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

| Mr.. MCKAY urgently enforced the latter sugges
ton, so that the whole matter might be considered
together on the day for which Mr. HEsLEY's ioin
resolution had been made the special order.
| Mr.. BAYLY replied TO Mr.. DAVIS, (yelding the
floor for the purpose of explanation TO several
members,) and especially denying that the rghi
had been reserved to reduce the compensation OF
the public printers by an act having retrospective
operation. He was perfectly willing the subject OF
public printing should be acted upon; but he was
fusion existed in relation to the profits this work
Mr.. b. concluded by calling for the reading of a
letter from Mr., Ryes, and also an explanation from
the foreman Of the "Union" office, on the subject
| Mr. q DAVIS, from the select committee APP
pointed the Sd day of December last to "inquire
whether any, and what change can be made in the
present mode of executing the printing of Congress,
made report thereon in writing.
On motion Of Mr.. MCKAY, the joint resolution
was referred 10 the same CommitIee of the Whole
on the state OF the Union to whom the joint resolu-
ton from the Senate had been referred.
And, on the suggestion OF MIR. DROMGOOLE,
the reports Of the majority and minority were laid
on the table, and ordered TO be printed.
| Mr.. McCLERNAND moved that the House re.
solve itself into Committee of the Whole on the
state of the Union.
Which notion after some difficulty about quo
rum, was agreed 10.
So the House resolved itself into Committee Of
the Whole on the state Of the Union, (Mr FIcx-
LIN, Of Illinois, IN the chair)
ERADICATION BILL.
On motion of Mr.. McCLERNAND, the COM
mttee proceeded to the consideration Of the follow
! imp bill;
BILL to reduce and graduate the price OF the public
lands to actual settlers and cutysor
BE enacted by The Ssat, and House Of RsPTsssntarsI 81
The United States u 4msica CongrtSs assembled That
al OF the lands fhe Unitcd which shall have been
In for ten or more than ten wears pror 20 the time
Ia
act and still remaining unsod shall be subject TO sale al
the price OF dollar per And all OF the lands Of
United states which shall have been market for hteen
or more than hieen years as aforesaid and still remaining
unsold shall be subject sale the price OF seventy Ave
cents per acre And all Of the lands Of the United states
which shall have been in market for twenty more than
twenty years, aforesaid and still remaining unsod,
And all oil the lands OF the United States which shah have
been in market for twenty Ave than twenty five
rc to sale at the price oftweny per And
all OF the lands Of the United states which shall have been
In market at the passage OF this act any time tsreaf
ter, for period Of thirty than thirty years and
su remaining unsod shall be and the same are hereby,
etded and forever absolutely vested in the States respect
lively, in which they lie.
sGe . .7nd ajDihr, enacted That every person APP;
plying to enter any Of the aforesaid lands OF the United
states under the provisions Of this act shall be required
first to make ada VII before the register receiver OF the
proper land ONCE that he she enters the for his
OF her own n'e the purposes OF actual settlement and
cultivation by and for him Or herself for the Of
herself and that together with said entry he or she has
not acquired from the United States under the provisions
OF this art than three hundred
land according 10 the public surveys thereof and
person taking such oath by affidavit shall falsely
the premises he or she shall be subject all Of the pains
and penalties OF pepury Prortdsd That nothing herein
contained shall be construed TO prevent any person from
entering purchasing the lands OF the United States at the
price OF one dollar and twenty FIVE cents per
the quantity Of land which the President the United
states shall hereafter proclaim and offer for sale In any
year shall exceed FIVE millions ofa This shall
take effect six months from and aller its passage.
The BILL having been read through, was taken up
by sections:
Mr. BIGGS moved to strike out the following
words:
And ell orhr lands ofte United States which shall ha
been in market at the passage OF act any time hse
still remaining unsod shall be- and the hereby
coded and absolutely vested in the States respee.
lively in which they lie
| Mr.. BOWLIN said he rose to submit a few re-
marks upon the merits of this bill, and the principles
involved in it--as he regarded 1t one of the most
important measures for the West that had or could
engage the attention Of this House. As matter Of
policy, the West deeply interested in it, il
tended TO bring her waste lands into market and
useful occupation As matter of principle its
sound doctrines addressed themselves to the whole
Union, and demanded from us such action as was
best calculated to promote the ends of free govern
ment. The public lands were trust fund in our
hands for the benefit of the people-not 10 be held
up by prohlbtory, squandered 10y corrupt legis-
latlon; but to be disposed of, would secure to
promoting correct principles, increasing the revenue,
or in advancing the general prosperity Of the coun-
| try.
Land being the true basis of all individual and ma
tonal prosperity, It's Disposition and the tenure by
which it is held has in every age of the world and
in every civilized nation, engaged the most ardent
attention of the statesman. There is no subject in
the whole range of political science, that so nearly
and directly interests the great body of the people,
as that OF the right of soil, It's disposition is not
only question of mere utility, that changes with
the passing hour, but It is involving great and
important principles, upon which may hang the fate
of man and governments. So intimately identified
is 1t with the forms and systems OF government and
the political rights and privileges of men, that we
are frequently enabled to read the history OF a ma
ton, either for veal or for wo, for glory or shame
in the mere regulations of her land systems That
COVE nment, no matter by what name may be
called, whose lands scattered amongst the great
body of her people, and are left unettered by law,
to pass in their natural course, from generation to
generation, preserving and perpetuatlng an In
dependent yeomanry must forever ENJOY high
state of political freedom. Whilst such syS-
tenn is preserved, there is no focus around which
to rally political power to Cypress The rays OF
mower are scattered, and can only be concen-
trated over the ruins of the system itself. Upon
the contrary, that government which adopts a sys-
tenn and puraues policy, tending TO concentrate
It's soil in the hands Of few to the detrment OF the
many, lettering its free passage from man to man
no matt what name it may bear, its ultimate des
tiny is the destruction ofevery vestige of equality
and liberty. 1t is the inevitable destiny OF nations
to be controlled by the propretors of the soil, and
the government is free despotc, just in proportion
the number Of its rulers, or participants IN Poh
cal privileges. II you wish to preserve ana perpet
uate its democratic form, you must pursue policy
tending disseminate the lands amongst the largest
possible number OF the people of the State Hence
the great princ pie that lies at the foundation oil any
system for the disposition of the public lands we
may see proper no adopt.
In the origin of society, land, like the other e'e'
ments, were free to the common enjoyment OF all
But la nd being capable of individual appropriation
became the subject of propre'0TTssh l at hrs
duence Of such a system, nothing but the pures
principles of democratic equality could have existed
But it was doomed not to last The ingenuity o.
man soon dissipated that system OF equality by
striking at the first cause, the equa enjoyment of the
soil, the only permanent foundation Of all wealth al
and its consequence, power From that day to thl;
the land systems Of every~country have stamped
their impress upon their institutions for good or fol-