The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-12-12

OWlng VfOVtIIY- TnIIgI
States was in fact large landed proprietor IN Missouri
and had no right in common justice TO escape paying her
share oi the expense OF these improvements 10 benefit
her lie held Thar, instead o. taking money IRON the
these lands would lend 10 increase the public revenue
This was 10 be done by increasing the price OF every al
ternae acre 10 double the minimum price. great lisa
in The price of lands their vicinity had been The result
OF HE construction oil every railroad already built this
country.
Mr. H. next reviewed The history OF such grants ~
land made heretofore by Congress. to prove that instead
OF decreasing the from the sales OF Tue public
domain they had actually largely increased them OWN
the fact that The projection OF these western fafoads
had induced individuals 10 take up lands near Their pIo
posed routes at much higher Pnees than The minimum es
ablished by law
ia three instances which he named the reserved a
nate sections hal greatly increased in value In the case
OF the Wabash and Erie canal reservations in Ohio be
called The attention OF the committee to the fact that thew
had been sold al least as high as per acre Admitting
The effect OF these grants 10 have been injurious TO The
old States, for the sake OF the argument that result could
moi affect the justice OF his proposition that the new
States should all be treated alike SO far. these fayors
conended that, ia this OF good feeling like generos
y should be extended to the new slaveholdng States
which had been refused them so far, one and all.
Mr.. III in conclusion, went on TO sbeW that the settle
of the States was the great oil the indus
trial progress and remarkably increased wealth OF the
Union-ihe new States having returned two dollars
the treasury for every expended account of
the public lands II the expenditures in the old States for
Notifications, &c, had resulted as beneically for the
treasury, he con,ended that the general government,
would have been far better of than at present The
western markets and the exports OF the West had been
the main springs Of the prosperity Of the East These
facts proved that INSTEAD Of pIndeng the Older States
had been alleged the West had conduced to The
general prosperity. She only asked in voting on ques-
lions OF expenditures in the old States, whether they
would benefit the whole Union. II 80, she sustained
them; and he would but ask for in kind in this
Mr.. SWEETSER next addressed the House upon the
subject started by the gentleman from Missouri While
H. Fart hama ntcFt
States, he unwilling 10 give public lands 10 corpora
lions, the evil effects of which he commented with
great earnesness The demands for the right Of way
made here in such cases were not necessary the works
be bona fde the property OF States The States
could use the land for such purposes, as he explained
without act Of Congress to that end
Ohio in which that State had carried works the
public lands without seeking obtaining acts OF Con.
gress granting the right Of way In all such grants the
bill OF the gentleman from Missouri proposed. in which
Ohio was the recipient OF the favor except one, the
works TO be aided thus had remained the property Of the
State going private interpretations would be the
Out Of the FIVE millions OF dollars which Ohio had invest
ed in public works constructed by Incorporated compa
Mes she had lost all but about 100000 from which
Mr. s. drew the conclusion that this proposal to gran,
Missouri portion of the public domain would really
produce good result if enacted. And then he pro-
ceeded discuss length the history Of the similar in
corporations in Indana holding that the grants OF public
lands which had fallen into their hands had proved in.
furious to the interest OF all nearly concerned in the pros
perily Of tha, State:
of the financial difficulties OF Indiana, TO show that what
that gentleman deemed to have been the transfer of the
grants in question 10 interpretations were acts brought
control of them but Surrendered her profits upon her pub
lie works for the benefit Of her creditors. He (Mr D.
then argued further 10 show that the granting Of these
lands so far as Indiana was concerned had benefited
the whole country His State had paid her debts by 80
transferring her public works constructed on the pro-
ceeds of the sale of these lands in part and instead Of
being censued for her in this connexon she de-
served unmeasnred praise for alternating this property
She deserved credit and great praise indeed for thus pay
ing her debts.
posed grant go to the government oil his State, and
not TO a corporation
Mr. SWEETSER, tesumng the floor, held that The pro.
ceeds OF these grants, though they made to the
States. found Their way into the Golfers of individual in.
corporations He differed entirely from the views ex.
pressed by the gentleman from Indiana Mr. DusHaMl
10 the results OF the system in Indiana The incorpo
ration which had managed to get The benefit OF the grant
to aid in the construction Of The Indiana canal had for
e'ted IFS engagements, and IN consequence, the work
was not now nayigable. Thus the citizens were de-
pryed of lis Mr. 5. further on TO show that
urging these grants but part of the grant sysiem
designed 10 bring aboa, the scheme which contemplated
the giving away OF the whole public domain which
popular in quarters. Tie always suspicious
OF such propositions, especially no law OF Con.
gress was necessary 10 give the States the right Of way
Mr. HALL, interruptng Mr. s., again held that the
gentleman from Ohio IMr SwEETsERl was wholly
wrong this point II the States could appropriate the
public domain for purpose they might do 30 for any
purpose they chose 10 designate public one.
Mr. SWEETSER differed wholly from Mr. H on this
point, II the public domain was 10 be given away he
was Tor giving II freely 10 actual settlers the plan OF
the gentleman from Tennessee, mir. A. JoHssoN,l the
gea, superiority of which over this system he explained
at length.
Mr.. BISSEIL would no, now argue this question He
merely rose TO give notice that he should support this bill
IN some shape or other He held the principle involved
~ it 10 be the true principle which the government
should act in relation to the public lands There was
time when Ohio worried the government out OF mil.
lion OF acres for similar purposes She had only obtained
hem through the assistance oil Missouri and Illinois
She, (Ohol now rich and strong through these grants
bad suddenly changed her views on this subject and
through representative on This floor had objected 10 the
system.
Mr.. SWEETSER remarked that Ohio asked such
grants for herseIf and bad kept them her own property
MIR BlSSELb continuing, proceeded to prove that this
grant was TO be all respects like those made 10 Ohio
! was to be put in the hands OF Missouri TO be disposed
IL so as 10 aid IN the construction of particular work
lie held that II II enabled her TO make the work. IL wou
,e as well for her 10 sell il to company hold IT,
Mr. Is conceived Missouri TO be well qualified to take
are oil her own interests any other State He like
be gentleman from Ohio. [Mr SwEETsER,l should sut-
'ort the bill oil the gentleman from Tennessee MIR JoHs
ON which he did not be perfect ms il held
~, advantages 10 the agricultural class only none other
eing able 10 avail themselves Of its advantages as be
Explained AT length
The committee then rose and the Chairman having re-
'oried-
SWEARING IN A MEMBER
Mr.. STEVENS, of New York appeared al the Clerks
esk, and was duly sworn in by the Speaker
MIR. HOUSTON remarked that there were various i'm
ortant executive department Communications on the
m his notion communication from the State Depart.
appropriately dlsposed Of and ordered 10 be