The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-07-27
fFor the Herald.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.

/
own pleasure and the funds arising from
their sale TO be appropriated to its own
use. Others allege that they are the pro-
perty Of the States, held in trust only for
their use by the General Government,
and that each individual State has right
TO claim aud receive at any time its just
quota and appropriate the funds as it
| pleases. A third class, the National Re-
formers, aver that they belong to the
whole People, and that they ought 10 be
parcelled out amongst such as are not al
ready owners Of landed estates. | will
not at this time undertake to decide where
the ownership is actually lodged, though
hold the opinion that il is with the
States; but taking things as they really
exist, the lands being in the possession
and under the control of the General Co
vernment, purpose to make some sug-
gestions in regard TO their just and proper
disposition.
! Millions Of acres have been sold annu-
ally for many years and the moneys paid
/ into the Land Offices, whence they have
been transferred to the National Treasury,
to aid in swelling the revenue. But it
must be obvious to every one that has gi-
ven the subject any attention. that, while
the Lands are passing from the Govern
ment into the hands of companies or in
dividuaIs, after paying all the expenses at
tending the transfer, but very small a.
mount is left to be applied TO the expen-
ditures of the Government. These mo-
neys have been denominated by some 'sa
corruption fund.- and it is but too true
that a large amount of them is squander-
ed away upon individuals in faver with
the "powers that he,'' holding various
stations in tie Land Department, from the
chief officer down to the lowest clerk,
and many of whom are as unnecessary
to the transaction of its business as f1y-
wheel is to four-horse wagon or other
vehicle.
If, as | alIege, the Lands belong to the
States, each individual State has, as a
matter of course, the right to dispose Of
It's quota upon such terms as il pleases
and apply the proceeds in such manner as
it shall sec fit. And if they were in the
actual possession of the States, then the
uses to be made of them would form a
proper subject for discussion; but since
the General Government holds posses
sion of, and disposcs of them, without
consulting the States and without any Of
fetal protestations from these, we must
treat the subject as if no diversity of O.
pinion prevailed in regard 10 it, and con-
slider the lands as the undisputed property
Of the former-and, viewing the subject
in this light, the question as to the best,
most just and proper disposition that can
be made of them, presents itself for our
consideration.
= Without having any official data to go
by. | viii assume that there arc in the u
nited States one million heads of families
and single freemen who are without
freehold, and who are compelled,
frem necessity, to labor day by day
and from year to year for mere sub
sistence, without the prospect Of ever ac-
quiring an acre OF real estate. In this
number | do not include traders and pro-
fessional men, who, in many instances
might, if they would, be owners of Ian
ded property. Nor do mean to be un-
derstood as saying that such is the condi-
ton of all operatives; for, there is a nu-
lnerous class employed in the manufacto-
ries Of the Eastern States, which, by in
dustry and economy. is acquiring COM
petence, though without the possession OF
foot of ground; but my remarks are IN
tended TO apply chiefly to that class of per-
sons which is without any regular en-
ployment and which very often hangs
like an incubus upon those communities
where il is most numerous, as is general
ly the case in and around towns and cities
on the sea-board. Besides. there is
regular influx from Europe Of a apopula-
tion which has been bred to the labors OF
the field and to "nothing else," and which
cannot do more than gain scanty sub
sistence by laboring for wages or engag-
ing as servants, but might become respec-
table and useful in the forests and on the