Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-05-04

of hundred per cent, in this indirect manner, upon all
this land merely for the purpose Of carrying on WORK OF
internal Improvement in particular State Or IN other
words the question is shall the settler on the pubic lands DC
taxed double the usual price Of the lands before he SHAH be
permitted settle upon them, in order that he may De made
pay the expense Of building this ralroad That Will be
the question when to discuss this bill hnaiy anu
am not now prepared to enter upon IT,
Mr.. KING am not now going to enter INTO any discus.
sion with respect to the granting OF land for works OF internal
Improvement When that subject comes up, shall be pre-
pared give my views-dering, as suppose do from the
gentleman from Georgia upon this subject am desirous Oh
giving every facility that appropriately be Afforded to these
States in making works OF internal improvement to give
value the public lands and afford facilities To carry the pro-
duce the States to market This road terminates at Caro-
The Ohio river charter was granted by the states OF
Mississippi and Alabama to railroad company to construct
railroad from the city OF Mobile to terminate at this same
point that if the railroad completed, there Will be con-
thu railroad communication from the Gulf to the extreme
limit of the State Of Illinois. othe great advantages OF such
communication it is not now necessary TO speak, Every
gentleman who knows any thing Of the States OF
and Kentucky estimate for himself the immense advan-
ages Of such railroad The portion OF country IN the States
of Mississippi and Alabama through which the road IS to
pass is generally speaking barren and unproductve The
lands throughout these States have been in the market from
fifteen thirty years. and of them considerably more.
Owing the nature of the lands they OF no value, and can
be of any value at the present prices, unless some d.
communication by railroad other way, is made
That will give value the land, without which Is Of no
value My object however, rising is, before the question
taken upon the amendment to propose amendment as
additional section to include that portion OF the road
from the Ohio river extending the grants and privileges
granted in the bill of the Senator from Illinois The
amendment propose is as follows:
Sec find BE enacted Sc That, in order to aid in the
continuation of said Central railroad from the mouth oil the
Ohio river the city Mobile all the rights privileges and
liabilities herenbefore conferred the State OF Illinois, shall
be granted to the States OF Alabama and Mississippi respee
lively for the purpose of aiding the construction OF rail-
from said city Mobile point the mouth of the
Ohio and that the public lands Of the United States to
the same extent in to the length road the
sam lmi
shall be and hereby granted to said States OF Alabama anu
Mississippi, respectively.
Mr. WALKER l desire TO ask the Senator from Illinois
whether ii is proposed that this road shall be constructed by
companies or by the State : .....
Mr. DOUGLAS That can be answered in three sentences
This road begun by the State of Illinois in 1886, and
Subsequently, the State let to company The company
failed go with the work. and executed release OF their
charter back the State again that has now become
State work again. This grant is to be made to the State OF
Illinois, State work. disconnected with any company
whatever. ...a.,
Mr.. WALKER am not opposed to the grant which the
, proposes, but opposed to the form in which it is pro-
posed to make it. cannot submit the motion which
hall submit for the that there amendment 10
IN amendment pending. I shall, however, move to strike
all that part the bill which proposes increase the price
# the alternate sections dollars and half per acre.
because deem unjust that this principle should be enacted
" Congress. .., .":.. .. .".~.
The route is sad will be about four hundred miles in
engh, and the grant will he equivalent to strip of land six
niles wide throughout the whole length, million five
lundred and hirysx thousand of land On equal
Of land is proposed to increase the price to double
he usual Government price. amounts then, to tax upon
he actual settlers that amount in order to build this road
This Of the greatest embaassments to the settlement
If the States know of nothing that would embarrass
he settlement of these States than increasing the price
Of the public lands We know that it is almost universally
said that the price too high and yet propose to
double that price, and thus double the embarrassment of set
dement, If Government is going to be generous, let it be
lie apIs af The
ex pense OF those who TO settle upon them. . 4
am in favor of granting the whole of this land to the
ates be given actual settlers at the only of
veying it, and have brought in bill to that effect The
Senator from Massachusetts, also (Mr WEBSTER has offer
ed resolution of similar character, and the Senator from
Illinois Mr. DoueLA) has introduced bill to grant these
lands in limited quantities to actual settlers There is feel
ing in favor of this the country and this reform
to be demanded Now, If grant this amount of
land instead of selling the remaining land at the usual price,
proposed increase the price double what be-
fore. am opposed to it, am willing to vote for this bill,
if that provision is stricken My honorable colleague
has introduced similar bill for grant of land in Wisconsin,
and his bill likewise proposes increase of the price of the
land not coded. ~
shall make similar motion when that bill up, and
shall do with the assured feeling that my constituents will
;us ain my acon for am pretty confident that, after the
oeence they have had with regard to the Rock river and
Lake Michigan canal they will not be willing to be taxed
hundred per cent than the present price of the lands
the purpose of building this road. know the character
Of the country through which this road is pass Illinois
The lands have been long time the market but if grant
Of alternate sections made to the State have doubt the
road will be made and the lands reserved for the Government
will be rapidly sold for dollar and quarter acre. and
the funds will into your treasury But if the price is
increased the difficulties will arise and the advantages
will not be sufficient bring the land the market at the
increased price. believe it is the policy of the United
States that this should be stricken l know it is the
policy OF the State of Illinois and know that is in con-
sonance with the views of the people Of the United States
who are settling the Western lands shall therefore move
that as an amendment this amendment is dis
posed Of
Mr. BUTLER. Do understand the Senator from Hi
nos desiring to press upon this bill to-day
Mr. DOUGLAS. | suppos the vote had better be taken
to-day 1t is bill that has been pending for years. and
has Undergone very thorough discussion and conceive
that immediate action upon it will not be opt Of place.
Mr.. BUTLER. do not propose to go in6 a discussion |
of the many questions involved in this bi for after the pro-
onged debates have had heretofore upon the principle
upon which it is based such my part would per-
haps be work Of supereogation This BILL however has
not been examined by any one far know except by
the committee Of the honorable Senator who i. friend to
the bill; and, Of course, if he thinks right his duty to
advoca it. t.... ....
The Senator from Wisconsin (Mr WALKER) goes upon
the ground that by this bill should make donation Of
the public lands the State of Iinois-an open donation
unsmbarassed by any restriction The Senator from Illinois
(M DoUsLAs) regards the United States somewhat as q
proprietor that may give away section provided that
will raise the value of the remander, liking the United
States proprietor in pont Of view The Senator from
Wisconsin favor Of open grant, whou, any retc
Il MS Ia int of view III, Sc two propositions
the thing. They each PROPOSE in effect give be-
tween and two millions of dollars to the State of Illinois,
for the purpose of aiding the suggested improvement The
portion of land contemplated in this cessi,n miles wide
and four hundred miles in length, which will
to twenty fur hundred squire miles and that amount, mu
n -