Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-04-20
POLITICAL.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.

THE PUBLIC LANDS.
The reader will have observed, from the above notice
OF the Senate proceedings OF yesterday that report
very important, nature made by Mr. Clay from the
Committee Manufactures on the amendment introdu-
ced by Mr.. Bbb and modified by Mr. Robinson, the
resolution moved early in the session by Mr.. Clay
which the Tariff question widely debated. The
amcndmcn it will be recoected directed the committee
to inquire into the expectancy OF reducing the price OF
the Public Lands and OF transferring them the States in
which they lie, on equitable terms.
The supposed tendencies of this proposition, and the
Importance OF the subject involved in it, had excited Pc
eular socitude concerning the Report be made by the
Committee. We shall lay the Report before readers
as soon a it is possible TO find for it, DESTROYS
however, 10 gry, at once, in degree, their curosi-
~, anticipate that publication by presenting 10 our
ders the following outline of this pregnant State Paper
The Report commences with brie history of pub
ic domain dividing il into hc public lands at the close
the Revolutionary and those within the boundaries OF
Louisiana and Florida, acquired by ccsSions from France
and Spain, respectively.
The resolution of Congress of September 6, 1850. re-
sommending TO the interested States liberal cessons of
portion of their territorial claims the United States and
the resolution OF Congress of October TO- $780, providing
that the lands which might be coded in of that
Recommendation, should he disposed of for the common
benefit Of the United States, &c sc. are next brough,
in The Report paricularzes the cessions made bv
New ork in 17Sl Virginia in 1881 and Georgia in 1902
and notices the clause in the cessio by the last named
State, which provides that the lands coded by hor shall
alter satisfying money payment and certain grants re-
SoSzeu ny the agreement, zoe considered as
Juna J"r he use and benef Of the United States Geor-
g'd included, and shall be Jdfy disposed Of for that
purpose, and for no other use purpose tchdferer"
The Committee advert TO the cessions by France and
Spain, OF the lands coming within the second general i-
vision OF the public domain having been procured for
considerations which made good to the cedug now
ers out OF the Treasury OF the Union-fhe common. stock
81 me tchoie People They examine and applaud the
system adopted Tor surveying and selling the public lands
and notice the elaxaons OF that system which have been
made Tor the benefit OF purchasers among the less wealthy
portions oil the community They then refer 10 the Re-
port of the Secretary of the Treasury April g. 1882
showing the amount expended by the United States in the
acquisition OF public lands and the proceeds of the sales
which have been made This document from the Trcasu-
ry department shows that the thus expended ex-
ceeds that received for sales, by nearly eleven millions Of
dollars.
The Report states the quantity of unsold lands on which
the foreign and lndanesha been exiting the
grants to Ohio Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri Internal
Improvements, and the grants for literary institutions and
education Ii then presents strong views of the
neNpedency of reducing the price of the public lands;
shows that the present prices high the evil
dencc OF the bkness oil the sales, and the large quan-
ties which have been solo, and that reduction
price would operate unjustly and inurousy the GO
Verhmen anu TO former purchasers, by diminishing the
value oil their property. Reduction, say the Committee
would also be pernicious by its tendency to accumulate
large quantities of land among overgrown capitalists and
they illustrate this position by the example OF the militia
ry bounty lands. They then explain the injurious bear
ing oil reduction onOhio, Kentucky, and Tenncssee-,le
States from which the greatest emigration proceeds-in
cssenng the value OF real members of the
confederacy; in diminishing their interest in the public
domain; and in offering effective bounty TO further
grafton.
The argument derived from the large quantity Of pub
nc lana yet renanng unsoa that the price is
high - answered by reference TO the rapdity of sales
&c The Report notices the proposition that the price OF
the public lands is far and that in the present state and
prospects OF the such ought be reduced
The Report denies that there is any in the case and
argues that the contrary assumption those who
PAID the alleged i@r are sf fh f az ha
purchasers at reduced rates 1t Denies however that
ducuon oil The price the public lands necessary 10
lerate me settlement and population of the States within
which those iNndshe These States seven in number
VIZ Ohio Indiana, Illinois, Mississippi Alabama Missouri
and Louisiana; and appears from statistical details
presented by the Committee, that from 1920 TO 1880 the
progress of population in the States Just named has been
he tato,
table from which this result derived and which is an
pended TO the report exhibits the gratifying fact that
ring the period just Indicated the whole population of the
United States las increased about rfyf per cent
Each OF eleven States exceeded and each of thirteen
States fell short OF that rate olncrease
Few political readers ignorant of the fact that in H.
new States oil the COnederacy considerable
existed IN consequence OF the Government being an
extensive proprietor OF lands within their borders without
paying taxes Tor it, and of the exemption of such lands
from taxation for five years after sale This state Of THINGS
has those sections of the Union been egac, nc
rating inurousy TO the resident andhoder by
BIN with dispoporionac share in the expenses of the
Slate Governments In noticing the complaints sprneing
from these circumstances, the committee take occasion in
present the other side of the question. They refer TO the
application, by compact, between the General Govern.
ment aud the States, of five per cent on the nett
proceeds oil land sales TO internal improvements the
lana reservations for purposes OF educaon and TO the
numerous grants OF land for local purposes the spirit
which has uniformly actuated the General Government
on this subject the Committee recomnend an appropria
ton to each of the States referred TO- of further
sum OF ten per the nett proceeds of the sales of
&c that part of the public lands which lies within it, for
objects oil internal improvement in their respective IL
| 90 mits''
On the second branch of the inquiry with which the
committee were entrusted, viz the eXpedency of trans
icrring the Public Lands the States within which thew
lie-hey remark that this question comprchends i'm its
consequences the ceSsOn NJ the aCiOe Public Domain of
me nation because, they say, cessons similar TO those
indicated by the letter OF the Resolution would of course
be hereafter made TO future States of the Union Advert
ing 10 the immense amount Of the suggested cesons they
Stale the quantity OF the whole public domain be O90
'o3 acres and its value TO be 81 1868, $50 SOL The
value oil these lands they notice in several aspects and
hey aliude TO the grave character OF measure which
would ALLEVIATE property Of such immense value, be-
longing TO the whole, from its owners, and transfer
1t to part only OF those They again notice
the excellence of the Federal system in relation TO
the public lands and dwell with great force on the de-
ects OF any system that could be substituted for if
by the States. Besides the danger of collisions be-
tween the States, and the spirit of hazardous specua-
ton which would be inevitable incidents OF the suggested
nnovaton another and evil would be the
dangerous relation OF creditor and debtor which the
Ter would establish between the General some Of the
Slate Governments. The credit system, which il had
beeA lound from experience necessary abolish would
be revived with accumulated grievances; the States
would Tor their respective purchases become debtors to
the Federal Government; the identity Of their situation
this respect would produce community of gries aud of
feeling inspiring projects Of dsunion; the General Co
yernnent would be unable to payment from the
dcauing Sates the very nature of the relations between
the General and the State Governments, excludes any
idea of resorng the ultimate remedy pursued by one
foreign nation to extor justice from another the Judiciary
could afford desirable aid it would moreover be inc
uuitablc i'm the