New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-25
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
Fair Division between Old and Ne" otateS-
Statistics of Land Grants-F-penses' Nc'

W.sp,Scro- "Wednesday, Jan %
The acts of the last sess;n and the spirit mani
tested, so far this session exhibit dlspostion 90
souander and get rid a some way Vi s"0 "''I
Tands 70 ON avtentwhich has created no small
degree or alarm nd this disposition seems to be
rsnifested 70 ~ greatest extent by those States
,,,bioh have hen enabled to seize upon and secure
tba oreateet share of the public domain, before
this snoliaton system commenced. The actual re
snIt ~ RI great Bounty and actOf last session u.s.
that tbe eneiicarles-a large proportion OF VIII IN
ore nnddbtedly toerably we'll of, and some are
~;cb-gt q fe W dollars for the warrant after beng
mt IN considerable trouble and expense. The
warrat goes into the hands OF heavy SPECTATORS
in tbs commodity, who realise large proh's On
the DOR emgrsnt, who is the actual settler at the
som, time while he is driving the Government rom
tbe market This result makes the operation OF
the acO ANYTHING but benehcent. II the doVerh-
mott was anxious to press county Lahus upo"
somebody why not give the 100 acres 10 the 9c
final conaueror of the forest who IS a more Valu-
able soldier than he who shoulders musAS',
though both are necessary. The country Wou'a
TINS have been benefited at the same time, ana
two objects would have been galned' anu none
could have stepped in between the BVer ann nus
bounty. Another immense Approximation OF Pao
lie Lands during the last session, vas Tor the
gigantic scheme of q Railway linking the " est
er1 and Southern States from the head oil Lake
Michigan to the Cult of Mexico. Other smsliee
but by no means Insignificant schemes Tor dlVld-
ing tie best portions of the Public Lands Oct"
few States have been hurried through Congress
within a year past; the aggregate making an
annouut so enormous as to be almost beyond oe
lief One bad feature OF this schemln5 49, IL pro,
duces combinations between different portions Oh
the Confederscy to the great detrlment OF the gen
ersl whole creating cliques and narrow and selhsh
views of national policy, and must evenEua'e' II
suffered TO 90 unchecked, in the prostraton oil
great national interests, and in general CONNER
cel min If not in the disruption OF the u nlUn IT,
self The amount of injustice inflicted upon por'
tions of the Conederacy by this system IS not iul-
" understood. ,,.,
To remedy the evils to some extent (which, by
the way have been s0rely complained Of ~ the
Renresentetives of several of the old States,
among whom none have set them forth with
greater force or more convincing eloquence than
MIR MEADE of Va whose State contributed
largely to the public domain,) Mr.. BENNETT oil
New. York is endeavoring to Introduce bill IN
lieu of one he asked leave TO introduce the other
dsv having reference to New York alone,) after
consultation with Members from other states,
which. it must be conceded, contains provisions
most lust and liberal 20 all parties concerned. IL
will be observed that it does not propose to 10
cate grants 10 any State within the territory oil
any other State, condition which the new states
strenuously insist upon. The following are the
provisions oil the ACT;
BILL 10 secure to each State Just and equal proportion Of the
Pubic Lands with already grated 20 any o'sr sac
SECTION l. Be IL Enacted by me Senate aHc Hoass y
BeesDtqtfres Of he United States Congress assembled
That there hereby granted 70 each State IN the Uuon
quantity OF Public Lands sufficient with na neretoore
rsnied 10 them respectively N any, TO MAKE the number
OF acres granted each State equal according 10 s popu
arion by the Of 1882 with that state 10 wnch &C
10 its population by said the largest amouu
of Pubc Lands already been granted exclusive oil
lands granted as swamp or school lands:
ersIv select the lands hereby granted 20 them, rom any
lands not located belonging 10 the United States except
ofer State And States 10 which there Public Lands
shall select their lands SO much thereof az may PEI from
lands in their States respectively and me baance only
| IN anvil from other Public Lands s -,
land 10 which each shall be entitled under nus acI
shall be asceraned and determined oy me
OF Public Lands according to me provso1s o. le
| mined and approved shall be hnal -.
SIC BE Il further enacted That each Siae may sesct
aud locate its lanes under The proysonS 81 ,ss, a
ard return thereof describing said lads snaI oe guy
made 10 General Land Once IN assng.ola' anu
corded after which the tile OF each state 20 ne -
selected and returned by It's agent or agents sna
Bett further enacted. That this act shall take effect
! Immediately.
The original cost and continued expense attend
ing the ownership Of the public lands, presents q
startling aggregate to those States which have not
.hared them, but 1kich hare paid at least three
! quarters Of this immense cost. The statements
presented are in general obtained officially from
! the Bureau Of the General Land Office.
Original cost Of Pub Lands not including War Of Resoss
ron Indian and other HGTs and eDezses dRc NOT "0''
| than half the e1pense Of The heT1cdn war;
| To exringush Indian liues pay annuines hleI-
est e1penses OF Asenis -@u Ai01' 49,. S7OPOOO 900
Gobels; &C; c.''''''''''''''' - 100000
RAG ioI LoIisIsna a. f;.o Sc l5O0O00C
fGo IoI aiS ~ LIS NO" -'' ... l0,Oe0.O OC
To be paid 10 Texas. 60 600 ol
Expended In Mexican War..............''''''' 0S'1
ro,., $780, COZ
This amount might of course be swelied up a.
most indefinitely by obtaining accurate accounts
of expenses of surveys, incidental expenses a.
tending all Of our great acquisitions Of oomsm
Florida, Greek and Cherokee wars, and numJySIt
less other items. But the above conslderaOle
item would nearly pay all our honest na''0nAl