The southern press., 1852-03-09
speasli 81 I,ea. M. DaNs0a, q aesfsIa,

On lie BIZ lyraaiing Lands % Ioioa IN ala Of
cerfoin Railroads ia that Stale; Delivered IN
ne Senate ef The United States, March ], 1852
Mt DAWSON. Mr.. President, will deiain
the Senate with very short speech on this
subject The arguments have been pretty nearly
exhausted, and there is but little left for me to
say upon the question, and propose to say it
now.
Before enter upon the main subject of the
bill, | beg leave to reply to few arguments
made by the Senator from Missouri Mr..
GEYER, in reply TO some suggestions made
10 the Senate some weeks since. lie replied to
three arguments which presented, and it seemed
to him that he had satisfactorily disposed Of
them in such manner as to show that they de-
served but very little weight
The first was, that | had charged that the pro-
tective interests in this body had combined with
the new States in order to dispose of the public
| lands in such manner as TO diminish the
amount Of revenue which was to come into the
treasury That was not my allegation, sir.
said this, and said it truly and properly That
it was to the interest of those politicians who
favored protection for projections sake to dis
pose of all the revenue arising from the pub.
| lie lands, in order 10 diminish the quantity OF
money that might come into the treasury, and
thereby justify an increase in the tariff; and
that all men, of all classes, whether politicians
or otherwise, are disposed to be controlled by
those rules and considerations which promote
their interest. And | alleged that the new
States, through their senators on this floor, de-
sired an appropriation Of the public lands for
internal improvements in their respective States
for the purpose of advancing the prosperity OF
those States and although they were in princi
| r,la -annnonl N he 70 riff fhav
bine with the protective interests in Opposing
of the public lands upon this principld-that
under bills appropriating public lands for inter
nal improvements in their States, they received
greater reward than they would have by pro-
hibiting the tariff or preventing its increase.
was right in the principle There was no charge
i inconsistentwith the honor or dignity of the
Senate; but it was statement founded in truth
and knowi to be So
The neIt was, that said that if any gentle
man would transfer himself to the valley OF
the Mississippi, he would discover that all the
railroads that were there being built were found
to be encouraged, and intended to be executed,
by the appropriations of the public lands from
the genetal government; and my reference was
to the speech made by the Senator from Vr-
ginia, Mr. HUNTER, when he announced that
there wee eight or ten applications now before
this body for appropriations of the public lands
to build Eilroads all converging to or uniting
with the great Mississippi river. Now, defy
the honorable Senator to point me to single
bill upon that tablc asking for appropriations of
the publiclands which is not the foundation upon
which they expect to build or superstruct
these roads. There is no act Of incorporation
but in ont single State, which will presently
show; and hence it was that said, throw your.
self into the valley of the Mississippi, and there
you will ind from eight to ten applications for
railroads punded upon the public lands. There
is no IMPROPERLY in that. 1t is a Just and
true assertion, and cannot be denied
The next was this: that observed that it
was dohation of four and half millions OF
dollars to Iowa; and the Senator replied: "Mr.
Presdent,i il is rot donation to the State OF
Iowa. lflyou, being a cotton planter, have a
hundred bales of cotton in Mobile, which is
worth eight cents pound, and | go to you
and | will give you sixteen cents pound for
one. half OF it if you will let me have the other
would you lose anything9" Certainly you
would lose nothing. But mark! Suppose you
have the same capacity, the same power to ap-
propriate that money in the same way that the
individual has who applies to you to purchase
it: when he expects TO make eight cents more
upon the pound, could not you appropriate the
benefts he expects TO derive from the purchase
TO yourselfl Suppose the United States, for
the purpose Of improving the public land, should
authorize the construction of this railroad and
appropriate money out Of the treasury, out Of
the value Of these lands and cause il to be
built: would not that public property be appre.
ciated in value equally by the railroad when il
belonged b the United Safes and would moi
the accumulated value Of the other lands come
TO the United States Certainly. And, mark
you, we substitute an individual with the pow.
ers that we possess to do the same act, and We
give 10 him all the relative advantages derived
from il. These advantages inure TO the benefit
of Illinois or Iowa and when she gets them
how IL IL Where does she get them from
From the general government solely and excu
sively. And hence il Is that say II the UnitcC
States have the power 10 appropriate these land,
10 the State OF Iowa 20 construct these roads, i
is better that we should appropriate that money
10 cause the roads 10 be constructed, and i'm
prove the value Of the whole Of the adjacent
lands, and not the alternate sections. Their
dispose Of Il and reimburse the government
Let the money arising from the enhanced valu,
Of the land 90 into the treasury; and when W,
shall have repaid the amount OF appropriation
which the construction Of this railroad causes
LET the balance be paid into the national treasu
~ for national purposes; and let the citizens o.
the United States, 70 whom these public landI
belong, have The right 20 pass over that railroad
without taxation. Sir, was not the Cumber
land rond built upon this plant Did we no
appropriate money 10 build il in order 10 i'm
prove the value Of our lands 10 the Westerr
Staiesl And when the Improvement tool
place, what became Of the land Why, sir
the Senator well knew that the declaration
made, carried out IN principle, carried out il
argument, was true--that II Il nothing but
donation at last TO the respective States who re
ccive the land
Bot passing from that, Mr. President, as
desire 10 be brief on this occasion, we come {,
the public lands. There are but few princi
pes connected with them. How did we obtair
these public landsi and Cor what purpose PR
or TO the adoption Of our Constitution, Virginia
by compact, sold the Western reserve TO III,
United States ] refer TO il merely TO show IN,
relations existing between The States and th'
general government arising out Of that compact
Il Now what was the compact II was that Vir