Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1830-02-16

thrown out of cultivation. Sir, believe
that if the publick lands had never been
sold, the aggregate amount of the nation
al wealth would have been greater at this
moment. Our population, if concentrated
in the old States, and not ground down
by tariffs, would have been more prosper
Gus and more wealthy. But every in.
ducement has been held out to them TO
settle in the West, until our population
has become sparse, and then the effects Of
this sparseness are now to be counteract-
ed by another artificial system. Sir,
say if there is any object worthy the at
tention of this government, it is plan
which shall limit the sale Of the; publick
lands. If those lands were sold accord
ing to their real value, be it so. But
while the government continues, as il now
does, to give them away. they will draw
the population Of she older States, and
still further increase the effect which is
already distressingly felt, and which must
go to diminish the value of all those States
possess. And this, sir, is held out to US
as motive for granting the present APP
preparation. l would not, indeed, pre-
vent the formation Of roads on these con-
slderations, but certainly would not en-
courage it. Sir, there is an additional
item in the account of the benefits which
this government has conferred on the
Western States. 1t is the sale of the pub
lick lands at the minimum price. At
this moment we are selling to the people
of the West lands at one dollar and twen-
ty-ive cents, which are worth fifteen, and
which would sell at that price if the mar
kets were not glutted."
Mr.. Webster observed, in reply that
the gentleman from South Carolina had
mistaken him if he supposed that it was
his wish so TO hasten the sales of the pub
lick lands, as to throw them into the
hands of purchasers who would sell again.
His idea only went as far as this that
the price should be fixed so low as not to
prevent the settlement of the lands, vet
not so low as to induce spectators to pur-
chase. Mr.. w. observed that he could
not at all concur with the gentleman from
South Carolina, in wishing to restrain the
labouring classes of population in the cas-
tern States from going to any part of our
territory, where they could better their
condition : nor did he suppose such an
idea was any where entertained. The
observations Of the gentleman had opened
to him new views of policy on this sub
ject, and he thought. he now could per-
ceiye why some Of our States continued
to have such bad roads; it must be for
the purpose Of preventing people from go
ing out of them. The gentleman from
South Carolina supposes, that if our pop
ulation had been confined to the old
thirteen States, the aggregate wealth Of
the country would have been greater than
it now is. But, Sir, it is an error, that
the increase Of the aggregate of the ma
tional wealth. is the object chiefly to be
pursued by government. The distribu-
ton of the national wealth is an obiec;
quite as important as its increase. He
was not surprised that the old States not
increasing in population so fast as was
expected (for he believed nothing Ike a
decrease was pretended) should be an
idea by no means agreeable to gentlemen
from those States we are all reluctant in
submitting to the loss of relative impor-
tance-but this was nothing more than
the natural condition Of country denseIy
populated in one part, and possessing in
another a vast tract OF unsettled lands.
The plan Of the gentleman went to re-
verse the order of nature, vainly expect
ing to retain men within small and COM
paratively unproductive territory "who
have all the world before them to where
choose" For his own part, he was in IA
vaur of letting population take its own
course he should experience no feeling
Of modification if any of his constituents
like better to settle on the Kansas or the
Arkansas, or the Lord knows where,
within our territory; let them 60, and be
happier if they could. The gentleman
says our aggregate of wealth would have
been greater if our population had been
restrained within the limits Of the old
States; but does he not consider popula-
ton to be wealth And has not this been
increased by the settlement Of new and
fertile country? Such country presents
the most alluring of all prospects to a
young and labouring man-it gives him a
freehold-it offers to him weight and res
pectabiIity in society, and above all, i,
presents to him prospect of permanent
provision for his children. Sir, these are
inducements which never were resisted
and never will be; and, were the whole
extent Of country filled with population up
to the Rocky Mountains, these induce.
ments would carry that population for.
ward to the shores Of the Pacific ocean.
Sir. il is in vain to talk individuals will
seek their own good, and not an artificial
aggregate of the national wealth--a young
enterprising and hardy sgriculturis. can
conceive Of nothing better to him than
plenty of good, cheap land"
Sir, with the reading Of these extracts
y d xsff li.pl