Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-05-04
DONATIONS OF PUBLIC LAND.
IN SENATE, APRIL SO.

of Illinois in aid of the construction oahe Central Railroad
and the debate having proceeded published yesterday
Mr.. BENTON The general principle which the bill
before the Senate which has long under
consideration in both Houses OF Congress- As far back
twenty odd years ago the principle Of the bill part OF
general proposition, which then before the Senate and
il was known the graduation BILL That bill contained three
features The rs reduce the price of those lands which
had been market the make donations
lands in limited quantities, TO actual settlers the th and
last cede the refuse lands to the States in which they
Law for objects of internal Improvement II the last OF these
propositions which somewhat covered by the proposition
now before the Senate From the consideration which gave
that subject that early day, appeared that
beneficial disposition for the United States make of her
refuse lands 10 cede them the States in which they lay
Lands which had been twenty twenty five years in the
market the minimum price, and bad never found pur
chaser up that time, classed refuse and 1t
deemed that the States local authority, might be able
make some disposition of them which the General Govern
ment without machinery of land offices, could not. The
principle of the bill before the Senate take the refuse
lands and appropriate them to great object of internal i'm
prOvement which, although has its locality particular
State produces advantages which, all know spread far
and wide for good road cannot be made any where with
out being beneficial TO the whole United States.
The only State that has received the full benefit Of this
prncipe is the State OF Tennessee mention it for the
seraion of the Senator from Tennessee who has moved
recommit this bill. The United States be sure, not
large andbode in the State OF Tennessee she in
other young Stat but she TO considerable extent
And in 1916 we passed bill through both Houses of Con-
gess by very hearty concurrence ceding the State of
Tennessee all the lands which the United States held in that
State The quantity then computed at three millions of
An actual account enumeration short time before
computed at about three and halt millions This very
considerable if you by the acres but not much you
90 by the actual vaue dozen cents per acre; for
that was as much as it would bring But gave up all
that owned in the State of to the State without
limitation the object to which she to apply it. We
not only gave her all but gave her between eighteen and
nineteen thousand dollars which she had in depose pro-
ceeds from these lands that the bill not only lands
but it gave money TO Tennessee also.
Mr. BELL. Will the Senator allow ask him ques
ton ask him whether the General Government has not
been bound in al these States to investigate the title OF
the lands ceded the United States and WHETHER in bis
opinion and from his knowledge the condition Of the State,
Tennessee has received oneha the expense which in
Cured in the investigation Of these titles :
Mr.. BENTON. Sir, the General Government gave up
to Tennessee all she had every peck of and about
money upon the United States help If there
expense in the OF it. the United States cannot help
it. She gave up all, and more bt Sides
And now, sir, to the hill before the Senate to give
refuse lands Illinois aid in the obstruction OF road. II,
besides that give back all the money that have
received from the lands that State there would be
parity of reasoning in the two But do not
put in that way The application for part of the
refuse lands for great national purpose, and am free to say
h,t opinion that the principle contained in the gradu
bill ought be adopted and that all those refuse lands
which have been in market for great length of time should
be given up the States in which they ie
son This application upon principle that the young
States made deoate in great degree by having lands
in their midst that pay taxes, undergo cultivation that
held pr that nobody will pay and which, in fact
parts of the country, become unge for the potec
of wild beasts that prey upon the ocks and herds Of the
farmers In other instances the United States hold swamp
and marshes prices that nobody will pay and they hold to
and Marshes garsoned ashley by pesence
which tho people of the country cannot drain because they
held the Government the United Saes. Sir
hundred miles through country of marshes and uncult
waited land, which is not only worthless, but far be-
place where miasma generated, and where beasts
have heir hauns But this bill proposes to make bene
fetal disposition of these lands Of the general principle Of
the bill canddly approve. believe the General Govern
will have done well when gets rid of the admnistra
tor Of these lands believe will have done well when
puts them condition to be made useful to the human
race, which they not
Mr.. TURNEY. will say one word, sir, in relation to
the of Tennessee Several years ago. perhaps years
ago, the public lands in Tennessee off red at twelve
and half per acre. and the State of Tennessee sold
those lands the agent of the Federal Government The
lands sold under that provision of the law for number
years. and the proceeds paid the General
Government nothing being retained to remuneae the State
for her agency the matter In 1916, most Of the lands
remaining in Tennessee Of little value, the Gene
raj Government elnqushed to the State the remainder Of
the lands unsod within the State possibly three
three and half millions of The land given the
State for special purpose and not the Senator from Mis-
souri, supposes, without Limitations. 1t for purpose
specified in the act Of Congess-or the purpose of building
COLI at Jackson, in Western Tennessee The sales OF
those lands have amounted to ten fifteen thousand
dollars all told, which is not enough to build the college,
This sir, is, believe, the history of the law of 1885, and
that is the which has been derived from the sales Of
the coded lands under that do say tina,
these the only lands that coded to the State by
the General Government. Far from it. few cessions
made that far valuable than those coded by
the law of 1896 Tha, law regarded at the time il
passed. that would be very forgotten, in conse
quence OF its very nsgncance in value importance II
is very small matter indeed Sir, take the whole of tie
lands that have been coded this State, and you will find
that the amount is not much has been appropriated
to common schools in other States.
Sir | opposed to the system Of distributing the pro-
ceeds of the public lands but is far preferable the
system is prevail to that policy which has prevailed for
some time past of appopang these lands TO internal i'm
provemens exclusively in the States in which they e aad
shall go for the proposition Of my friend from New Jersey,
not that advocate that system of policy, but select it in
preference to the other If these lands to be squauderd
for internal improvements think that Of the old States
entitled to part and they should not all be given to the
If it be constitutional apply them proposed in this
BILL is constitutional to dis'r butte them amongst the States
Ii Congress possesses the power TO do the
the power to do the other you give land lying in the
state of Illinois TO the State of Illinois, you give it
to the State Of Tennessee Kentucky. Surely there
be nothing found in the constitution that prohibit
from giving TO the State if give to the other.
But hold that Congress has such power; aud if
engage in the system of internal improvements Idesre
all the States equally benefited; and if become
scramble appeal in behalf of Tennessee, who is entitled
TO her proportion opposed to this system Of policy,
whether it be railroad bill canal BILL any other sys-
OF bills which will apply Of the Of the
Of this Government objects of internal improv
st,les and in other States 1t wrong point of