The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-02-11
THURSDAY, JANUARY %, 1859.

committee ofthe whole, of the bill Is. y grant
ing the right of way and making grant OF land
to the State Of Iowa, in aid of the construction
of certain railroads in said State.
Mr. FETCH proposed some verbal amend
mems to the bill, which were agreed to.
Mr. ATCHlSON. 1.-THE senator from Iowa
does not object, sill move to strike out from
, the 4,h section all after the word as ates, in
the 6 h line, being the words ssfree from .oll @.
other charge for the transportation Of any pro
perry or troops of the United States" | make
| this motion because | believe that it would be
wrong in itself; that it would be an imposition
upon this road that should not b: required. -
There is no equivalent IN this bill for any such
service as this to the United States. Ii there
Is, should be very glad t, have the chairman
Of the Commi tee on Public Lands or some
| other gentleman point out the equivalent.
| 1t is well known that large quantity 9!
soyernmont stores in The Qnaltsr4astt4sSs de.
| parInent and in the C. mmissary s department
I! is now transported by the Missouri river ana
The western frontier Of the State OF Missouri
and Of Iowa, for the supply Of the army not
only of the frontier Of Missouri and OF Iowa
but upon the upper Platte, and upon the whole
route to Oregon and Californla, aud also to
New Mexico. The supply of tie quarternas
/ ter s and commissarys stores for the army In
|
souri, river as high as Fort L.eavenworth, OF
| some other point near the western frontier, and
then across the plains to New Mexico. From
Fort Leavenworih or Council Bluffs, some
| other point high up the Missouri river, all the
| military stores are sent not only Tor the force
upon The Platte river, but also Fl the force in
Oregon and California. They can receive no
military stores from any other quarter. Such
| an immense amount of transportation would be
Il serious imposition upon this road, without any
equivalent whatever.
Mr.. DODGE, Of Iowa. l appreciate the
| motives which have actuated my friend from
Missouri, and which have induced him to SUBJ
NIT the amendment he has offered. l concur
with him in every word he has said i'll respect
to the oppressiveness Of that provision in the
bill. But, sir, am exceedingly ANXIOUS for The
passage Of this bill. We have been working for
It for two years in State; we have held
convention after convention; and our leg'sla-
ture has instructed US upon this subject. teel
unwilling 10 agree TO amy thing which might jco-
pard its passage
Mr.. ATCHlSON. Then, Nj. President, |
withdraw the amendment
Mr.. DAWSON. l reg'et that the senator
from Missouri has withdrawn that pr'I os ton:
bul Will reply to the gesllons VIII. CHI he has
made in CO luexinn with the subject up n which
the senator from Missouri that this bill confers
no favor upon the State OF Iowa, and but for
The moral influence which arises, out OF the
disposition of the land-the giving Of $4,000
acres OF land TO the State of lowa-he would
not accept it.
Mr. ATCHINSON. said no such thing,
SIR.
Mr.. DAWSON. That understood to be
the pr"posltinn-ihat it was Of no advantage
Now, want tn place this thing fairly before
he country. The principle upon which the bill
proceeds IS tins that giving away alternate
sections increases the value If the other sec.
tons loo per cent; and thus the land can be
sold for So 30 per acre. If the govern
lands would be enhanced in value to that cx-
tent, Of course the lands we give to the State
would have their value enhanced to an equal
extent. the ,S00,Da0 acres of public lands,
given away to this road, will then be worth, at
80 % per acre, four and half millions of
dollars For If the government is to be rel IL
bursed by the adjacent sections. OF course the
| railroad company is reimbursed in the same
way; and hence they git four and half NIL
hons Of du'lars by that bill. The question |
propose, then, is this Is not this decided ben
eft to the State of iowa Will not the cIt-
zens of Iowa receive an appropriation equal t.
four aud hllfmlIlions, and have two railroad,
The result aris tina, the State Of Iowa, out of
the proceeds Of the public lands, will receive a
revcaue annually after all the proceeds for that
road, equal 70 the necessary expense of support
ing her government, and The people Of Iowa,
by the proper ad nnis,ralion Of the proceeds OF
thai read, will be exemptfr from State tax1tion.-
And Object to appropria'iny the prncr, ds Of
the public lands-giviny them to one State
81 as TO relieve That > ate from taxation, while
the other States are LIFT with 40 aid what
ever.
But gentlemen say this and we are merely
throwing ourselves upon principle without, be-
ing controlled or governed by it, for III. princi-
pie cannot apply. From ken!znk to Dubuque,
IN Iowa, is the finest 5, c.ion i'll the State OF
Iowa; and nearly al the sections Of public
lands between the two points are taken up
AS the senator from Miss, vi says, already, in
f this railroad bein.; CONSTRUCTED,
the public lands upon the great routes which
have been surveyed hayc already been taken up
by the eiigens. Now, this b. is discussed !,
upon the idea tlias the whole lands s.,ween |
those two extremes teiong to the putiic, aud !
that in order to increase the value o..
the public lands you Will give away the alter