Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-02-06

new lands into market, would retard the
population of those States. These fears
if seriously entertained, appear to your
committee TO be entirely IDEAL The exls-
ting generation will not be apt to deny to
ITSELF for the benefit Of those who are to
come after it, those advantages Of which
IT will be strongly tempted to avail i'seli.
The desire, on the part Of the States, to
possess themselves ofas large fund as
possible, at the earliest day, with which
10 carry out their schemes ofpolicy, wonld
furnish a sure guarantee to The new
States, that no such measures would be
adopted. Congress would be induced al
so to act the part ofjudIclous landholders,
and would perceive, in the rapid settle
nent Of those States and Territories 10
which the public lands lie, causes Of aug
mented value 10 those lands. 1t would
not, therefore, adopt policy equally
suicidal 10 the interests Of tho old as well
Of the new States. There is, on the con-
trary, much more to fear from the anxie-
~ OF the new States, 10 obtain thoS:
lands of mere nominal price, or by nc
tual surrender. Propositions Of such
character have been often submitted 10
Congress, and the measure now pending
before the Senate The United States, and
repeatedly urged upon that body, under
the title Of bill for graduating the prices
OF public lands, in the opinion OF this com
miitee, is Justly liable 10 this objection.
In every point ofyiew in which your
committee is able to regard it, il IS I'M
wise and ,nexpedient. Il is based uron
the idea that because the minimum price
of all the public lands IS fixed at Sl,23
the acre, that they are intrnscally worth
no more, and that If the richest and most
fertile lands are ofno greater value, those
Of inferior quality should be estimated al
lower price. The fallacy of this view
is apparen, from the fact that lands OF the
first quality, when brought into fair and
open market, clear Of all presumption
claims. and of the combinations formed
by SPECTATORS, rarely fail TO realize pr.
ces greatly IN advance Of the government
price. Second & third rate lands will, with
rare exceptions, ever be sought alter, until
those of superior quality are exhausted.
The progress IN the settlement OF all coun.
tries is obedient to this universal law oil
natural reason. After the occupation oil
lands of the first quality, those Of inferior
quality may be brought advantageous y
into market, and not beforehand with
the demand which viii then exist, the
value Of such lands necessarily cuban
ces.
The proposed measure IS therefore IN
advance of the wants OF society, aud II
carried into effect, would subserve no 9th.
er purpose than either to reduce the utl.
mate price OF the whole body OF those
lands to the lowest minimum contempla.
ted by the bill, or diminish the number Of
actual settlers on more rich and fertile To-
cations. The new states have no just
cause to complain Of the existing land
system Of the United States. The world
has mover witnessed, SO far as history al
fords us information, such astonishing re-
suits as have arisen under the operation
of that system. States have sprung INTO
existence as if by magic, some OF which
already suYpass in power and influence
most of the old States, and in the short
period Of single generation an empire
of vast extent has been thick|y settled
The native savage, along with his rude
and barbaric customs, and The wilderness
which he inhabited, has fallen before the
march Of civilization, and the arts which
adorn and embellish society, are every
where active and nnurisiing. Tho pGpu-
lation oft old States has poured in up
on the new in an unbroken current. Vlr.
=. h.. al ~ i.
countless numbers, and while she has
thus seen her own population diminished,
and the growth Of her influence and pow
er retarded, she has sought to interpose no
Ter to their emigration. Nor does
she aow seek to interpose any such bar.
rier. She requires nothing more than to
be admitted TO an equal participation
aad equitable standard, in a common fund,
10 which she has contrib uled most large
ly and most literally. In this there is
nothing OF a narrow and Liberal policy,
nothing or iniustice--no badge Ct OPP
preston. She calls for the execution Of
plain but solemn compacts, the provisions
of which must be regarded as obligatory
on all the States.
Your committee have not deemed it ne.
cessary to urge the adoption OF any par
ticuar measure on Congress. That is
hes: left to its own wisdom. 1t feels that
" fully discharges its duty by recommen-
ding the adoption Of the following resou,
tons
[The resolutions were published in our
last number
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