The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-01

Mr.. JENKINS gave notice Of an amendment;
which was read for information.
Mar, Ho0E was glad that the gentleman from
New York MIR. RArHsuS1 was IN favor OF selling
these lands, though he apprehended that the gen
tleman,s policy, II carried out, as efiectual
method as could be devised Of preventing their sale
II the gentemans amendment making IS the mini
mum was TO prevail, il was in effect Legislative
provision that not man who lives upon the sec
ton of land should be allowed TO retain the land
upon which they had settled and made improve
ments, or at least would place them al the mercy Of
speeulators, for he undertook TO say there not
single settler able TO pay 60 fof these lands. Mr..
H. resided in the district where these minefal lands
lay and spoke from knowledge on the subject. He
warmly appealed TO the House against the injustice
Of such a system. For the last 40 years we had
secured by express law that no man should come
in and bid against the actual settler; we secure TO
him by right of pre-emption l60 acres; II is at the
tery foundation Of the land system. But they did
not ask of the government even this protection, but
that the lands should be thrown into market, and
after due ard full notice, which was provided for,
sold to the highest bidder
These lands, which figured so largely IN the ina
gination Of the gentleman from New York, on
which he seemed to suppose you had nothing TO do
but 20 take your shovel and hoe and dig up dollars
agricultural tracts and were themselves most yaua
bic for agricultural purposes. Every man who had
investigated the subject knew that the mineral lands
were less productive than any other, and that the
farmers would not allow their land TO be dug
up in search Of minerals but preferred TO continue
the old mode Of rendering them profitable by cult
vation and agricultural labor. The gentleman from
New York The contended) had oyer-estmated the
amount Of lead which was produced from these
lands and urdef-esi,mated the expenditures con
nected with them. Four-hfths Of the lead which
went to the northern and eastern markets came
from private lands, in which II had been discovered
long after its sale by the government and TO be de-
ducied frotd the $4,000 excess Of receipts from
these lands over expenditures for the last twenty
four years, reported from the General Land
Office, land which presented the IN It's most
favorable light,) were the losses by agents, ex'
penses Of law suits, &c, &c. The single explora.
ton OF these lands alluded to by Mr.. RATHsuRS
cost 500 OOO overwhelming this excess Of s75 900
and leaving a deficit Of SOS, 900; and there wer,
others, Ito which he alluded
He objected further TO the amendment Of Mr.
RATHBUs, that il included all the mineral tracts
and said il would have been sustained by SONS
semblance Of justice had IL confined Itself Il
actual mineral discovery. On the contrary, arg'
quantities Of land-that in which his county wal
located, and on which, by way Of improvement
and cultivation, his people had invested all they
had in this word-was purely that which wa
adapted to agricultural purposes. He dwelt upor
the injustice Of compelling them To pay S. pei
acre or lose their lands when their chief salu,
was the result Of the improvement which they haC
made; and presented many points into which W.
cannot at present enter
His remarks will appear in a moro extended
form hereafter.l
Mr.. S. ADAMS urged the importance Of nov
making some settlement Of this matter. Experience,
he saId) had shown the evils Of this government
being landlord, with its citizens tenantsst will
He spoke with contempt Of the ptfu sum Of So, 00t
or 200 which the government might receive an
nually from the land which honest settlers
plying and said il should be remembered tina
this amount was raised by Withholding from sal
some 20O, 900 acres, which are settled by merito
rious citizens, who lie down at night with the re
Election that their house and their property may b
taken from them ere another day passes, by specu
lstors who may bid one dollar more than they do
He drew vivid picture Of the anxiety and conster
nation with which many a poor man, whose a
| consisted in the improvements which he had mad
upon this land-and which gave il is chief value
watched the progress Of the sale which rendere
him liable at the pleasure Of mercless spectators
To be dspossessed of it, and himself and family lei
without homei and he urged the importance an
the justice Of relieving this anxiety and settling thl
matter by exposing these lands to sale at fair compe
| tition, and without prescribing minimum prc
which the settler would not be able to pay
On motion, the committee rose and reported it
| action on the above several bills.
And the House adjourned.
The following petitions and memorials were pre-
sented under the rule, and referred to the appro
pirate committees:
BY Mr. Seldom: The petition Of the trustees Of tn
Faulkner school in Chesterfield county Virginia prsyn
allowance Of years pay alleged to be due to the repr,
senstves Of Ralph Faulkner officer in the army tn
revolution referred to the Committee Revolutionsr
llan If
the allowance Of for services OF guard while tn
United States commissioner was concluding treat
with the New York Indians referred to the Committee
| Claims.
By Mr.. LAsERE The petition of Joseph Walker Jss
ques Dupre, Thomas n. Lewis, N. Prudhomme, and NJ
wards of 200 other citizens of louisiana for the relief
the securities OF Benoit Laurent referred to the Commute
BY Mr.. HERRICK The petition Of George Nc Allen an
l3 citizens OF South Charston, Clark county. Ohio tina
the further sales OF the public lands be stopped and tina
Aliens land bill" be passed. distributing the public land
to each male and female citizen OF legal age by emitting
them to certificate Of 100 acres each provided they
not in the possession of the same and those owning less
have made to 6o acres and not to be made charge
able for debt
By Mr. RAMSEY: The memorial of A. w Macdonald
BENZ. w. Cumming, and 1856 other citizens OF schuylk
county Pennsy lvana engaged in the coal trade asking
continuance Of the present tariff laws. Also William vii
lams Jenkin Thomas, and 20 other citizens Of schuyk
county yvania engaged in the coal trade payin
that no change may be made in the tariff laws now b
force
BY Mr.. BRINKERHoFF: The memorial fr,m citizen. o
Ashland Rchland and Crawford counties, Ohio. preyin
the establishment Of mailroute from Ashland via Olives
burg, Ryes Richland Plymouth Tyro, and Liberty Cor
ne,s to in Crawford county referred to the Com
Mr.. Mr. L. B. HOLMES: The remonstrance Of Daniel
Harris Mccall and SO other citizens Of Monroe county
New York, against any change in the present tariff
BY Mr. WICK; The memorial of the trustees appointe,
by the general assembly of the State OF Indiana for the ed
tee Of the Whole the state of the Union to which wa
referred the appropriation on behalf the blind OF certain
BY Mr.. HARMANsON: The resolution from the State o
Louisiana, requesting Congress to remove distractions