Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-02-02
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IN SENATE. In Is-

r..
Conn beng under CO, sderaon:
Resolved, That tho Committee Public instructed
enquire into the eSPsney Of limiting for certain period the
boen Offered for SALE and entry price;
of the Surveyors Lasds may not be abolished with
out dc,riment to the public in,crcst.
Mr.. Benton commenced his sp'erh with an analysis
OF the Resolution, which he said presented three dis
tinct propositions. namely:
l. To stop the surveying Of the Public Lands
2. To limit the sales 10 the lands now in market.
3 To abolish all the offices of the Surveyors General
These were the propositions. he effect OF them
would be-
l. To check emigration 10 the new States and Terri
toris..
q To limit their settlement.
j. To deliver up large portions cfthcm TO the domin-
ion OF wild beasts
L. To remove all the land records from the new
Stats.
MIR. b. di.clamed all intention Of having any hing
10 10 with The motives of the OF the resolution;
he ok 1t according to it effect aud operation and
ceived this 10 be emineny injurious Tie rights and
interests OF the States and Territories: he should
justify The view which he had taken and tie vote he
intended 10 give by exposition of facts and
which would shew the disastrous of the practical
effects OF this resolution.
On the fret branch OF these effecs-chec emgra.
ton TO the Wes-it ia clear that if he sales limited
TO the lands now in market emigration will cease to
flow, for tn lands Of character to attract
pie It distance. In Missouri they are the refuse of
forty years picking, under The Spanish Government:
and oil twenty more under the Governmy of the Unit
ed States The character end value of this refuse had
been shewn officially in the Reports Of the Registers
and Receivers, made in obedience 10 call from the Sc
nate. Other gentlemen would snow what was said Of
II in their respective States; he would confne himself
to his own-to the State OF Miesouri-and shew /, to
he miserable indeed. The S. Louis District, contain
ing two and quarter millions Of acres was etitnateI
at an average value OF fifteen cents per acres tie Care
Grardeau District, containing four and hall millions Of
acres was estimated al twelve and half per
The Western District, containing one million and ;hree
quarters al acres, was estimated sivtytwo and half
eens ON the other two Districts there was no intel
gibe or pertinent return; but Stunning them 10 he
equal TO the Western District, and The average value
oil lands they e-tan would be only half the amoun,
of the present mnimu- price This being The state o,
The lands ia Missouri which would be subject TO s,Io
under the operation of this resolution, no emigrants
would he attracted TO them. P+rseas who remove "a
new countries want new lands, first choices: and i,
they cannot get these they hare no su Gent induce
meht 10 move. The Senator from Conn ccu', (Mr.
Foo had read part OF Mr.. Grahams the Commission
ers report, 10 s''ew that the lands had sold rapidly in
the Steubenviie District, the oldest in the Union; he
had shewn tie sales there for 1925 TO be abou S35
O0o but he bad wished 10 have -hewn the other ride
oil The que totihow much faster they seil in new Ds
tricis-what fine Opportunity he would have found i'm
the Craw ordsvilIe District in Indiana The sales there
in The same year, being no less than s 80 900
The second i'll effect 10 result from thi. resolution
supposng il 10 rpeD into the measures which imnIie
TO be necessary would be in limiting The spulene Mt
10 the new S!aes and Territories. The limitation OF
settlement would he The ins viabe effect of con6ui,g
The sales TO The lands in market These lands in
Missouri, only amount TO third of The s. ate ~
consequence only one third could be settled. Two.
trds OF the state would remain without inhabitants
the resolution says Tor 'u certain pefi0d and the gs
uemen III their speeches eXpound this certain DeriOG
10 be seveniy-two years. They say seventy two mil
on' Of reres are now in Market that sell but one
million year; therefore, we have enough TO surpIv
the demand for seveuty.two years IL does mn,
their be ads TO consider that If the prize xas adapd 10
the value, all Of This seven;y~two millions that Is fit for
cultivation, oud be sold Immediately. TLev mus, po
on at million year for seveny-two yeers The Scrip.
ure term OF the life OF man, long period in The aye OF
haiion-tbe exact period Of the Sahyloni.h captivity
"a long and 'orrowu period in the history Of The jews:
and not les long, less sorowiul in the history of
West, il this resolution should take effect
The iii poin, Of objection s that it would deliver
up large portions OF the new STATES and Territories In
he dominion OF Wild beast'. In Missouri tlis SURF n
der would he equal 10 twobrds Of the State compris.
ing about forty thousand square miles covering the
whole valley Of the Gage River, beside< MANY Other
parts. and approaching within dozen miles of the cen.
ire aud capital Of the State. All this would he deliver
edup TO wild beas's; Tor The Indian title IL
eds and the Indiana gone; the white people would he
excluded from il; beasts alone would take H. aud all
hisin violation Of The Divine command TO repenisb the
esr TO increase and multiply upon it, AMI 10 have do
ninon over The beasts Of the ioe.t the birds of the
air. the fish In the waers, and the creeping thing, up
on the earth
The fourth point Of objection s. in The removal n,
the land records, the natural effect Of aho ng all the
Offices # he Surveyors G'nersl. These Offices arc
hve in numbef II s Fropo'ed 10 abolish Them i and
the fedfon gued in The debates thit they are sine
cures; that is TO say offices which bsve revenues and
no employment. Thi'is the description Of sinecnre
We have one Of these Offices in Missouri, and know
som thing oft The Surveyor General, CO... mcRee
y point OF fidelity TO his trust belongs TO The school Of
Nathaniel Macon: in point oi science aud intelligence
he belongs 10 the frat order of men that Emope or A.
merica contain lie and his clerks carry labor and
drudgsty 10 the ultimate po'b, oi human exeron. and
m aii shor, OF the task before hein and this is an Of.
hce which il s proposed 10 abolish under The notion oil
sinecure, AZ an Office with revenue and without en-
Payment The abolition Of these Offices would involve
the necessity Of removing all their records and thus
PrvDg The country Of all the evidences Of the ounda.
tons Of all the land titles. This would he sweeping
work. but the gentlemsD's plan would be nconiple,e
without including the General Land Office in this city
the principal business OF which Is to superintend the
bve Surveyor Generals Offices, and for which there