Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1839-01-17
NO. 81.

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ton OF our landed property, by throwing INTO The
mafset AZ inadequate prices. immense quantities
OF ffcShcrA more fertile lands IN these new STATES
As another Consequence, the public treasury
mas realised ii'iie more. on the aggregate OF all
the lands sold, than the minimum pr,ce of one
dollar and twenty-five cents r~r acre and Thar
Tact (ihe consequence OF the thrflicss and WASTE
Tut policy which has been pursued Is now ear E.
Mostly and pcrpctually urged As n reason Why the
pfcc should he still further dunn iSh~xi-thst the
puo'c iahd should cease 10 De rrraried a. n
source 81 revenue, and should, IA effect be sur
rendered 10 the States in which The lands lie h.
system OF settlement richrs. prc-emption laws:
anu graduation bills. So far from this rr>ujt<
sneh as 'hese ought Ia induce an enquiry whe-
iher the system does not need Information II
they are To be traced 10 tic private Combinations
AMI associations Of settlers OF SPECTATORS which
put down competition, these combination. and
associations ought 10 b. prohibited and punished.
~ The quantity OF land surveyed aud brought in
10 market, Is TOO large, let no more be offered
nnhi there y a nearer equality between the sup
ply and demand, n Il - that the prc-cmp,ioa
system furnishes the choice lands al the mini
mum pnce, such legislation ought 10 cease, and
thc laws prohibiting intrusion, and requiring sby
renewal OF nirudcrS, ought 10 be risidIy en-
i"ree'I-and Al the evil IS too inveterate for cor
rcction hy any OF these reforms let the minmur,
price Of the land be raised
THIS subject Is in which those STATES anil
specially Virginia, by whose ecSSons tn the u.
states much the largest portion Of the public
lands were obtained, except wha, were ACQUIRED
Under The Louisiana treaty AMI the purchase OF
f'oTida, ought 20 feel dep and lively interest,"
anu nave, ln some sort, peculiar right to inier-
iere Al the Close Of the Revolutionary Ysr
we vholc OF The domain. now comprising the,
states OF Alabama, Mississippi Tennessee Ken
.neky, OHIO. Indiana, Illinois Michigan. and The
ierii'ory OF Wisconsin, were within the char
tered limits of and claimed by New York. Viz
r. A.
'at region, The Northwestern Territory. yir-
tihla had double claim OF chartered tue ard
fight oi cohqneSti for she acquired the actual
possession OF 50 much Of It rs had b, IN rod by
W. '.o' oi he Whhe man, by conquest with her
own uccpS, receiving no assistance IN that QUAR-
Ter from The other STATES during the Revolution
| airy war And II may not be out of place 90
remark, that many of the galan, officers and SOL
dierS who achieved This arducus conquest. have
ho' yer iecrited the Bounty Lands which wcre
promised them By Virginia for This service
! even al ihis moment, while projects are ON foot
Tor the surrender To the States IN which tbev lie
OF the very lands acquired by their hardy valor.
and out OF which these engagements were To b.
satisfied
The States which mentioned a, claiming
lhese lands, yielding 10 the natural apprrhcnsions
and Jcaousics of some Of the other States Of ,b,
snnicdsracy, and preicninP harmony. union and
liberty, NJ power, agrced To settle their own con-
! richng claims, and to quiet all fears and COM
paints, ~ cctng to the United Stairs all thrs.,
lands But whi!s making dis CONCESSION to mr.
rnony aud union, they accompanied thc Surrrn
der with conditions and reservations contained
III Tie Acts OF Session. which were accepted bv
| Congress, and 10 the observance of which ~.
United States Government - bound hy The hieh-
est Obligations OF public faith and fer the per-
I"fmance OF which, 81 far as virginia 1. con-
| ccrned, the Congress of the Conlc,.racy wha-.
