Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-01-17

ing The Immense sales OF 1885 and 1896 ., ,
mounting to nea, fnrty millions O, acres
he consequence Of this hae been. that v,s,
quantities oi the public domoip, as fer,,l. ne
any III our rich western country, and much
OF l" worth from i've to fifty dollars an acre
"a soon as it is entered, have realized TO tho
Ho'erninent price merely nominal com,
pared with tho real value Wek too
mat within The last ten years successive ac,s
na'e oeei' passed, granting peculiar advao
taGes 10 those who settled upon and occunied
inc public land before il was SURVEYED, and
'hrown open 10 the competition of the peopIe
generally, thus rewarding instead of puoish.
ing those who hid violated the law. bv in
'ruding upon the public property; and. bc,
s'ues all this, vast bodies OF The pubIic lands
nave been graiuitously bestowed unon the
new States Tor purposes Of education inter.
na' Improvement and other objects, exclu.
siveiy beneficial 10 thuse S,ates.
The Inevitable tendency OF this new mil
cY has been 10 enhance the nspsneritv oT tho
States where the lands ere situated at tho
expense OF The old States TO give an upp..
'u0di ana artificial impetus 10 miyrstion
| from Tho old II The new States hayiny tha
| ehec' ui systen OF bGunties on emiurn,;nn
producing constant drain OF our popula
| .ioi,' WHO carry with them their wealth and
theit labor, and causing depreciation of
our landed property, by throw ing into the
maj het, at inadequate prices, immens sc uuan
.,'ios OF fesher and MORO fertile lands in
these new States :"
as another consequence, the public Trca>
sury has realized little more. on the agy.e.
! gate OF all the lands snld, than The mini,nu
! pFicn ci one dollar and twenty five CENTS per
acre aud that fact the consequence u( The
'hFh'iess and wasteiu! policy which has teen
| pu'susd,) Is now earnestly aud perne,u,iiy
urged as reason why the price shou,d L..
sun further d'miashcd-,hs the public land
saon!d Cease TO be regarded as a source NJ
| revenue, md should, in effect be surrender.
| I" ~ TIE states IN which the lands lie Inv a
ss5s'em OF settlement rights, pre- empfion
Avs ana graduation bills. So far hon
, h's, results such as these ought To inducc an
enquiry whether the system does m, No.,
reformation. they are 10 be traced 10 Tho
private combinations and associations of se,.
uerS OF specuators which put dawn comma.
''ie"' lhese combinations and associations
ought TO be prohibited and punched If the
Quantity Of land surveyed and broueht min
mar ket, is too largo, le, no more be- offered
un''i there 10 nearer equality between the
supply and demand; ifI; be that the pre-
hi'ioh system furnishes The choice land, q,
'"e minimum price, such Legislation cupht
W Ie"sc' ana me laws prohibiting intrusion,
t,t
! 10 pe fiS'ul5 eDiorced--and If tho evil is loo
ihVeteraie ior correction by any o, these rc-
''r'ns, lie, tho ;niaimum price oi The land be
I raised mo '""' oo
ms subject is one ia which .hsse States
and especially Virginia, by whose cessin,s
10 me Ouited States, much the larnes, por>
| 'ions OF The public lands were obtained ex.
eei. what were acquired under the Ilouisia.
IA IA ..oa'y and The purchase OF Florida, ought
10 ieei deep aud lively interest, aud have
la some SOFT, peculiar RICH. TO Interfere -
AT The close Of the Revolutionary W., tho
whole OF the domain now ccEnnrisn t ,bs
Staies OF Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee,
Aa"'ooky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michi
gan, and The Territory CT Wisconsin. were
within the Chartered limits Of and claimed
oy New York, Virginia, North Cor,,I,no
aGd Georgia. TO that vast reyion ,ha
Northwestern Territory, Virginia bad .
aouhis cisim Of chartered title and fight Of
! eoo9aes'; iol she reqoircd The actual y,nsses.
:'o.s 81 so much Of il as had been ;rod by The
'ool OF Inc White man, by conquest with her
'"'' troops receiving 20 assistance in thai
| 4Hef'ef from Ito other states Jurino ,h.. Re-
| o:utioUaTy War. And i, NAV moi h, ont ~
place TO remark, that many OF the Gallant
oniceTs and soldiers " ho achieved tbjs sti,,.
ouS conquest, have not yet received the
DHao'y Lands which were promised hen, nv
Z.
w 'h'a ios This seISi ce--even al this ma
h'en', willie projects are On feet for The SIR,
render 10 The States 10 which tbey lie. o; lbe
very lands acquired by ihrir hardy valor.
a'' ont a. which these engagements were to
be satisfied. "e' ~
us ''a'es which mentioned as cigimino
.nese iands, yielding to tie natrr.I a,,',rns7
nahsions, and jsaiousies Of some os "a frf,hor
states oi the onlederscy add pre- fcrring har.
ih'ny union and liberty. 10 power, agreed
! 10 sei'ie their own conflicting claims. and
| 10 9"iet 81! tears and complaints, BY ceLinp
! 10 me United States all these lands. But
"hic ipaklng this concession 20 harmony
az" '"i'h, 'Dsy accompanied the su:reuder
""n cohuh"hs and reservations, contained
/ :" ',te 1A'iS OF session, which were accepted
oy Goh gfes5, and TO The obseFvance OF which
ne thIied States Government is bound nv
,'iS h'shsS' "oiigaiinns 81 public ialsll and
TOT 'hc performance cf which. 50 far az Yir
gaia is concerned, the Congress ~ The f,n,.
ieda'acy, IL hnse obligations, in His resoec,
have Geyoived upon tbs GoYeromen, Of The
Chion, expressly Engaged by HE Ordinance
Of 1857, which has ever since been rewarded
as solemn national Compact.
Ailer devolihg The public lands {, HE
pay 'nei'i OF 'he Nsiiooal Debt, created by
VEG Revolutionary war, and to The reimburse
iuent OF me Expenses Of Virginia in defend,
,ns ms 'e'fiioiy ceded, TIE acts Of cession by
virginia, and those Of The other states oh.
s'oniiaily provided, "That the londs coded
should pe copsidetaG coln mon fund for the
i'nneii; o' such OF the Uni,=t! States 20 hayc
become, or shall become rnemheYs of ,hc
Confe1c,Dcy or Federal alliance Of Tho sold
States, Fircinjo inclusive, according 70 ,he,r
usual TCEgaCtjye rronorficre -, a. Q -