Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-09-05

Payment on account of The purchase Of Louisiana,
! principal and interest," S235li oo5 II
! Payment on account OF the purchase
! OF Florida-prinepal and interest
to September, 1881, 6o51 ole 10
| Payment OF compact with Georgia 900 Isl o6
! Settlement with Yaxoo claimants, $50 sos Il
! Payment OF contracts with Indian
| Tribes, II s5o Ia, ~
! Clerks, Commissioners aud Agents, 3e63s 3l 81
slS,077, sol 10
! The liquidation Of the Public Debt, the inereas-
ing value oil The Public Lands, aud the prospect oi
anpd increase IN THEN sale and settlement with the
growing prosperity and population OIL county
have gwen rise, Tor The fist tme certain feeble aud
doubtful elans on The part OF some OF the Western
States, which have been urged ilh new zeal and
pettinacliy with tho lapse Of cseiv twelve month
aud winch have now become TOO urgent aud lormi-
dablo TO be longer overlooked. About tins time
The Legislatures OF some of these States made the
notable discovery that lheir erection into sovereign.
ties gave them "A right TO the public lands within
lhen limits, and because Of this right assumed Ia
be Inherent IN THEN Sovereignty, they modestly asked
OF Congress n eratuions cession of these lands Il,
the States IN which they lie A doctrine u this
KIND, however II might initiate with the ,ghls and
interests OF the thirteen old States which had onr
before coded then pnblcs lands the uuion, for ie
common behem, would naturally find class Of sup
poflcfs IN any eorlnlunny whose wealth aud pomef
was designed 10 augment AZ the expense ul justice
and honor. 1t was ealy seized upon by plo1lgale
denagognes, 10 purchase personal Advancement by
appealing 10 popular eupidW
On the 23d OF March, 1882, Mr.. Bbb of Kentucky
moved an inquiry INTO the cxpcdIcuey OF reducing
the price vi the Public Lands. Mr. Robinson of
Illinois moved further inquiry to the expedlenoy
OF transferring the public Territory to the States with
m winch II lies, upon reasonable terms. With the
view OF embarrassing Mr. Clay, these topics were IN
appropriately ieiencdto the COMMITTEE OF Manu-
features, Of which he WIS Chairman bv a vote OF 26
lp glI a. nh btu nal
readiness, sagaeuy and ieatssness, aud the Ii h
OF the following month made his report TO the Sen
ate, in which he condemned both these propositions
as ueXpedlent and unjust.
Such is the HISTORY OF Mr. Clay's connection with
tins important question, and such the origin oil
his celebrated LAND BILL. The snlieci was
forced upon him, not sought by him. l he design
was 10 enbo,rass BIN by gliding ont the alternative
OF baiillne the eupldty of the West OF Stacking the
sense OF justice aud invading The rights Of The old
States lie dad not hesitate. In about three weeks
after the matter was referred 10 the Committee, he
presented 10 Congress n'ost luminous, allie aud
conclusive report, and in the lI appended II. ar
ranged The details oi = wise aud equitable system,
which no subsequent delberRtIon has improved
In reference TO the expcdicuty OF reducing the
price, MIR. Clay argued hat the rapidiy OF sale aud
settlement was sufficient proof that the prlce uie
Pu0lic lands WAS mol too high. Events that have
since occurred prove tie wisdom and the ruth of
this assumption. Not an individual. nfububly has
an actual settler III Consequence of the Price of the
lands; while Their Inv ptice has cucoutaged nIein-
moth associations, lIkefbe American Land Gompa-
ny, to Speculate inihe Peoples inheritance. The
low pnce has stimulated Government officers. with
The public funds al their command. with the and OF
Government Agents, III -cect the most desirable To-
cations, and the and oil Government Influence to oh
tain possession of lhem, 10 loiesIalI actual
Hers. and to realise Immense advance from their
investment Of the Peoples money IN the Peoples
lands
But again. Mr. Clay argued, not only that the
price was low enough, but that the reduction OF
price would be gfoss Justice 10 the present oeeu-
pants and owners Of land throug hout the country,
and particularly IN the Western States There
ought to be, therelote'-we use hls own words, Tor
ii is impossible 10 abridge ms argument without I'M
pairing It's ioice-'the most togent aud conclusive
reasons for adopting measure which might serious
ly impair the value oil the property of Il e yeomanty
Of The county Shilsl IT is decidedly tie nnasl
important class IN the community, most patient, pat
note, and acqulescent, whatever public pulley
pursued, II Is unable unwilling to respn 10 those
means Of uuon and euuceIt winch Other interests
employ 10 mike themselves heard and respected
Government should therefore feel itself constantly
bound TO guard, with seduous care, the rgh1s aud
wclt,re OF The great body Of our yeomaufy. Would
ii be just towards those who have heretofore pur-
chased ubllc lands II higher prices, 10 ray nothing
rs 10 the residue OF lie agricultural interest OF the
United 81 ales, 10 make such reduction, aud there
by impair the value oi their property Onght not
any such plan Of reduction If adopted, 10 be
panied with compensation for the injury which they
would inevitably sustain"
We wish The yeomdnty Of New y otk to consider of
these things. One of The favorlte measures of Mr..
Benton and his associates is reduction of the price
OF the Public Lands, and This merely entering
wedge To Their Ultimate schemes Tor their sacrifice
and surrender. Looking at this question IN tins
single point OF view, how is this reduction OF the price
OF Western Lands 10 affect the farming interest IN
tins Statei How is II to aio the land holders +!
The low price winch this land is NOW selling uper-
ates as bounty upon emigration Vicinity 10 mar
kets, and the advantages otcivzltion are the man
inducements even now 10 the young farmer 10 re-
main IN OF the old States, when he buy land
eyond he mountains Tor dollar aud quarter Tia e
acre. But reduce tbs price, make 1t fifty cents, OF
give away the public lands dctudl Settlers aud
what viii be the effect OF such a measure on the
now settled and cultivated lands in New York 1t
will not ouly materially diminish ther yalue but 1t
will render them comparatively without value Thus
the yeomarry would be doubly robbed; FIRST of then
interest citizens IN the proceeds Of the public lands
which ought oil III hi To be applied M developing
the resources and building up the internal improve
meDts Of their own 5 ale aud again individual
land holders ia the diminished value Of Their Own
farms, by the gtatuitous, almost 2ratntous, dslr
button Ly government u nch III ano her section
of the country.
Its thus a matter Of the last importance To The
yeouanry who have cut down The forest aud cleared
the lands Of New Yofk, aud erected Their barns ant
houses, thai the public lands should be at leas
maintained at iheir present prices. 1t is important
adequate common fund" 10 be employed for III
I heneGJ ofJbe ytJieS ANIL far ofber USe