Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1832-04-30

,cre sapPo,as the public land TO be worth, On
the average one hull ri The minimum pflce, they
would .tifi present the immense sum Of 6s1 III Si3
ddars The least favorable view which ran DO
taken of them Is that Of considering them capp
ul yielding n prosent an income Of three mi
lions of dollars annually. Assuming the ordinary
rate o. .. per cent interest per annnin, rs the
standard 10 ascertain tn amount Of that capitals IL
would be fifty millions of d1lltrs. But this income
has been p.oeress.yely increasing. Tho average
increase during the slN last years has been At the
rate OF twenty three per cent. per annum. Suppos4
ing ii 10 continue IN the same ratio at the end ola
| rtIc more than four ycals, the income would DO
doubled and mike the capital 100 900 900 OF dd-
! lars. Whist The population Of the United States
| increases only per cent. per annum, the increase
of tho demand lor the public lands is at the rate Of
~ per ycnt Furnishing another evidence TINT the
progress of emigration, aud the activity of saes
! hive not been oheokedby tie price demanded by
! Government
In Whatever light, therefore, this great subject 10
| viewed, the transfer Of the public lands from the
whole peopI, Of the United States for whose bcncs
fit they are now held tnlhc people inhabtng the
new Slates, must be regarded ms the most momelA
tous measure ever presented 10 the consideration Of
| Compress. lfsneh "a measure could find any ilsfiI
hchuon, II must ariso out of some radical and ncu-
rdhlc defect III the construction of the General Go
rcrnmfni properly 10 administer the public domain
but the existence OF any such defect Is conlradicted
! by The most sueecasiu experience No branch Of
the pubic service has evinccd more system ttfor-
NIFTY and Wisdom gwen more general satisfaction,
than that ol the administration Of the public lnnds
II the proposed eession 10 the new Suites were 10
hc made At fur price such a. the Gtnorn Gov
! eminent could obtain from individual purehn-
acIs under the present system there would be no
| mn iTr mi, he
potent todarosc ofthe public lands than the COM
mon Government They arc nov sold under one IL
inform plan regulated and controlled by n single L.
Rlslaurr authority, and the practical operation il
perfectly understood lfhcy were transferred To-
| the new Statcs, the subsequent disposition would
be according Ia aws omanatng from various cgis-
! lotlyc sources. Competition would probably mise
| between the new states IN the terms which they
would ollar 10 purchasers. EHch State would be
| dcSuous OF inviting the grcatcst number of cmi
giants, not only for the lnuduLlc purpose of popu.
! lotnS rapidly It's own territories but with the view
to the acquisition of funds to cnablc 1t To fulfil its
engagements 10 the General Government Coli
sious belwcrn the Suites would probably urise, and
then injurious consequences may be imagined A
! spml ofhazardous speculation would he cngcndcr.
ed VmtouB schemes IN the new states would be
pat anoa' 10 sell On dVido the public lands. COM
| paine, aud combinations would DO formed in this
country, lfnol III foreign countries prcsenting gi-
| gntrc aud tempting but dcusivc projects aud the
| history Of legislation IN scrc Of the Suites of the
ln,on, "dntepalf'a tia, 100 ready some
times gIYeoie anelolly. IN legislative assembly,
| to such projects.
| A decisive objection 10 such II transfer Tor n fur
equivalent II. tIat II would establish new and
daneorous rcalion between the General Covers
mont and the ncw Smtce. IN nbolIshhg tho credit
which had been allowed 10 purchasers of the pub
Il. lands pf1of 10 the year 1870 Congress was prin-
| rjpaliy governed by the consideration of tho mex
p,dl,ncy aud hazard Of accumuIatng large n.
mount of debl IN the now statcs, all bordering on
each other Such an accumulation was deemed uh-
WISE and unsafe II presented new bond of IN.
tcrcst, OF sympathy, and OF union, partially opera.
ting 10 the possible prejudice Of the common bond If
| the whole tnlon. But that debt was II debt due
! from rndl yldnas aud II attended with this en-
corragIng security, that purchasers as they sue
ccesyoIy completed the payments for their lnnds
would naturally be disposed to aid the Government
in enforcing payment from delinquents. The pro-
! lcct, which the committee now considering is,
! to btll 10 the States IN Their sovereign character
and consequently, 10 render them public debtors 10
| the General Government TO nm immense amount.
! This would inevitably create between the debtor
! States common feeling, and common interest,
distinct from the rest Of the Union. These States
are all III the western and south western quarters of
| the Union, romotcst from the centre ofFcdcra pow
a. The debt would be felt MS n load from which
they would constantly be DESTROYS to relieve them
! sclvcs--and II would operate n strong temptn-
ton, weakening, II not dangerous, TO the existing
cDuiedcracy. The committee have the most am
mating hopes aud the greatest confidence in the
strength aud power and durability Of our happy
/ Unlon-and the attachment aud warm affection y
every mcmbrr OF the couicdcracy cannot be doubt.
cd--but We have authority higher than human, for
the instruction, that II IS wise to avoid all temp
lalion
In the State ofIllnos, with a population, at the
last census Of 57 i1J there are 81 1896 800 acres Of
public land including that part on which the Indian
title remains to be cxtlngulshcd five suppose 1t
to be worth only half the minimum price, it would
amount 10 4l9 G22 $50 How would that State be
able To pay such AN enormous debt How could it
pay even the annual interest upon it
Surprising the debtor States 10 fail to comply with
thcr engagements, IN wha' molc could they be en-
forced by the General Government In treaties
between independent nations, the ultimate remedy
is well known The apprehension Of an appeal TO
that remedy, secondiug tho sense Of Justice and
Fl regard for character which prevail among christian
and civilized nations, constitutes generally, ade
quae security for the performance of national COM
pacts. But this last remedy would be totally mad
Missile IN Of delinquency on TIE par, OF the
debtor States. The relations between the General
GU.G. amen and the members Of the confederacy,
are happily lose Of peace, friendship and fiateml-
ty, and exclude al, idea Of force and Could
the judiciary coerce the debtor States Ga what
could their process operate? Could the properly
OF innocent citizens, residing within the limits OF
these States, be Justly seized by the General Gov
J. Ill,