Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-06-16
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,Iinl system Of free gifts which preyaileer.
oei the Kings Of France and Spain Ina
nols, Indiana, and Michigan, there are IA
when have been picked for century a1
noli'--slnce the year l6s0---when the Ere
hrss took possession of those countries. I
same countries have since been picked un]
OUT system OF auctions, pre-emptions, and |
lvate entries; and it is not only unjust in itsl
but derogatory TO the Republican GoverpmI
Of the United Statesto be holding up the refl
OF these lands-.-the mere remnants and rel
the offal and leasings, the dregs and leps.f
SO many years. pickings and cuttings, ate
dollar and twenty-five cents per acre.
This IS the quantity, and this the qualitf.
the lands on which the bill will operate--.ah
thlrty-tve millions of acres, the residuuuf
years and centuries donations and sales,
scattered over nine States and two Terrtol
II the whole quantity lay in body, it wd
make but an inconsiderable extent, but /;
scattered over almost aboundIess region--s.
tered In detached parcels from the Gulf ofM
leo tothe Northern lakes, and from the AT.
tic coast Of Z. Florida TO the frontiers of To.
Every interest which can be brought to Il
on the subject requires these lands to be i'm.
dlately sold; and to sell them, the price mt
be reduced 10 their value. 1t is due TO
Federal Treasury--to the State Governms
land TO the whole body of the agriculu
community. The Treasury is empty, mad,
ny a distribution Of twcnty-eight millionf
the public moneys among the States, and
deferred payment Of nine millions due Fl
merchants and banks. 1t is empty, and ut
be replenished. Loans and Treasury nc
are both humiliating resources, and are o,
Justliia5le as temporary expedients. The T.
ty-hye millions Of acres of refuse lands is I,
natural and adequate reliance of the Treasg
in this emergency. At reduced prices til
would sell immediately, and for respecta,
sum. They liein the settled parts ofthe Sta,
mixed among the farms, and are desirabler
their locality, ifnot for their intrinsic val.
They would be purchased Immediately at /.
ces adapted to their value, and would .hr,
several millions into the Treasury in {,
months. Fifteen or twenty millions mighe
expected from them in two years if the gra-
alton was complete, down TO twenty-five ccl.
10 the new States the sales Of these lands
necessary to the completion Of their sovereiI
ty within their own limits. The unsold pi
lie lands are exempted from their jurisdicd
las much SO as if they belonged to the La
ans. They pay no tax; they contribute mol
ing to the support Of the State GOVERNED
they are desert barriers between se,tIeme,
Every reason which required The extinction.
the Indian title within the limits of the Stat
also requires the extinction Of the Federal
tie. Under the Federal title the lands are u
less to every party; they contribute nothnI
taxation, to cultivation, to improvement. II
eral dominion over land is barren sceptreI.
der which nothing grows; individual owr-
ship is the fruitful sceptre which makesle
soil available for every public and for ely
private benefit No State should feel ito
vereignty complete while the Federal COM
ment Yields barren sceptse over any paol
its soil. Every one should labor for the enc.
ton of the Federal title; and every one h SO
labored. Numerous are the memorials ich
have been forwarded TO Congress on thiub.
ject. The Graduation bill is the teasibleode
of accomplishing this great object; and ia.
vor Of that bill, the Legislatures Of India, II
linois, Missouri, Michigan, Arkansas, uls-
lana. Alabama, and Mississippi, besid THO
Territories, have repeatedly sent US ti. met
MORALS. Never has their been SO gend and
SO lasting a concurrence in favor Of ond
measure among so many States. Surelsomd
thing is due to the wishes Of so manNtated
so unanimously and SO perseveringly ptcnt4
to us. TO the farmers and cultivatoof tip
soil, the passage Of the bill is emihey dul.
It's due to the whole body Of the cuyatot,
whether rich or poor, whether with osithdt
land at present. Some gentlemen trt it ala
mere relief TO the poor---as plan srelyto
supply the poor with homes. That is parAl
and imperfect view; it 10 only truen PIT.
Doubtless many poo, will thereby obtn honcs
and become freeholders, who would herwfe
have remained tenants; but there is o protl-
ETY. in requiring from rich man dople or fe-
BILE its value for piece of refuse lad With
is necessary to complete his farm, y TO ap-
ply him with wood, or water, or panre, d to
give him quarry olstone, or the psessid of
which is merely necessary as an oJet, d to
keep off bad neighbor. Many arehe perbns
ofconsiderabIe property to whom lese paiels
Of refuse lands will be desirable q these ur-
poses, and from whom it would buncons{on-
able TO demand double or treblQrice mfely
because they are able to pay 1t my be
assumed, without the fear decentralization,
that there will not be frst-rte quarteisec-
ton Of mad be sold out Of 10 whole t6ry-
five millions of acres on whiA this bill will
operate. There will not be DC in which, here
ia not MIXTURE Of sterile, J broken gpund,
unfit for cultivation. Our suveys are allmade
to the caninal points; thflines 90 staight
forward, ,ithout regard togood or bad land;
the corner are made at giyn distances, with.
out regarfto soil. Often patch Of god land
is cut inttwo parts by ]le; often it's brown
into thre or four differenHuarter sections by
a corne made in the midle of it. Greeks
and braebes may have Da,ow bottoms Of good
soil, bedered by steep hls unfit for oultlva-
ton; ad bodies Of good and may be cut up
BY line and corners. In d such cases, while
a poornaD may find spac for bis sinai! field
on Sgle quarter sectio, yet man OF some
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