The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-26

by 232e individuals out OF about soooo VINO were emu
The experience OF the British government IN dIsposing
of their public lands Canada is also instructive this
subject Among .hs i ,ss ~ snsh hs + sP0
lor, OF The disposition oil The public domain IA The British
provinces. and some very striking instances OF in
enectuai efforts promote inning aion and settlement by
gvlnu away the land In Upper Canada OF some 450 600
soldiers Of 1915 and OF the as wal with
the United States, under condition of settlement scarcely
AN acre settled by the soldier. la 1888 land in Up
pes Canada WAS Glven 10 :. discharged soldiers" who
also Tsceyrd tom The government gratuly in money
one ball paid ~ England and the other half arrival IN
AmeTica-to aid them ia making settlement The
money received by them was expended, while very few
established themselves settlers the land These are
ins,ancos where favorable opportunity was pre-
scented than IL presented by this bill
Numerous Gratuitous grants IN the fertile poruons OF
that province made condition OF settlement; put
the inducemsnt found 10 be Intellectual and the plan
failure Ia provisions and implements oil
hUsbAndry furnished 10 the poor In 1884, IN ba'
thuSst district settlement under these auspices was com
menced. and many settlers induced 10 come IN. In
advapcss made 10 them the government spent 100000;
but the effort ultimately ailed and the settlement was
Ths second object which this proposed change is de-
sgned to accomplish is The prevention OF speculation by
an evil of this kind ssrely felt by the country,
Large quantities OF the public lands were purchased BY
capitalists on specul alton and for resale These re-
NAMED unsettled for many years. and were subsequent
brought into market to compete with the sales OF gov
eminent lands. Where the purchaser was particularly
h lbs
in most instances. where the property remained in the
hands Of the purchaser the advance Of less than
DISASTROUS speculation those who did not at once make
sale OF the domain which they had purchased Indeed
doubtful whether at this day the land thus
speculation and retained by the purchasers to the pres
ent time, would brngin the aggregate the amount Orgi
nsy paid for IT, together with return OF taxes, interest,"
agencies. and other expenses
Recent legislation extends the provision of law in
favor of the actual settler, the exclusion OF the specu
ator The act Of Congress passed in ls4l made material
xkaA ~ ntrhl for
the interests and rights Of these two classes Of pur
chasers were concerned This act abolished to very
great EXTENT may say almost fully m
Gated This act authorizes any citizen to go on the pub
lie domain whenever it is surveyed and 10 make his set
Element upon it. AS the surveys progress in district OF
country and from the time they are made up the time
when the land is offered under proclamation at public
sale, he has the exclusive right to pre-empton The
within ii he may make his own choice OF a homestead.
If there is valuable water power on it, he has The prvi
lsgs Of securing il i there valuable Location fora TOR
gold. silver, copper mines, or anything giving
peculiar value to location, il is in the power Of the
settler TO it. From all these privileges in the
time the nonresident Speculation is excluded To
him it is forbidden territory, in which he can make no
purchase and secure no right And after the otter OF
land the public sales, the law still extends its discrm
mating benefits to the settler. He may occupy portion
OF land selected by himself. and with the exclusive right
Of possession, may complete his purchase at any time
These simple provisions of the law of ls4 have done
check the spirit of speculation and TO encourage
settlements than anything else. The fact that land is
subject taxation entered has made it
to bold 1t in its unproductve condition The individual
who buys uncultvated land, not intending to occupy it,
must be fortunate indeed, it, after the payment OF taxes
and all expenses OF agency and of managing his property
be shall find in the increase OF it's value more than fair
compensation for his services and the of his capital
Mr.. President, now ask the consideration Of the
Senate upon subject which think is OF vital mPor-
the interest of the country in reference to the
tenure OF lands to be coded by the general government
Il will be observed that this bill only provides for the
giving away Of the public domain but for dong tin man.
ner somewhat peculiar reqairng In the hrst instance.
the donation to be made 10 the State governments under
certain conditions The performance OF these conditions
il to be secured by legislative action of the State before
tons pertain merely the gift, the land itself.
but to subjects connected with the internal regulation OF
the affairs OF the State
The novel and important character of these conditions
requires that they should be carefully examined The bill
proposes grant the lands under tenure entirely new
and unknown to us. Hitherto the grants by the United
States have been OF NE mos. perfect and absolute ena,
than is secured by them may safely assert is an
known TO the law Of any other government II gives alb
soute and full control the property in the hands OF
the grantees and eli those who may hold under them
The purchase OF the public domain, limited to no class in
comnoni,y, u the privilege OF all Every one may by
such purchase. make himself freehoder, with all the
rights and privileges Of this perfect tenure, ard may
vey on the same unconditional terms to any other per
son. Under the proposition contained in the bill land is
not to BE- sold ndiscrminatey ALL but only to those
who become actual occupants-that occupancy to be
proved in the fret 10 have continued
prior 10 the right TO obtain title II is limited in the
sale 10 quantities not exceeding 100 acres 10 each ndivd
ual and by one OF the sections o the bill is exempt
forever from execution, levy, aad forced sale. Again.
there IN limitation upon the transfer of title from in
dvdual another declaring that they only shall have the
right 10 purchase who are las denomnaed in the petit
OF land These are the principal conditions annexed
this grant, and required to be assened to and established
by the action of the several legislatures, which the bill
declares shall be compact between the government OF
the United States and the State governments II provides
however that apon the enactment OF such law the title
the land shall absolutely in the State, and copies
Of the title papers shall be delivered and thereupon
all acts Of Congress inconsistent with or repugnant TO
this act shall stand and be repealed and all right title
and interest OF the United States to and in the said lands
shall cease, and the same shall yestin such State"
must be observed by every one, upon casual view
OF this NATTER that these provisions which have
rated, brief they involve of the import
ant reference to the of the lands
of the general government TO limit the free action OF the
States BY aunexing such conditions TO the tenure and
anser Of land within their limits and 10 control future
legislation by present legislative stpulaons We have
stipulation 10 Ill the new States. believe, that they
shall not interfere with the primary disposal of the pub
lie ands by the United States and this is also the spirit
of the constitution When the lands once disposed
OF by the general government il they afterwards revert
eschea upon the failure of heirs, If from any other
they the State and not to the government
OF the United States There il no power or authority in
the general government which enables il to reclaim the
lands situated any OF the States after they have
been conveyed; the independent jurisdiction Of the State
over the subject foIbds it. At early day in the colo
mia nj tkn