The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-03

public domain think, therefore, that in relation 10 any
disposition that is TO be made OF il. left oleaby
free to act independently IN any way that deem most
advantageou the Stales appropratng them gen
orally for their benefit | believe have been among
those who have voted literally most in this body
| upon all those subjects
My object was rather to get little information to
guide me in my vote upon this bill That was the Pur-
pose had in view in the inquiries made this morning
Well, the senator from Illinois does not quite come TO the
point The position assumed was, that land Is not avail
able fund for the construction OF work OF improve
ment and cannot show il better than by referring TO
specific example. think the himself will iel
you thirds OF the lands upon the Michigan and Iii
nos canal remain unsod to this day, alter period OF
about twenty after those lands granted to the
State. will admit that. for purposes which the senator
mentioned they may have strengthened the credit OF the
State.
the alternate sections belonging to the United States two
thirds remain unsod! ts
Mr. bays No TS.. q s.ss
has got its money for the half Of the lands which
reserved 1t is true have not sold all OF yet.
The s that it is only eighteen months since the
canal compleed and did not choose to sell them
for dollar and quarter We have had each
tract valued ranging from $3 to $780, and IN some cases.
where towns have grown up, they sell for many thou
sand dollars per acre. have, within the last year paid
twenty five dollars per for those farming lands, and
consider it q good bargain at that
II is the policy OF the State make those lands 20
far we can towards paying oil the debt created by the
construction of the canal The completion Of the work
lands have not all been sold long ago as were the alter
nate sections reserved to the United States
| MIR DAVIS, of Massachusetts, Mr. President, was
not badly informed that did know that these al
ternaie sections which reserved 10 the United States
were gone long ago But would like to know il the
United States ever got more than dollar and quarter
/ Mr. DOUGLAS No; for the simple reason, that the
United States not wise enough put the provision
y the grant Which have caused to oe inserted II every
price of those alternate sections, bringing them up to
$2 per The United States received all she asked
| for the land, and cannot complain
i The PRESIDENT The senator from illinois must
/ not interrupt the senator from Massachusetts.
4 Mr. DOUGLAS. He asked me direct question.
Mr.. DAVIS, OF Massachusetts. Mr.. President may
set down. then. fact that here OF the very
cases in which we were to benefit the country. will
STATE the reason why this system was commenced. 1t
was supposed that the improvements would enhance the
value Of the remaining public lands TO make for
the donation. We were to sell the land BY auction. for
the benefit OF these great improvements which the United
States was to aid in bringing into existence. and
to get price accordingly. Well, now, the practical
suit of this is that the whole Of these landseveIy
OF them-passed out OF the possession OF the United
States Other persons obtained them, and the United
States realized more than 81 25 per them,
that aware of This is the practical result OF that
operation and that Is what makes say that was
under some delusion when supposed the government
was to be benefited by process OF that sort Now, sir
may add, while touching that pont--and think the
senator from Illinois and myself will disagree about
Iit-tha within ten miles OF that canal at this tme you
may hnd excellent farming lands for dollar and quar-
ter per They be bought for that and those who
own them would be glad sell them for that price, and
this may be the for twenty years to come
admit the great utility OF this work, and do not deny
that these lands have been in the OF
bringing it into existence but what do mean TO say sir.
is this that lands not money, and public works must
be constructed with the aid Of money The sale OF these
lands cannot be effected in TO construct this
templated public Improvement; and therefore, II the State
Of Michigan is going TO undertake this work, she must
come forward with funds, II she indemnify her
self out of these lands It cannot be done any other
way. She must wait till the improvements made, be-
fore she can realize money from the sale OF the lands.
ha fha lfnt AnA,t txxIlh ha nd m ba
the practical result in all similar This has been
one cause my friend from Illinois knows very WELL OF
the embarrassment in that State. And he knows as
well as do and everybody else knows. that il the
OF the very great embarrassment the State OF ln
diana. The embarrassment did not arise because they
had been damaged the land but raising the money and
means accomplish their great public works, while they
held the lands order that they might be
demmfed out OF them, produced the embarrassment.
This has been the result OF all these operations Land
cannot and will not construct public works Nothing
more certain than that Land alone cannot make public
improvement unless you give the party possessing
power to 60 into the market and realize the money out
OF II.
Mr.. President, several projects have been pu, foot
for constructing railroad TO the Pacific There have
been, believe many half dozen projects of this
description for the purpose OF throwing forward great i'm
povements of this Sort before there is any public bus
ness existence requiring such facilities and improve
ments Canals made for business Then, what is
the OF throwing a canal through a country where
there is no business transacted Population must pre-
cede Improvements OF this sort Population creates bu-
ness Canals and railroads made for business and
wha is the OF throwing canals and railroads throsgh
a country where there is no business TO be done |
know that when they are there they may induce
immigration, and in that way aid in populating the
country, but it hard and expensive mode OF increasing
the population OF country
Sir as have said BEFORE State is unsuitable body
for accomplishing this purpose Still, il they do IT,
and give assurance which will render 1T certain that
this work will be completed, will not withhold my
support but, the contrary shall be very glad TO see
it done But | like TO recnr to something like facts.
We have been told that the United States has been greatly
enriched and the treasury largely benefited by schemes
OF this description Now, sir would like TO know of
one case in which the United States has been profted
by the sale OF lands My honorable friend says that
have provided that lands shall be sold for 81 so
but where has been realized Has body taken your
lands Has anybody bought them and paid the money
into the trersury II So will give credit for that But
IL TO be whether the land will be taken up,
and whether the United States will realize the supposed
amount now placed TO her credit in these operations
do not wish TO detain the Senate in this matter
i MIR. DOUGLAS Mr. President, one word in reply 20
the senator from Massachusetts. He is mistaken when
he supposes that this grant of land the State oil Illinois
the OF the OF her embarrass-
ment The grant OF land given specifically for the
| benefit Of the Illinois and Michigan canal. II we had
confined ourselves to that should have bad en-
bauassmens II the construction OF that canal
fact that commenced a large system of railroad i'm ].
provemens wfhout grant of land to aid in their
construction. We failed to get grant OF land aid us,
and that was the cause oi failure We have been
unfortunate 10 be able to pay liabilities, al
though we trust if the bill that passed the Senate shall
pass the House OF Representatives, shall be able
10 meet them. The senator from Massachusetts asks
reserved to the government No; because helaw fixed
/. the prc a