Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-02-02
CONGRESS-.
N sENArE. jan. "a. lcso.

Tor certain period, the sacs of The Public Lands to
such lands only ~ have heretofore been offered los
ssi", and are subject TO entrs at the minimum prices
and. Also whether he Office of Surveyor General,
sand the offices the Surveyors Of the Public Lands
may not be abolished, without detrmcnt 70 The pub
Mr. BENTON commenced his speech with an an
alyss OF he Resolution, which, he said presented
three dlstiact propositions namely:
l. To stop The surveying OF the Public Land
.. To limit he sales To the lands now in market
9. 70 abolish all tho Offices Of the Surveyors Gen
crp
These we're the propositions The effect Of them
would be
l. To check emigration to tia urw States and
Territories.
p To limit their settlement.
O. To deliver up large portions OF them to the do
hl;niou of wild beasts
J. To renoyc all the land records from the new
States.
sir. 9 disclained all intention of having any siing
10 10 wih kc motives of the ct tnC resolutions
n took it according its effect and operation, and
Conceived this TO be em!nen'y Injurious tn the rights
and interests Uf the new States anu territories nc
should Justify the which he had taken, and the
yltc ne intended TO give ny eXposiIion OF facts
and reasons winch would snow tho disastrous nature
o. the practical effects of this resolution.
On the frs; branch Of these eftcts-checking emf
grafton the Wost-- clear, that If the sales
limited 20 the lands now in market, emigration will
erase ioC for these lands not OF character
TO attract people al distance. In Missouri thev
the refuse of forty years picking under the Spanish
government; and Of twenty more under the govern
CT this refuse had been shown officially In the reports
OF the Registers anu Receivers made obedience to
cal from the Senate. Other gentlemen wonlt show
what said Uf 1t IN their respective Siaicsi It,
would contnc himself TO MS oWn--.o the State OF
Missuuri--and show IT TO be miserable Indeed. Tho
81. Louis district con aiming W. AMI quarter NIL
lions OF acres, was estmrt"d al eraga value OF
fifteen cents per the Cape GlFlrjeau district
Containing four and halt mil ions o acres was csti-
mated at twelve and hall cents per acre; Tic West
ern district, containing one million and lhrec quarters
ofacres estlma, ed sixty two and hall cents;
iOm the other two districts there was np lntcstOc
or pertinent return; but assuming them 10 be cQCa TO
the Western district, and the average value OF the
lands they contain would be only one half the amount
OF the present minimum price. THIS beng the state
OF the lands In Missouri which would be subject to
sale under the operation of this resolution, erni
grants would be attracted TO them Persons who TO
move ~ countries new lands first choices;
and If they caanot get these, they are sufficient
inducemcnt to move. The Senator from Connect
cat (Mr. Foot had cad part OF Mr. Grahln's, tho
Commissioners report, to shoy that .the lands had
sold rapidly 10 the Steubccvilic district the Oldest IL
The Uncn lac had shown the sales there Cor 1928
be about $50, 900; but he had wished have shown
the other side ofthe queetOn-how much faster they
sell IN dlstrlcts--what fine opportunity he
would huvc fouhd IN the Crawordsyilie district IN In
DANA the sales there IN the same year baing no less
than 81 10000.
The second III effect to result from ...s resolution
snpposing It TO pen into the measures which 1t I'M
plies 10 be necessary, would be III limiting he settle
nents IN the States aud Territories. This lint
taon OF settlement would be tho inevitable effect of
continuing The sales 20 the lands now market. These
lands III Missouri only amount TO ou;.-,hrd OF the
State. BY consequence only one-third could be set
ted. TWO-tllird5 Of the State would remain without
Inhabitants; the resolution says for certain pcriod
and the gentlemen IN their speeches expound this
certain period 10 be seventy two years. They say
seventy-two millions of acres ID market; that
We sell but million year; therefore, We have
enough TO supply the demand Tor sevcnty-two years.
IL does not enter their heads TO consider That it the
price adapted to the value, all of this seventy
millions that is fit for cultivation would be sold i'm
mcdiateiy. They must go on at million year FOR
veaty two years, the Scripture for the life Of
man, long period IN the age Of naton-the exact
period of the Babylonish captivty-a long and sor-
rowful period in tie stJFy Of the Jews and less
long, less sorrowful tic history Of the West if
this solution should take effect.
The third poin Of objection IS that it wonli deliver
MP large portion Of the new States and Territories
10 the dominion OF wild beasts. In Missouri this
render would be equal to two thirds of tic S,utc
Comprising about forty thousand square miles cover
ing the whole valley OF the Usage river, besides many
other parts and GPproa ching within dozen miles of
the centre and ca pital of the Stale. Al this would
be delivered OPP to Wild boasts for the Indian title is
distinguished and the Indians gone: the white people
would be excluded from Il; beass alone would take
H. and oil this IN violation OF tho Divine command to
rcrlepsh the Garth TO increase and multiply upon IT,
ana 10 have dominion over the beayts Of the forest,
The birds of the air, the Sch IN the waters and the
creeping things upon Inc Garth.
The fourth point Of objection j., ~ The removal &C
tho land records, the natural effect Of aboising ali
the offices Of the Surveyors General These Off
five in number. /, - rrososed 20 abolish
them al, and The assigned in debate IS lhol
they sinecuTcs; that - to say, oficcs which have
revenues and no employment tn, ls tdr Ucscrp-
zion OF q siuecure. We have one Of these Oiicos Ia
Rissour, and hRow sniheth NJ Of 30. The Surveyor
General, Col MCRe,. ~ point Of fidelity his trust,
belongs 10 tue school OF HHlhlnil MucoH: ~ p5nt
cf sci9ncr a. Intelligence, he belongs to tn first
order Of men that Europe or Amcnca contains. lie
and ms clerks carry labor snd dsudgcrr TO the VIII
mate point o; human cyertio1 ana still t,ii short %
tho tasS he ore ,heu; I'd tiis j. Office which y Is
proposed To abolish undo tb. no.i,a Of a sinocuge,
as N Office with rcycauc, and without cmrl"gm7nt
The abolition OF these Offices v0a'd involve Tie ne
cessity OF removing a. their records and 'hHs dcpn
wing the country Of all the evidence, NJ Hic lounda-
lions u all the land titles Uhc would De fwccpiug
work, L'd The gcncuDan's plrn would tc incomplete
wihout Including te General Land Office n this cit
tbe PRINCIPAL S.noa5 Of which Is To suprruteni Tie
five Surveyor Gen rails Offices, and l0r which thcTa
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