The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-02-26
From the Washington Republic.1
PURLIC LANDS.

"For what earthly purpose was the sys
TEN Of exempting the newly sold lands from
taxes for short term Of years adopted, bu
to benefit the new States by inviting i'm
migration, and TO assist the settlers who
form their people? What would have beer
the effect Of imposing or authorizing i'm
mediate taxes but to deter the population
in these States-to discourage their growth
and the developemcnt Of their resouraes'
This wise measure is, in fact, one Of the
secrets OF the immense progress Of the
West. 1t was an act Of favor, not Of in
Justice. 1t is an outrage upon truth and
fairness to represent it in any other light
than that of parental kindness. How can
the Government be accused Of wrong,
which has not itself, in any way, profited
by the excmption?" ?".--North American.
The exemption Of newly-settled lands
from taxation, for a specific period, doe,
not apply to the whole Of the new States
1t does not exist, for instance, in Iowa
where land becomes taxable as soon as il
is transferred from the Government to an
individual. The rapidity with which that
State has been settled is the best answer te
the supposition that the moderate taxes in
cident to new society deter immigrants
and, consequently, tho best refutation oi
our cotemporay's opinion, that "the i'm
mense progress Of the Vest is attrbuta-
BILE TO the system on which the above re.
marks are founded.
| Bat the North American misconceives
the ground on which grants of land to the
West are in the main advocated, If il sup
poses that the exemption from taxation du-
ring brief period after settlement in Ger
tain States, is the grievance complained Of
This is comparatively small matter, and
one which, teing limited in its application,
cannot form valid argument on either
side The immense debt that has been
pointed out as due by the National Govern.
ment to those States in the West and South
in which unentered wild land remains, is a
debt incurred during the long period inter
vening between the settlement Of a State
and the time when lands are transferred
from the Government to private hands. II
| is nearly altogether incurred before the pc
rod which the North American assumes at
the commencement as an imaginary act Of
grace.
Slow it is asked, "can the Govern.
ment be accused Of wrong, which has moi
itself, in any way, profited by the exemp-
tion?' The question would be pertinent
if it did not rest upon false view of the
facts. If the premises were as the North
American states them, its conclusion would
be proper; but the premises being directly
opposite, the conclusion is worth little
We contend that the Government has been
benefited by the exemption Of public land
from taxation; while the settlors-recent
immigrants included-h as uniformly
suffered.
Take simple case as an example: A
county in Iowa, containing, say twenty
townships, has population who, together
with nonresident spectators, hold and
pay taxes upon one-half Of the available
land. They make passable roads scross
the prares; and through forest and mo-
rass, bridge streams, build school houses.
all out their own scanty resources. OF
course every one of these improvements is
intended for the convenience and advan-
tage Of the settlers themselves; but, when
effected, they confer equally marked bene.
fits upon the Government, as the proprie-
tor Of the INDICATED lands. Each of the
improvements, however rude, adds TO the
chance Of the sale of some portion of the
public domain, and so far adds 10 its value.
The public domain, which receives such
obvious advantages, remains untaxed; and
therefore we maintain that the Government
can sbc accused of wrong" because it has
in many ways 'sprofitod by the exemption"
which the North American ventures TO
pronounce San act Of favor" to the set
tiers, "not of injustice"
The truth is, that neither the price Of the
public domain nor the imposition of imme
diste taxes can with propriety be repro
senied as deterring immigration. Both are
| light enough, and the lattsr-the taxation
would be still lighter if the Government
bore its just proportion. The real obstacle
to more rapid settlement is the want of ex-
tensive schemes Of improvement OF the
kind contemplated by Iowa; and no great
er service can be rendered to that State,
or the Government. in SO far as It is inter
ested in the unsold lands Of that region,
than by sustaining to a successful issue the
bill now before the Senate. Any injury
which may be inflicted by such measure
on older States, as part holders Of Govern
ment lands, will be in appearance only
while the good that will accrue from its
adoption, and the adoption ofkindred plans,
will be Immediately and permanently shar-
ed by the whole Union.
A negro on Long Island recently drank
pint ofbrandy on wager, while partial
ly intoxicated. After remaining stupid
for fifteen hours, he revived and drank
freely of water, but soon after died. The
Coroner's Jury rendered a verdict Of death
from drinking cold water--Er.
This jury ought to treat another jury
we'vc "read of who sat upon the body Of q
man that got pretty drunk on liberal al
lowancc Of brandy, very little diluted
with water, and then going home through
snow-storm at night, fell asleep in a
drift, and was frozen to death: Verdict,
s.That the deceased came to his death by
the freezing in his stomach Of some water
which ho had imprudeut!y mixed with his