Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-02-01

MIR. Calhoun proposes that after the Both of
June, lS42 the Public Lands shall he coded to
the States in which they respectively lie, on con-
dition that they obligae themselves to pay TO the
United States one hall of the proceeds of the sales
1t was pretty clearly intimnted in the report ac-
comparing this project last winter, that the ces-
sion thus contemplated might he regarded as an
absolute surrender Of the Public Lands to the new
States. And that such would be the result is very
plain. The States would become debtors TO the
General Government and we may all see from
the instance of the DstributionAct, what is likely
10 be the nature of Tint sort of obligation between
the seveia parties in any similar transaction
Payment could not be enforced land it would not
iii were practicable, since the votes of the new
States would he always in demand, md any par
~ in the ascendancy, or seeking TO be, would find
it an object to concililnte their favor.
But ithe obligation shall he real, The evils Of the
relation thus established would perhaps he worse.
States would be the agents or the stipendares OF
the Federal Government, aud tho loss of dignity
and of independence which this connection must
bring with it, would be more serious and more
deeply TO he deplored than the loss Of the whole
revenue that the lands might furnish. But we
presume that total surrender is contemplated as
The result of Mr.. Calhoun's project.
We find in the Lynchburgh Vrginian en- able
article this subject, in which an estimate is CIV
en- from official papers TO show the cost of these
lands to The General Government or to all the
States jointly The eXtinguishment Of the Indian
titles has caused an expenditure OF more than
eighty one millions and Il half of dollars; adding
to this the amount paid to France and Spain, with
interest, for Louisiana and Florida, the sum paid
! 20 the State of Georgia, together with the eXpen-
ses of the General and Local Land offices, ex-
penses for surveying and other items, the aggre-
gate is more than one hundred and twenty three
millions of dollars The receipts for sales amount
10 something over ninety-seven millions seven
hundred thousand dollars leaving balance against
the Treasury of some twenty five millions OF dol
lars.
The great burden of expenditure is already in
Cured. The Indian title is eXtinguished to an inn
mense expanse of 3l9, 536, 2;4 acres, which, with
the usual reservation to the States, would yield TO
the nation ut the minimum price, S2o7, l33, 044-
| Now That the lands promise TO Lecome really val
liable, the Government is called upon to throw
them away
Mr.. Clay's plan for the disposal of The proceeds
of these lands is familiar to the country. 1t is
literal 10 the new States and just towards all; il
guards this great national trust fund from waste
and improvident sacrifice, and secures to the peo-
pie solid benefit from the sule of it, 1t is plan
so wise in its provisions so satesmanlike aud sc
fair, that it received the full appreciation of both
Houses of Congress; and this approval would
have been confirmed by majority of two-thirds
if it had not been for the arbitrary of Gen
Jackson, who, instead of returning the bill witt
his objections, put it in his pocket and kept it Ill
/, Congress adjourned. But the will of the People
we trust, is now about to be paramount once more
and we believe that one of the first acts of the
, representatives under the new administration will
be to establish the system for distributing the pro
ceeds of the sales Of the Public Lands among TIT
States in n just proportion.