The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-02-08

in the creation OF bounty land to benefit
certain class OF men who had performed meritoous SER
vices Tor the country II was supposed that they had
claims upon the gratitude OF their country, and you s-
sued warrants IN order to compensate them for those
claims. But when yon make the warrants assgnable.
il is not only for the benefit OF the original warranee
but also for the benefit ot the assignee and tits unques-
tionaby intended Well, if you restrict them
tain limits il peindices not only all the settlers in the
new States, but all who intend TO cfnigrae from the
old States.
Mr.. CLARK was here stopped by the expiration of the
morning hour.
THURSDAY, January %, 1852
The SPEAKER stated that the first business in order
was the report OF the select committee on the bounty
land bill and mat the gentleman from Iowa Mr. CLARK
was entitled TO the floor
Mr.. CLARK sad Perhaps il would have been but
justice bad stated yesterday that the gentleman from In
diana, mr. DUSHAM, who offered The substitute to this
bill, declared that II not his design short the
compensation TO which these land officers are supposed
to be entitled He conendel that if lhey were entitled
70 compensation they should present their claims to this
House. have but very little TO say upon that branch
OF he subec, in addition 10 what have already said
the claims which have urged But believe that, un.
less compensation shall be provided by this BILL it will
never be made at all That will be the result Whence
the necessity OF converting The two houses OF Congress
INTO two great auditors offices, 10 settle and adjust
claims which be better settled and adjusted at the
proper auditors Office
When concluded my remarks on Yesterday | was
considering The argument of the gentleman from New
Hampshire, Mr. Tuck in which he was deprecating
speCulatOUS IN the pubc lands, and Congress
such course as should cut them short. | assure
that gentleman am rs much opposed to speculaons of
that kind as he possibly can be- but we differ in the
mode by which the object is TO be accomplished. have
said that there was but little speculation in public lands
in that part OF the country from which come But let
US take the genemans hypothesis and grant, for the
sake OF the argument, that there will be speculation
these lands, and that too by means Of land warrants
Now the tact must not be lost sight OF that the location
of warrants, as The law stands confned to lands
which Were in market a: the time The law restricting
their location was passed Another fact also must be
borne IN mind that settlers must have lands, and they
will secure them by means OF warrants also; because
they can be had materially cheaper in that way Now.
not the conclusion necessary one. that the specuator
and the settler will be thrown together in their appropa.
uons3 Ia other words, Spectators will hold large
lboties OF land in the midst OF The cultvatos of the soil
keeping il from the hand OF improvement, and thus pre-
venting progress IN the advantages OF society," schools
and those various and cherished institutions which can
be had only by those who live in the association Of
neghborhooi This condition OF things brings the cult
vaors OF the soil and spectators together with adverse
aHd pejudcal interests. 1t is the interest of the settler
that the lands around him should be settled and cult
waited it is The interest of the specuator to retain his
lands until Tune and The improvements around him-im
proyements which he did not make-sha give them an
enhanced value II, therefore, is insisted there must be
spectators IN the public lands, ii ia clear to my mind
that would be best TO open 10 them the whole domain,
which would prevent them from crowdng in upon set
tements already made. TO the injury of the growth of
those settlements Liberty 10 the specuaiors to go far
distant Tor their locations would work kind OF safety
valve TO sections and neghborhoods already considerably
advanced in Improvement. t4eef
Again: II IL be true that the public domain must be
cursed with the blight oil speculation, how would il be
removed by contning the location OF warrants 10 re-
stricied limits! Let II be remembered that the thousands
OF Immigrants who seek homes ID the fardstant States
and Territories OF the West must not only have lands
but they must have them cheap they bought
they WILL therefore, provide themselves with warrants
aud lake their lands within the limits prescribed even
though they should be compelled take land OF secondary
value, because they have not the ability purchase with
cash. 10 this course they are driven by the law OF
cessy. Now w,what is the consequence Precisely this:
the cuhvaors ol the soil are withdrawn from the most
eligible portions OF the governmen, lands, and they
lett entirely open 10 specuaors TO absorb them with their
cash capital, without restraint competition and
they could select the best lands their inducements ap
pfoprae them with cash would be even greater than 10
embark in specuations with warrants when they
would be compelled TO encounter active and progress
sve competitions that view the subject in either light,
II will be impossible 10 cut short speculation by the
srction OF limits less than the whole area OF
pubic lands in market These remarks are not designed
to any intrinsic difficulty, as understand the sub
Ject do not believe there is speculation enough in the
public lands TO cause alarm, 10 call for any remedial
measures oil legislation. The gentleman from New
Hampshire contends that the true policy is to conne the
location OF warrants TO certain bounds order 10
prevent speculation have merely endeavored 10 show
that the direct tendency OF such would be in aid
OF speculation Sir, the way to prevent speculation, IN
case there was danger uat subject, TO throw the
doors wide open aud let the immigrant and the settler go
with the specuator without hnderance or clogs and the
one will see that The other shalt do little or no harm
Another objection which the gentleman from New
Hampshire raised 10 the adoption OF that section in the
substitute which provides for the creation OF class
proceeds OF the sales OF the public lands the payment
OF The loan of S23000000 created by that ac and this
objection made to apply as well against that section
which permits the location OF warrants all lands in
market TO that which provides for the issuance Of
warrants Is the gentleman OF the length to which
that argument would carry him II would repeal, by
implication, all the existing acts for educational pur
poses and purposes oi internal Improvement, far as
they are 10 work pospectvely II il be true that that
act - mortgage OF all the public lands what becomes OF
your sixteenth seconsyour grants ef seyeny-two Sec
lions to endow university in each State, which, not
given by standing law, almost equally as enecuaily
done by precedent OF long standing What becomes oil
that provision Of law by which five hundred thousand
to be given TO each State upon It's admission
into the family OF States for purposes oi internal improve
pent According 10 the argument, the mortgage would
cover and destroy all these muncent donations Tor the
most praiseworthy purposes. And, moreover, would the
gentleman contend that the act OF pledge covered all the
Mexican territory which has been acquired since its
And yet this is the legitimate result which
his arguaent leads. do not by any suppose II
would be violation Of the spirit OF that act appropr
ate limited portion OF the public lands TO advantageous
and worthy purposes, il by such course you do not
materially affect the security intended by the act itself
Now, the income of cash sales for the year 1850 was
more than 81 100000 and in 1881 II was more than
80 0oo, 900, independent of lands taken up with war
rans--a sum sufficient to discharge the whole debt in
eleven or twelve years. independent OF interest and yet
-. e hat hua