The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-06


menls have made such rapid strides in the aequisi-
ton of patronage as ours. Upon this point serious
approximations have already possessed the minds OF
many wise and patriotic citizens. Since the forma-
ton of the government, II has grown from sim,
pie machine, cheapy administered, and Of limited
patronage, TO one OF vast power and multiplied eX-
psndture.
The present land system, as already shown, is
and an efficient Of this portentons trans-
formation IL has now generated 90 land oflces,
1879 registers and receivers, surveyors general,
with host Of deputies clerks, craftsmen, chain
carriers, and axe-men, supported at AN annual ex-
pensc Of about $500, 900, and must continue IN ylr
tue OF the principles of its construction to extend It's
patronage eoextensive with the almost illlmtable
area Of the public domain. The system has the sf.
feet Of bnnging large communities OF the new States
more less under the influence OF federal patron
age and power-and thus exerts a most pernicious
influence upon the independence of the States, and
the constitutional action Of the federal government.
No branch Of federal patronage invites more thor
ough and effectual reformation.
View this measure upon the simplest and most
common principles. An individual is possessed Of
vast variety of lands. He wishes to sell them.
soil. Others have better locations and more Access
sbllity to market. He begins, however, by putting
them all up at the same minimum price. He gives
out that he will take not lees than al rs per acre.
Now it turns out, that after offering large body OF
his lands from year to year, he find no Pureha-
ser for Of them. great many persons come and
tell him, These lands are not valuable as others
that you have thrown into market We are not
able to pay the price of any Of them, indeed, but we
would be perfectly willing to take these poorer
tracts nj a lower price. Will you play the part OF
the dog in the mangerl You will not cultivate these
poor lands yourself-will you not suffer us to have
them, when we will give you what they are really
, worth p' No sagncious individual would long Pur-
sue this policy and continue to ask the same price
for all his lands, whatever be the difference in their
actual values.
The President, in view of this prudent policy, has
recommended in his annual message the graduation
of the public lands. He tells Congress:
"Under our present land system, limiting the
minimum price at which the public lands can be en-
tered To one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre,
large quantities Of lands Of inferior quality remain
unsold, because they will not command that price.
From the records Of the General Land Office II APP
pears, that, Of the public lands remaining unsod in
the several States and Territories in which they
situated, thirty-nlne millions hundred and FIVE
thousand FIVE hundred and seventy acres have
been in the market, subject to entry more than
twenty years. forty-nine millions six husdred and
thirty-eght thousand six hundred and forty -four
acres for more than fifteen years. seyentythree mil
lions seventy -four thousand and six hundred acres
for more than ten years; and one hundred and six
millions hundred and seventy-slx thousand nine
hundred and sixty-one for more than five
years. Much the largest portion of these lands will
continue to be unsaleable at the minimum price at
which they permitted to be sold, so long as large
territories Of lands from which the more valuable
portions have not been selected annually brought
into market by the government. With the view to
the sale and settlement Of these inferior lands rec
ommend that the price be graduated and reduced
below the present minimum rate combining the sales
at the reduced prices to settlers and cutivators in
limited quantities. If graduated and reduced in
price for limited term to one dollar per acre, and
af,er the piraton Of that period for second and
third term to lower rates, a large portion Of these
lands would be purchased, and many worthy citi-
zens who are unable pay higher rates. could pur-
chase homes for themselves and their families. BY
adopting the policy Of graduation and reduction Of
price, these inferior lands will be sold for their real
value, while the States in which they lie will be
freed from the Inconvenience, if not injustice, to
which they are subjected, in consequence Of the
United States continuing to own large quantities OF
the public lands within their borders not liable to
taxation for the support Of their local governments