The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-08

Mr. DAWSON. will not detain the Senate BY
dis ussion upon this question My respect for the body
would preclude my doing My only object is to cali
The attention OF Tie Senate 10 The course lha, has been
pursued in relation TO this matter There have been three
speeches delivered upon this occasion evidently prepared
for the purpose of affecting the public mind, and with
view finally 10 approximate 10 what is, fear, intended
by large proportion OF the Senate OF the United States
Now, sir. could bat disrust the combination OF two
the Senate and the country The honorable senator from
Louisiana Mr.. DowNsl goes upon the principle OF
monopoly the senator from New York Mr. SEwARDl
goes upon the principle OF agrarianism The senator
from louisiana seeks 10 have the whole OF the public
lands vested in the States respectively in which they lie
The senator from New York says that the proper principle
Is 10 divide The public lands IN sections Uf hundred
and sixty acres and not permit anybody have more OF
the public land than that Tha, the true policy, be
says, to be carried Now look at these two CON.
bmng TO vote for this bill
Now, how can il be that the senator from New York.
who upholds the idea that he has thrown before the
country, could vote for such measure What argu-
Msnt can be pHsented TO support such vote II
- an arssush which goes to induce the new States
within which these lands lie to approve Of the coarss Of
the senator when he announced the fact that he would
vote for that bill And all persons who aie opposed
the States taking the public lands will be found not TO
receive the measure of kindness from the States
those senators who will give them their own principles
and go for this monopolizng principle But shall not
inquire into the motive OF this matter. -
All beg to state Is this Where did the public lands
from In the first place the Norhw Territory
was purchased from the State of Virginia. and purchased
under compact which was first for the purpose of pay
when that debt paid then the balance of the public
lands there were 60 10 the States. And yet we 6nd
senator from one of the old States announcing that these
public lands against the compact which entered into
with the State from which they purchased shall 30
to the States individually in which they lie. come
down to the principle OF agrariansm-to one hundred
that number of That principle will be 40
changed that those who have land than that will
have their possessions cut down TO that standard Now.
how is that we who represent the interest OF the old
States can thus tor measure like this, contrary to the
compact contrary, IN my Judgment, to the obligation
Virginia and the United States3 a.Es
Where else did the public lands come from Georgia
yielded her territory to the United Salesthat territory
formed-under the compact Of 1902, and with the
limitations and rights reserved to the States re-
served in the of the State of Virginia Now, the
next surIender-shoud Louisiana receive all the lands
within her mits-w be to Mississippi and then comes
Alabama, with the millions there still undispossd Of.
which will be vested in the Sates, contrary TO the com
pact made by Georgia when she yielded her lands under
The contract Of cession in lsoa Why. upon principle
you cannot dvest her rights, because she is of the
contracting parties, and claims ful6lment OF that 90.
legation. And yet Of the senators from the old
States would surrender all these public lands Alabama,
Mississippi, and Lousiana-and for what purposel NOT
upon principles of lusticeno in conformity to the con-
ractbut III violation OF the compact, and for any othe
purpose and II could be tor other possible purpose
than TO crafty The States in which they lr. 39to.
And what more 1t is contended that these public
lands ought go into The possession of individuals and
that the arising from these ands when in the
session OF individuals, would more than amount TO the
value OF the property Why sir the great pnncipls ID
forgotten No State of this Union has third OF the
population that the soil is capable of sustaining; and the
whole area OF the couny instead OF having but twenty
three millions OF population, support with perfect
ease, time 10 come, at least five hundred millions. Yet,
because we have not people TO occupy every foot OF land
il must be given away Toe lands never will be disposA
Of sir, until there demand for them and that demand
will exist until there population reside upon
them. We have induced even the foreign populaton--
millions OF the population of foreign countrles-o cone
sat uDp Duh lands vet mil nj
settled acres remain yet because we have no occasion
10 use them immediately we propose to give them away
The gentleman from New York throws himself upon
this principle that sixteen years suspension OF the
nue. which is the estimate account OF the vast amount
OF warrants that we have authorized is Surrender of
the OF the itself. Why will put up
our public lands for sale, then They will 20
cept when there is demand for them When man has
more property than he can he must either invest
dispose OF II, he cannot dispose OF II, must lie
by until there demand for it, Well, here are. the
great landlord OF the country, with millions OF acres;
but these millions are not required for the convenience
midst State upon State have created and YET, be-
cause we have not population TO fill them all al
we must give away these lands. This is not right
Who well hold the public lands the government
Of the United Sa,es What revenue will we get from
The public lands when they all given to the States in
which they lie Not one dos dol for the general
Ill there be population to settle upon them; and they
cannot be disposed of by the States until the population
and want anti these bic lands thew can buy lust
well from the government o the United States as from
The individual States. There is no doubt about that.
But urged again by the from Louisiana that
the OF the United States is incurriBg annually
large expenditure without getting anything from these
public lands Well my great regard for the State OF
Louisiana, and for State rights generally is such that
will not transfer this loss this tremendous expense from
he general government and put II upon that State
Mr.. DOWNS. The senator is mistaken in the state
nent that made said that the expense great,
md the sale of the lands small and diminishing rap
dy every year, that for the last few years. the accounts
would probably be loser s.s
Mr.. DAWSON. And them OF course, II these lands
transferred the State OF louisiana that State would
be loser. .'a
Mr.. DOWNS That does not necessarily follow.
Mr.. DAWSON. Well, the question is propounded,
they for the people, and they will go to the people
whenever they wanted, You cannot make the pco-
pie take them. Why, we have given away more now
than the people occupy and why Because they all
have homes now and desire no more land at present.
But, says the senator from New York, mnst keep
the control oil these lands in the hands OF the general
government Tor the purpose OF carrying out his principle,
Tor places limitation upon the right OF any man In
this country TO occupy or than one hundred and
sixty of land. And now let me ask him this
question He says retain il in the control and possession
OF the government OF the United States, in order to carry
out and enforce the principeto which have referred
Well now, how can he carry out that principle and vote
Tor this bill, vestng all the lands in the State OF Lousi,
ana that State 1t cannot be done LOUISIANA wui
do she pleases with the land, and the principle o me
honorable senator never be executed wneh ne power
of the general government over the land Glaa
These are the principles now advocated The truth
about il is that the public lands made mere baile-
door for political purposes and any who has any
thp uift nj nj