The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-11

lands before the sale took place. from the beginning Of
The government down 10 the present day. not
occur TO me.
M IL cASs S%p II the gentleman vii sw
and Limestone road made before an acGe of public
land was sold - the western country The honorable
gentleman's colleague knows all about it.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD continuing ! will come 10
thai, sir, The gentleman from Michigan lMr. CAssl
does not take the distinction That bill grant
have been made s' BY ihs United States There may
DO examples found where the government has acted
through liz own fundamentally and made them; that
will. however: fail in the description the gentle
man gives That is not your bill This bill is 10
grant the State; and if there be example from the
foundation of the government down to The present day
where the State has made Improvement before the land
has been offered TOR sale al public auction according to
the proclamation OF the President, do not know il
Now, SIR, alter that has been done, You must fix mini
mum price OF vi % per and how is it possible that
your public improvements enlarge that minimum
price! Il has been DONE Ii is impossible in the
nature OF things cannot be done. Sir idsa that has
been advanced that these grants to the States made
upon the principle OF enhancing the value OF the residue
OF the public domain, has not particle Of foundation
TO stand upon-not particle. Now. want TO come to
the class OF cases that the gentleman from Michigan
Mr. CAss] referred me TO- know when my esteemed
and perhaps may say observation-disclosures lMr. CLAYl
TO have u road made across the mountains by which
we could reach the seat of government with more
comfort that he did main,ainand am happy say he
the right to appropriate funds TO make road that would
reach the public domain The arguments then advanced
were, that by making aroad to reach the public domain
you enabled your emgrans reach the territory, which
would be settled with facility. and that in that way
you did give increased value public domain and
appropriations for the Cumberland road carried at
that early period upon reasons OF that sort, with others
How has the thing changed since that timer Suppose
you propose now TO the new States to make q road
through the old States that to reach the States
and thereby to help the emigraon and you propose TO
take from them the proceeds OF the land make that
road. what will be the arguments now Will they yield
to the arguments that prevailed at the time the Cumber
land road was made No, sir; circumstances have al
tered since that road constructed All OF the
States have become more powerful and, sir they have
not a. was manifest in the Maysvle road, commenced
some years ago. been willing to yield to you. They will
never be willing 10 make another road in an old State
from the public lands in the States Now sir when
these facts are so perfectly manest-when they
notorious to all those who have paid any attention the
past history OF the countryl confess that. for one
tired OF hearing this idea advanced that give lands
The new States enhance the value OF that portion which
the government Ieians | am like the gentleman from
New Hampshire, Mr. HALE]-I am nearly sasfed-t
is useless to make any efforts to justice in behalf
OF the old States in reference to the public domain.
have for many years endeayored to have the distribution
OF the proceeds of the public lands among the several
States according 10 their population We have had that
law IN force 1t was just and wise law. Whether
shall have it enforced again. doubt very much 1t was
voted down, as am informed by my friend behind me-
when ne proposed il as amendment TO bill at the last
session That recent effort indicates what sorry TO
believe will turn out to be fact A proposition OF that
sort will never succeed again. Sir, how the
PUBLIC lands are going II is useless to speak Of thing
best selection in the appropriations which the
States will have granted to thenio appropriate them
where we conceive it will be most seryiceable TO the
whole contederacy propose, sir TO submit PROPOSE
uon 1t have opportunity for making appropria-
ton to construct road from Louisville to St Louis. 1t
will be through the territory of the new States road OF
that Sort sir, would be beneficial to my State than
perhaps any other which could be constructed and al
though there has been bill TO make that road upon your
table, which was pending during the last session.
not acted upon had to give place 10 other bills little
further North, and which received favor from the
Senate and the House OF Representatives, and were
passed Perhaps the poor privilege may be left in the
general scramble spoken Of to make those selections
which will, by ndrecton, result most benefclay to the
old States Ii that be secured, it much ex
Mr. DAWSON Mr.. President. wish merely to make
one obse alton to correct idea of my friend from Mis-.
sssippi, [Mr FooTEl who is mistaken, the country
might be msled in point OF history. He says complain
much Of injustice having been done to Georgia in relation
to the public lands spoke OF the old thirteen States
uniformly, placed upon the same footing. He said
Georgia had right to complain because she had been
amply dealt with relation to public lands that the In
dian title was extinguished in the limits of Georgia
Why, does the senator know very well that he is
now the citizen OF daughter of Georgia. Mississippi
and Aabama-your State sr-were once the property Of
the State OF Georgia In the ls02 coded these two
fertile and promising States to the general government
for little upwards OF two millions OF dollars The public
lands in these States have been sold amounting to be-
$50 900 and 81 900 000 and all the proceeds
have gone into the treasury OF the United States Georgia
received not dollar OF the proceeds more than Massa-
chusetts and New Hampshire did poportionaelys Hence
you see he is mistaken in supposng Georgia had been
kindly treated by the general government We are not
complaining of any OF The acts oil the government under
the compact OF 1902 We only complain of this: that the
proceeds of the public lands of the country are not dis
irbuted Justly and equally throughout the Union.
Mr. DAVIS, OF Mississippi. The senator from Geor-
gia, in some remarks he made this morning, has re
ferred opinion Of mine. II has usually been my
fortune that my opinions have seldom been quoted except
convict OF Inconsistency, or nix me TO some particu
lar issue do not suppose, however that either wasthe
object Of my friend from Georgia, as have always been
consistent and unchangng upon this question and as
he has TO suppose that vote Will he dieren
from what ii has heretofore been upon such subjects
Upon former occasion made the argument, as he sta
ted that the true rule was for the government TO grant
lands for the purpose OF constructing canals and roads,
for the benefit which would result to the government in
the increased value Of the contiguous lands hold the
government be trustee The lands belong to all the
States although they did not happen to be so considered
upon all occasions last year hold that the land is the
common properly Of all States, and that the extent to
which the 20 would be the exiento which
the proprietor can 20 with his own domain The trustee
canno, do more than the proprietor proprietor may
grant lands or potion OF bis unsettled DOMAIN Tor me
purpose OF constructing roads, as means OF inducing
purchasers ts buy the domain which he wishes TO sell
To that extent think the government may grant lands
But think that granting the lands six miles from the road
is going far enough Last year was Carried to hiteen
miles This goes sti further, and goes beyond the limit
to which think the proposition can be properly carried
is said that the lands within the limit have been al
ready sed Very good then the argument falls Suppose
OF a road TO be built upon his domansupposng i to be
that the individual should come TO him and
say that he had previously sold the land Why them II ~
already settled. and have need OF your road have