The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-31
The Public Lands.
From The Southern Press, May 80.

From The southern l>rcyS, IlIdy
"alr. WEBSTER, in his recent Buffalo speech,
whilst protesting to be Union man, and just
man. reiteratcs his proposition tobesto,o quarter
section Of public land on foreign emigrants Gen.
eral Cas- has already adopted the same plan.
Here are heads of the two great national parties
offering the common property Of the Union to for
eigners, chiefly without price, to invite and con-
centrate European emigration to that section
where the public lands chiefly lie, and thus to give
that section an overwhelming and permanent pre-
ponderance in the Union. And we observe the
significant fact that the Union of this city has
dorsed the speeches of MIR. Webster with some ex
ceptions; but not excepting 10 this part OF IT.
Thus, there is evident bidding, by the two
grand national parties with the common property
of the Union, for northern, nay, for foreign sup
port.
.Now, although the South is excluded by act Of
Congress from the occupancy of the great portion
of the public lands il has not yet been denied that
she was Joint owner-and that such she is
titled to insist that they should be Sold and when
sold, the proceeds should go into the common
treasury to reduce the taxes. But this plan OF the
northern Wings and Democrats coolly proposes
to the coniscat< southern share of the public lands
altogether and to appropriate it for The purpose Of
concentrating European emigration in the NORTH
Of inpiting east additional hordes from that quar-
ter-and epen seducing portion Of the southern
population TO the North,
"Now, we may perhaps well take the opportu-
nifty of giving notice to Presidential candidates,
that the South will tolerate such outrage as
this 1t is worse than the robbery of California.
And we must admonish those southern gentle
men, whose love Of Union is so warm on their
lips, and love Of federal honors warm in their
hearts, that they will find it an odous and hope
less undertaking to buy northern popularity by
the surrender of southern rights. The price is too
high. 1t is more than any portion of their con-
stituents, however infatuated deluded with
90 this glorious Union, will pay And they will
find themselves at length discarded by the North,
and repudiated by the South, as men who are
unfit to defend the rights of the one, and unable
unnecessary to support the aggressions Of TIE
other. II is inevitable that the people of the
South must soon see that the present compact
between the members Of the grand Union party
is that the northern section is to keep up the cry,
to reiterate the words of concession and compro-
mise, whilst the South is TO make all the conces-
sions''
1t is perhaps fortunate for the country that
we have an authorized exponent at the seat of
Government of the wishes and demands of the
South. 1t is well for Presidential aspirants to
be able to appeal to some such oracle. They
have now the advantage of forewarning that
we hope may prove forearming. The South
cy7l Press desires them to take notice that the
South will tolerate no such outrage as the con-
fiscation of the southern portion of the public
lands to. the uses Of foreign emigration.
That" says the Press, ''woud be an outrage
acorsc than therobbery of California" 1t must
be relief to our contemporary to find some
thing to dwell upon and distress himself about,
worse than the robbery of California, even if it
be only prospective aggression, and contin-
gent misery. There must be no little pleasure
in being able to look ahead at possible out
rage of the first magnitude, that would enable
the sediiionsts and secessionsts to avail them
selves of an opportunity s. to strike while the
iron is hot"
We are somewhat surprised, however, at the
emphasis with which the Press speaks on this
subject; and the more so from the fact that
that there is but little difference between the
alleged confscation Of the public lands and the
disposition proposed to be made of them by
Mr.. CALHOUN in 1887 In that year the great
statesman Of South Carolina introduced a bill in
the Senate 10 cede The public lands 10 tic States
IN tctic, they lie on certain conditions. Mr.
BUCHANAN, in the debate on that bill, stated
that it proposed an absolute gift to the new
States Of two-thirds of the public lands within
their limits; and, the honorable Senator added
that he would as soon think Of putting his
hand into the pocket of one Of his constituents,
and taking from him two-thirds Of the money
il contained, for the purpose of giving it TO
stranger, as agee to vote for that bill in opposi-
ton to the wishes of those who sent him there.
While he professed a strong desire for the re-
gard of the Western people, he would never
seek Ito become their .uagnus .8polto on any
such terms" In the same debate Mr. WALKER
stated that, at an earlier period, during the
discussions of ls2S we believe, some of the
most distinguished sons of the South had
warmly and ardenty, although respectfully,
advocated cession Of the lands.
Now, if any diversion is to be made of the
public lands, or their proceeds, from the dispo-
sition contemplated by the terms Of their ces-
sion "for the common benefit of the United
States" we cannot well imagine why they
might not as well be surrendered TO actual set
tiers as ceded to the States in which they lie.
We do not see SO much difference between the
proposition Of General Cas-, or of MIR. WEB