Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-02-23
To rss EDsro.s or rnx Wine.
THE PUBLIC LAMBS

IL Is perceived with much regret, by many orths |
most patriotic Of our citizens that the restless spirit
winch aetoases our modern party leaders, has seiz.
cd upon the distribution OF the proceeds OF the put.
l,e lands. as an appropriate subject on which TO
display the angry passions Of the coming POLITICAL
struggles. II any OF the great interests OF these
States, can lac OF sufficient Importance 20 require
calm and deliberate examination-unin1 uenced by
considerations Of who going into or out of OF.
nee, and untrammeled by the obullhions of political
disappointment or aspirations, surely the grave and
momentous question of the best disposition of the
public lands, is of that character To Virginia.
this question IS OF vital interest, and on which her
future strength and pr sperity mainly depends and
may not therefore be hoped, that her dsting
cd sons will resuce aqueslon ia which her desti-
ny is involved, from the turbd pool Of party poll
tics.
Since the opening Of the land Offices under the
act OF Congress Of the 10Th OF May, 1910, heavy
and constant streams OF emigration have flowed
from the Atlantic States TO the great Valley of the
West, induced by the superiority OF the soil, and
the ineonsiderable price at which il was offered.
The minimsn rate Of two dollars an acre, operated
as bounty to numerous land holders, and to oil
who were not owners Of the soil, to abandon the
partially exhausted fields of the old States, by
which large quantities Of land, and recently exceed
ing the demand. have been brought into market by
the departing population, and as u necessary con-
sequence the landed properly Of those States sunk
IN value and has never rccoveredits legitimate an
probation, except when the growth of towns, the
opening OF lines OF intercourse, and the like have
given partial impulses in particular quarters. No
measures OF prudence or OF precaution have ever
been adopted 10 lessen the evils OF such extensive
temptations TO emigration, but on the contrary
every aid within the reach of Ciovernmental opera.
ton has been employed TO transfer the, population
wealth and enterprise Of the Atlantic slope to the
great valley OF the Mississippi. Tie reduction OF
price from two dollars 10 dollar twenty cents
per scre--the opening Of Offices, and exposing to
sales ien-told the quantities which even this flood
tide OF new corners requred--the encouragement to
lawesS adventures IRON all quarters TO occupy the
choice spots OF the public domain by the passing of
pre-emption laws, and the expenditures among the
settlers IN military operations as well ms in remov-
ing Indian tribes, have formed the leading Govern
mental measures OF the last twenty years for de-
populating the Atlantic, and peopling the Western
States and Territories, and which have been sue
eessful beyond any example found in the history
ot the human family. Some of the States TO the
North OF us, by engaging their people in the more
profitable empoyments Of navigation commerce
and manufactures, and others by enhancing the re-
wards OF rural industry, by opening new markets
ana cheapening transportation, have kent up a
moderately increasing population; but in Virginia
the most disastrous effects have been felt and are
yet To be endured.
The General Government owes TO the mosp,ni.
nous donatiors of this Commonwealth the lands
now forming four Of the most prominent States of
the West, and It's system ofand sales illustrates the
manner ~ which tins important fund, granted in
trust Tor the benefit OF the States forming the Fede
raj alliance, has been used and abused Even the
National Road, Constructed with a reservation of a
small portion ithe proceeds of the land coded bv
virginia, was conducted around her Northern bor-
der by which the advantages OF intercourse and of
internal trade, properly belonging TO her citizens
have been made to enrich our neighbors.
The effects OF the policy thus pursued by the
feueraI Government IN relation TO the public lands,
and the deep injustice which the old States, and
particularly Virginia, have suffered thereby will, be
apparent from the following short stat stcal view
In 1870, the Old Dominion, then at the head of the
family of States, contained a population greatly
larger than any OF her sisters With a terrific.
