Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-02-01

the greatest prosperity of ALL With their foundations laid
deep our constitutions and laws, cherished
Of the people of true prosperity, there is little dam
ger Of their abandonment
Well them does the land system Of this country deserve
in its general principles the encomium pronounced upon
by Lord Durham It's origin Is bu yesterdays It's results
like the works OF ages few years since the eye might
have traced the great basin Of the Mississippi bringing within
its ken nothing but unbroken Wilderness The wood
mans not heard and the plough had not touched its
soil the cabin Of the settler not there It's lakes had not
been disturbed by the keel of the vessels and its rivers
their in solitude. But the scene is changed. An
energetic and intelligent population bas extended itself over
the county the rich soil Of the wilderness has become the
cultivated farm villages scattered the whole expanse
Of the county and fouhing cities built on the borders
OF the kes and rivers Its productions those OF almost
every climate and their abundance such that you may trace
them in almost every to which the mercantile relations OF
the nation extend On the waters bordering the great valley
the north and the south, and the rivers ntersectng
its area commerce and navigation abound In no country,
in short time have such results been eff ced In
such abundant elements of prosperity exhbedin none
such noble monuments Of the results ndydua energy, and
toll, and intellect
The organized States of this region extending from the
great lakes to the waters of the Gulf Of Mexico belt
land from the northern the southern limits Of the nation,
and embrace every variety of climate, and almost every
tonal interest known in the country Proud of their country
and OF its institutions the heart of that great people true
and patriotic. These States and nseparabe They
will allow sectional question ALLEVIATE their affections
from their Government and line of division, intended
mark new boundaries. TO the great valley They
equally strong in their attachments the other States in the
Conedeacy With oil Of them in their interests and feel
ings, they intimately united Claiming relationship alike
to the youngest sister State the Pacific and the old thirteen
the Atlantic they will be the last to depart from the prn-
! ciples which bound them together. &E
Mr. President in the rise and growth Of this country the
operation Of land system has been constantly exhibited
forming its institutions developing its best characteristics,
and promoting its greatest prosperity That system has
its conc0mitant spirit of great lberaty, in administering
i he Oft
to the settlers of the country Grants for purposes of inter-
communication in the country, grants for State build
ings for universities for schools have repeatedly
been made to become part of the At the last
session of Congress bill passed giving the swamp and
overfowed lands to the States in which they e This bill
went beyond the former practice of the Government but
upon principles correct well LIBERAL They class
of lands needing draining embankmens before they
be made of Of much value. Thev require in their
management minute attention and preparation than
could be given under organization embracing territory
so wide as public domain. There undoubtedly other
lands mountainous barren, lying within the States which
will command the minimum price of Government lands.
In Of TIE States the public lands will be, and
haps are, reduced to small remnant scarcely
remunerae the expense of sustaining the expenditure Incl
the sales In all such the REIMBURSEMENT of the
lands to the States in which they lie is in my opinion
CURED both by policy regards the Government and justice
the State They cannot be pofaby administered by the
General Governmentto the States they Of Importance
The beray Of the grants to the several States has been
richly rewarded by the increased extent and Of the
ton and the addition wealth and its resources Let
the policy be pursuede the hand that gives
be still more ready in like and for like objects, TO
besow. The public veal has found and will find by its ad
vancemeRt.
Mr. President, regard the proposition to abandon the
principles Of the present SYSTEM and to adopt the plan pro-
posed by the bill under consideration aught with espe
cial evil to the States If the present law found in
any respect imperfect inefficient, let amend IL if the
present price Of land is too high, let reduce it. But
Of the representatives Of Of these States cannot
by my abandon system which has long
produced rich and abundant fruit for the purpose of adopt
ing another which may bear only the apples Of Sodom
Mr. President have trespassed too long the attention
Of the Senae trus however, long not to receive
their pardon. The importance Of the subject as it present
ed itself to my mind, seemed demand reference to facts
and statistics the subject, and expression Of my views
upon the policy and the effect Of the proposed legislation
regret that have been able present the matter in
| manner worthy the subject and the occasion.