The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1836-02-12
YUcstlav. Decgrbsr 90.

SENATE.-Puittc land NdIfS' Distributions
Mr. Clay rose, and addressed the Chair | now
rise, ia pursuance of tae notice which has been
given, 10 ask leave to Introduce bil to upprogr.
ate Tor limited time the proceed, OF the sales Of
the pubic Bnas ot the tuied States ana for grant.
ing land u certain States.
irtl 1t incumbent on me 10 make q brief Cv.
pauauou Of the highly important measure which
| have noV toe honor to propose. The bill, which
/ desire 10 introduce provides fir the distribution
Of the proceeds at The public lands IN TIE years
1888, 81, 20, 'jt and 81 among the tweuty-,our
States of the Mon, and conforms substantially 20
that " ich passed ia 1888 1t Is therefore Of @
temporary character ; hut 4; 1t shall be found TO
have sajulary operation, II will be IN the power Of
any iut.Sc Congress TO give It an Indefinite con-
tuuauco, and # otherwise It viii expire by It's
own terms. In the event o. War unfortunately
breaking out with any foreign Power, the bill Is
TO cease, and the fund which IL distributes Is to be
applied TO the prosecution OF the War. The bill
directs that ten per cent. al the nett proceeds Of
the public lands sold within the limits of the SO.
ven new States, shall be first SET apart lot them, IN
addition to the five per cent reserved by their Sc
vcral compacts with the United States and that
the residue Of the proceeds, whether from sales
made 10 the States or Territories shall be divided
among the twenty -four States, in proportion TO their
respective federal population. In this respect the
bill conforms 10 that which was introduced ia s32
For one, should have been willing to have allow
ed the new States l2l instead OF ten per cent,
but as that was objected to by the President IN his
Veto Message, and has been opposed IN other quar-
ters thought it best to restrict the allowance 10
the more moderate sum. The bill also contains
large and liberal grants of land 10 several OF the
news States, to place them upon an equality with
others TO which the bounty of Congress has been
heretofore extended, aud provides that, when other
new States shall be admitted into the Union, they
shall receive their share ut the common fund.
The nett amount Of the sales Of the public lands
in the year s33 was the sum of 81, 9671l2 SIS, in
the year 1884 was SiS57,600 60, and in the year
ls35. according 10 actual receipts in the three first
quarters aud an estimate of the fourth, Is Sl2,2-2,
l2l Is; making an aggregate for the three years
of sci "a, i0l 80. This aggregate is what the
hill proposes TO distribute and pay TO the twenty
four States on the first day Q: May 1856, upon
the principles which | have stated. The differ
ence between the estimate made by the Secretary
Of the Treasury, and that which have offered OF
the product of the last quarter Of tins year, arises
from my having taken, us the probable sum, one
third of the total amount OF the three first quarters
and he some other coniectura sum, Dcduclng
from the S2l ,Hlh IOI 30, the fifteen per cent to
which the seven new States, according 10 the bill
will be first entitled, amounting 10 81 Gl2,35O Is
there will remain ter distribution among the TWEEN
tv.lour States of the Union the sum OF lS,435,
l5l u. Oftiis sum the proportion of Kentucky
viii be S9G09l7 Al, of Virginia the sum of ST.
5sl,G Gg -, Of North Carolina S9ss,G32 II, am