The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-17

Carolina in 1890, and Georgia in 1902. These
grants were made for the " common benefit Of all
the States" And the lands held in " trust"
by the Government, not for the benefit Of part Of
the States but for the benefit of all. And 30 far
lands are granted to the States, we seek not the
"abdicatio" of that "trusf" but its faithful erecu-
tion.
The States that made these grants do not ask to
annul them. They claim no more, on that &C
count, but only their equal and just share in COM
mon with the other States. They are neither beg
gars nor " banditti;' they desire neither opium
der" nor charity. They claim an equal interest
in the public domain, and ask only for what other
States have had; and when they do that, all the
hard words in tho English language, applied to
them or their Representatives. will not be admitted
as a valid answer.
Should part, of several persons, equally inter
ested in common fund, take it all, and then call
their associates thieves and robbers, it would be
Just as honest, and no more impudent, than il is
for part Of the States to be constantly taking the
public lands, (Which are the common property
refusing any share to the other States, and at the
came time crying out against them rs thieves and
"plunderers!"
Colonel Benton makes the old States get by this
bill Sc 900 600 acres, (t is only % 900 900 acres)
and he makes it worth $72, 900 900, being $4,000,
600 above Government price. And then says the
grants to the States arc an "insulting cheat"
depriving them of their five per cent, and sinking
their lands and railroad grants doon TO t,Dentyfue
and cents per acre 1t increases the price 30 far
Us the land is granted the old States and decrease
it (almost to nothing) 80 far as granted to new
States. What an enormous" and unGccountable
piece OF .'iniquty."
Colonel Benton substitutes denunciation for ar
gument-talks about "speculators," "jobbsrs,"
and "banditti," who "besiege" the Capitol about
Legislative corruption,' "plunder legislation"
&c. He says "they (speculators) are nearly mas.
ters of the legislation Of Congress in relation to
the public lands." IF it 10 intended by this to in
sinuate that this class of men aided in the pass
age of this bill, il is most absurd II what he
says be true in this instance he is abusing bis
friends. 1t is the land States that apply for and
obtain special grants, and who send their agents
and spectators to besiege the Capitol And it ap-
pears if they had indeed almost, and very near
y altogether, controlled the legislation Of Congress
in regard to the public lands for the last thirty
years, during which time large grants have been
made to the land States and to the old States
Nearly ninety millions of acres given to the West.
For years and years the '.plunder' has all gone
70 them. Colonel Benton was in Congress but gave
no alarm and made outcry. He wrote no letters
against this for the newspapers then. But when this
partial and justly termed system of"plunder legs.
lation" ia sought to be arrested by general and
law for the equal benefit of all the States, and aganst
the interests and wishes ofths class of men, Colonel
Benton (now out of Congress) is virtuousy indig
nant and raises the cry Of alarm to prevent sin.
gle from being taken by anybody else. His
potentia! voice is heard enjoining "concert Of &C
ton among western men," and "unity of WILL"
and "n western apirit in Congress" That is not
combination or outside influence! On, no! They
claim all the public lands and object to having ga
slice taken Off from themselves"
This bill had the opposition of the Western rail
roads, agents and specuators, and has II still
They are laboring strenuously to defeat it, and
pass their special bills, one after anothcr-each
with his own scheme of plumber, and each allied
with every kindred scheme of plumber. They pro-
fess, in their opposition, the same disintcrested
patriotism; the zeal to preservc the purity
of legislation; and band themselves together for
ga concert of action" with the purest of motives.
The old States n'ver had any agents here apply
ng for grant Of land, that ever heard of. If
they ever did have any, they must have been the
most stupid and inefficient of mortal men. They
never yet obtained an acre, under any pretence,
or for any purpose wha tever; while Colonel Ben
toms virtuous western friends obtained millions
and millions of acres. They got all the "plunder;"
a scanty offering to that "western spirt' he 30
loudly invokes.
1t was not outsiders who vstoed all but
two Of the multitude of western railroad applica-
tions They were all for them. But it was done
much against their wishes, by the Representatives
from the old States, who began to think it was
time to adopt some general rule that should at
least recognise the fact that their States had also
an Interest in the public lands, and until that is
tha.- shn,II al Ia p,k 81
law ia can enormous iniquity," and not to be en-.
dured. Col Benton opposes it, and requires the
West to follow him in solid column. Their wise
old men assail it icrcely in the newspapers Their
young men are required "to initiate young Romano
in daring and devoted deeds. An avalanche of
"westcrn spirit" Roman virtue, and vaor, ia i'm
pending to overwhelm its supporters. Let then
the Representatives from the old States be true to
themselves, and meet the shock like men! Let
them gather their mantles bout them, and prepare
to die with deccncy, opposing to the last that in
justice which requires the old States to pay all
the charges, aud the States to take all the
lands opposing epery grant 10 the ncw States, until
the rights of the old States admitted.
The public lands have cost enormous
nmount-"many hundreds Of millions" more than
has been received from them. They have
never been a source Of revenue, aided "one
shilling" to the payment Of the ublic debt Colo
mel Benton has dersonstrat ed this (See Appen.
dix to Congregational Globe, Goth Congress. page
SO, and Appendix to Congregational Globe of laat
session, page 253 10 speech in the Senate he
said 'The public lands have never paid the pub
lie debt, nor a shilling of mot even it's interest
nor one shilling of its interest" 'Instead of
paying any part Of the public debt, they are
themselves in debt to the custom house revenue
for money taken from that source to assist in
their acquisition and management" The Uni
ted States "havc paid out more for them (the pub.
lie lands) than they have yet paid back; that is
my assertion, and here is tho proof" And after
giving the figures to show a deficiency in paying
for themselves of S36, 200, 900, says "And if to