The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-30

the machinery employed ~ conducting the sales And.
sir do not know but that government would be bene.
fitted by laying down, general principle. that all such
lands shall be given 10 such purposes Tor know OF no
purpose Of 10 which the public lands can be ap
propriaed that would be advantageous that OF pub
lie roads would state, the honorable senator from
Maine has proponnded the question, that ~ portion OF
the State Of Illinois lands have been IN marke, some
twenty years. and the lands that remain are refuse lands
now unsaleabe, and OF this million million and half
of proposed TO be gianted there will be some
900 600 acres hl ios cail,silon looas large on paper
market twenty years the refuse lands become almost I'M
saleabe. -
would beg my honorable friend from Wisconsin, il
have influence with him. 10 withdraw his amendment. |
can him that he will only emoarrass this bill; and
that IL lie proposes that amendment 10 the bills from his
own State he viii defeat every Of them will state
further that il BE an injury the State OF Illinois, The
gentleman think, il will be where that injury
Tor the benefit of the United States, and where we who
the representatives from Illinois, refpons bic 10
people for the injury To them. The honorable sena
tor says that unless his amendment prevails VIII de-
feat settlement in our State We'll. perhaps ~ may yet
we are willing receive this bill under this dIsadvan.
tage and pray that the from Wisconsin will per-
nil receive that which he considers little detri'
mental TO us. will say him. that when be introduces
bill for his State, will not attempt 10 Interfere with
Wisconsin.
am graded that my friend from Alabama has intro.
duced this amendment; and assure that gentleman and
the Senate from the knowledge that have derived from
connexon with public lands, that you gave all
those refuse lands that have been in market from ten to
fifteen years, the purpose OF making public roads, you
could not have appropriated your lands for any national
purpose so advaniageousy You have only 10 turn 10
the report OF the commissioners and yon viii hnd that
10 any where lands in land district have been in
the market for twenty years the residue OF the land Will
deiay the expenses incurred by government in the
employment OF your land otces aud your Land Comnis.
sloner al Washington. Some senators appear to have
incorrect idea upon this subject am uot prepared to
20 into and cipher it out now but will say this. that
upon any proper OCCASION will be able convince any
gentleman that your refuse lands be appropriated
more adyaniageously than in this way Here IS the
State OF Illinois, which has never derived dollar from
| the government Our rivers lett without improve
ment our lakes are left without Improvement; Yet we
pay money every year TO the government and receive
nothing from them. When come here and ask few
OF the refuse lands, we find these objections raised
Sir you expending money every day upon the seaboar
while these States that growing up and defraying
part OF the expense OF your government are Who'll.
ly neglected, and met with bubble here about
La few OF land when to ask for
thoroughfare, beneficial to Maine as to Illinois
And here letme say that Maine derives as much benefit
from does the State Of Illinois, II connects Boston
with New Oreans and yet gentlemen come here and OBJ.
lect it, We right into the State OF my friend from
through lis State ii he will help US hope. sir. there
will be objection to bill of this kind For one, al
ter all the Information have derived in the Land Odce
they be benefcally and advantageousy appropri
atei, after they have been the market few years. than
TO give them to the respective States Tor internal improve
ment Look back at some OF the Land Office reports:
you will find from the nett receipts Of your sales Of the
public lands that, alter dischagng the expense apper
tanning to these lands The residue is scarcely worth put
ting into The treasury. have nsen, sir 10 request my
friend from Wisconsin MIR. WALKEa not to offer the
amendment ne has proposed 10 this bill shall take
interest in his bull when il comes forward will for
ii; and ii he chooses to introduce his amendment in the
way thai he proposes viii vote for II that way; but
ASK han this question TO let manage our own bill in
Mr. DODGE, Of Iowa Mr. President, | am glad of
the amendment offered by the senator from Alabama,
Mr. KIsGl shall vote for II with some pleasure, be-
cause think that road tsus constructed will be en-
phaiicay a National improvement II any will cast
his upen the map of country, he will that
Chicago and Mobile are in direct line; and this I'M.
proyemen will connect them with thoroughfare, than
hch nothing could be desirable in that region of
the counry-hrough the Mississippi valley. The objec
ton suggested by the senator from Name MIR. Brad
BURY may be obviated ii he is friendly 10 the improve
neni by provso that il the lands granted IN the bill
should be more than sufficient for the construction Of
the road, all over will revert 10 the United States do
myself think they sufficient for the construction
oil the road but will form the basis upon which road
will be constructed by which the State will bring
to bear in aid OF the work.
The senator from South Carolina [Mr. BurLERl has
constitutional scruples 10 appropriation OF this charac
ter, and so have various other gentlemen could re-
bana, Mr. kINGl that his Mr. BuTLERsl departed col
league the champion of these appropriations in times
past and If remember Alright the one which connects
the Illinois river with Lake Michigan was carried by his
casting vote, when he occupied the seat that you now
hold and am that he never gave vote that graft.
fed his constituents than the result produced BY the
he gave upon that occasion There is something in
what has been said by the honorable senator from Wis
consn, AIR WALKER but il is sufficient for to know
0at senator's oil state pioneer
settlers shall pay this increased price when the lands
brought into market, receiving, they certainly will
ceve the value OF the improvement that is made. II il
were simply donation. the government would be bene.
ted 10 the extent OF millions, BECAUSE IN that case,
would be enabled to dispose OF millions which will
sell until the improvement made The State OF
Illinois has embarrassed herself in tremendous debt
many instances. in the construction OF railroads through
and upon the public lands in which she intruder
until she got permission for the construction OF road
Alabama and Mississippi have both had improvements Of
that sort by which the United States have sold thousands
and millions OF OF territory and swamp lands
which could have been sold at any price bur for
the improvement which was made. | hope, sur, the
amendment will be adopted, and the bill allowed TO pass
MIR. KING Mr. President have made a slight alter.
alton in my amendment. of which have th ought II
necessary inform the Senate II that the terminus be
near the mouth OF the Ohio river, without Designating
the precise spot IL be that al that place the precise
kind OF land may not be found which would be desirable
ior the road With that view make this modification.
that the terminus be near the mouth of the river
AIR. DAWSON. MIR. President, u s said that the
principle which has been adopted has been scquesced in
Now, the application OF the principle is stl question.
The principle may be when you carry il into
ton, you may do IL upon vastly unjust TO many
portions Of the country. Now. sir, Sopose TO examine
very briefly the construction OF this railroad through the
State OF Illinois IL is 10 be four hundred miles in length
and to extend through The most wealthy and populous
portions OF that Stale II is TO 20 from town 10 town. from
village to village, from cliy to city; and necessarily,
pass the counties where the whole OF the p1b
lie lands, nearly the whole have already been dis
posed Of
Mr. DOUGLAS, (interposing) II The senator from
Georgia Mr. DAwsoSl will permit mel do not desire to
interrupt the OF his argumentt through the
centre OF the State Without particular local know
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