The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-28

the extension Of new system already adopted in
the sale of lands, and which system has inter
yened as against the arbitrary price OF the Gov
ernmeni Of the sale Of public lands, at 81 rs per
acre. refer TO the 'sboil,uy-Iusd u9Tmsi " sys-
tenn OF granting lands TO soldiers. The warrants
will 90 into market, and the price will be governed
by supply and demand, like other property, and
will bring the lands within reach Of the settlers
on terms OF equality.
GRADUATION OF THE PRICE, or PUBLIC LANDS.
The land States have been petitioning Congress
for years past for graduation Of the price Of
the public domain, and bills have been reported by
the Land Committee and much discussion had
upon the subject at every session, based upon
the ground that where lands had been in mar
ket for several years, and remaining unsold,
graduating conditions of price should be put upon
them according 10 the term Of years they had, or
should remain unsold. | am opposed 10 such a
Multiplicity Of conditions being placed upon the
soil of our country. Many of the lands remain
ing unsold valuable as those that have been
sold in the fertility for agricultural purposes they
have remained unsod on account of the location
not being upon the great streams where the popu-
lation of the now States have mostly clustered
Under the provisions Of this bill, railroads will
be opened through such lands, and they will be-
come valuable.
This system Of granting land warrants to the
States will act as general system of graduation
now existing on this subject, and bring the lands
within reach of the settler, at cheap rate-strik-
ing at the root, and scattering 10 the winds all
attempts TO monopoize the soil, or concentration
of il in the hands Of spectators. Is not this pro-
vision, then, Of value to the new States, and will
il not hasten the time of their settlement and the
development of their resources
TAXATION OF THE SOIL.
The new States complain that they have not the
power Of taxing the sol held by the Government.
Will not this land-warrant system distributed to
the several States facilitate the sale and location of
lands within the new States, whereby they will
be reached with the power of the State to tax them
A power vital to the development of the recources
Of the State, and exercised according TO the dis
erection Of the several Legislatures, will il not be
potent as against any monopoly Of the SOIL by
spectators, or any concentration oft, to be held
from settlement The power to tax the soil of the
State is one Of the most vital importance to the
people, and the complaint of the new States, that
large bodies of land lie within their limits beyond
the power, has force.
COST AND EXPENSES OF THE PUBLIC LANDS.
Gentlemen ia this House who have advocated
the passage of these Especial bills" have attempts
ed to prove that the lands have paid for them
selves; or that the government had received more
money for lands sold than had been expended in
the purchase and management of them. Conse-
quently, the Government could make these dona-
tons without there being charge upon the sew
eral States. Now, from all these opinions and
statements ! beg leave to dissent, and herewith
submit statement Of the cost and management Of
the lands, from the adoption of the Federal COM
pact to the present time; also, the receipts Of
money into the Treasury from the sales Of lands
for the same period. And find myself sustained
in speech made by an able statesman, Colonel
Benton,) in 1910, in which he gives facts and fig
ures Congressional Globe, Twenty -sixh Con-
gress, page S8) up to that time Of cost and ex-
penses of the lands. quote from his remarks:
"The public lands have never fulfilled their des-
tinntion; they have never paid the public debt,
a shilling of it-not even its interest nor a
shilling of its interest.
They are themselves in debt to the CUSTOM
house revenues for money taken from that source
TO assist in their acquisition and management.