ry 81 44,sOo square miles West Of The Blue Ridge,
R6heI ev - n ,'. -. ac
ss sSf sHfsStivefy Small '1 BFofiS l JT John
tensNe domain then seated settled; vet from 7gt
TO 1850, the population OF the Union rose from a
szs'32s 10 2,s5s'67O, presenting an average m
crease oil S34 per for each ten wears 1C Tho,
period; while Virginia with so large a portion n,
vacant territory, exhibited an average Increase n,
but 1871 per cent. for each Of those periods In
nifty years the population of the United States adj
more than quadrupled, while Virsinia wanted oeS
794 OF doubling her number in the same limo.
From the newspaper press we learn that the nsy
states have advanced with accelerated rapidly from
lsSO TO $40; yet, Virginia, as whole shows the
! united accession of 2OO69, and from the same
source we ascertain that tins latter result is procur
ed by an increase in the Western counties IA "a -
! I56. and decrease IN the Eastern counties of a.
! 067. VI o.
! Thus II is shown what bitter fruits have bo.,
| oy virginia from the
OF the past, particularly in the ancient part of The
state between the Blue Ridge and the Ocean ,bs
cradle OF the Revolution, and the quarter IN hch
a large portion of the American people look viii
me affections which we bear to "mother Iand.n
ms renowned portion OF our Commonwealth
sent into the FIRST Congress- after the enun,rs,;on
OF 1880, seventeen representatives; but under The
recent census, and with ratio of fifty EIGHT or
W thousand, 1t must be reduced TO ten or nj C,rth
/ est 10 eleven members.
| A still more
ward course Of the land OF sres Is found in ,t
depreciation IN the real property Of the Eastern d.
VISION the State. In 1919, the assessed v,I,, r
that portion Of the Commonwealth, was SI49 662
o'o' IN 1898 the assessed value diminished with
IN fraction Of S26,0OO,0OO being a oss nj oLo'',
lSt per cent. IN nineteen years, LoIwthstandn tbs
enlargement OF cities and towns, the extens,o1 a.
canals railroads, &c increasing the assessed vaIur
| IN particular loca lities.
Those evidences OF the ruinous policy of the O.
vernment, which must be evident to ali 81.
eyes are not closed to the past and nas.in,,
events connected with the public ands 80
so clearly demonstrating the neceeessitv of snoG
changes as may enable the old States TO retain M.
population and wealth still remaining TO tbem s a
well as 10 lay the foundations of future in., %
aud prosperity, seem to be entirely dsreearoed W.
are painfully witnesses of the head strong can
some distinguished political leaders who 49,, "
lhe" iavorte theories whic forbid distribution a.
though ruin around them must be the fruits n r
success. Among this number is the able renee" or
tatiYe whose District includes the spot on wbicL a.
Anglo Saxon race first red a permanent c'a ne
ing on this broad continent, but which undo, ~
maIgn influences adveTted TO, is again beco,,;'ee
the feeding grounds Of the wild animals NJ ,hss
forests. ~ VI The
The conductor Of the Oldest and most co,,....,
ing OF the Metrop0i'nn Press Of Virgini,. IL 80.
ing ms great influence to continue a policy On ~
trucliVe TO his native State, and from the ois"n
uc m'nd OF a celebrated Senator Of the Sou1L ~.
nave views on emigration worthy of the cbnr1c,a.
OF that prominent slntesman, but strangely ron,isS
with proposition 10 eede the public lands ~ 49,
states IN which they situated by which ,,s.ie
states ana Territories would at once become cor,
pe'tors aud bidders IN peopling their wide on,ins
ano N The conflict, the entire loss Of the public IJ
would he among the leurt OF the evils iba.cteJ ~
the Old States. have rapidly glaneed M ,,s,,sI
That must give painful emotions TO the minds 81 wv
cry thinking Vrgniani but our condition does nv,
admit OF a clcttrlce without thoroughlv rr,.L;a.s
the wounds, and hope that your readers w. I'm lug
eeiVe that the occasion iustdes the recurrence ~, IN;
G'dents SO dolorous IN their chara cter. In ney,
viii Oiier some commodities on the precedins Jl
yeloPments, and hope TO show that eyerv VII
ian, whatever may be his party politics. oneb, :,
unite IN demanding distribution of the pror.s,,s ~
the public ia IDS and some interesting change in
the system ofseiing. CAMlILGIS ="
SUPREME COURT OF THE u. STATES
lAEUAuV Trunt fQff