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

lust bill 10 the new States than any which had
before been introduced into this House with any
prospect ofits being passed into a law
The President Of the United States and the Com
missioner of the General Land Office, had strongly
recommended the graduation and reduction Of TIE
price Of the public lands They deserved and
would receive the thanks Of thousands Of the hard
laborng and meritorlous cultlyaors Of the soil for
the very liberia, just and statesmanllke exPositons
Of the true policy Of the government in regard TO the
disposition Of the pubic lands. No unprecedented
mind could read the message Of the Presidest and
the very full and lucid report Of Judge Shields, and
for a moment doubt, but that Il was the policy OF
Congress TO pass the bib under consideration ~ II
should become a law, II would enable thousands 10
become the owners ofland who are now tenants-at-
will 10 the wealthy and aristocTatc landlord. II
would be the IN many cases OF dispensing
comfort and happiness TO thousands who are now
ground down with poverty and wretchedness, and
had courage 10 struggle against the Ills OF life
which the working classes were destined to encoun-
ter; and aside from the merted blessings It would
confer on so many Of our patriotic citizens, who at
| an early day penetrated the wilderness, inhabited
only by the red man; and whose labors and toll had
caused that vast wilderness u "blossOm like the
rose, ;" il would, (said Mr. SMTH,) be u matter Of
policy to the government TO reduce the price To the
actual settler of the lands which had been long In
market, and remained unsod. Il certainly needed
no argument To demonstrate that the best lands
would always be first selected and that third or
fourth rate lands which had been IN market twenty
or thirty years would not sell at the same price as
| the best lands first purchased. IL would be unjust
In the government To demand Il. Policy and justice
both called upon the goyernm Mt to fix the price
| cording 20 value. The lands would then SELL the
government would receive its value into the treas
ury; and the States would be benefited by having
| the lands improved; as they would draw revenue
| from them, To aid in keeping up and sustaining the
general interests Of their respective States. Mr. 3.
said the sstice and the policy Of graduating and
ducing the price of the public lands apparent
| TO every who familiar with the subject that
the wonder and astonishment Of the settlers OF
the States that this desirable object had not been
accomplished long before this time; and while he did
not for smomeht doubt the patriotism Of the members
OF the House. he could not attribute the repeated
| failures Of 30 many similar bills TO any other cause
| than TO the fact that very few who cultivated the
| soil with their own hands held seats IN either
branch OF Congress, to vote upon these measures.
i Sir, (sad Mr.. s y no man who has not learned
| his bread by the sweat Of his brow" in tiling the
soil, knows how hard it is TO dig from the earth the
means wherevith to support family, to say moth
ing Of laying aside money to purchase the land OF
the government even at 81 IS per acre for the first
| choice and best lands. Gentlemen should bear in
mind that there was a wide differ ence between the
| amount received by the farmer for his labor and
that received by professional gentlemen for their
services IL required whole year Of hard labor OF
the farmer TO what the professional man earned
Il u. ,.
his intention to make nyIdlous comparisons, o.
array one class of citizens against another. He
depI ecsted all sectional and local ealosies; and he
| hoped and trusted gentlemen would duly consider
the importance Of the passage Of this bill 10 the great
agricultural community Of this nation, and act in
spirit of generous hberality becoming enlig htened
| statesmen Of a free and independent republic. He
entreated gentlemen TO fancy themselves turned out
upon the cold charities of the world and left with
other means OF support than to earn their bread
| by cuuvating the soil; and If they could bring their
minds to the sober reality Of such a condition, his
| wordlgor it they would consider it hard enough TO
support themselves by that means, even if the land
was given TO them Mr.. ). contenGed that the
great object Of all governments should be to promote
the prosperity and happiness Of the whole people
and to effect thus object substantially, great care
should be taken, in framing our laws, to prevent
and check monopoIiss of all kinds but more especial
y land nOnopoli,s In a monarchical government II
might be tolerated; but IN free government like
ours it ought not to be countenanced suffered
| exist. The President in his annual message, haC
strongly recommended the graduation and reduction
| Of the price OF the public lands; and he would give
an extract fIsm that document:
Under present land system, limiting the minimum
at which the public lands can be entered to 81 IS
unsold, because they will command that price iron
the records of the general land office appears, that
the public lands remaining nnsod in the several States
Territories in which they situated &c. 577 hav
been in the market subject to entry morr than twenty
acres for than ten years; and 100 COL
more than five years. Much the largest portion Of hes
lands will continue to be unsaeable at the minimum prc
| at which they permitted TO be sold so long larg
territories of lands from which the more valuable portion
not been selected annually brought into market b.
the government With the view to the sale and settlement
OF these inferior lands recommend that the price be grad
ning the sales at the reduced prices to settlers and cuvs
tors in limited quantities. graduated and reduced In pro
piration of that period for second and third term
rates large portion Of these lands would be pu
chased and many worthy citizens who unable pa
higher rates could purchase homes for themselves an
their families By adopting the policy OF graduation
their real value while the which they lie will b
freed from the Inconvenience, not injustice to whic
continuing to own large quantities of public lands with
their borders not liable to taxation for the support of the
local gov ernments.
e" recommend the continuance Of the policy of grantin
prescriptions, in its liberal extent, to all those VIII
have settled, may hereafter settle, the public lands
whether surveyed which the Indian
have been distinguished at the time of settlement
been found by experience that consequence of
binatons OF purchasers, and other causes very sma
quantity OF the public lands. when sold at public auction
ed by law The settlers the public lands are however
rarely able to their homes and improvements
by of the capital they command and their supero
ability to purchase render impossible for the settler
competition these combinations of capitalists and specu
are usually enabled to purchase the lands incIudn
the government and either turn them out of their homes
extor from them according to their ability to pay, dot
D the amount them TO the govern
II is to the enterprise and Of the hard
pioneers Of the West who penetrate the wilderness wit
their families suffer the dangers the prvaoDs and hare
ships attending the settlement of country and PR
the way for the body Of emigants who in the
of few years, usually follow them that in gres
degree indebted for the rapid extension and aggrandzt
. | ment of our country.
Experience has proved that portion Of poput
ton patriotic than the hardy and brave OF tn
frontier, ready to obey the call Of their country
and to defend her rights and her honor whenever and
whatever enemy assaed They should be protected ror
the graspng Spectator and secured at the minimum prc
Of the public lands in the humble homes which they hav
improved by their labor. with this end in view, all
tous or unnecessary restrictions imposed upon them
the existing preempton laws shoud be repealed, mod
fed Ills the true policy OF the government to afford facil
ties to its citizens to become the of small portion
OF our vast public domain at low and moderate rates"
Mr.. s. said he thought the views expressed b.
the Executive on this question should have som
y weight with the members Of the House in favor @
u graduation and reduction The President was tn
proper guardian Of the rights and interests of tn
G whole Union-of the old well as the new States
and in his recommendations he could not be in
uenced by any local or sectional feelings, but rec
al he. ko. ID