Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-01-20
and Reduction OF the
Ax1Ce of the Public Lands.

'x-Es
and Reduction OF the
rice of the Public Lands.
Perhaps no measure will be brought forward
At he present Cngress Of equal impoItaate u
the Snmeiaiate is well - the ultimate interests
Of the West, md u Iowa especially, asthe one
indicated by the caption we have chosen for
these remarks. There are at present in all parts
Of the Territory, large bodies of vacant lands,
equal in point of fertility and richness to any
That have been entered, but SO distant in most
instances from timber, as to present an insur-
barrier to their settlement at the same
sasaiaaa for inors advantageous loeations.
These lands will not sell for twenty years to
eope, unless their prices be graduated and re-
duced, and OF course viii be unavailable to the
general government as 2 source Of revenuei but
once adopt the graduation principle, and large
proportion Of them would ,und oubtedly be speedi-
~. taken UP and put under cultivation, thereby
essentially adding to the wealth population, and
productive industry Of the country. The fact Of
land having lain open to private eatry4for FIVE
its nnsaeable and comparatively valueless cha
racter, and the governments by adopting for such
lands a,scale of low and descending prices, will
not onlyadd to its revenues, but at the same time
will enable many poor but honest man to OBJ
tain for himself and familytha which otherwise
his means will not enable him to procure--a spot
he can eeall his home. Should the measure sue
coed, all the unsold lands in Iowa offered at the
first sale in the fall of 1893 would be subject to
be bought at the reduced price Immediately, FIVE
years having elapsed since they were first
brought into market; and it would be but a very
short time before more than half the unsold land
in the Territory would come under the pro-
visions and within the purview of the contem-
plated reduced scale Of charges.
Our advices from Washington are not sufh-
GENTLY definite to warrant the entertainment Of
any other assurance of favorable result to this
important measure than that which we find in
the increased weight, numerically, politically
and intellectually, of the West, in the national
Legislature, and the disposition already manifest
ed by Eastern and Southern members to award
even handed justice to the West; but in these
much ground for hope is afforded, at least so far
as the action Of the House Of Representatives is
involved. II will, doubtless, as heretofore, en-
counter, the determined and unceasing opposition
Of the leading whig Senator's, and they may rally
their party followers in sufficient numbers to de.
feat it at the present session; but when it is re.
meuabered that graduation and reduction in tht
price ofthe public domain was first brought for.
ward by and is one of Col. BENToN's favoritt
measures, for which he has long labored, and t.
the success Of which he has voluntarily pledged
the remainder of his public life, who can doub
that the policy viii be finally adopted? The res
toration Of democratic rule in the administration
Of the general government in 1916, among it
many other attendant blessings, will certainly b.
llowed by the introduction of this new, just
and desirable principle, in the mode of dsposin
Of the public lands, should the wing ascendanc.
in the Senate succeed in preventing such wish
ed for contamination before that period.
Below we publish the bill introduced into tn
House by Mr.. HousToN, of Alabama. remark
ing that it differs essentially from the bills hereto
fore introduced by Col. BENTON. and is not a
all such an act as we hope to see passed. Ifou
: memory deceives us not, Col. BIS bills made n
, ,ssstrs,apS a shto purchasers Of tn
which would result from the applicat;~.. :, AZ
presumption laws to such lands; but wheths
mistaken or not we are free to say that W
should regard the imposition of any such re
str;c;ion az highly impolitic. The lands, bein
refuse, would present but little temptation t
speculation; while, by being thrown open 10 al
q much larger portion would be bought up an
cultivated than would be the case under the pro
visions of the annexed bill. Mr.. WAIVER, W
Should not omit to say, has also introduced
bin havinyshe same general object in the Senate
the details of which we are as yet unacquainte
with, KS 80 s,,sf.. .af .s.s-,g ,3
A niLLto reduce and graduate the price Of publ
tlQ lands In favor Of settlers aud cultvators.
b. IL enacted by the Senate aud House Of Rer
rssentatires Of tie United Statss in Congrsss al
act, all Of the lands Of the United States whic
| shall have been subject to entry for five years
upwards prior to the passage Of this act, and st
remaining iunsold, may be entered for settlerner
or cultivation, or for the use OF an adjacent farr
or plantation, at the price of fifty cents per acr,
for.any quantity not exceeding one section; an
all OF the lands OF the United States which sha
have been subject to entry for ten years or up
wards prior to the passage Of this act, and sti
i remaining unsold. may be entered for settlemsr
or cultivation, or for the use Of an adjacent far,
or plantation, at the price Of twenty-five cen,
per acre, for any quantity not exceeding one sec
ton: Procsded. That the person making said On
9 try at either OF the prices as designated by th
act, shall first make an affidavit before the regi.
ter or receiver Of the proper land office, or som
person competent to administer an oath, that sal
/ applicant has either made no entry under n
l provisions Of this act, or no entry in persuanc
: thereof, which, together with the addition,
: entry proposed to be made, win make the Who'll
: quantity so entered, and proposed TO he entere,
exceed one section, and all entries AZ either
the prices designated by this act. contrary
the true intent and meaning thereof, are hersh
: declared to be absolutely null and void
Premium Hog.
We visited, the other day, the extsnsi,
slaughtering establishment Of Mr.. PEAslk,
with the view Of obtaining look at a"monst,
L r - r. ~.