Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-02-11
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the government TO defend this territory not less
than eight millions Of dollars per annum or but for this
territory, should have little for any army,
fourth of present force would purposes which
annual Virginia of at least half million of dol
lars or sixteenth of The WHOLE and in the ratio
the other old States The receipts from public lands do
exceed two millions, 30 that their protection costs US
six millions per annum more than the income from
lhem Vginas portion of expense heng 5O00 dollars
To this is TO be added nso tho costs of surveying
lands and other expenses which estimated at 22 cts
per acre.
The domain which remains TO be sold, is estimated Mt
about 1884 millions Of which at only 25 cents ne
would to 326 millions OF doars, Virgnias 10th Of
which, would be about 20 millions have before said that
The of surveying those lands and bringing them into
market estimated at 200 millions Vrginas share of
this expense would be l2X mions that any system BY
which the public lands taken from the trensury would
Virginia alone l2h millions in money besides the loss
of the lands themselves and the annual expense OF an army
10 defend the settlers them
Mr.. Felch, Senator from Michigan, from whom derive
much of my Statistics in able speech In opposition TO
bill cedng the public lands to the States In which they lie
used the following language:
ut might be we'll also to take another view OF this sub
ec In reference to the expense Of the gatutous cessun
oE the public domain Let by another estimate what
1T would cost the government besow Of 60
of iano 10 every settler The average the govern
ment per as before stated Ia q cents making for each
grant OF 10Y acres S32O unremuneraed expense the
grantor ana ae IL Is proposed distribute the entire pub
ic domain in this manner let carry our estimate little
urther and ascertain how much would require to pro-
"ceed with settlements at this rate.
ut would cost to sire a,cay the unsold portion Of
wisconsin, rs, ,a27,67s acres s5,592oe9
Iowa, 27,l5326s 5s737ls
michigan, 1868 b47OO2o
missouri, 29,2l6,li3 6427 55s
Minnesota just opening for settlement and where
scarcely has been sold acres s sss 400
"These sufficient as examples merely to present an
exhibition of the effect of the principle"
There representative in Congress from the At
anc States who does not feel that the interest Of those
States in the public lands Is in DANGER The nu
merous bills before Congress- would If passed. grant
away least 404 millions Of The question with us
bssf1
reeks ogo resolutions Of enquiry looking the poll
cy Of taking the lands themselves from The control Of Con-
gress+ believed threat OF this from the
old States which, with the Western States that have
but small quantity OF public lands of value such Aaba
ma Tennessee Kentucky and Ohio have still the power In
their hands, ,ooud bring back our brethren q fhe West to
their aleganse to the non-dsrt6uting policy The dsr
button merely Of the proceeds Of saes would be altogether
idle for the power to make partial donations would still re-
sIn and BY improper combinations would oe often e1erc
The West has already received upwards Of 43 millions Of
acres % millions of which, granted by the last Con-
eress Tho North tariff the West the lands III
temptation proves too strong for human nature and lie
fraes the South Of course becomes the victim We all re-
member how narrowly escaped protective tariff Inst ses
sion The experiment tried again fcw days ago and
failed by Is votes few Southern Whigs honks 10 Norm
Caroinn) coming to our assistance.
There arc before Congress- two bills with powerful
advocates which threaten total annhilaon Of our inie-
rest Ia the public lands and third which would subvert
our most cherished ideas of the limitations Of the powers
One Of these bills proposes code 10 the organized
States all the public lands lying within their limits amount
Ing 10 about 2S4 millions Of
Another proposes give every actual settler l60
As the settler is ultimate purchaser there
would of course be very few sales in future few would
buy of another land could be had for nothing Not
one ip thousand Of my constituents would avail himself OF
This privilege l, would be enjoyed utmost exclusively by
the andes. in West and by the hundreds of thousands
of emigranls who yearly flock TO our shores.
The third bill provides that In place Of the 10Th section In
every township now granted public schoos the inhabi
tants Of that township shall be entitled to two sections and
may select those sections quarter sections they choose
from any OF the public lands State which they live
You are aware that township contains 36 sections OF
$40 saeh this bill than confe upon the public schools
of the West 18th 10 quantity Of all the public land,
before stated, 70 about 1884 millions Of acres 18th
would bs os than 10 millions Of acres 10 quantity but as