Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-01-16

for some usciul Improvement, it has been
clogged by other propositions perhaps qua'-
! ~ deserving, until even in the opinion of
! .hc most san 9uiuc, it would be injudciou,
10 proceed.
be. leave to call attention, as IA two
cars since, in my first address to ;ii,c log
stature, to the question OF the right Of the
State 10 the two per cent. fund.
i One OF the propositions IN de by tn gem
crai government, aui accepted by Mssou-
r., upon her admission in the Union was,
that "hvc per cent. oi the net proceeds Of
the sales OF lands lying within the said ter
rtory or state, and which shall he sold By
congress from and after the first day of Jan.
uary, (lS2l } after deductny all the expen-
ses incidental to the same, shall be reserved
!, for making pnbic road, and canals, OF which
:. three iiIths shall be applied SO those objects
within the state, under the direction Of the
: legislature thereof, and the other wo-filths
in doirayng, under the direction of con-
=, grcSs, the expense, to be incurred in the
making Of Il road or roads, canal or canals,
- leading 10 the said state" This condition,
/ as far rs il relates 10 two fifth, oi his five
per cent, has not been fulfilled by the gen
:, part OF Missouri, that it should now be
:. done. The introduction of steam power,
= application TO boats and railroads, has SUI
+. pcrceled The necessity Tor a performance OF
this part of the compact. But it ,eavcs
~ Missouri with ali equitable, and ! may say,
IL legal claim upon the general government,
;, for the appropriation OF this two per cent.
i fund. The correctness of ,h, principle has
y been repeatedly recognized by Congress, in
>. the REIMBURSEMENT of the two per cent.
- fund TO several of the states. under y SINH
III Tar compa-t 70 this, under which Missouri
p. now asserts her right.
-. The amount Of the two per cent. upon
-, the net proceeds of lands sold in Missouri
=. since the year 1921, is upwards of $3.50,
O0O The five per cent. agreed to be- paid,
to and for tho ana benefit Of Missouri was
- no. gratunus git a most valnabl. consle
VI ration was given by the people Of the state
10 when in the convention, which they had caused
H. to assemble to consider OF this offer Of the gen
H. eral government, and Of another concession
al which was required of item as condition o.
,d the admission o.! the state into the Union, it was
agreed by ordinance, that the lands of the Uni
:; ted States 10 Missouri should not be taxed, AID
" also that the same lands, should be exempt from
80 tax for ahy purpose whatever, for five years
' from mad alter the respective days al sale there
oi Of. Thus il will be seen ,ha, Missouri has sur
o, rendered her Land revenue for thirty years up
III on upwaris Of twenty -n.c millions OF acres o
IA Land, the number Of acres shown by late re
10 port Of tbs Commissioner of tho general Ian,
H. office, to belong to the general government. an,
1, unsold at that time and upon the balance of thu
NJ land in Missouri, amounting to upwards Of ihir
~ teen millions Of acres. which, BY the same re
~ port, shown 10 have been scld Il, that time, III,
state loses its revenue, not only mp 10 The day
q of sale. but for five ycer, thereafter.
i There arc other NipGlations in this compact
10 but none, in my opiniun, which affect th!se t.
ol which | have referred.
C. There is another proposition OF no les
nc Importance, and to which invite your at
o. tention. refer to the establishment OF ,
m school o! MINES. Since the acquisition o
Ct California and New Mexico. there is proba
a bly no government ia the world possessed
re Of greater extent or OF more varied anc
u valuable mineral territory, than the UntcC
ri States. Yet such is the condition OF the
+! education of our population, in mining anc
IS Metalurgy, thal we are dependent on Eu
y, rope almost entirely for our knowledge
he and in Il large measure for our operatives
It'd in these pursuits 1t is due to ourselves
o. and to our own interest, tina this condition
al of things should be remedied. Until it b,
rs done, we shall never be able TO realize, us
ut nation, all the advantages of our minera
~ resources, or protect our citizens from thu
Nc cupidi,y, imposition and disappointment
IA that must result from the employment o
I,l, ,,l,, Il