Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-09-07

the best lands of the country. s
Bssdes Gr these lands habIe % be taken by sen
warrants which selling 10 market at sis "a one
hundred acres Of land Hence We see that the value M the
ant must be very small when come to consider The
kst value Of TIE land Bot the principle upon which sup
port this bill b his Above The lh Of Saul Ste. Marie,
upoa the borders Of Lake SUPERIOR there many ons
Of acres of the public lands not disposed Of In fact the
whole country bordering upon that lake. some sx hundred
eight hundred miles in length, remains vacant except
here and there tract Of mineral lands which has been dis
posed Of These lands inaccessible. You cannot ap.
prosch them by by land Ths lakes cut of sl come
municaon between that country and the peninsula Of Mch
gan. There is road unless you 60 than thousand
miles around by which you reach them by the androue
And you cannot reach the lands OF Lake Superior by vessel
in consequence Of this obstruction, which IL the object
this bill But you make canal around these
falls three quarters of mile long, you may then setd
vessel from Buffalo Fond du Lac on Lake Superior You
will open sixty eighty, and even hundred millions Of
Of the public lands to accessible Market by mailing
canal three quarters of mile in length These lands
comparatively vaueless without this canal lift be consrc
ed they will be valuable. And for that reason think he
enhancement Of the value of the public lands will be infinite
y greater than the value Of the donation that is be
made. 1 1tl a@f 33 Sss
shall therefore for the BILL upon the principle that
have supported the other bills that is proper donate he
public lands internal improvement when the result of hat
improvement will be make the lands held by the Govern
Of the United States valuable than they would have
been the donation had not been made Asto the constitutional
difficulty The constitution Is specific, that Cbn-
gress may provide for the disposition Of the public rds
There only moral obligation, that that disposition shaL be
made in goodaithhat when make the grant, it shsl be
done for the benefit of the fund out Of which the grant 10
made. If the fund will be enhanced in value by the gnnt
instead of being diminished then ii is not only constiu
onal but it is moral and equitable disposal Of the rst
committed to our hands. aH lSAsF y
Taking this view Of it, sir, believing that this grant will
greatly enhance the fund, have pot the slightest difficulty
10 giving my support to the bill.
Mr.. DAVIS Of Massachusetts Mr. President, have for
sv,
and esewhe, that the United States would be great gamers
by bestowng their public lands public improvements am
not quite that we have not got pretty strong evidence Of
that this session, by the large grants of land which have
made entertained the idea myself that where the
public lands given away alternate sections the increased
price Of the lands reserved would indemnify the United States
for what they gave away
Now, s, do not rise to oppose this admit
its importance. do not mean to say whether will will
for it. But certainly shall say that intend to
against at this time. should be glad have some
information this subject. In the first place. should like
know the public lands open entry Of SLIPS per
per every where and that is the fxedprce-how
advance interests BY opening this canal except that
may facilitate and gives greater dispatch to their settlement
If the price is fixed and determnate how to in
the value Of these lands know there sthe form of
sale at auction generally; but that every body has long
since learned to be merely nominal
should like to know how, when do not provide in the
bill for alternate sections and for increasing the value Of the
sections reserved there any possibility of the United States
enrching themselves in any way BY this process And
should be glad know whether these lands ordinarily If left
open for settlement not usually occupied by that class of
persons known quatters who begin settle the moment
line Of improvement is laid down and designated 50 to
enable them to do it 4 saft
should also be very happy to be enlightened on another
point We have been granting these lands for great whe
and should be glad if honorable Senator would
state to the Senate what public works have been accomplish
ed by this canals what railroads. what great
public Improvements have any time been accomplished by
that The
could enjoy them would like to hear answer that
If there be any work that has really, through this facility
been brought into existence, would to be agu
favor this know that there are some works that
have been completed But will make remark and that
is this As far have experience in the construction OF
public works, we know it takes money build them. You
must raise money to do and have yet pub
lie work constructed without the aid of money Well sup
pose you go into new country and you propose to make
road out of land Where you get your money do it
with The Improvement must precede the enhancement of
price and enhancement dfvaue Therefore, nnds
takes road 20 with capital enough his
pocket keep the lands until the improvement made
Otherwise, how can he enjoy those advantages which are
represented to us to arise out Of the increased value
Then, again, have one more remark to make Of all
bodies which undertake internal improvements think sxpe
ence has shown that States least competent UNDER
take them with any skill and economy Why sir is it not
portion of the history Of the times that almost every State
that has undertaken to carry systems Of this sort into
ton has fallen into great embarrassment by il This would
to be sufficient evidence that State body that
is well calculated to carry into execution schemes Of this
scrpon Private corporations associations ofindvdual
all history has shown much better adapted the purpose
And now, sir if am going to vote half million Of
land want to be satisfied, in the first place, that the object
will be carried into efec-hat shall obtain canal. And
say frankly the Senator from Michigan that will very
cheefuly give half million Of land. provided see
some distinct assurance that great public work OF this de-
scrpton would be carried into execution But would not
give on the idea that to raise the value ofour lands
or that we to reap to the treasury the country any
benefit whatever except that may promote its prosperity by
extending its population, by increasing ito settlement and by
having the land taken up in that way And that can be
done by it.
Mr.. DOUGLAS Mr.. President will very briefly reply
two questions propounded by the Senator from Massachu
ses He desires know what canals have been constructed
out Of those grants Of land which have heretofore been made
to the different States for the purpose. will inform him that
In all probability you would not have had your Ohio canal
from lake Erie to Portsmouth, the Ohio river, but for
grant OF land made in aid Of the work II true. the land
Of itself was not enough have paid the entire expenses Of
the construction of the work but il sufficient to enable
the State to induce capital be interested in it, which did
result in the completion Of that canal Therefore, that canal
owes its existence to grant of land in alternate sections, on
the principle Of Of the bills that have passed the Senate
this year. a fssa ils
There Is another canal, from Toledo in the State Of
Ohio, up the Maumee river and down the Wabash valley
the Ohio river at Evansville which owes its existence to
three different grants Of land made this Government in aid
of lite construction The first grant made Indiana for
the completion OF the canal from lake Erie point the
then extended down Tene Haue by another grant
and in ls45 another grant Of $780, made
tend to the Ohio river at Evansville Thus by virtue of
these three grants the States of Ohio and Indiana have
canal several hundred miles in length connecting the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers with lake Erie and that canal is