The southern press., 1852-03-09


Slate-, ,qaally entitled and equally bound. FIRST,
10 the benefits, and second, for the Consequences
of our governpent The people did it; and
when you get TO my own State--one OF the
youngest OF the Old Thirteen, and one of the
humblest, kept down for years because she could
not extend her government coextensiye with the
land within her limits, portion of it being in
the possession and occupancy of the Indians
you find that when she saw the condition in
which this great country was placed and
Southland that connexion and facility for
rapid intercourse was desirable in order to bring
them more near to each other and increase our
affection for one another, to make us love our
government and love one another, she did
what, MIR. President? In the midst of her pow
erty, she commenced the line upon the Georgia
bank of the Savannah river, where the railroad
would cross from Charleston TO Augusta, and
with her own enterprise, and her own money
she ran that road not only through Georgia, bnt
to the valley of tho Mississippi; and it is now
in operation. She went over to Tennessee and
asked an act of incorporation, and permission
to run the road through Tennessee until we
should strike the waters the MissisSippi and
it was DONE
Letm now invite the Sena4 or from Missouri,
who sits furthest from me, Mr.. ATcHIsoN,]
who said that Georgia wanted her share of the
land-l have no doubt with the best of feelings
Ito take a trip upon that road, and we will car
ny him over it at the rate of twenty miles per
hour, over mountain and through tunnel. will
then place him upon the waters of his own great
West. He may travel by steam from one end
of Georgia to the other, and to the steamboat
communication with his own State. And then
| will ask him to tell me how was all this built
And now we want communication from Cairo
with that road. We have run road for l,lOo
miles, with a capital of something like seven
millions of dollars, at our own expense, contnu
ing the road TO the valley of the Mississippi
But when you get to Cairo, and want to go up
to Chicago to see the President, if he should
ever be there, what do you find You land
from the steamboat opposite Cairo, and you find
a railroad extending with its branches for 600
miles. And who built that road? The people
of the State of Illinois stand upon that road, and
look as magnificent and consequential as if they
had paid for it out of their own purse, and as if
it was upon their own land. But those 500
miles Of railroad were built at the expense of
the United States. They cost Sc 900 ,000 and
by the contract the company make nearly TWEEN
ty one millions out of it. And yet the gentle
uan says that Georgia wants her share. If Iii.
nois was entitled to this, then she ought to have
it; aud only ask for Georgia what she is enti
tied to receive. Because Georgia has already
completed this work by her enterprise and her
energy, is il reason why any fair, Just, and
reasonable man should get up and say, You
have done the work already you have expended
the labor and the money, and you ought to be
satisfied? No, sir, the questions which ought
to be propounded these Whose. money Is
| it? How should it be divided To whom does
it belong! But my friend, | believe, will go
with me, and when he gets into Georgia will
say, By-the-by, you ought to have your share
He says that now, but he is fearful ofendanger-
ing the bill by the adoption of this amendment
But, Mr.. President, will hasten on. / wish
to say that | was astonished when | saw the
course of senators and representatives of the old
thirteen States upon the land bill, some of whom
have come out and indicated the idea of the
rights OF the new States TO take up all these
public lands. | read speech made by gen
teman in the other branch of the Legislature
with perfect astonishment to fad him vindica-
ting these vast appropriations of the public
money and the public lands, leaving his own
State without any equivalent; but when came
TO search the matter out found that he be-
longed to one OF the companies which purchased
the 100000 acres OF the public property. /
state this as no charge. | have no doubt that il
is an honest affair; but ] can say what the fact
is. A gentleman to day jumped upon the bal.
tic" because ii was the representative of capital.
and denounced the idea that capital should be
brought within the view Of this capitol TO nflu
ence members in their conduct here And yet
you are doing acts here that give capital TO the
amount Of twenty-seycn millions 10 a company
to construct railroad. trust these gentlemen
will become alarmed at the idea that the public
lands are TO 60 into the hands Of capitalists
har ia h.. r.
WALKER, that he does not raise his voice
against this accumulation Of wealth and property
in the hands Of great landed proprietors? Not
word is said Of that. But let Georgia, Massn
chusetts, old n nth Carolina, or any one of the
other old States, come and ask even for what
justice would give us, and they tell us, No; we
never can submit TO such great landed proprie
tors within the limits Of individual States Look
at il, gentlemen. See what is already the result
10 Illinois.
Bot where is the power 10 dispose Of the pub
lie lands as we are doingl have taken occa
sion 10 look at this thing, and let me state what
Congress has done. Congress has made grants
to communities and individuals for various pur.
poses. They have made grants TO the States
for education, for internal improvements, for
public buildings, and have even granted land 20
corporations, colleges, &c, for educational pur.
poses; and they have granted II for the deaf and
dumb. Where did you got the pop er TO do all
these thingsl From the Constitution Ifyou
can benefit all the rest Of the word. why cannot
you benefit The Satcs--lhc old States Where
Is the principle in The Constitution which gives
you the power TO do that for other. which you
cannot do for your own States IL an insult
to the understanding, and calculated merely to
awaken the minds Of the people; and when
they are aroused upon this subject, and have
heard the loud demands upon them, and have
seen how the lands are taken away from them,
wo to that man and that party which seeks 10
deprive them Of the public lands You give
the land TO cultvators Of the olive and Of the
grape for making wine; and where did you get
that powerl You cannot give the lands 10
Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, or Massachu.
sets, for they are States. You can give IL 20
individuals who wish 30 cultivate tie olive or The
crepe; and then you stand up before an honest
and iutqlliuant eptnntuuffv aud f.U ftor. a.