Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1837-12-11

rest n.
THE ,eport Of ,iis Commissioner OF the General
Land Office which will be laid before You ny the
Secretary Of the Treasury, will show how the ailars
nj ,,, oilt have le-n conducted for the past year
The DISPOSITION OF the public lands is Que OF the most
| important trusts eenfded To Congress The prdcii-
eabijuy of retaining the title and control OF such es-
tensye dornaius ia thr Gauersl Government. and al
the same time admitting the Territories embracing
them into The Federal Union as eo-eqaas with the
original States seriously donbtedby many oil our
.isrst statesmen. All feared thai they would become
source OF dscord. and man, carried their aprrehen-
Suns far IN Them the seeds OF future DIS
solution Of the Contcderacy. But happily our eAPe
renee has already been sufficient toquiet IA great
lie sfee, all such appfchensons. The position at one
time assumedtiia the admission OF new States INTO
the Union the footing with the original States
was Incompatible with right OF soil IN the u States,
aud operated a surrender thereof. Notwithstanding
the terms OF the con,pacts BY which their admission
designed 10 he regulated--has been wisely aban
ioned Whether III the new or The old States all
agree that the right OF soil 10 the public lands
mains III the Federal Government. and that these
Lands constitute common property to be disposed OF
for the common benefit OF all the States old aud new
Acqucsccnce in this just principle by the people Of
the new states has naturally promoted disposition
10 adopt the most liberal policy IN the sale OF The pub
lie lands. a policy which should BE- limited to the
mere object oi selling the lands FOR the greatest pos
slbe sum of money, without leg nd 10 higher eonsd
erations, inds bun lew advocates. On the contrary,
II is generally coneeded thai whist The mode Of dis,
position adopted by the Government. should always
be prudent one, ,ct lis leading object ought TO be
the early settlement and cultivation OF the land, sold
and thai II should dlscouncnance, II II cannot pre-
vent, the accumulation OF Large tracts tie
hands, which must necessarily reard the growth Of
the new States, entail upon them Il dependent tc-
nanry, aud its attendant evils
question embracing such important interests.
and so well calculated TO ens the feelings OF the poo
pie III every quarter OF the Uuion has very naturally
given rise TO numerous plans ion the Improvement o
the existing system. The distinctive feature, Of the
policy that has hitherto prevailed are to dispose Of
the public lands II moderate prices, thus enabling
greater number 10 enter lhto competition for thcn
purchase and accomplishing double object of pro-
noting their rapid settlement by the uichases, and
at The same time Increasing the receipts Of the rea
sury to sell for cash. thereby preventing the disturb
ing influence oil ii large mass OF private citizens liz
debted to the Guseruneul, which they have voice
III controlling 10 BRING them INTO market no faster
than good lands are supposed 10 be waited for n,-
prosement, thereby preventing the accumulation OF
large tracts III few hands and To apply the proceed,
oil The sales to the general purposes OF the GoVcr-
mcn thus diminishing tie ainou II to be raised from
the people OF the States by ION, and giving each
Satells portion oil the benefits To be derived un this
common inrd III mdnner the most quiet, and al the
same Time. perhaps the most equitable, thai can be
devised. These provisions. with occasional enact
mens IN behalf OF special Interests deemed eutltled
TO the favor ot the Government, have, IN then
ton, produced results lis beneficial upon the whole
could reasonably be expected III matter vast,
complicated. and exciting. Upwards Of seventy
m'lll"ns u acres have been sold the greater part OF
winch Is believed 10 have been purchased Tor actual
settlement The population Of the States aud
Territories created on OF the public domains inceds
ed between 1890 and 81 from less than slNy thous-
and TO upwards OF two millions, three hundred thou
sand souls constituting, he latter period abo
nth OF the whole people OF the United States. The
increase siuce cannot be accurately known. but the
whole may no" be safely estimated three aud
nail millions OF souls compos.n, nne states. the
representatives. oil which constitute above ouet hltd OF
the Senate, and one-sxth of tie House OF Rep
tesentatives OF the United States
nus has been iurncd Il body OF free Il iudepeo-
dent l'ndhoders, with a rapidly unequalIrd III the
hstor, OF mankind ard this great result has been
Woduced without leaving thing Tor iutUre aa-
ylstmtnt between the Government and IT'S Citizens.
Ihc system under which much has been accom-
Piished cannot be utinslcaiy bod aud with "c' asIon-
al holiicatious, 10 currrCt aousss and adapt II 10
changes OF circumstances, may. thlba. be safely
trusted for the future. There the mana eusni
OF such extensive interests much virtue stability,
aud although great and obvious nprosr uents should
noI he declined, changes should never be made with
out the fullest examination, AID The crartst demon
s'tailon OF their practical utility IL the history OF the
past We have an assurance that tins safe rule oil
ton will not be departed rom Ia reialonto The pub
lie Lands is II believed thai any nece>sitv exists
Tor interference win the fundamental principles
the system, or tiat the public ,nini, cven III the new
States, /, desruus 81 any radical alterations Ga tie
contrary, the gehera dis position appears 10 be, to
make snch nod, .Itions aud add lts only a. Ill the
more ciieciually oui the original policy OF FL
Ing our new States and Territories with All lusI-
Gus ahd Independent population.
lie inudihcdtion most pers yerlnclv pressed upol
Congress, which has occupied SO much of us tim,
Tor years past, aud viii probably do for long lime
TO come, II not sooner Satisfactorily usted Is re-
ducon in the such portIous OF the public lands
IS are asCcrtained To be unsaleabir the rate now
tabshcd by law aud graduation. according TO their
relative Value, 0i the prices at winch hey may here
alter be sold. Ii Is worthy III consideration whether
justice may not he done to every interest IN this mat
TEL, and reNed question set AT rest perhaps ever
by 4 reasonable COMPROMISE Of conflicting opinions.
tiitherto, after being offered pubC sale Lands hay
been d!sp ),"d o al uniiliuI price, whatever du-
ference there mig be Ia HER intrinsic value. The
ieddihg considerations urged III favor ut the measure
reiened 10 are, that IN almost all the land districts, md
particularly III those hch the lands have been To-
surveyed aud exposed 10 sale. there s remain
value, from the Government price ,uwuwaros tl,at
these lands will not be purchased the Government
price, 50 long as better Tan be conveniently obtaued
ftl" sane amounts and there large wL Ii
even the improvement of the adjacent land, mi ne
'ef RAISE 10 that price; and that the present uni,otn
price, combined with their irregular value operates
10 prevent Il desirable compaclness OF settlement in
the new States, aud to retard the full de, eopn.u OF
mat wise policy which land system is found
eu 10 the INJURY not only vi the several States mere
the lands lie bun Of the United States as a whole
The remedy proposed has been reduction of pr-
ces according To the length oiume the iaud, have
i,nI trr!tr IL.