The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-08

ginia Mr. DRoMGooLE proposes that at a certain
period in future shall grant them to the States for
nominal consideration. Mr.. III. thought II would
be better TO leave this question to be decided by
Congresses that should come after them.
He assumed first, that public lands had
about paid for themselves; that the receipts from
them were about equal to the expenses in extn-
gulshment Of Indian titles, surveys, &c He knew
that the gentleman from Illinois would probably
tell him that they had yielded already net revenue
Of several millions, and that other gentlemen might
say they had not quite paid for themselves. But II
was nearly enough the fact to assume that the re-
celpts and expenditures connected with them were
equally balanced.
The general government, then is presented in the
character ola great landholder He agreed with
the gentleman from Georgia Mr.. STEPHENS that
they held in trust for the benefit Of all the
States, and all the people of the States-to
be disposed Of 80 as should best COMFORT with
the good of the whole nation together. The
gentleman, If he understood him Alright, for
distribution of their proceeds the mode OF admin
isterlng them. To this Mr.. Ii. was vitality opposed
and ever should be He adverted TO its tendency
of Capitalization and consolidation, and expressed
| the hope that the day would be far distant when
| the States, broken down and degraded in the dust
should be seen coming up to the general treasury
and humbly asking for their distribution share OF
the proceeds Of the lands-forgetul that for every
dollar thus received they must be assessed two dol
u
Iecnon, &c equal to the amount received back by
them. He never would vote for it; It was one OF
| the worst systems Of legislation which could be
adopted Its effects not only thus deleterious
IN the extreme, but 1t was system in direct yio-
| latlon of the constitution.
In reply TO an inquiry Of Mr. STEPHENS if he
| would give the lands to the States, Mr. II. said he
| had objections equally well-founded equally strong
to hsi he could see no distinction between dstrib-
ntIng the lands among the several States, and the
proceeds Of those lands
In reply TO a further inquiry by MI. s., If the old
States should not be equal recipients with the new
States OF the benefits Of those lands he said if there
was class OF our citIzens for whom our legis-
lauon might properly, constltutionay, and neces-
sarIy discriminate, it for those who 90 into our
frontier settlements, who subdue and reclaim our
| forests, cause them "tO bud and blossom as the
rose He would grant all proper legislative aid to
them within the power OF the government.
lie adVerted incidentally TO the tariff discussion
especially to the course of remark with reference TO-
the prices of labor, of produce in this country and
the bearing OF that system variety Of our indus
trial interests. There one view of this subject
connected intimately with the bill under consdera.
| uon Far distant was the day, years and centuries
would roll by before, by any possibility Of events
the labor of this country would be measured by the
standard Tabor IN foreign countries and one great
leading reason for It that we have so ample ter
ntory on which our citizens may live, and from
| which they may draw subsistence. By force of our
| legislation, they were drawn into no peculiar de-
| partment Of industry With the view of bearing
upon and promoting this great end he would 20 for
graduation Of our public lands according to their
fair value, to afford the in our crowded cities
| the opportunity TO 90 out into our public domain
and for small sum, such could be secured by
| any industrious citizen Of our country procure him
self a home
In practically applying his doctrines, them he
considered It necessary-hrst, that, by legislation
| hn ha Il 49, II
| lie lands which should annually be sold Gentle.
| men seemed to talk ms If the whole western wilder
ness would ere this have been converted into smiling
homesteads and cultivated fields it the price of the
lands had been properly reduced This was not
the There was a certain fair and natural de-
| mand for them this should be ascertained and the
quantities of lands put into market, from time to
| time, should be regulated and prices graduated &c
cordingly. Mr.. H. referred to the land system of
Maine, where they had substantially graduated
| the prices of their lands, had been DONE he ven
tured TO say, in nearly every State in the Union by
offering for sale different tracts at different prices
according to their value-and all of them frequent
ly thrown into market at the same time.
ms graduation should be according to their fair
value-to be ascertanei by surveyors or in what
ever other mode might be found preferable.
Mr.. II, dwelt upon the great reasons of public
policy (which called for a liberal system, which
should hold out inducements to the settler to pro-
mote his own happiness and prosperity, and tn
develop the resources and advance the and
power OF this confederacy by locating upon our
wild lands, and transforming them into cultivated
fields and happy homesteads and he indicated the
power of the government to do this by furnishing
the land to actual settlers on reasonable and liberia
terms.
In conclusion, he expressed the hope that the bill
would be well guarded 80 that its benefits should
accrue to actual settlers only, and be cuched by
| the spectators of the country
Mr.. GORDON obtained the floor, and yielded to
motion to rise; which being agreed to,
The committee rose and reported,
And the House adjourned,