The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-09-08

WASHINGTON, August %, lsso.
Can 1emen: Informed you, upon the receipt
&c ,your letter, propeuRding to me several 4ues-
ions III at wovld reply to them IN fuil season
for the o. ,ject you hadia view. mo" Pfo'e'u "
,dosso. Inflammation, az IN tle
,,rss would pursue, If elected, in regard to
. hill sbolishing slavery In the Dletfict Oh 40
}umbia ,l:. ho,,o hoor repe,t-
III, g;ven to the public, and more particularly
IN q letter addressed by me but short tiEAe De-
+ are the date OF your COMMUNICATIONS 10 co'n
,;t4se at louisville, Kentucky. send you r
co py of that letter, III when you WIN 1''u
answer to your question.
you next ask me, 'ewbetheF l approve oil pre-
emption laws"
,r,us are. not many subjects, within the scope
81 federal legislation, of greater Importance
,.h;cb T hayeyregarded with greater soncitude7
H.. that To which this question refers. 1t de-
a,.,,es 70 he so considered, as We'll on account OF
%ie interest which all the States have IN WISE
md nouitabie disposition OF the ps!e1e lahas' as
oS the hearing which this particular oranch OF
H. General question has upon the prosperity OF
INV States in which the lands Situated, and,
Nv unop the individual welfare OF large
~dyo, IL our fellow citizens IN every part OF the
r., NV views in regard to the proper DIS
M, az the public lands were by por-
t;on Of nav fellow citizens of New York as Tar
hacls as 1885. Immediately after my nomination
Tor The Presidency. They were then gwen IN .he
f9i,o,v;no terms; eI regard the public DOMAIN as
l1.o ,". f7n1 belonging to all the States, to be
i;saosed Of far their common bSneft. Ample au-
+bdr;tv is. for that purpose, conferred upon Lon
.oss by an express provision of the constitution.
p rsoI;;no such disposition, that body Should IN
~, rn;n;on. act upon the principle, that the poo
de of the United States have greater interest
in AN early settlement and substantial improve
ment of the public lands, than IN the amount =, OF
revenue which may be derived from eieii T., -
accomplish this object, the accumulation OF large
tracts In few hands should be discoHntenanced,
md liberal facilities afforded to the acquisition
&c small portions by such of our citizens, wherever
residing as are in good faith desrous OF possess
mo them as homes for themselves and iainiles'
Tbe particular measures by which these resuiLs
are TO be secured, matters OF detail 10 oe SET
fled by Congress in the exercise OF sound us,
cretion, aided by the lights OF experience, ana
having reference to the general interests OF the
country These sentiments were repeated IN
NV letter to the Hon. Sherrod Williams, and
have guided my action upon the general SUBJECT
since have been in office. Presumption laws
could not be overlooked in considering the meas
mres by which these principles must be carried
into nractical effect. Such laws had been occa-
Z s;onaiIlv enacted during the administration OF my
,,redceessers, but the passage of them has not,
bel;eve. in a single instance, been recommended
~, tIe executiye The frauds occasionally re-
sitting from them, and apprehended to be insepa-
sshle from their execution, and the circumstances
under which the possessions they were designed
10 confirm were taken, doubtless had an influence
4, nreventing such recommendations The pro-
nriety Of such recommendation was carefully
Considered al an early period Of my administra-
tim. II was not without hesitation that de-
cded to depart from InS eOss however upo
mature reflection, that good would result from
placing the pre-emption system, in some respects,
upon different footing from that which it had
hitherto occupied, brought the subject 70 the
notice Of Congress in my first annual message,
and recommended the passage Of pre-emptison
law for the present, and such graduation OF the
price Of the public lands for the future, as would
produce an equally beneficial result by aiiording