The native American., 1839-02-02
PUBLIC LANDS.

have receiver from the uOFeTHoi hIh"ii-
sas, copy of pream T. AMI resolutions, adopted
by the Legislature of that State on the subject OF
the disposition of the lands Of the United States
within her limits. Yhis dscnmens was transmii-
ted 10 me by The Executive of Arkansas in com
p!iance with one OF the resolutions, ny which he
was directed .sto furnish the Executives of all the
States of this Union with copy OF the preamble
and resolutions, ami request them to lay the same
before their respective Legislatures"
AS well from the proper respect for the wishes
Of the Legislature of Arkansas, as from sense Of
the vast magnitude aud importance Of the questions
presented in them, now lay before you the
preamble and resolutions and earnestly invite your
attention to the subject.
~ After the most careful consideration. am not
able 10 divest myself Of the opinion. that such a
disposition, of the pnhlic lands as the preamble
and resolutions contemplate. would be inconsls-
tent with an enlarged wisdom and enlightened po-
licy and incompatible with the just authority Of
Congress The disposition Of the public domain
desired by Arkansas, upon principles which ap-
ply with equal force to all the States in which
nnblic lands are situated goes to the extent of con-
ierring upon each of these States the entire right
10. and the exclusive control over all the lands
claimed by the Government Of the United States
which are within their borders" The Legisla-
tlre of Arkansas have instructed their Senators
aud requested their Representatives Ito support,
and if necessary, to bring forward in Congress,
and "a spare no pains to effect the passage Of a
bilp' for the accomplishment Of these objects.
s. i enterta n solemn conviction that the aAop-
ton of such a, measure by Congress, would be
fraught with great mischief to the tranquility of
the Union, be productive OF much injury to The
prosperity and interests ef this Commonwealth.
as well ms Of all the other States having no public
lands within their limits-involve sacrifice OF
the rights reserved in their acts Of cesson by Viz
ginia, New York, North Carolina. Georgia and
other States, and constitute breach Of the terms
on which the trust was confded TO Congress Of
disposins Of the pubiciands. 1 deem II my duty.
therefore, to call your particular attention to the
extent ,,f the claims now made on behalf OF the
States where the public lands lie, and to recon-
mend 10 you the adoption OF such means as you
NAV consider hest, for interposing the authority
and influence of this State to preven, the success
of,he measures contemplated.
The ,o,icv heretofore pursued in regard to the
,,,h,;c lands. has been sufficiently liberal. Under
r. onera,ion, the new States formed out OF TINS
Tcrri,ory, have multiplied, grown and prospered
in wealth, population and power, to an @ extent on-
examped in the history OF the world. ! ne aouh-
dance and cleapness Of that rich DOMAIN nave IN
vi,ed a continued emigration, which, Whlie !. iur-
n;shed am INDUSTRIOUS hardy, anu enterPrisihg
nopulation to the new States, has oeen Perpetu-
al drain upon the resources and prosperity Q, .'e
alasr States Of the Union. While the new States
h.ve 6;,ed up with astonishing rapiditv, many OF
,hnse an the Atlantic have been, if not decreasing
n nonulation, agricultural improvement, and
wealth. either stationary, or making very lnconsi-
derable advancement.
,rhe land system of the United States, as estah-
,shed At an early period by the general laws Tor
surveying the lands, offering them Tor sale at pup
In auction. and allowing such as were not sold at
Iii. colo 10 he entered at minimum price, was
ps,oneJ after great deliberation, with sagaclons
Soresight and lust regard to the interest OF the old
40 we'll as of the new States 1t opened COM
petition in the purchase Of the choice iands 70 ,he
ciuzens or all the States. It prohibited uhaer
severe penalties, the settlement ana occuPaHoh o
the public lands, by persons lntrudlng upon 'hen
without title, and in derogalon OF the rights OF
the public. II was calculated IN ,heory 70 secure :
fair and sufficient price Tor all the ianos ollereu
c., sa,s .ccord;no to its different grades of value;
and bv providing the means of limiting the guam
,;,v that was surveyed and thrown into the mar
Let tended to prevent that depreciating OF the
value Of landed property which is the inevitable
consequence Of increasing the quantity ior SAFE
beyond the demand. The system, in fact, regard
cd the public lands as the common property oi the
neople of all the States-as a common iund 10 De
anpIied to the common benefit Of all, and having
been acquired and preserved by their united tied exer-
lions and ,alor, or paid for out OF the common
treasury. so TO be disposed Of, as would best pro-
mote the common interest Of all. II cannot be
d;suuised. however that from some cause or other,
we have been disappointed in the success OF many
of the objects Of that wise. LIBERAL and equal sys-
,em--,hat from time to time inroads on, and de-
ror,nres from, the policy of the system have been
pmade-,ha, for many years past it seems to have
,,oen the desire of the Government TO trlng into
,ha market almost unlimited quantities OF the pub
u. G lands so much so, that we are informed by
.ar, iron, the commissioner OF the General Land
Once Once in W ashng,on, that there remained unsod
and subject to private entry on the som 0, sep.
1sa7. upwarts Of lightweight millions ola Q. acres
Notwithstanding the immense sales ol isoo o an'
Isse, amounting to near forty millions o. acres
The consequence Of this has been, the Vas' qua"
titles Of the public domain, as fertile as any ~ q"
rich western country, and much OF u wo;"' nor
five to fifty dollars acre, as soon as y Is en'e.
ed have realized to the Government price NV v
lv nominal compared with The real value. w
Al Il. L..