The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-09

that State for il. They only came and presented
the claim they made no Misrepresentation
about il; they were esled for no inform ttion on
the subject they said, g n you are willing, let
it pass" and it did pass; and will show you
how it has been carried out, and who received the
benefits from it.
Mr.. SHIELDS. Will the honorable gentle
I man allow me to ask upon what basis his calcu-
7 lation is made
given by your colleague.
Mr.. SHIELDS, Thc distance was called four
hundred miles. ] think it is not quite four hum
dred; but find that the gentleman has included
in his statement the branch to Gaena, and the
other branches.
| Mr.. DAWSON. The branches are all taken
into the same survey, making in all $50 miles.
1t is immaterial about that whether it is cross
firing or direct fring--it is quite sufficient to
show that the lands are gone. The Senator
corrects me upon part Of the question that
does not involve any principle. ] have never
said that you acted wrongly; if had been one
of your constituents, | should promptly have APP
proved Of your course. There is $50 miles in
length, making 100000 cres.of land. Now,
sir, what do you suppose what does the Senate
suppose, what does the country suppose has
become Of this 100000 acres of land, which
are said to be some Of the finest lands in Illinois,
and all the land is first rate in that country? 1t
is most beautiful country. | was reading some
remarks upon it only the other day by gentle
man who says g it is the finest portion of the
| globe-the finest country upon which civilized
man ever settled-promisng, healthful, and fer
tile" There are 100000 acres of the best
land on the face Of this country gone! And
where has it gone to?
Why, sir it has been but little more than
year since we passed this bill authorizing the
appropriation Of this amount of public land to
build this railroad. Where are the money and
the land? Illinois, through her Legislature.
passed an act authorizing an agent to dispose of
these public lands to companies who would con.
struct these railroads. A company formed in
Boston and New York Through their agent,
Mr. RANToUL, who madea speech on this subject
recently in the other House which astonished
me, when read it, coming, rs it did, from rep
resentatve of one of the old States) obtained
these lands, and undertook to build these roads
and have them completed in four years from this
date--Illinois being entitled, as a further COM
pensation, to per cent of the proceeds of
these railroads. There it is sir These 2,7O0,
900 acres of lands are now in the hands of
company formed in Boston and New York, who,
in their corporate character, are the sole and ex
| elusive owners of these lands.
Mr. SHIELDS. Mr. President, there should
be more explanation about this, and will take
| occasion to state--lest there should be misap
prehenson on the subject-that this company
only gets control of the lands as fast as they
make the road. They are not the actual and
absolute owners; they only get the proceeds of
the land in proportion to the progress of the
| road-and the lands are to return to the State
if they fail
| Mr.. DAWSON. That is exactly SO they
get their payments by instruments, instead of all
at once. And what contractor ever did pay
man millions of dollars for labor when only
part of the labor was executed Now, sir, this
act Of contract vests the title cOntingently or
conditionally in the contractors and as they fin
ish the road from point to point the title abso-
! lutely vests in them.
| But let me carry out this estimate by which
these roads can be built. They can be built in
that country at u cost not exceeding $4,000
mile, Including making excavations, embark
ments, and laying down the iron, and for furn.
ishing the road with all the engines ard cars
upon it. 1t costs this company then, for six
hundred and ninety miles Of road $4,000, 900
And what is now the estimated value of that
land by the corporators themselves and the gen
tlemen from Illinois, who passed this act by their
own Legislature ? 1t is some of the finest land,
says the Senator, in the whole valley of the Mis-.
sissippi, ard worth at least ten dollars an acre.
There are 2,700,000 acres Of land, worth ten
dollars an acre, gone into the hands Of this COM
pany to build railroad which will costAhem
| $6.900000, and the land will average tot lem
$27,000,000. The balance goes into the hands
of this corporation by our legislation here, when
it might have been received by the United States.
and the same work could have been done, while
the profit would have gone into our treasury
| A I'd oil No. 4,
every section of the country! Why, sir, it is
an outrage upon the rights of the States that we
represent here, and one which ought not to be
permitted again to occur.
These gentlemen say, All !! we cannot divide
lands, and let you take lands in the State
of Illinois or Iowa. And why would you
not do it Is State more uDknd than
a corporation a corporation of individuals
may own 100000 of your land but
it is contrary to principle for State to
hold lands within another Slate. present
this idea merely to show that all these reason
ings are fanciful. They are unjust to ourselves
and to the country. They do not become
people pretending to do what is right and Just
between the States. If the lands belong to a
| State, why is it not az we'll as for them to be-
long to individuals Could not the governor of
Georgia have gone to Illinois, and, in behalf of
to execute the contract? Could he rot have
done this in his capacity of governor? And
then the governor of Georgia would have held
the lands But where is there constitutional
provision allowing an individual to hold lands
in another State, but prohibiting n State This
is reason given merely to encourage what are
called State Rights men, and to allure them
into voting against the proposition. There is
tho argument illustrated before the country;
and want the country to know it. Take the
!. 100000 acres Of land which have gone into
the hands Of company to build a railroad 600
miles long, which will cost Sc 900, 900, and the
valuation of the soil to-day is not less than
$27O0O,O0O; and thus you put into the pockets
of this company a gain of S20,loO,OOO by our
legislation, and this appropriation made here in
an hour | am not repeating fancies | am
telling the truth, and gentlemen know it, and
will stand upon it.
But, Mr.. President, promised to be brief |
have taken everything by way of calculation out
of my speech, because my friends from Ken