Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-08-17
-~erfIcLE VI.

rs ralid agdir;i The United Sidtes under This Con-
Shtuiion, as under The confederation"
The title, then, fixed in The seusroI states by
the deeds of cession; and by the constitutions that
title was confirmed. We will only add, on this
point, tho
OPINIONS OF THE STATE LEGIsLA-
TURES.
The legislatures of the following named states
have adopted resolutions affirming the title of The
several states to the proceeds of the public lands.
viz:
Delaware, 1881 american State Papers title
public lands, vol. 5, page 10.
Vermont, 1892 Same, page Cos.
Pennsylvania 1888 Same, page 702
Maryland, 1921. The resolutions Of Mary
land were not laid before Congress, but were sent
TO the several states, and were concurred in Ivy the
five following states:
New Hampshire, 1891. [Same, vol. 3, page
442.
Rhode Island, 1921, Same, page 443.
Connecticut, 1891. Same, page 443.
New Jersey, 1872. Same, page DDS.
Kentucky, 1929. [sano, page 445.
Maine, 1899. [Same Pnge 45.
To these may be added Virginia, New York and
Massachusetts, the legislatures of these states hav-
ing adopted resolutions in favor of distribution
of the proceeds of the public lands, within the
last two years. This embraces nearly all of the
old states; whether the remaining ones have ever
expressed any opinion this subject, we are un-
able to say.
QUANTITY AND VALUE OF THE PUB
Lie LANDS.
BY report Of the Secretary of the Treasury
[25,h Congress Cd sca. Doc No. IS, page 81 hnp.
pears tina, The estimated quantity of public land in
4 -. A II \
had been extinguished previous to Sept. 30 1884,
was 3l3600313 acres
Quantity sold 75025,055
Leaving unsoId 23S,575,3IS acres
The amount sold averaged about 8 ! % per acre
-making the value Of the unsod lands $298,2l9-
1850.
The amount Of lands beyond the limits of the
States and territories estimated by the Com.
missioner of the general land Office in 1927 to be
750,000,0O0 acres The whole amount of public
lands unsod would then he 95S ,575,3lS, valued
lat 81 ,25 per acrc) Mt Sl235, 7l9,147, So OF this
immense domain, The portion Of Pe mont, in 1887,
was s0,425,109 acres, valued lat 81 ,25 per acre.
al $25, 53l 1856 25.
As, however, in the course of settlement upon
these lands new States will be formed, which will
be entitled TO their proportion of lands sold subse
quent to their admission into the Union it might
be too much to say that Vermont ever will receive
this immense amount. But still, if the federal
government can now he forced, as in Justice it
ought to be forced, to adopt the only just and wise
policy, viz: the division Of the proceeds of the
public lands among the States, the benefit which
the State might derive from this source, if the
fund were wisely improved, cannot he measured
even by this immense sum of twenty five millions
and half of dollars!
MIR. CLAY'S LAND BILL.
| The national debt no longer requiring any por-
ton Of the fund arising from the public lands,
| Mr.. Clay in 1882 introduced bill for the dis
Y lands among the several States, for the term of
five years. BY this bill, 10 per cent. of the pro-
cceds went to the new States in addition to the
proportion those States would draw This bill
was passed by the Senate in 1882, by vote Of 26
10 Is, Mcssrs. Prentss and Seymour voting in its
favor; but was postponed to the succeeding
sion 10y the House, 81 to SS-Mlessrs. Allen Ev-
eretl and Slnde OF this State voting in The negative.
In 1888, this bill was passed by the Senate, "a to
2l-Messrs. Prentiss and Seymour voting in the
ALTERNATIVES passed also in the House, 96 to 40
Ncssrs. Allen, Everett, Hall and Slade voting in the
affirmative; but President Jackson retained The bill
IN has possession, neither signing ueiong IT, Thus
was this great measure defeated by the Executive,
in defiance OF vote of more than two thirds of
the representatives of the people In 1885, Mr..
Clay again brought in his bill, and it was passed
by the Senate % to 20-Messrs. Pren,iss and Swift
voting in the affirmative; in the House it was laid
OH the table, l04 TO S5-Nlessrs Allen, Everett,
james and Slade voting in the negative. Since that
date the administration has had overwhelming
majores, and the bill has not therefore been pres
sed. See Journals of 1882, 1888, and 1886
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WHICH YER
MONT WOULD HAVE RECEIVED.
by the bill of 1882, the proceeds of the public
Iands after deducling 10 per cent. for the new
States, were 10 be divided, for the term of FIVE
yeurs, among the several States, in proportion to
their number of representatives in Congress Gin
the llouse) Tle receipts from 1889 10 1886, in
elusive, amounted to $751;, 063,443,SS from which
deduct 10 per cent. and the amount to be divided
among the States would be $45975,099,50 OF
This sum, from 1882 to 1886 inclusive, YER
; MONT WOULD HAVE RECEIVED $685.
S79,lO; being an average of $l9I, 50 per year.
The bill of 1886 included the proceeds of lands
sold ia that year, and differed from the former
bill in no material point, save that Is per cent
= was reserved TO the new States. The share Of
Vermont under Ibis bill, would have been about
the same under The first bill. Had HE first bill
become lazy, and been extended, las undoubtedly
it would have heen,) as permanent mode for The
disposition OF the funds arising from the public
lands, The share Oi Vermont up to 1899 would
have been 81 l06 800, aud the annual receipts of