Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-07-17
PUBLIC LANDS.

PUBLIC LANDS.
Mr.. Smith, of Indiana, Chairman of the
Committee on the public lands, reported
back to the Senate the bill to distribute the
proceeds of the public lands among the
States, and to grant lands to certain States,
with Amendments. Mr.. Smith accompa-
MED the bill with the following report;
which. with the bill as amended, was or
dered to be printed:
The Committee on the public lands, to
whom were referred so much of the
Presidents Message rs relates to that
subect-"A bill to appropriate, for
limited time, the proceeds Of the sales
of the public lands of the United States,
and for granting lands to certain
States" resolutions Of several OF the
States, and resolutions of the Senate
on the same subject, have had the same
under consideration, and report.
The committee are fully aware of the
difficulty, if not of the impossibility, of sat-
isfactorily presenting any subject so diver
stied in its relations, and so important in
its different bearings as that submitted to
them, in the compass of an ordinary re-
port. Still, was the subject new one,
was it essential for the information of the
country or the Senate that detailed report
should be made, the committee would not
shrink from an attempt to discharge that
duty. But when they reflect that this is
not new subject, that it has once passed
through all the stages of Congressional &C
ton, that reports emanating from Congress
have been widely circulated and read by
the people in every part Of the nation, that
public opinion has been brought directly to
bear upon it, that legislative action has been
had in most of the States, and the legisla-
tive will expressed in the form of resolves
which had been presented to Congress, that
it has undergone the most full and ample
discussions in Congress, in the State Legls-
lature, in the public press, and before the
people in primary assemblies, and that the
result has been an unity of sentiment and a
concurrence in opinion i'll favor of the mea-
sure of distribution altogether satisfactory
to its friends, and sufficiently conclusive OF
the question. 1t does seem to the commit
tee that it would be a task, unnecessary at
least, if not altogether gratuitous, on their
part, to 90 into an argument to meet in an
ticipation objections that may be urged
against it, or to show the grounds upon
which public opinion is founded in its ia
vor, or to present an argument on the poll
cy of measure thus called for by the pub
lie voice. They, therefore, without the
least disposition of avoiding the discharge
Of any duty that may be required Of them
on the present occasion, content themselves
by submitting opinions and conclusions up
on the ubIects referred, rather than detail
ed arguments in support of those opinions,
or in justification of those conclusions, leav.
ing those arguments to be supplied by Sen
ators in debate, should they suppose them
called for by the occasions.
The principle question upon which the
committee was called upon to express ar
opinion was, that whether the nett proceed:
Of the sales of the public lands should be
distributed among the States, in just anc
equitable proportions. The answer to thi
question. in the opinion of the committee
must be in the affirmative. This measure
lis believed to be in accordance with the
rights of the States, and most fully sustain
ed by public opinion. Under our form o
government, Congress may in the absence
VI DC d
the honored agents Of the States and PEG
pie, to mould their will into the form of lie
t gal enactments. Concurring in sentimen
5 with public opinion, as regards constitu
, tionaIity, as well as the expediency of thu
proposed measure, the committee canno
: recommend it too strongly to the favorabl
consideration of the Senate. Having ar
rived at the conclusion, that the measure o
distribution should be adopted, the atten
= ton of the committee was directed to tn
! form of the bill referred to them on tina
subject; and after a careful examination q
f its provisions, they are of the opinion tina
! its main features are equitable and proper
but that in some points, it is susceptible G
. improvement. They have therefore Pre-
posed some amendments, among the prr
cipal of which is one which strikes on
c those parts Of The bill which direct the oil