Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-05-02

to the State Of Michigan It would be unnecessary to touch
again upon the constitutional question: 10 the right Of the
General Government to bestow portions Of the public lands
upon the States for the purpose Of aiding objects Of improve
which calculated to benefit the whole United States
In the present there but three links remain
ing be completed in order form continuous line Of rail
road from Boston TO the Mississippi river would be need
less for him to enter into detail Of the advantages which
would result to the whole Union from such line Of commu
nicaon they fully set forth in report which had been
submitted along with the bill He would refrain, therefore
from troubling the Senate with any observations unless OBJ
jecons should be urged against the passage 81 the bill IN
that would be incumbent him to reply to those OBJ
jectons -
Mr.. BAGBY said he did not suppose that any thing he
could say would change the vote OF single Senator for,
from what had taken place yesterday ne concluded that Their
minds made up the propriety OF granting public
lands purposes Internal improvement He OPP
posed to this BILL proposed TO confer advantages
the State of Mississippi il applied to bis State his
objections would be the same those objections lay deeper
than any considerations of immediate advantage
tage to any particular State. He objected to because its
effect would be TO withhold from the Treasury portion of
the public funds and to apply them to purposes Of internal
improvement And he insisted that there difference
whether those works of internal improvement were COM
menced by the State by the General Government Nor
there any difference in principle between Withholding the
amount Of the proceeds of the sales of these lands from the
Treasury and taking equal amount Of money Of
Treasury. The whole thing wrong. Il establish
ing pncpe that would lead mschievous results The
Government TO be dragged into works Of this kind the
State enterprise And the constitutional objection was to
be answered by saying that the General did not
a6 o undertake the works, grant charters therefor He
could real difference between undertaking the works
the beginning, and assuming them in the of
ton For these he opposed to the b but he
there evident determination go forward he
would content himself with merely calling for the yeas and
f~4s.t rl. .e W.
Mr.. sPEIGHT said he was reoced to find that the Sena
tor from Alabama able his seat, from which he
had been detained yesterday by ndsposon He regretted
the absence Of the Senator yesterday it would have been
much more satisfactory had he participated in the debate
the constitutional question He would do the Senator the JUS
tce say that he believed him to be sincere in his objections
He had not expected the support Of the Senator but he had
hoped that after the discussion which had taken place
the Michigan BILL he would not have renewed the question
constituionaity. 3a
The Senator said there difference between granting
lands and taking money out of the Treasury He thought
there manifest difference, particularly in the
before the Senate What the condition of the land pro-
posed to be granted situated in the part of
the State it was not portion of the land recently yielded up
by the Indians but the refuse of the public land land
which had been subject to purchase and entry by settlers for
forty years. and had been left unoccupied because
poorest description No person would bid for it the mini
price Of dollar and a quarter He would
put to the Senator to say he did not manifest differ
ence between granting portion Of this land whereby the
value Of the remainder might be enhanced and letting it lie
wholly unoccuped and altogether useless for perhaps another
forty years II there any unrestricted power in the Con-
sttuion, that relation to the public domain. The
General Government had unlimited power it. dispose
Of it in any way they pleased to sell it, to give away
When the question debated days ago upon the
Michigan bill the Senator bad brought up the authority of
Mr. Jefferson in support Of his position but the Senator
would ecoec that laws passed during the admnisa
tou Of Mr. Jefferson making grants Of land individuals for
various purposes. There had been Administration
the formation of the Government under which laws had
been passed making donations Of land to individuals and States
Under what grants made for the purposes of edu
cation and for religious purposes These not objected
to unconstitutional
L Ill h. Al.
port of the honorable Senator but he had hoped that the
bill was to benefit sister State, well degree his
State he would relax somewhat of his opposition, and
content himself with voting against the BILL
Mr.. BAGBY said the fact that it his State or
any other State that be benefited by particular law
could never change principle He would have gone far
in support Of the Michigan bill he would of bill in favor
Of Alabama had he been restrained by the principle which
he had avowed, and he happy to that Alabama
not there, and would be through his agency seeking
grant Of the public lands fer such purposes The Senator
from Mississippi seemed to think there marked difference
between this case and proposition to grant lands which
valuable He said thsse refuse lands which had
been in the market for forty years Well this fact be
would take for granted that the lands worth something
his friend from Mississippi would not be eager get
them If they Of value he did how the road
be constructed by hem and they of any value
they belonged the United States and the proceeds ought
go into the public Treasury.
Mr. SPEIGHT. But the General Government is the alb
soute proprietor of all the public domain and has the right to
dispose OF it.
Mr.. BAGBY. There is doubt about the right of the
General Government TO dispose Of the public lands but this
brings up another principle One great object originally in
tended be accomplished by dsposing Of alternate
the public lands enhance the value Of the remainder
and enable the Government raise the price dollars
and half instead Of dollar and twenty five cents
The institution Of the system enhance the price this
have always been opposed.
The State which have the honor in part to represent and
If do not greatly the honorable Senator's State
have been aborng for years to bring down the price, am
opposed TO the bill for these consider il infinitely
important that should, if it be possible by legislation
to do enable the poorer class Of citizens obtain lands
cheap rate than construct roads the expense Of the Cen
eral Government
in relation to this BILL not liable the objections
which he had raised in reference the Michigan BILL 1t
very different and in his opinion, very simple one
not involving in the slightest degree any constitutional ques
ton. He would very willingly vote for this bill for he be-
ieved the remainder of the public lands after the portion
prsed in this bill had been disposed Of would bring greater
amount into the Treasury than the whole Of them would pro-
duce in such appropriation Of those lands made
II mode Of disposmg of the public lands which he
sdered highly advantageous the Treasury and upon
this ground that he would give his in favor Of the bill
He would add word to the importance of the work
This road constituted Of the links in the chain Of
nicaton from Maine the Mississippi and would leave but
two other links to be filed up in order TO make the line
pete and he thought they might look forward with telera
BILE degree of certainty IFS entire completion the Of
SIX yearsa the urthes If unfortunate
should interrupt the progress Of the works The road would
pass through the very centre Of the growing region Il
would facilitate travel to great extent and would be emf
nenty beneficial only TO the States Immediately
ed but TO the whole Unon and the Government itself would
be amply remuneraed for the quantity Of land granted
Mr. acfalt ha. ..I...~