The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1837-06-02
EN - z FKOM
Mr. Webster. speech
AT NEw YoRK.
PUBLIC LANDS.


aslsnlioa than IL has hitherto received.
especially from the people of the Adam
tic States. The pablle lands are public
property. They belang 10 the people II
all the states. 4 vas, pOriiOn 81 them 10
Composed of Territories, which were red
Ell BY individual States 90 Ihe United
States, after the elase al the ReEoluuan-
ary war, and befare tbs adoption II lhe
present Constitution. The history OF
these cessiOns, and the reasons for max
ing them. are familiar. Some II the old
thirteen possessed large tracts Of UNSET
lied lands within their chartered limits,
The revolution had established their tile
60 ihess lands; aud a. the revolauon had
been brought about by The eommah Irra-
sure and the common blood nl ali the CO.
lOales. It vas though, n0i unreasonable
tina, these unsettled lands should bs trans
ferred TO the unlsed State, 10 paw The
debt created by the war, and afterwards
10 remain ~ fund fnr the use u oil The
states. This j. the weIl-knnwR origin ii
The tile possessed BY the United States
b. lands northwest Of the river OhIo.
By treaties with France aud Spain,
Louisiana and Flurlia, With many mil
lions II acres Of public unsnld land. have
been slncs 'scquEed. The cosI 1T these
acquisitions was paid. Of course. hy the
General Government, and was thus a
charge upon the whole people. The
puhlIc lands, therefore, al and singular,
are na,lonsl properly, granlrd Ia the Unit
ed States. purchased by The United States.
P''d for by all the people Of the United
SAFES
The idea. that when a new state is
Gre lied, the public lands lying wI.'hn her
tsrm ~ become the property Of such
nsA s,ale IN consequence OF her sOye.
teig"ty, is tor pFeposIerous Tor serious
rehmsiIun. Surh notions have hereIuinre
beea advanced IN Congress. but nobody
hs- sustained them. They were rejecIcd
sud ab~adoned; although one cannot say
" - hes they may net Or revived. IN con-
sequence Of recent propositions which
h. e bten made ~ the Senate. The new
STATES ait admitted on express eondrInns,
r. missing, To the fullest extent. the
ris ~ IT the United STATES tn the punIc
lands within their borders: and II is n0
more reasonable To contend that s0me IN
definite idea Of state sovereignty oEerrides
all these sIpulauons, and makes tile lands
sht property at the states. against the pro-
VISIONS 0i their own CONSTITUTION, and The
Constitution of the UnrIed States. than il
woald De thai similar doctrine enu1ed
the state OF New York IN the moneys col-
,ecIed az the custOm-hOuse IN this cay:
since u is 40 more Inconsistent with
sovereignty tbs, one government should
hold lands for the purpose of sale, within
the ierrtnFy OF another, Than u 10 that Il
shnuld lay and collect taxes and dutlrs
wI'hIn such territory. Whatever extra
VACANT prelensInns may have been set up,
her ,utnre. there IVES not. suppose. an
enlightened man IN the whole West, who
insisted IN any such right IN The states.
wncn The proposition I" ctde the lands to
the states vas made N the late Session III
Congress. THE public lands br'ng, there
for the common properly Of all the
D. pie Of all lhr siaIe-, shal never c"H-
seni to give them ~wal tn particular
states. ar 10 dIsp"se nf tnrTn otherwise
than fur the geasrai good, aud the gene
raj rst OF the While country.
| iel, bound, therefore, On the occasion
iusi alluded ~, Ia resist. al the Threshold.
q Jr0pnsluon To cede Tie public lands IL
the siairs in which they he, OIL certain
condlunus. ! vrrv much regretted the
inuoduclIon Of such a measure. as Its ef-
fee, must be, tear, only To agIts,e what
was we'll seuied. and TO disturb that
Course Of proceeding IN regard To the
public lands, which forty year. of expr-
riencs have shown TO be so wise, and sn
satisfactory IN lis operation. both To the
people OF the old states and those Of the
new.
But, gentlemen, although the public
lands are mol Ia be gwen away or ceded
10 particular states, a very liberal policy
10 regard To them ought undoubtedly to
prevail. Such a policy has prevailed;
aDt have steadily supported il. and shall
Continue to supper, it. so long as may
remain in public life. The main object,
in regard TO these lands, is, undoubtedly,
10 seiue them, so last as the growth OF
our populatiuG, and IFS augmentation by
emIgrauon. may enable Us Ia se,Gle them.
The lands. therefore. should he sold al
a low price; and. t"r oIe, have never
doubted ,ne right "r expedIency Of grant,
ing PORTIONS oi the lands themselves. or
OF liking grants Of money. for objects Of
int nal improvements connected with
them,
Ihave slways supported liberal appro-
pria,iuns tor the purpose Of opening COM
mua,c.t,ons 10 and through these lands,
b. comnon roads. canals. and railroads;
and where lands &c li!tle value have Deen
I,,g 10 market. and On account Of their