Obligations, IN this respect have ,!cyoIycJ upor
me Government Of The Union. expressly engaged
~ inc ordinance Of l.e1, which has ever SINGS
been regarded as solemn national compaet
hi'ci devoung ne public lands TO the payment
OF the National Debt, created by the re yofi ION
ary war, and 10 The reimbursement OF The on,
Pen'eS OF Virginia Ia defending The territory
coded The acts of ceSsion by Virginia and ,bo<,
81 'hr oihcf States, substantially provided Thar
me LANDS coded should DC considered a cornmo,.
luna ior The benefit Of such CT the United States
A. have become, or shaU become members of IN.
Confedcracy or Federal alliance of The .a.f
states, Virginia Inclusive, according 10 their
"shal respective proportions IA the general charco
and expenditure. and shall be faithfully and bona
| noe disposed OF for that purpose, and for NO
ether use or purpose whatsoever"
| Here - an explicit stipulation. incorpora,ed in
The very grant a. The United Staies acrrp,rd and
] ta'ih'd 10y The Ordinance referred TO- by which
ihesr public lands wete Ia Dc held as a eonsnos
Jand ior The benefit Of all the States, and if.ss
faithfully aud bona ids Si,puse- # fr ihaf psTpese
"''- ~ "" "h' ptfPoff EhTfseertr, the SOiem
gaBcmenis at the United StuieS aill lie violated
The condition on which alone VIRGINIA and the.
\ oiher STATES agreed 20 rcltnqaislI their t,tle
would he broken, and a manifest breach of the
nuN eoniided 10 the Congress Of the Union.
committed. A more AarTant case OF such yio
| iaiinn could not tc imagined
! So lar from scquicsciny in such deposition of
| We pubs lands think that n proper cotBpis-
apce with both tle letter and spirit of the grant.
/ ~ winch The Disposal Of them was entrusted ts
'he United State, requires that such apptopria-
mons Of them, or Il the proceeds of ibelr saIrs.
| should bc made W the other States - wo,,la
/ place them upon an equal footing with thr
o'a'cs ~ whose favor donations have i~scu alrea.
az made u is matter ofhisfory tlai Congress has
ron time "a time appropriated 10 the new states
| ana ~froiics where The pnblic land are situated.
a very iaryc proportion, tei~ved 10 he ON. ti,,s.
V-sifih part 81 The whole Ter purposes " eds,-
cation. hesiaes ihis. very large quantities haV~
/ peen ucNi"Ned Tor Objects 81 internal Improve
nlcnl within these States. The aggregate ainount
"i .he'e appropriations cannot fali Short 81 ten
n.NoHs 81 acres, and probably far crc~td a. -
4 Why ought not an appropriation OF an eousi
quantity, o. io proceeds. l.. made % The pih~r
states ~ proportions graduated npou some rau.-
/ iahe fato 81 disinbunun. and 70 bc used ~
ihcm AZ iheIf osn discTctios fer purposes Of eIu-
Gallon, inirrnai improvement. or IN whaievee
/ va they might deem proper II may conddrpt-
/ W he asked. hos caa the government Of the a.
States, as a faithful trustee. scguu itself n he
duiy ~ making 40 equal. ifupaTtisl and faithful
administration oi tIts "comnoB f1nd, y Until th,
application u u g. he heoc6t # a. ne saases.
according 10 heir usual fcspscuyc proportions IN
ll'e general chsfge sod expenditure. I. s.sll--ls
lhis can never be- done BY tacnfcng lhis reh
inheritance ior an inadequate pre-. II cannes
- done ~ partial and ercivsryc privileges con-
TERED ~ particular States - heir cHsksns n
l cannot ~ done ~ making disfFihulon ~ he
proceeds u ne pubic lands, upon soy i-rns no
inaiiff hoe equsi, Boui o0mponsafoh has been
pfpFdsd fof he unequal and partial .sifibuiion
already made and especially, u eannot b. done.
I ~ making - siemaiie dls,nbohOn. upon terms
shoily unequal, which would pcrpsioaie and "a
crease ne 'nlusiice and inequality already perpe-
tf4fsd.
Having Tins freely snd osHdidiy expressed nv
Fieas On tflis subject. obviously one ~ great and
rfoeng imF1fiancr aBd ufggbcY, I fbeii ease
| h.. Il