Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-12-23

CARDS TINS Government attempting TO Improve those lands
consider II utterly out the question There has been
single instance since the formation of the Government of the
United States adopting measure Of that kind recoltct
proposition being made behalf of Louisiana some ten or
twelve years ago. and strong arguments used induce Con-
ge TO cut canal for the purpose of retaining some of the
lands ia that State, and made manifest that it would
have reclaimed very large Of country and would have
brought large sum into the treasury of the United States
The proposition booted and very distinguished mem
Der oi Inc Government was the first 10 oppose ii. The
United States Government has listened never will
listen, to scheme for the purpose Of accomplishing work
Of internal Improvement
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Will my honorable friend allow
TO make single remark 1t is this Iyou will look into
the reports made by the Committee on Public Lands upon
applications by which is proposed obtain cession Of land
Tor the purpose OF constructing railroads in Illinois and in
ether States you will find that in all those reports the princ
pie upon which the cession is sought be justified is that
would render the lands till retained by the Government so
much the valuable Now if Government can give 70
State or company portion OF the public domain in order
render that which is reserved the valuable my
friend why may not the Government accomplish the same OBJ
ect directly by opening canal otherwise draining the land
for the purpose OF making the whole much the more yaua
ble That is the principle running through all these cases.
Mr.. JOHNSON. The works 10 which the honorable Sc
nator audes works performed by the States not by the
General Government II is that making these donations
for these purposes will have the effect of rendering the
mander OF the lands valuable but that was not the OBJ
ect The object to enable the State to perform great
woka work important only to the State ITSELF but to
the whole nation Ths the purpose for which these grants
made.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD. win the Senator pardon me
heprncple upon which the grants made was as have
stated, with reference to side Of the House II under
stand the matter correctly the Democratic members put
upon the ground that tended to make the remaining lands
SO much the more valuable while the other party contended
for the making of the improvement directly by the General
Government and my argument TO show that if portion
might be granted for the purpose Of making the remainder
more valuable the General Government might by undertaking
The work, make the whole valuable.
Mr.. JOHNSON. A question Of that sort after the
acquisition of Louisiana and in discussion contend
ed by an honorable Senator from Virginia and others that
incompatible with the interests Of the other States There
complaints from different States against the United States
for retaining the public lands in its possession when they might
have been disposed Of advantageousy. have gone to
that extent, though representing Southern State have
been willing to give sufficient time for their disposal but
there should be limit that time should be glad know
what length of time would be necessary II forty five years
now since Louisiana was acquired. Some portions OF the
State have been overlooked from the Mississippi To reclaim
these lands large outlay the construction Of levees and
otherwise would be required Some Of them have been
reclaimed Congress has been appealed TO- year after year,
to make the necessary works reclaim them else cede
them to the States But they have uniformly refused to do
either Proposition after proposition has been made 10 this
Government to take for rendering these lands avail
able, but such propositions have always been rejected.
IS utterly out of the question, then, conceive, that the
Government of the United States should think adopt
ing system of internal improvement within the limits Of the
States and concur entirely with the Senator from Mss
sppi that if they should attempt do it, never can ef
ieced as well by the General Government by the States
they to undertake it, it would twenty times
much would if accomplished by the States In the Slate
OF Mississippi certain portions have been reclaimed by ndv
dua consequence of which the General Government has
already derived considerable benefit; yet there still
naming extensive tracts of country that overlooked and
rendered uninhababe and other portions rendered
healthy that the persons living there obliged absent
themselves for part of the year. but whenever the subject has
been brought up before Congress has been put off, Three
four years ago bill brought in and discussed the
Departments were called upon for information select
mttee appointed, with the distinguished Senator from
South Carolina at lis head very lengthy report made,
containing estimates from the Departments and from officers
in Louisiana, and yet when act further nforma-
ton required and suggested that ougho be de-
fered. Now the time has arrived when think the question
should be settled. There ought, think, be limit
the time IN which the lands TO be disposed of and that the
Government is bound adopt some measure reclaim
the lands else yield them the States The resources of
the States crippled by having large Of country
within their borders unnhabed and the adjacent lands rendered
almost unnhabtabe by Of the uheahness produced
by the overflow.
As regards this particular BILL am under the impression
that we have already sufficient information enable Congress
TO act part OF the land in question is constantly covered
with standing il is somewhat different from swamp
land, but il may possibly be reclaimed by great outlay.
rose, however merely offer single remark in reply the
proposition which the gentleman from Kentucky bad suggest
ed that the Government Of the United States ought under
take the work Of improvement which perfectly satisfied
Is out Of the question.
Mr.. BENTON. We have appropriate officers under our
laws fer reporting the condition Of the public lands We have
officers whose duty is und very high obligations,
port upon the character Of all public lands Their report
be minute in regard the qualities and the description OF the
public lands These officers belong the General Land or
fee. These officers employed 10 examining the public
lands and surveying them and in making reports These
the officers who able TO give all the information that
want upon the subject The typographical corps q say
with great Difference the honorable Senator from kentucky
is not the appropriate corps for doing business Of this kind II
created for this kind Of business Il has
been employed in this kind Of business and that corps should
be employed would be taken away from lis appropriate
duties and set 10 do the duties Of other officers Ii need
any information, them the place look for il is through the
General Land Office and through the reports Of the surveyors
employed in Florida, and by them transmitted to the Commits
sioner Of the General Land Office That is the Of get
ting information that public lands We already
have the report the proper officers upon this point have
founded upon the report made officially to him by the survey
whose duty to survey and report The Commissioner
Of the General Land Office, in his letter TO the Secretary Of
the Treasury, states;
"That the entire peninsula south Of the northern line Of
the prop sed grant Florida whether occasionally covered
With subject overflow, is this utterly
Robert Butler the Surveyor General OF that State in his off,
cial report made October g. 1917 says Il ask your
enon to the everglades which cannot be surveyed 1Vio
first being Drained And that oc recommends the ccssion
OF moety of that region the State Of Florida for the pu
pose Of having the lands reclaimed"
Here official report which states that the lands cannot
be surveyed until they have first been drained So then, we
have all the information which is necessary for US 10 pos
definiyely this BILL hill