Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-02-05
CONGRESS.
IN SENATE, Jan. 10.
PUBLIC LANDS.

PUBLIC LANDS.
MIR. FOOT'S resolution for susprndng tho snr-
veys Of the public lands, &c being under cousdcra-
tom
Mr.. SMITH of Maryland, said there was no ne |
ccssity for the amendment, the committee had al
rcAdy the same powers 1t proposed to confer. Al
though he was opposed to the measure which the
resolution of the gentleman from Connecticut Mr.
Foot purported have IN view. yet he should vote
for the resolution. What would be said if,his reso-
luton we're reicctod' That We we're afraid Of inqu
ry Al the first stage of the new administration he
would wish to avoid the charge Of being hostile to
any investigation. Ifthe resolution goes to q COM
mittec they will make report and be said it de-
sirable to put down the Jcalousies which contrary
course would excite. The excitement of part Of
the Union against the other was, if prevalent, cX-
trcmeiy unfortunate. Mr. s. stated that the policy
of the government in all projects having reference TO
the Western States has been indugcut. He said he
would vote against the amendment being unneces-
sary, and in support the resolution for the
stated. a gentleman had becn alluded to by the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Benton,) in The course
Of his remarks, of which he (AJr S thought it ne
cessary take notice. That gentleman said allu-
ding distinguished character, that he had ceded
by negotiation fair portion of land belonging to the
United States Mr.. s. said he had been an actor on
that occasion, aud was well acquainted with the
subject that he had been informed at the time that
quarrel had taken place between the genteuan al
uded TO and Don Ona, the Minister on tho part Of
Spain, and they had separated not to meet again on
the subject: that quarrel arose he was inform.
cd and believed on the determination of the Amer
lean neIutiat or that the Colorado must and should
be the boundary lines that the uegoutors nrt aran
at the request of mutual friends What pissed atcr-
wards he did not know, further than that he could
assure the Senator from Missouri that the gentleman
alluded to by bm vas not the first 10 reccde to tic
Sabine as the boundary of the United States.
Mr.. LIVINGSTON said: In all deI,oeratcc Us
sernblies With which have been acquainted, there
are two modes of deciding a resolution requiring
the opinion of q committee on the eypptiieocy of
proposed uoeas1rc one, the most ordinary and rc-r-
Tar mode, directing the reference as q matter of
course, which mode gave rise to 10 presumption Of
the opinion of the house the measure proposed by
the resolution: The other mode is that OF opposing
the inquiry useless, by an investigation of TN,
subject showing that Il would be Improper 10 ground
any measures on such result OF the inquiry as seem
cd to be expected by the resolution-I say seemed
70 be expected, because the mover certainly would
not kuv, wished for inquiry merely to sftsfy Gu
rosty and the phraseoogy of the resolution evident
~ shows the object to be, that the sales lands shall
be restricted TO those already surveyed. The de-
bate, them not having turned the necessity of an
inquiry, bot on the proprlety Of the measure Itself
which was TO be made the subject OF inouiry-i was
Us competent to tn Senate TO decide now, whether
such restriction OF the sale OF lands advisable
measure, as they would be on the report of a COM
D,ttee for such report could give no facts thu, we
We're not in possession of-and offer tho turn the
debate had taken, vote OF reference to commit.
tee you'd be considered acguiescencc in the
prppriey Of the measure contemplated by the reso-
luton. Fhereore, although / should have voted
for the reference If the measure had taken lis usu-
M
s11z-~-s. The State whose interests / advocate
and parity fcr-Ssent, has Suffered too much from
tho delay in the ST. "f pablo lands already not
TO render this proposition of restraining item still
further. fatal to her interest, With popua,ron
Of 10000 inhabitants, TO bear al the charges of
Cove rnment: her Increase hns hac S,r-;.- for %
years; during which, according to the natural course
of things, that population ought to have been at
least doubled. fhe lands of the United States n
mounting to 8 ,o0o, 900, are not only exempt from
taxes, but the inhabitants forced, if they wish %
Keep up communication between themselves in some
Of the settlements and to protect their property from
inundation to make roads, bridges and embank ments
the public lands. law to restrict the sales of
public lands to those already surveyed You'd be c.
quIvaleDt TO law to stop them altogether, for al
though of the 81 900 900 Of acres owned BY the T.
States, 400 900 have been surveyed yet tenth
part of that quantity has been sold, and of what re-
mains not tenth part viii sell; it is morass or
pine barren. Therefore, a law to stop the surveys
would be equivalent to q law TO put q stop to the
further increase Gf the State and cntailnp upon its
present inhabitants and their descendants the bar
then of all the taxes and all the services required for
defending and improving the lands OF the United
States There two views in which the subject
Inay be considered; one, that in Which the pecuniary
interest of the u. States Is alone considered-the
other, that In which the infinitely important
political interest of the new States is Concerned.
In the first view, considering the u. States si,npy
a great landholder, what are its interests, To
sell as speedily and for good price az they can;
but the greater choice you give settlers the more
speeol IL Is evident tnI you can SELL and the better
land you throw into the market evidently the better
price you can command. This can only be done by
continuing your surveys. The political view of the
question is that would require an Investigation
not now necessary to DO gone into. The strength Of
the Union depends the population wealth. re-
sources, aud industry of the States, its comnoncat
parts Whatever cramps them, Restraints the general
welfare, anh reduces its strength. The money to be
drawn from the sale of the lands is but fealber in
the scnIe OF great national policy and if the popua-
ton of the States would be increased by Gsposinr of
them, even for nominal price, VIC ght not to hest
tate.
In another point of view the surveys ore hirbly
important. They give Us Gn accurate knoyedes
not opIy OF the situation, but the quality oDd value of
our land It's facilities for Improvement by roads
canals and proXlmity 70 market and even f the sales
were stopped, the surveys ought TO 70 on What
great landed proprietor who does not berlin by this
operatom And shall the greatest Of all landholders
from fear of expense. neglect it? Yhese ore some
OF the advantages resulting from n perseverance, in
the judcious plan Which has been adopted 10 relation
to our pubic lands. These some Of the n,Irjoug
G'ec,s winch would result from abandoning IL. Whot
uTe the benefits expected from n chaprc1 =,