The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-19
To tie Editors n tie SouaAern Pres.
GApsBy's Horn, WAsnnoros, }
III " AbHIFOIOk,
September l6. la50

T.
Whitney's assigns"
The writer goes on to estimate the cost for
rail road to the Pacific, and also the increase in
the value Of the lands it's lIne to be caused by
building the road through them, showing aproft
gain of 81 900, 0O0 but in his calculation of
the 70 900 900 Of acres of land ~ so per acre,
he has made error Of about $4,000 900, 10 be
added to the above, making Sl54 ,6OO,OOO. The
extravaganza Of his figures, or other causes which
he has not named, may have induced this deduc-
tion. Then he adds for gold and silver not yet
dug from the earth, and for cities and towns not
yet built, $40 900 more, showing gain or
profit of SlS4 200 900, to which should be added
the $40, 900 900, the error above, making 1884,
900 for MIR. Whitney's assigns; he again
asks who are they!"
Such extravagant and absurd estimates and
declarations, do not demand notice from me, ex-
cept that, as they appear IN your respectable
paper, without comment giving kind OF edlto-
rial endorsement, those of your readers who have
not examined the subject, may, without rehec-
ton, be prejudiced by it; therefore deviate from
my usual RUE, not TO notice such communications.
q Who are to be Mr.. Asa Whitney's assigns'"
My heirs and assigns will be the people of all
the United States qgFp
/ propose to purchase of the Government belt
of land, 60 miles wide, from Lake Michigan to
the Pacific in all about 7S,000,000 Of acres
good, bad and indifferent--at ten cents per acre;
and am to construct railroad in the most sub
stantial manner, through this sixty miles wide of
ten miles OF road, ! am, If the Government IS
fully satisfied, allowed to sell the onehaf OF the
land on said section hnshed--that is miles
! by 60--the Government holding the other half as
| a fund TO continue the road through poor ands
and SO on to the poor lands, then am TO build
ten miles of road, and If the 10 miles by 60 of
| lands will not sell to reimburse my expenditures
then enough of the reserved lands are to be sold
| for that purpose, and so on t the road is COM
pleted to the ocean, and il shall have been able
In sci he lam SO M
penditures for the road for its machinery, its ex
penses or operation, repairs, &C., then any sur
plus lands are to be my compensation for the risk,
TOLL trouble of selling and settling the lands, and
creating out of them, rdtuefess the means for
the accomplishment of this great work; and Con-
gress have power ever after to determine on, and
regulate the tolls, that more shall be earned
than sufficient to keep said road in repairs and in
operation.
Now, no man will pretend that this same belt
of land can be sold it is, for the ten cents per
acre which propose to pay for it. Therefore, If
| take this 78,OO0,000 of acres, pay $7,SO0000
into the treasury sell and settle the entire belt
with an industrious pepuation-bnild railroad
through its centre, which will be the great high
way for all nations, and render the whole CONNER
cial world tributary to us-and give to all the peo-
pie free road ask if ] do ths,wilI the people,
my heirs and assigns, be dissatisfied with such a
bequest think not-more especially when we
notice the almost daily proposition to give away
all the lands without any direct benefit to the ma
ton.
Should purchase this belt of land at ten cents
under the restrictions imposed by the bill, and IT
by building the road through them their value is
raised to the extravagant price of two dollars and
half per acre, will the Government have doneiti
or will it not have been done at my risk with my
means, by my labor and my efforts' And should
there be towns and cities built up by whose labor
and means would it have been done'
Are there not similar results in a much less ex-
ten pro ced W w
from the Government. And can any one pretend
that the same will not take place from the acts or
those who may hereafter purchase soldiers boun-
ties at twenty five to fifty cents per acre'
am unwilling to believe that any sane man
would propose the building up of towns and cities,
or the cultivation of the wilderness, by the Gov
eminent, in order that the Government might re-
ceive into treasury the profits and avails of the
labor of its then Subjects to be distributed as the
Government and Congress might deem proper and
| fit. 9a
/ As the equivalent for any lands which may
have been taken up before the passage Of the act,
the bill reported to the Senate, limits this to the
State or territory in which the deficiency may be
found to exist and also exempts mineral lands.
In California and Oregon the desirable mineral
lands will no doubt be occupied by presumption
lists long before the route for the road can be loca
ted, and the bill expressly provides :" that should
any settlements take place before said route shall
have been located, then all such settlers shall be
entitled to pre-emption rights and pay one dollar
and quarter per acre for all such lands settled
upon" &-lS
have no objection to the exclusion of all the
gold lands in California. Ifthey would yield in
gold or silver but the tenth in value of what SINH
lar lands would produce in food for man, from the
same amount of labor, | would prefer the agrcul-
tural lands, as the expense would be much less,
and | should find much less difficulty in con-
structing railroad through them
| 1t is asked ''what have they (Mr. Whitney's
assigns) done to entte them to divide SO much of
| the public funds between them"' The object and
intent of the writer Of the communication to your
paper is manifest. He has aimed to exaggerate
and misrepresent, in manner so extravagant
| that all those who examine the ject will under
| stand him.
| 1t cannot be shown that | am in any way to
ceive any public funds, therefore can have none
to divide. Furthermore, have repeatedly de-
cared, and now repeat it." That all that wish
or desire, in or by the bill, is that Congress may
place this belt of lands, so that, at my own risk,
with my own means, and with my labor and eff
forts in selling and settling the lands, | may
create the means and build this road, without the
outlay OF one dollar by the nation, and without
tax or burden upon the people-giving to the ma
| ton and to the world free road, and paying d.
rectly into the treasury greater sum than is pos
sible for the Government to receive from any 9th
| err source, for this same belt of land.
! Many, very many, whose opinion am bound
to respect, believe it to be impossible to make the
| lands furnish the means to build the road; but 4
think differently, and am willing to take all the
hazard upon myself; and | believe by the plan
have propoeed, and by the system which | shall
adopt that there may be surplus, whatever
that surplus may be- it has been and is still my
intention that it shall be expended for the benefit
ofthe people who may settle on the line ofthe road:
there will bea field for system of education, not
only in letters, but also in morals and christianity,
in industry, and in prosperity, which must spread
its influence over the heathendom Of all Asia. But
should there be surplus, the people or the Gov
ernment may take it all. No one can deny that
such surplus, if any, would be the fruits of my
labor and efforts, and therefore my devise to my
heirs and assigns the people, they, may allow
me anything nothng-my sole desire is,
TO be their instrument to accomplish this great
| work
| Different committees in both Houses have at
different times examined the whole subject, and
prepareda bill, which IT has been believed meets the
whole question practically and cons.itutionay. IL
Il ~ moi what II nuoht To be II doubt be