The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-06

\ WubOVt tU1tUtnf lhs fF~I0 then. oil rf4ut OF
land 10 the State 81 illaos BY Congress- has been poo
dixious and sven there pa other advantageous
scsail Than the wash fss,ls. afforded o ouf internal
nays .on vel eoqpss SAT- Is 10. parins With sons
barren scslsre. ! have 10 regret lhai vote
rejoice IN ~ have not the degree Of reason 10
priating nearly half million 10 the sats ~ Alalama
fot the raro-. VI making sanxl around the Muscle
shoa $ But ! do not consider that ihai appropriation
Lost Though The contemplated wofs has nos been
executed yet there have been great advantage. gained y
the convey OF the land ogi 81 the hands "a hos who
make little use OF Il, into the hands OF those who u
benehcaly The land has passed from the Dossss-un o
the United States to that q individual eiixsn. u he
country, who cultivate Il, and Te0der -abssfyisni 70
wealth and prosperity OF the State IN which i, and
also OF the United States and the benei of our treasury
do not therefore consider any 81 those grants - an
profitable; bat the contrary, fully concur n the
opinion, that great public object gained the transfer
OF these lands from those By whom bsy sfs MOI cu.
waited, 10 those by whom they made productive
shall, with great pleasure, vote io the s before she
Senate and hope that the construction u the confirm
plated railroad VIII produce similar benebcis results ~
those effected by the canal The length Of the rad
makes difference TO II be long road i !. sui
within the limits OF the State. Il might be ~ miles
longer and not pass beyond those hmits Tie State 81
Illinois is OF the hrs IN the Union IN point al
rial extent II must contain nearly forty millions Of
acres.
Mr. BREESE--(in his sest) Thirty.ays millions
MIR; BENTON. OF which a grsal proportion consists
of public lands.
Mr.. BREESE-tin his seai) Fifteen millions Of acres
| Mr.. BENTON. Fifteen millions OF acres Il l. ap.
palling to think OF IT, that the people Of young State
are to purchase, with money. the whole extent Of he
soil That IS not the way - which any country IN the
world be settled. The old States were not 80 settled
| The young States would feel themselves greatly cx.
hausted-greatly thrown back IN their OF pros
Penty aud usefulness II obliged to pay for The whole 81
these lands 1t is therefore, great public object gained
TO convey these lands from the possession Of the federal
government to the individual citizens OF the States With
regard then, to the constitutional question, think that
by the power by which we made the gran, Ala
bama for the construction OF canal, may make this
grant TO Illinois. see no sort of difficulty extending
this kind of aid to the States order effect great pub
lie objects, universally beneficial when accomplished
shall, therefore, vote for the bill with great deal OF
pleasure.
Mr. BUTLER. do not know how far this subject Is
connected with general system OF internal improvement
10 which have radical, abiding and constitutional OBJ
jectons shall take some proper opportunity express
my opinion upon that question. do not know that this
is the proper OCCASION but afraid there too much
truth in the remark made by the honorable from
Missouri that there is gap in the constitution through
which our money has been flowing. And there is Little
prospect of restraining the current There is no such
thing as recovering what we have lost might say in
regard TO IT. nua resgia retr0rsum All has been run
god, and worshipped by the Egyptians. The Mississippi
is also becoming god Under the petence of assisting
the States we are givngnot money, but the equivalent
OF money, the ground that have right under the
constitution to besow bountes where, when and for
what purpose we please Is il matter depending entirely
upon legislative determinations There appears to be
limitation by which the tendency of these measures can
be controlled; they all tending way Ii it were
proposed to give five millions OF dollars money, there
would probably be objection raised on the ground of
want OF constitutional power but is proposed TO give
up four hundred miles OF land, extending from Chicago
to Cairo-a tract four hundred miles in length and six in
breadth This you are give to the State of Illinois, TO
enable her to accomplish her enterprise of constructing
railroad on the ground that she has already ece we'd
land for like purpose she must also receive this add
tiona grant do not say, that under the articles of the
constitution, this government has not the right dispose
of the public lands; but never will give my consent to
such disposal except be by system Of equal jus.
benefit of all parts of the Union | have no idea OF
throwing out the bounties OF this government to this
place or to that merely because they happen be asked
for by those particular sections of the country shall
take opportunity, when the matter comes up
tangible FORM to express my opinion more fully in regard
to the evil which likely to grow of this course OF
proceeding on the part of the general government, for
Mr.. CRITTENDEN. There was one remark male
by the honorable senator, that is entirely new to me-
that cannot pass by without notice He says that the
bounes of the government have been tending west
ward We of the west, have been constantly arguing
that all the of this government are expended upon
the Atlantic frontier There cannot be a greater mis-
take than suppose that this government pouring
its wealth upon the west. The prosperity of the west is
ment there. Where are all your shp-yards and your
custom houses They are not in the west II Ken
lucky constitutes any portion OF the west think the
honorable senator will hardly be able to show that much
Of the treasure OF this government has been expended
there.
Mr.. BUTLER do not think the State of South Car
Mr.. CRITTENDEN More public money, | will ven
ure say, has been expende in the city of Charleston
first and last than has been expended in the whole State
of Kentucky And this remark will apply generally in
regard to all the western States 1t must be so naturally
Your ortresses scattered along the Atlantic border
Your ship yards and custom houses there and there
the public money is expended. More public money has
been laid out in the building of house in New
York. than has been expended in the whole State of
Kentucky. The senator is entirely mistaken do not
wish the west to be supposed to be monopoizing the
bountes of this governmentto be drawing all the wealth
in that direction The lion track is entirely the other
way. The wealth comes from there.
Mr.. CASS. AS intend to vote for this bill, wish to
say very few words in regard to It. The subject has
been often before the Senate and the from Con-
nectcut has often reiterated his scupes, taking the
same ground that he has taken to-day and carefully
avoiding the grounds upon which the bill rests This
bill does not touch the question OF Internal Improvement
at all 1t asserts right the part OF this government
road The federal government is agreat landhoIder it
possesses extensive public domain; and we have the
power, under the constitutions to dispose OF that domains
and very unlimited power is. The simple question
ls, what disposition may make OF the public lands
No will contend for the doctrine that cannot give
them away to State AS the senator from Kentucky has
said, every President has signed bills asserting the prn-
government, without restriction as TO the purpose OF
such disposition. We may bestow them for school pur-
poses, or may bestow portion for the purpose OF
improving the value of the rest What right have you
to sit still and your lands growing in value, through
the nstrumentalty of individuals without rendering any
aid in furtherance Of that obec II is the settlement of
the lands that makes them valuable. 1t is the settler
who converts the bowling wilderness into fruitful fields
II the labor and enterprise of the settler that has given
| IN opHop hiCb