Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-01-16

at the expense Of The old States-to give
an unnatural and artificial impetus to mi
grafton from the old to the new States,
having the effect ola system of bountes
on emigration, producing constant drain
Of our population, who carry with them
their wealth and their labor, and causing
a general depreciation of our landed prop
erty, by throwing into the market, at in
adequate prices, immense quantities oil
fresher and more fertile lands in these
new States.
As another consequence, the public
treasury has realized little more, on the
aggregate of all the lands sold, than the
minimum price Of one dollar and twenty
five cents per acre; and that fact (ihe
consequence Of thriilless and wastetul
policy which has been pursued, is now
earnestly and perpetually urged as rea.
son why the PRICE should be still further
dimnishcd--that the public land should
cease to be regarded as a source ofreve-
nue., and should, in effect, be surrendered
10 the States in which the lands lie by a
system of settlement rights, pre- emption
laws, and graduation bills. So far from
this, results such as these ought to induce
an enquiry ,-hether the system does not
need reformation. If they are TO be ira
ced to the private combinations arrl asso-
Citations of settlers or spectators, which
put down competition, these combinations
and associations ought to be prohibited
and punished if the quantity Of land sur
veyed and brought into market, is too
is "a nearer equality between the supply
and demand if it be that the presumption
system furnishes the choice lands at the
minimum price, such legislation ought to
cease, and the laws prohibiting intrusion,
and requiring the removal of iniruders,
ought to be rigidly enlorced-and if the
EVIL is too inyeterate for correction by "a
ny of these reforms, let the minimum
price of the land be raised.
This subject is one in which those
States, and especially Virginia, by whose
cessions to the United States, much the
largest portion Of the public lands were
obtained, except what were required un-
der The Louisiana treaty and tie purchase
of Florida, ought to feel deep and live
ly interest, and have, in some sort, a Pc
culiar right to interfere. AT the close OF
the Revolutionary War, the whole OF the
domain, now comprising the States OF Al
ALBANIA, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and the
Territory Of Wisconsin, were within the
.Ln al Il Nv, NJ al
York, Virginia, North Carolina and Geor-
gia. To that vast region, the North-wes.
tern Territory, Virginia had double
claim Of chartered title and right OF con-
quest; for she acquired the actual posses
sion oil so much of it as has been irod by
the foot OF the white man, by conquest
with her own troops, receiving no assis-
lance IN that quarter from the other States
during the Revolutionary War. And it
may not be out of place 10 remark, that
many oftbe gallant officers and soldiers
who achieved this arduous conquest, have
not yet received the Bounty Lands which
were promised them by Virginia for this
lects are on foot for the surrender to the
States in which they lie, of the very lands
acquired by their hardy valor, and out of
which these engagements were to be sat.
isied.
The States which mentioned as claim
ing these lands, yielding to the natural
apprehensions, and jealousles of some Of
tue other States OF the confederacy, and
preferrlng harmony, union and liberty,
to power, agreed 10 settle their own con-
ficting claims, and to quiet all fears and
complaints, by ceding to the United States
all these lands. But while making this
concession to harmony and union, they
accompanied the surrender with condi-
tons and reservations, contained IN the
Acts of Session, which were accepted by
Congress, and the observance oiwhich
the United States Government is bound by
the highest obligations ofpubhc faith and
for the performance OF which, so far as
Virginia is concerned, TIE Congress of
the Confederacy, whose obligations, in
this respect, have devolved upon the Gov
eminent Of the Union, expressly engaged
by the Ordinance of 1857, which has G.
yer since been regarded as a solemn ma
tional compact.
After devoting the public lands TO the
payment Of the, National Debt, created by
the Revolutionary War, and 10 the REIN.
bursement of the expenses of Virginia in
defending the Territory ceded, the acts OF
cesson by Virginia, and those ofthe 9TH
err States, substantially provided, THAT
the lands coded should be considered
common fund for the benefit of such of
the United States as have become, or shall
become members of the Conlederacy or
Federal alliance ofthe said States, Vir-
ginia inclusive, according to their usual
respective proportions in the general