only
have the righ. Of deciding on the mode
Of their disposal. g Do the old states,'
he asks " deserve this indulgence :" He
might almost as well have asked, have
they the right to 10 what they will with
their own?
The constitution places the disposal Of
the territory of the United States in " the
congress and according to the COM
pact just recited, they must SO dispose
Of this part Of it, as to subserve the" use
and benefit of all the states in the union,
and for no other purpose whatsoever"
The quantity of land already appropriate
ed on this side Of the Mississippi,
to The private use and benefit of the
new states, is believed 10 be nearly
eight millions Of acres; and if the.
same system is extended to those Oh
the west side Of the river, nearly as
much more mast be appropriated in this
way. These lands are worth at the pre-
sent price twenty millions CT dollars !!
And all this amount Of the national pro-
perry is devoted to the exclusive benefit
OF The rev states; and yet il the other
states who have thus generously dealt by
as, ask lor similar grants for similar pur-
poses, We are to inquire whc.he. they
/" deserve this Indulgence"
8 But would it be no injury to the
new states that it should be granted?"
1t is conceived not: SO far from it, that
if We may judge from the experience OF
a neighboring state, which has been
+" burthened' with similar grant, it will
greatly tend to encourage emigration 10
our country, and Thus increase our po-
pula,ion and wealth. The state of Ohio
contains in lis northeast corner, an i'm
mense population, whose enterprise and
wealth have done much for the character
of the state abroad, ard the Increase Of
her influence in The councils Of the ma
ton; and the greater part of whom were
led to settle there by the influence Of The
state which had reserved those lands
Bot &c it will take away rich source OF
Irevenue from the general government"
Far otherwise. For whatever tends to
increase the population OF the new states,
tends also TO enhance the value of the
unsold public lands remaining in them.
And if no such advantages would result
from the measure, the tendency which
education has to facilitate the acquisition
of wealth, must by making the nation
more rich, increase the sources Of public
revenue. knowledge is power-and
whatever will increase it, and diffuse it
among the citizens Of our country, will
contribute to the strength and perpetuity
of our government. AS to "the claims
which distant state may hold within
our own, taking away, in proportion to
its extent, our state sovereignty" SC.
we have seen that one case has existed
in which distant state had those claims
and, yet we have never heard Of any coz
tention on the subject. On the contra
~, we believe it will be easy for con
grcss SO to arrange these grants, as not
in the least to Interfere with the rights
Of the state, states, or territory in which
they are located. We are therefore in
duced to wish that these claims may be
satisfied, because we consider them Just :