Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1839-11-25
REPORT ON THE PUBLIC LANDS.

TO the House Of Representatives nor IN sessions
Your select committee raised upon the resou
iion relating TO the distribution OF the proceeds o
the public lands among the several states, and tC
whom was referred that portion of the Govern
ur's message relating TO that subject respecfully
report,
That they have had the same under consdera
ton, and have given the subject such attention us
the pressure of numerous other duties would per
nit In the course of their investigation they
have consulted such documents as came within
their reach, and as the magnitude and importance
of the subec increased as they proceeded, they
had occasion to regret that their sources of intpr
nation have been so limited. But they hope to
be able TO communicate such facts and statements
ms will ensure a favorable action upon the rcsolu-
tons which they submit to your consideration.
The General Government hold in trust lund
which was entrusted TO it q" for the Use and benc-
fit oil the several States" THIS fund consists oil
the public lands, part of which was acquired by
purchase, with money taken from the common
treasury, as in the case of Florida and Louisiana,
and part by the grant of different states. The
history of the acquisition of these lands ana OF
the policy displayed in their management and dis.
posa places in strong contrast, the dislnterested
patriotism of the early days Ofthe Republic, WIN
the degeneracy of more modern times ! ne
importance of these lands was early felt. hen
the colonies made common cause TO deliver them
selves from the yoke OF the mother country, some
of them possessed within their limits large tracts
of wild lands which would become vested IN
them if success should crown their efforts. 0lh-
colonies, differently situated, protested against
the Justice of these claims and asserted that do
fnnin, acquired by common tolls sutterlngs AM
blood should be held for the benefit of the whole.
This subject agitated during the progress OF
the " ar, bur without impairng the zeal with which
they carried on the struggle for Independence IN
ioa
anI to procure cordial adoption of the articles
of the confederation, Congress proposed to the
states to make liberal c6ssons Of the waste lands
to the Uned States aud on the 10Th day OF De
tober 1880, Resolved, that the unapproprlaied
lands that may be coded or relinquished 10 The
United States by any particular state pursuant
10 the recommendation Of Congress Of The 9th
day of Sept. last, shall he disposed Of for the com
njn beneM ofMe United SaleS &c"
New York was The first to comply with thisrec-
ommcndHtion, and her deed Of cecsion, made on
the first day of March, ISL expressly provides
that the ccdcd lands and territories were to Ice held
10 aud for the only use and bengh of such OF the
states rs are or shall become parties to the articles
of confederation. Virginia, who was much the
largest proprietor Of waste lands, followed next
in order. IN her deed Of Cesson, which was eX
ecuted by her delegatonin congress in l1Sl, agree
ably to an act of her legislature passed in 1888 she
imposes terms aud conditions very similar TO those
upon which Congress proposed to receive them.
As this is by far the most Important grant and us
those Of North Carolina and Georgia, which sue.
ceeded, appear 10 he taken from it, it may not be
improper to copy the conditions entire. After
'""t'np certain reservations of lands previous
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