The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-19

uons an inquiry 10 Kept alive for the lands, exami-
nations are repeated, and competition forces the
buyers 10 pay fair price for them. Thus the lands
win be disposed Of and settled and the government
VIII derive revenue from the pablie domain.
IL also dlsproyes, with the cearness ofdemonstTa-
ions, one Argument against the BILL on which great
emphasis has been placed; that, by publishing be-
forehand that the government, after the lapse Of
certain time, will fall in her demands for her prop
erty, no portion Of will sell ill il falls TO the low.
est rate In the descending SCALE For of the 6757l2
acres liable to entry, 376057 acres subject TO be
entered at l2l eents-nearly one-half the whole
amount; and only 5000 acres at so cents. In con-
hrmation Of these figures, | can add my own per-
sonal observation. Omen has it occurred within my
knowledge, that individuals who desired to enter a
particular tract Of land would repair to the land
ONCE and actually purchase his land few days
PRIOR 10 the fall in price, for fear that when il fell
he should meet with opposition, and possibly lose
hls home. In addition TO this, the average price OF
vi cents per acre gives the confutaton to this sup
position.
[Mr. BARRNGER interpreted, and said that these
lands were sold for paper when money was plenty !
Mr. Il. resumed. My friend from North Caro-
lima Is mistaken. IL he will reeur 10 those times
he will remember that a very small portion of those
lands had been brought into market prior To the is
suaDce OF General Jaeksons famous specie circular
and surely he has not forgotten the wholesale and
unqualified abuse which was heaped upon the head
of the old Hero for what was then and there deem
ed this most unjust and unrighteous rtquisition,
but which has proved, to the entire satisfaction OF
the most hostile, most timely and sautary regula.
ton. No, Mr. Chairman, nearly all Of these lands
were paid for in specie.
mr.. BARHSoEH said specie was more plentiful
then than now.
Mr.. T. consider my friend again mistaken Il
was in those days the contest was first waged be-
tween the opposers and supporters of the banks and
a bank currency; and those who advocated specie
We tnfa. --s,lfr
locofoeos. IL said there was not specie enough
IN the world 10 answer the purposes Of trade-no
enough to buy the crop Of Mississippi-not enough
To furnish each child bit to cut its teeth upon
What the gentleman from North Carolina has sta
ted reminds me Of an anecdote which whig oppo-
nent OF mine for a seat upon this floor frequently
related, oflen TO my great annoyance, and always To
the infinite amusement Of his audience: allude TO
Colonel A. l.. Bingaman, than whom there lives MOI
a finer specimen Of human nature in any country
graced with every good grace to grace gentle
man" He would say, that having been some time
previous race-held, (the colonel is fond Of fine
horses and being called on as Judge of the race
II became necessary to throw up for choice in the
track. Several gentlemen were present, and upon
inquiry it was found that not one had piece of
specie with which to throw up heads and tails; and
necessity being the mother Of invention, their only
and dry. [ A laugh. II there so much specie
in the country then, what becomes Of the argument
Of my friend, that the specie brought into the
country by virtue Of the wing tariff OF 1912
But is again said that the demand for such lands
is about 100000 OF acres per annum, and no
change Of price would increase the demand. lfthis
be true suppose we exnguish the Indian title 10 no
more land, and therefore stop our 1tion; as we
have now l33, 307 ,457 acres subject 70 entry, and
1903 035,3I5 acres nearly ready to be brought into
market, which makes an aggregate OF 3I2, 342 s02
acres. 1t will require the lapse of one hundred and
twenty years before we dispose of the stock on
hand And suppose our population to increase as
rapidly hereafter it has done heretofore: in that
time our numbers will have increased to 500 900 900
of population. But the argument is fallacious, be-
cause, as our people increase in strength and num-
bers, Of course the demand for land for actual settle
ment will augment.
Again: this bill is characterized by very strong
epithets as a measure of punder-a system of rob
berry; and the insinuation is very directly made
that the representatives of the new States have
some covert design, which is not revealed to the
public eye; that they endeavoring to practise de-
ception upon the House and the country; that we
are to derive unnumbered benefits, to the great pre-
udice and injury Of the old States. To all such
suggestions, and epthets, have one
answer, which is made with proper sense Of re- |
,ponsibity: hat all such remarks, far as they
ire intended 10 apply to the friends of the bill from
he new States are unjust, untrue, and calumnious.
Il is usual in this House, that those who are most
amiliar with subject are relied upon to furnish
he facts on which our action is based. But here !
,ur testimony is mpeached on the ground Of sup |
posed interest; and the unwarrantable and Infamous
animation is made that the aims ntents, and pur |
poses of members are different from what are avoW-
ID. The new States want to zee their wild lands |
settled upon they want strength and population;
md, if possible, they desire to the general gov
ernment to be landholder 30 that their tax
,atherers may receive contribution from every por-
ion of their country for the maintenance of the
whole commonwealth. They believe your lands
will not be purchased for settlement your present
prices. A brief comparison of the Chckasaw and
Choctaw purchases in my own State, illustrates |
his proposition clearly that it is but necessary
o know the facts to convince every fair unbiased
mind of its truth. The Chickasaw cession was
made in 1894 The Choctaw cession was made
n 1880. The whole area of the Chickasaw nation |
IF land. The of the Choctaw nation in the |
State is 9592075 acres. In the sale Of the Chick
lsaw lands, there was rapid graduation of price, |
coming down in five years TO l2l cents per acre;
md the result is this: the 3lst July, 1545, all
he lands in the Chickasaw nation lying in the |
whole had been paid for in specie--yielding upon
In average of 9lk cents to the acre. The Cboctaw
ands, equal in every respect as to soil, health or
advantages of location, had been in market during
hat remarkable period of speculatons Of 1884, |
1885, and 1896, and there still remains unsod the
you have to keep up three land ofices-though one,
I true, (the land district of Augusta) embraces
ands not obtained by virtue Of the treaty of 1880
hree registers, and three receivers, at heavy ex
oense. And without this bill, or something of the
kind, you cannot discontinue them for years to
come. On the score Of population the census OF
1910 does not furnish the facts in all their force, and
therefore | am unable to give the exact relative
strength of settlement of these two divisions Of my
State; but it is well known to my colleagues that the
Chickasaw nation, by far the youngest portion OF
the State, possesses almost controlling political
power over the whole State whenever they choose
to exercise it. We find them largely more than
third of the whole vote Of the State. We advocate
this BILL then, because we know il will conduce to
the settlement of the State. We believe that its
adoption is demanded by the dictates of wise
economy on the part Of the United States. The
necessary cost in holding up these lands, in the way
Of keeping open proper land Offices is greater thao
the additional amount you will realize by your ef-
fort to sell refuse lands for 81 25 per acre. Sell the
lands for what they will now command, add to that
amount sum which will yield you, at six per cent,
suf6cency to pay the salaries Of your land officers
and other contingencies, and am perfectly conf
dent that you will have made most excellent ar
rangement, far more to your advantage than any