The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-07

more land than has been scld in sixty lone years tn
Mexican has caused. will cause, Accession al
land scrip the amount OF about fourteen million aeI..
OF which about five millions supposed TO be saos
Add ten millions for grants 10 the States Gold and To-
the benefit oil the nsane, and nine y-sx millions for h,
benefit Of old soldiers. and we have one hundred and
eleven million acres thrown into the market
Now, what will be the result OF this The demand
for new land for cultivation will not be- in any great DE-
gree thereby Increased; for that depends mainly on in
crease OF population, and on the prices agricultural
products bear in the market II much land then 4
thrown into the market IN one year as Will satisfy the
demand for cultivation for fifty years. the price will al
10 sum merely nominal.
To certain extent, il may be admitted the reduction
of the public lands TO i've ten cents an acre would in
crease the demand Tor settlement The knowledge Of
this being spread through Europe would cause null.
tudes OF Germans and Irish 10 flock 10 shores
But is not the influx OF immigrants from Europe already
great as rs desirable!
Surprising however, that the influx OF Immigrant,
combAed with other causes should increase the deman
for cultivation 10 four million in year: STILL a
the quantity thrown into the market in year would
exceed the demand for cultivation for twenty hve yesrs
the price would fall very low W the new land SCRIP
eleven millions might pass into the hands OF settlers, ana
one hundred millions into the bands OF spectators.
The people OF the western States are most interested in
preserving the public land system without Change ID
far better for them that the wild lands should be held y
Congress- and disposed OF gradually at moderate prices a.
demand for cultivation than that they should fall
into the hands OF speculators.
AS the price OF the public lands regulates that Of phi
vate lands, any action OF Congress which throws
into the market hundred millions and upwards Of
land scrip viii reduce in corresponding ratio the value
OF all the lands in the western States II the price should
fall to twenty-five cents acre, each private andhoder
in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Sc will find the value Of bis
lands reduced dollar acre. Each man. then, hold
ing half section of land will find it reduced in value
fall to ten cents an acre, each holding half section
of land will find it reduced IN value three hundred and
hfiytwo dollars and the loss directly sustained by the
holders OF land in the western and southwestern States
in N der th,n
one hundred million dollars
The evil will not end here. All the grants Of lands for
school purposes, and for making railroads and Canals
will sustain corresponding reduction OF value BY con-
sequence the interests Of education will be njurous
affected and while the work on some western railroads
and canals must be suspended the means set aside for
paying Tor the work already done on others Will be found
utterly unavailable.
Such some OF the arguments against change in
our public land system. But il the arguments in
favor OF change were as strong as the arguments against
OUT BRINGING DISGRACE ON THE AMERICAN NAME. All
these lands mortgaged TO the public creditors II
individual should give similar pledge on his private
land and then attempt to convey away by gift or other
wise, he would be guilty OF gross fraud Ii is tu.
Congress can, the exercise of its supremacy do what
would consign private man TO the penieniary; but
them il will bring disgrace on The American character
For the general suspension of specie payments an eS
cuse might be found in the necessity of the the
banks had incurred so many debts that they could not
possibly pay them according to promise their error wa
in mourning amount OF debt greatly above then
ability to pay For the Reputation of State debts ao
in many instances, plausible excuse could be offered
it averred that in the negotiation of these debts
the form OF law and of constitution had been violated
and that the money borrowed Tor said to be borrowed
had not accrued to the benefit Of the States
But if the projects Tor giving away the public lands
succeed will there then be deliberate violation
the public faith for which there can be no excuse' VIII
the seal OF dishonor be then ndeby stamped on hs
American name
We repeat il, it be only through the attention
Congress having been engrossed by the great questions
which involve the harmony and stability OF the Union,
have received in either House. The true bearing Of then
has been discovered, because the minds OF membep
have been directed to other subjects.
A DEMOCRAT