The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-12-03

eH III DefotneS tllen 10 inquire liito
IN which II has been managed and to Keep
wotchful eye over it's future disposition. Your
commtee therefore beg the indulgence OF the
House while they continue its history.
In 1855 an ordinance was passed providing
for the disposal of these lands, directing that the
proceeds should DO pad into the treasury of the
United States. In 1890, Congiesss under the
present constitution, pledged the proceeds TO the
payment ofthe public debt. The system aIop.
ted for surveying and selling these lands prov
ed admirably fitted TO promote their settlement.
Liberal grants were made for the purpose OF ed
ucnliou and internal improvements. To this
course Congress was prompted by wise desire
to promote those great object and although the
grants might at first sight seem incompatible
with the deeds Of cession, they may be justified
by the increased value which was thus added 10
the land, and which Injured 10 the common ben
eft Besides the ~ millions of of land
granted to the new states, they have received OF
= per cents for roads leading to them 81 1885,
25 30 or 3 per cents for roads in these states
50, lS4 1916 93-and OF per cents SS32O73O 10.
The recipienst of snch bounty have certainly
little reason TO complain, because the cannot
grasp the whole fund from which such liberal
grantswere supplied
In order to preserve the ability TO execute
the trust in conformity with the conditions Of
the deeds of cesslon, Congress, in an ordinance
for the government of the territory OF the u
ned States northwest of the river Ohio, proyi-
died that 'the legislatures of these districts
new states shalt never interfere with the prirn'
airy disposal of the soil by the United States in
Congress assembled. This condition has been
required OF all the new territories, and each
new state, upon lis admission into the Union
has been required to recognise this right Some
of thcu, hyn separate acl of their conventions,
have declared, that their people forever dis
claim all right and title to the waste md unap
propriaed lands lying within the state, aiid
that the same shall! be and remain Ut the sole
and entire disposition of the United States
Under the regulations adopted, the sales of the
public lands proceeded with great regularity
and TO the satisfaction of all the member - Of the
Union-he amount of sales gradually increas-
Jog with the growth of the popnlat ion, with
the exception OF few years OF speculation.
when the receipts were swelIed to on unusai
degree.
When it became evident that the national
debt would soon be paid, and that the revenue
derived from customs aud the public lands
would be more than sufficient for the wants
of the government, and that a surplus
cessariIy accumulate in .he treasury, The dis
position which should be made of this surplus
m1aionH Of nGtlR e lnRt Qi staIeS
orr system Of gCvernment-and that it would
disturb the equilibrium Of the exchanges, cur
rency and trade of the country. Many projecs
were advanced 10 meet the new state OF things
which was about 10 occur The enemies of
the tariff proposed to lessen the duties and
thus b.ing the revenues to level with the
expenses of the government. The new states
who had previously asserted tEeir claim, now
insisted that the treasury should be relieved Of
the income from the public lands, by ffst re-
ducing the price, and finally ceding to the
stmies in which they were situated, all the lands
which might retnuin unsod at the end of twen'
~ years from the time in which they were
brought into market. Others were in favor of
dividing what should remain OF the revenues,
after providing for the support OF government,
among the states without interfering with eith'
| Of I,i, InSt
| one time received the sanction Of General JACK
son, and 10y him was recommended to Con
Crcss. At II later period another method was
proposed Of freeing the government hom its
treasure !; this was Ivy adopting a most waste
! full st stem of expenditure This so lar succeed
ed that the expenses of the general govern,
lnent were Increased, from fifteen millions ~
| 1924, to thirty millions in ls37.
| While the public mind agitated by the
! discussion of these various projects, the COM
rnt,ee on manufactures in the Senate OF the
| United States, of which committee Mr. Clay
was member, We're, during the session OF
1881, 80, instructed to inquire into the expe'
! dency Of reducing The pilce OF public lands
and of cediny them to the several states III
which they are situated, on reasonable terms
This reference Of the subject OF the public lands
to Il committee on manufactures, IL reference
contrary to all parliamentary practice, ana
which can be accounted for only by the sup
position OF its bearing upon the presidential e.
lection then pending, WAS attended with TINS
happy result. It was this reference, directing
The powerful mind of an experienced and pa
trolc statesman TO the investigation OF this
subject which brought distinctly before the
people the proposition Of distributing among
the states tie proceeds OF this fund, which
was granted for their use and benefit. The bill
reported proyined for the equal division of the
proceeds among the several states, after allow
ing ten per cent to the states in which tho
lands were situated. This passed the SEN
ate, and the Succeeding session of Congress-
passed both houses Of that body by large ma
jortes, aud was sent to the President tor ms
n approval, near It's close Instead of returning
the bill that Congress- might exercise It's con-
,o;neG !, in hi, nosses.ion and suffered Congress
IN he ,iisso,ved: thus preventing that blanch OF
,ho Government from exercising right secured
to it by the constitution. That they would
h,va cossed the bill into law 10y vote of