Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1841-02-27
SPEECH OF Mr.. WHITE, OF INDIANA;
on the Land Question.
Deliuered in the Senate Of tie United States,
January I9M, 1871.

sct6u5 nevertheless, mat IN deciding upon IL,
occupy impartial position. Indiana, IN he'
progressive advances from wilderness state &c
tho dignity of the fourth or fifth member oi the
UnIon, has reached that period IA her history
when she may hold with steady md an eqia
hand tho scales of interest between inc ola
States and the new. While, then, listen with
most respectful consideration 10 ADLER counseis
than | myself can aspire to give upon subject
whose growing magnitude has inspired veteran
Senators with such apprehension rs even 10
Justify precipitate and immature legislation,
shall endeavor so to record my votes upon The
several propositions before as TO secure TO the
new States all the equity they caim,and to the old
all the right which they chaIlenge, and to all the
States advantage Of the most rnomen ;ous I'M
portance, to be gained, as conceive, from no
other source than from the proceeds OF our boun-
tIful domain.
In our plan of Government, sir, simple It's
objects and well defined as It's proposes are
many difficult and complicato" questions are Coz
stantly occurring. Tncy are chiefly questions OF
power Oar cnufcderatcd and 1t The sane time
Republican principles, our relai IONS with Tho Ia
dian tribes, our partial system al domestic slave
~, and oviucial or tcrriiorh system, are all
fall enough Of perplcxitics to PIT this experiment
o, Government to its sev"rest triiI Indeed, SIR
parties have II tendency To organize themselves
no, so much upon measures OF prlicv upon alb
s,ract questions Of constitution Il construction -
This tendency of party Is greatly InJ NOUS
by producing political soPhi5ns ani refined thco-
rics, which override every practical power tor
COOL conferred by oar Consultation.
The Land question i DOT property Il question OF
power. and ye. inciIen'ni 1t ,nv"'ves consider
aiions of that chlractcr Over the public domain
which lies within the limits "t Tho organtZ"d
States, the Uated States seem 10 have something
more than 4 siDplc property trlsdlciIon, or n
mere private ownership. THIS proved by their
Iirht To make Jaws for IT'S conveyance and govern
meat, anI BY their power To protect their posses
sions, and to determine all tes'ions concerning
those lands IN courts Of their own creation. Srch
powers are appurtenant to species OF territorial
sCvre,gaty.
| concur fully with Senators who have ascrihcd
SO great importance to the measure now 3efprc
us. Ii reglrJ IL mercy ~ - question II H.
nance 1t carries n grave ana Scfi'hS ih1'l,'
Not the loasi among the high linclI1nS "i b'V-
ornament Is its power to raise AMI eiPcnd IN 'nev-
Mex, TO tho power To declare war. AID 20 place
under the nrbitrament of the sword the lite and
fortune Of the citizen, the power i" raise revenue
IS the Ia CHEST prcrnga'ive "f s"Yereighty ~ C.
quail i'm ,ortancc Is 1t It we have respect t inc
uucsiian of population settlement ANA OF So
cal org ,niz ,tion. These d'iiicuIics are icreas-
ed bv the medium through which Sanlt"rs ch '"se
10 regard tho subj tct. While the Srn1tof nom
Missouri Mr. Benton complains that we VIII
not treat the public domain as fund ior revenue,
The Senator from Tennessee, NJ. Andcrs m con
tends that 1t is by no means Ia be considered rs
ouesii,n of finance. Cpncurring fully. as do,
with The honor tbie Senator whp introduced the
bill now on table, III the ProFriety at per-
manent pre- emption law, protest against tho
Justice of his remarks with which he ncc1mPahic cd
ITS introduction, aud to which sh1lI have occa-
sion hereafter To advert. NJ pITpoSo now, Is
merely ex,ress my regret that Il measure So
interesting. aud may add benchceni, rs the ilnal
disposition of public dom mia, could no, be pre-
secuted To this body by the dominant party, win
con iration Of influences well calculated if
disturb the harmon: of our gisIotIon-:nti len
ces winch have lately been aroused in the coniltc
of coniending parties, md which have expended
themselves in the most con luslvc demonstrations
at the bailot-boX
To all of these causes 1t IS owing tina
our statute book groans under the weight o! en-
nctment IL regird 10 the man1gem7ni at orr lane
system. Since the colonial and agrnrnn system
of Rome, nation has half such comPicaiio!
of laws regulating. its domain. 1t may well e
conceived that extensive and fertile tcrritor,
would be prolific subject of legislation. o.
entire domain is computed a ,0S5 530, 202 acre
of land, 10 about 400 900 900 OF which the lndI
title has been extinguished. and gemaInS uney
'iuguished to 100000 900 OF acres. OF thl
vast domain, about seven ninths lies east, an
twonnihs west of tho Rocky mountains 4
Yet we have sold to individuals little upward
OF eighty millions OF acres; and If We add to tn
grants and reservations 10 States indiv iduais tic
there will still remain more than uIne hundred
millions of acres IN winch the United States ha
proprietary interest.
nature stainpS upon these teemIng acres thei
uses for the abode of man. and for the develop
ment not only of the physical but of the mora
nnd intellectual energies Of the Caucasian race
Extending TO the shores of the Pacific ocean, tht
retiring savage shall give place to the Aunlo S TX
on, illustrate in the face of the world and m
on the last great dram, where i, can be seen. tn
':u'nphs OF civllzlt Ion. OF liberty, and of rcIi
glon.
Already. upon a considerable part of this do
main. have these great purposes began their &C
complishfncat. OF the territory above mcntiouct
an area of about hundred and fiiJv millions t
acres has been organized INTO Republican States
and nine more stars of virgin lusire shine respieF
dent in the galaxy of the Union.
The bill and amendments bef,re us contcmnlat
apermacent md conclusive adjustment OF the III
teress Of the United States in this domain; an
from the general view which We have taken c