Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-01-03

notes oil the INSTITUTION continue 10 DO sent ioflh
in its meme. and apparently upon the authority |
of the U. States. The transactions connected
With the employment ofthc bills, of the old bank
are off, vast extent; and should they result un-
the interest Of individuals may BIO
deeply compromised. Without. undertaking TO
decide how far, or in what form, if any, the trus-
teo could be made liable for notes which contain
no obligation on its part or for the old bank,
for such put in circulation after the expiration
of its charter, and without its authority, or the
government for indemnity in case OF loss, the
question still possess itself upon your considera.
ton, whether IL is consistent with duty and
good faith OH the part Of the government to wit
ness this proceeding withouta single effort to ar
rest it. @f
The report of the commissioner of the general
land Office, which will be laid before you by the
secretary of the treasury, will show how the at
fairs of that oico have been conducted for the
past year. The disposition Of the public lands
is one of the most important trusts confdcd to
Congress. practicability of retaining he title
and control of such extensive domains II the
general government, and at the same time admit
ting the territories embracing them into tho fed
eral union co-equals with the original states
was seriously doubted by many of our wisest
statesmen. They feared that they would become
source Of discord and many carried their appro-
tensions 50 fur as to SEQ in them the seeds OF
future dissolution of the confedracy.
But happily our experience has already been
sufficient to quiet, in great degree, ill such ap-
prehensions. The position ut once assumed
that the admission of new states into tho union
on the same footing with the original states was
incompatible with the right of soil in tho United
States, and operated as a surrender thereof, not
withstanding tho terms Of compacts by which
their admission was designed to be regulated-has
been wisely abandoned. Whether in the new or
old states ALL now agree that the right Of soil to the
public lands remain in the federal government
and that these lands constitute common proper
ty to be disposed offor the common benefit Of all
tho states old and new.
These provisions, with occasional enactments
in behalf of special interests dee med entitled to
the favor Of the government, have in their exc
cution, produced results as beneficial upon the
whole as could be reasonably expected in a mat
ter SO vast so complicated, and so exciting. Up
wards of seventy millions of acres have been sold
the greater part Of which is believedto have been
purchased for actual settlement. The popula-
ton of the new states and territories ted out
| Of the public domain, increased between 1920 and
1885 from less than sixty thousand to upwards
of two millions three hundred thousand souls,
constituting, at the latter period, about oneffth
| of the whole people of the United States. The
increase since cannot be actually known, but the
whole may now be safely estimated at over three
and half millions Of souls, composing nine states
L
one-thrd of the Senate, and over one sixth of the
House OF Representatives the United States.
Thus has been formed body of free and inde-
pendent land holders with rapidity unequalled
in the history humankind; and this great result
has been produced without leaving anything for
future adjustment between the government and
its citizens. The system under which all this
has been accomplished cannot be intrinsically
bad and with occasional notifications, to correct
/ M lad, pt IN ri In Of circu tan
may, think, be safely trusted for the future
There is, in the management of such extensive
interests, much virtue in stability and although
great and obvious improvements should never be
made without the fullest examination aud the
clearcst demonstration oftheir practical utility.
In the history ofthe past we have assurance
that this safe rula of action will not be departed
from in relation to the public lands nor is it be-
licved that necessity exists for interfering with
the fundamental principles of the system, or that
the public mind even i'll the new States is des-
rous of any radical alterations. On the contrary,
the general disposition appears to be to make such
notifications and additions only as will the more
effoctually carry out the original policy OF filling
our new States and territories with an industri-
Gus and independent population.
The modification most persevcrin, ressed
upon Congress, which has occupied much of
It's time for years past, and will probably do so
for long time to come. if not sooner fttsfacto-
rily adjusted, is reduction in the cost OF such
portions OF the public lands as are asc5rtancd to
be unsaleable at the rate now established by law,
and a graduation, according to their relative
value, OF the prices at which they may hereafter
be soll.-It Is worthy of consideration whether
justice may not be done to every interest III this
mattel, and vexed question set at rest, perhaps
forever, by reasonable compromise OF coniiic.
ting opinions. Hitherto, after beng offered at
pubic sale, lands haze been disposed vi uni
form price, whatever difference there might be
in their intrinsic value. The leading consider A.
tons urged III favor OF the measure referred to,
are that in almost all the land districts, and par
| Ii cularly in those in which the lands have been
long surveyed and exposed for sale, there still
remaining numerous and large tracts of every
graduation of value, from the government price
downwards-that these lands will not be pur.
chased at the government price, SO long bot
ter can be conveniently obtained for the same a.
mount; that there are large tracts which even
the improvements OF the adJacent lands will ne
yer raise to that price and that the present uni.
form price, combined with irregular value, ope.
rates to prevent desirable compactness of settle.
ment in the new states, and to rctard the full de,
vcopment of that wise policy on which our land
system is founded, to tho injury not only OF the
several states where the lands lie, but the United
States as q whole.
NAV not ali reasonable desires Upon this SUBJ
iect be satisfied without cnooun ,ering any oil
these objections All will concede the abstrac,
principle, that the price OF the public lands should
be proporlioned to their relative value, SO far az
that can be accomplished without departing from
the rule, heretofore observed, requiring fixed pri
ccs of private entries. The ditncuity OF the SUBJ
iect seems to lie in the mode OF ascerl anng what
that value is. Would not the safest plan bs
that which has been adopted by many OF tn.
states as the basis of taxation-an actual valua.
ton of lands, and classification OF them into diff
ferent rates 7 Would it not be practicable anc
expedicnt to the rclitivJ VALUE ofthe public
lands in the old districts, which have bean Tor a
certain length OF time in market, to be appraised
and classea into two or moro rates below the
present minimum price, by the officers now EN-
ployed in this branch OF the public service, or IN
any other mode dcemol preferable, and 10 max,
those prices permanent, IT upon the coming in
of the report, they shall prove satisfacl tory Ia
Congress Cannot all the objects of graduation
he accomplished in this way, and tina OBJECTIONS
which have hitherto been urged against 1t avol.
ded 2 1t would seem to that such a step
with restriction of the sales to limited quantI-
tics, and for actual Improvement, would be free
from all Just exception.
The remedy proposed has boon reduction OF
prices according to tn, length OF time the lands
nave boon in market, without reference to any
other circumstances. The certainty that the
efflux Of time would not always IN such cases,
and perhaps not even generally, furnish a true
critcrion of value, and the probability that per.
residing in the vicinity, us tho period for the
reduction OF prices approached, would postpone