Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-12-21
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,
cOYCLUDED FROM OUR LAST

The report Of the Commissioner Of the
General Land Office, which will be laid be-
fore you Ivy the Secretary Of the Treasury
will show how The rflnrs Of that Office have
been conducted for H.: past year. The
disposition of tho public lands is one Of the
most important trusts confdcd 10 Congress
The practcablity of retaining the title and
control of such extensive domains in the
General Government. and at the same time
admitting the territories embracing them into
the Federal Union as coeQuals with the origi-
nal States was seriously doubted by many OF
cur wiscst statesmen. All feared that they
would become a source Of discord, and many
carried their apprchcnsions SO far ms Ia see
/ in them tho seeds of future dissolution of
the Confrdcracy. But happily cur experience
has already been sufficient 10 quiet, in n great
degree, all such approximations. The posi-.
ton, at one time assuined-ihat the admission
Of new States into the Union on the same
footing with the original States, was incom.
patibe with u right of soil in the United
States and operated as n surrender thereof.
Notwithstanding the terms of the compacts
by which their admission was designed to be-
regulatcd-has been wisely Abandoned
Whether IN the new or the old states, all
now agree that the right Of soil to the public
lands remains in the federal government, and
that these lands constitute n common proper
ty, to be disposed Of for the common benefit
Of all the states, old aud new. hcuuicscence
in this inst principle by the people OF the new
states has noturully promoted disposition TO
adopt the most liberal policy III the sale of
the public lands A policy which should be
limited to the mere object Of selling the lands
for the greatest possible sum of money, with
ont regard to higher considerations, finds but
few advocates. On the contrary, 1t is gen
orally conceded, that while the mode of dis.
position adopted by the government, should
always be prudent one, yet its leading Oh
ject ought to be the early settlement and
cultivation of the lands sold and that it
should discountenance, if it cannot prevent
the accumulation of large tracts in the same
hands, which must necessarily retard the
grow tn Of the new states, or entail upon them
a dependent territory and its attendant evils.
A question embracing snch important in
tercs,s, and so we'll calculated to enlist the
feelings of the people in every quarter of the
union, has very naturally given rise To M
tmerous plans for the improvement of the cx-
stirg system. The distinctive features OF
the policy that has hitherto prevailed, arc, to
dispose Of the public lands at moderate prices,
thus enabling greater number TO enter Into
competition for their purchase, and accom-
pishing q douL,e object Of promoting their
rapid settlement by the purchasers, and at
the same time increasing the receipts of the
Treasury to sell for cash, thereby prevent
ing the disturbing influence of large mass
of private citizens indebted to the govern
ment, which they have voice in controlling;
To bring them into market no faster than good
lands are supposed to he wanted for improve
ments thereby preventing the accumuiating
of large tracts in few hands and to apply the
proceeds o! the sales to the general purposes
Of the government; thus diminishing the
amount to be raised from the people Of the
states by taxation, and giving each state its
portion Of the benefits to be derived from this
common fund in a manner the most quiet,
and, at the same time, pcrhaps,the most cqui-
table that can be devised.
These provisions, with occasional enact
men,s in behalf Of special interests deemed
entitled to the favor Of the Government, have,
in their execution, produced results as bene-
fetal upon the whole as could reasonably be
expected in n matter so vast, so complicated,
and so exciting. Upwards ofsevcnty millions
of acres have been sold, the greater part Of
which is believed to have been purchased for
new States and Territories created ont Of the
public domain, increased between 1900 and
1880 from less than sixty thousand to upward
of two millions three hundred thousand souls,
constituting. at the latter period, about one
fifth of the whole people Of the United Stn."s.
The increase since cannot be accurately
known, but the whole may now be- safely
estimated at over three and a half millions Of
souls; composing nine States, the reprcscn-
tatives of which constitute above onc-third OF
tho Senate, and over one sixth Of the House
of REPRESENTATIVES Of the United States.
Tins has been formed a body OF free and
independent land holders, with n rapidity
unequaled in the history of mankind; and
this great result has been produced without
leaving any thing for future adjustment be-
tween the government and its ciliZens. The
system under which ST. much has been ac-
complished cannot be intrinsically bad, and
with occasional notifications, TO correct abu-
ses and adapt it to changes of circumstances,
NAV, | think, be safely trusted for the future.
There is, in the management OF such extern
sive interests, much virtue IN stability; and
although great and obvious improvements
should not be declined. changes should never
be made without the fullest examination, and
the clcarcst demonstration Of their practical
utility.
In the history Of the past, we have an as.
surance TINT this safe rule Of action will not
be departed from in relation to the pubic
lands nor is it believed that any necessity
exists for interfering with the fundamental
principles of the system, or that the pubic
mind, even in the new States, is dcslrous of
any radical alterations. On the contrary, the
general disposition appears to be, to make
such notifications and additions only as viii
more effcctualy carry ont the original policy
of filing. our new States and Territories with
an industrious and independent population.
The modification most pcrscvcringly pres
scd upon Congress. which has occupied so