The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-28

Excess in Missouri over New England of $3.50
Almost enough left to make another State large
as Connecticut, and more than enough for two
like Rhode Island.
Well, Mr.. Speaker, gentlemen may ask, what
OF this ask gentlemen, who say that there i5 a
disposition to squander the public lands, TO look at
this fact in connexion with another. Here we have
domain of more than ,400, 100000 of acres, of
which there have not been more than l46,OoO,oOO
OF acres sold. And how much, think you, MIR.
Speaker of all this vast domain has been granted
to the new States for works for internal improve
ment? gather the facts from the report of the
Commissioner of the General Land Ofice Of lSi9 !
and of this vast amount Of the public domain d,
owned by this Government, OF more than 400,
600, 900 of acres, only 6l,s59 acres have been
donated 10 the States in the Mississippi valley
for works of internal improvement. And how
does the matter stand as between those States who
have been the recipients of tins bounty! Illinois
has received 746 900 acres Ohio ,243, 900 acres,
Indiana ,609,sb acres, Mississippi l,0i9 ,l2O
acres, and Alabama 10000 acres the younger
sister, Iowa, has received S25075 acres, and w is
consin SIS 400 acres; while the other States OF
Missouri Louisiana, Michigan, and Florida, have
each received but 100000 acres. ] hope that
western gentlemen will not initiate the example
Of one OF the honorable members from the State OF
Ohio, (Mr. SwEETsER,) who addressed the com.
mittee of this House at an early period of the ses-
sion-a gentleman who represents one OF the older
sisters of the new Stetes-a State which has re-
ceived more than a million of acres, and which has
but little OF the public domain left in her bounda
rics; and yet that gentleman appeals TO the House
To do justice to the older States by dividing the
land equally among all. However well this may
come from gentlemen Of the older States il comes
with bad grace from the Representative of State
which has received more than double the amount
that some of her younger sisters have received
which has received II for the purpose Of internal
Improvement, and after these younger States have
aided her in procuring the grant. / ain happy 60
know that it ID not the spirit OF gentlemen of the
West, and hope il Is not the spirit Of gentlemen
from the East.
have spoken, Mr.. Speaker some what of the
vastness of the extent Of the Mississippi valley.
Let me come down to point in which feel deeper
interest and speak of the vasness Of the extent OF
my own State, one of the number in that great
valley. and of the little that has been done for her
by this Government.
Look at Missouri she has been for thirty years
member of this Conicderacy, and during that pc
Rod has received but 500 900 acres Of land for works
of internal improvement; and yet, what is the
amount of land within her hmisl More than a.
900 900 of acres Of which there has been sold only
about II 100000 100000 Of acres, leaving
JO,000,O00 of acres unsod within her borders. |
ask you to compare it, gentlemen from New York,
with your own State. Here we have public do
main within the limits of State amounting 10
than 29,000,000 of acres which does not yield
one cent of revenue to our State government-an
area almost equal TO the whole State of New York,
which has but 20 400, 900 acres of land. ask you
gentlemen of New York; ask you, gentlemen Of
Pennsylvania, how can you expect us, when there
subject to taxation and more than 90, 900 900 of
acres which is not subject to taxation-an amount
greater in than the whole OF your State-to
make such works as are projected and commenced,
and such are needed, through the public do.
1nani You may be prepared to ask me, why
do not follow the example of New York and Penn
sylvania, and make these works, if needed, out of
our own rcsources' ] answer the interrogatory
thus: You have no public domain not subject TO
taxation, but every OF land within your States,
| presume, may be made tributary TO every road
projected within your limits. Not 30 with Mis-
souri. She has but l2,OOO,000 of acres subject to
taxation, while there 30 100000 of acres which
shc cannot touch because il is the property Of the
General Government. Can you expect US, under
such disadvantagoous circumstances, TO make
roads through the domain, when we have but H.
100000 of acres out of 43,OOOOOO which yield us
any revenue3
beg gentlemen to remember this further fact,
that every State and county road in the limits OF
Missouri has been made by the citizens of our
State. They have marked out and surveyed not
only the roads which pass before their own doors
and through their farms, but those across those
vast, untenanted, and uuinhabitcd prairios of the
West, and where the wilderness intervenes they
have cut them, might say, almost unaidcd by the
General Government. from which we have only
received, under the compact between Missouri and
the General Government three per cent. OF tho net
proceeds of the sales OF lands, within the limits OF
tho State OF Missouri-threo per cent. OF the net
proceeds upon the sale of 100000 Of acres All
roads have been opeued-all our bridges have
been erected and yet the General Government has
never contributed anything save the three per cent.
which have mentioned, and the 100000 acres OF
land which were donated few years since
beg, in this connexion, to quote from speech
of one of South Carolina's most gifed sons, in a
debate in the Senate OF the United States. which for
loftiness of eloqucnce, for strength of argument
and pungenoy Of satire, has never been surpassed
in the British Parliament in the days OF Fox, OF
Pitt, and of Burke. beg leave TO read the extract
in connesion with tho remarks which | am nov
making