Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-12-23

without the fullest examination, and the
clearest demonstration Of their practical
utility. In the history Of the past, we
have an assurance that this safe rule of
action will not be departed from inrela-
ition to the public lands nor is it BELLE
we'd tnat any necessity exists for interfe-
ring with the fundamental principles of
the system, or that the public mind, even
in the new States, is desirous of any ra-
dical alterations; On the contrary, the
general disposition appears to be, to
make such notifications and additions
only as will the more effectuaIly carry
out the original policy Of filling our new
States and Territories with an industri-
Gus and independent population.
The modification most perseveringly
pressed upon Congress, which has occu-
pied SO much of its time for years past,
and will probably do so for long time
to come, if not sooner satisfactorily ad-
justed, is a reduction in the cost of such
portions of the public lands as are ascer-
tanned to be unsaleable at the rate now es-
tablished by law, and ii graduation. accor-
ding to their relative value, of the prices
at which they may hereafter be sold. 1t
is worthy OF considet alton whether JUS
tice may not be done to every interest
in this matter, and vexed question set
at rest, perhaps forever, by reasonable
compromise oiconf1icling opinions. Hi
therto, after being offered at public
sale, lands have been disposed OF at one
uniform price, whatever difference there
might be in their intrinsic value.-The
leading conside ations urged in favor of
the measure referred to, are, that in al
most all the land districts, and particular.
| ly in those in which the lands have been
long surveyed and exposed to sale, there
are still remaining numerous and large
tracts of every graduation Of value, from
the government prices downwards that
these lands will not be purchased at the
government price, so long as better can
be conveniently obtained for the same
amount; that there are large tracts,
which even the improvements of The ad-
jacent land will never raise to that price
and that the present uniform price, CON-
bined with their irregular value, operates
to prevent a desirable compactness OF
settlement In the new States, and to re-
tard the full development ofthat wise po-
Icy on which our land system is foun-
ded to the injury, not only of the seve-
raj States where the lands lie, but of the
United States as whole.
The remedy proposed has been a re-
duction Of prices according to the length
of time the lands have been in market.
without reference to any other circum-
stances.-The certainty that the efflux
Of time would not always in such cases,
and perhaps not even generally, furnish
a true criterion Of value; and the pro.
liability that persons residing in the vici-
nifty, as the period for the reduction of
prices approached, would postpone pur-
chases they would otherwise make, for
the purpose Of availing themselves of the
lower price, with other considerations of
a similar character, have hitherto been
successfully urged to defeat the gradua-
ton upon time.
May not all reasonable desires upon
this subject be satisfied without encoun-
tering any of these objections? All will
concede the abstract principle, that the
price of the public lands should be pro-
porlioned to their relative value, so far
as that can be accomplished without de-
parting from the rule heretofore obser-
we'd, requiring fixed prices in cases of
private entries. The difficulty of the
subject seems to lie in the mode of as
certaining whatthat value is. Would
not the safest plan be that which has
been adopted by many of the States as
The basis oftaxation-an actual valua-
tion of lands, and classification of them
into different rates! Would it not be
and expedient to cause the re-
ative value of the public lands in old dis
tricts, which have been for certain
ength of time in market, to be appraised. i
and classed in two or more rates below
he present minimum price, by the Off
;ers now employed in this branch Of the t
public service, or in other mode deemed II
and make those prices per- e
nanent, if upon the coming in of the re- I
bort they shall prove satisfactory to It
Congress Cannot all the objects of|l
graduation be accomplished in this way, Ii
ind the objections which have hitherto (
,een urged against it avoided ? 1t Y
would seem to me that such a step, H
With the restriction Of the sales to limi- I
ed quantities, and for actual improve 5
,,anf ,un,,ld ha from from ,oI si,lcf p eycan i !,