The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-01-29

lauon OF congress Thus her people are 10 De exempt
from taxation henceoh and oreverto that extent the
fund be wisely and udiciously managed.
MY friend says that this policy Is to be sanctioned up
on another view OF the question lie says The govern
men great land owner that il cannot sell its lands
and not being able TO sell them, the better way is TO give
away ball. iii order 10 make the other halt saleabe He
says maj these lands distant from market and des
ule of limbe and therefore you must build railroad
in order TO enable people get timber to their land and
IN order TO enable them get their and other ag
cultural productions TO market These are the argu-
menls but what the facts Is II fact that these
lands cannot be sold deny it, Surely my friend has
moi examined the record II he will look into the record,
ne VIII md that the reports Of the Commissioner OF the
General Land Office contradict the statement which he
Will look into the report Of Mr. Kennedy. Superintendent
oi The Censushe will find that these lands selling
most rapidly IN the new States. What is the condi
uon OF The State OF Illinois, In comparison with my
own Slate In Kentucky, during the last decennia
peod we have increased only at the rate OF 25 9s 100
per cent We have barely held our own relatively
ana we only retain our present number OF members
OF the House OF Representatives Look at illinois The
rate Of increase in her population has been IS sl-l00
Rer cent, OF three times az great as the increase OF
gress Does not that prove that Illinois is being set
tied very rapidly! Kentucky is comparatively new
STATE; but illinois. being newer, settles three times as
noisi had intended, if had leisure, to form table
for the use OF the Senate and give the amount of lands
sold in Illinois, as well all the land States in the
able 10 obtain ali the tables. but find that in is4s we
sold l,ss7553 for cash and, besides those cash
sales there were located to satisfy military land warrants
900 acres, making upwards OF four millions Of acres
OF land appropriated in that year. My examinations in
duce me to say that the amount OF land appropriated
through the location of land warrants and sales for cash
has been increased instead OF falling of since the year
1s4s. The chairman of the Committee on Public Lands
will perhaps be able TO state the precise quantity which
has been sold for cash during the last three years. and
the precise quantity which has been located in salisfac-
ton of military bounty land warrants Ii you will take
the state of things which previously existed, you will
find that more land is absorbed now than formerly
Illinois that these lands be sold settled is al
together allacious have requested friend to get me
the figures in reference TO all these points from the Land
Office; and if the statement should arrive here in the
course OF will read 10 the Senate in order
to show exactly how the facts stand.
Mr.. President had not the honor. nor can it be said
OF me as i was OF the gentleman who once occupied
your seat, that was born in brake and rocked IN
sugar.rough but can only boast that was carried
to the cane brake pretty after was born Allow
me 10 SAP sir in sober seriousness, that know some.
thing about the settlement OF the western country and
tell you that these western lands Of brought into
market and are settling as rapidly as the uses and neces.
sites ol the country require. We had prairie lands in
are prairie lands in Illinois, OF which my friend from li
nois spoke. These prairie lands in Kentucky when
was taken as little boy to them, were called barrens
They received that name from opinion which prevail
ed among the early settlers of the country that lands
which produced neither timber waer-for almost all
the streams there subteranean, which is curious
feature in OF cur RS so1ah sor
lands selling at from twenty TO thirty dollars per
acre, and they among the best lands in the whole
Stale Thus, in half lifetime, these lands have grown
from nothing to be worth twenty or thirty dollars an
acre. | mlself have rail-timber cut, and rails
made where, when was child, ] gathered sirawber-
that portion Of the country And there is at this day. in
the country where live, Notwithstanding all the i'm
provemenis which have been made. more timber. more
for anS sss& I'D
were when first went to that country we occupy pre-
cisey the condition, 100, IN reference 70 markets.
Why, look at the State OF Illinois, suTIounded on one
side by the Ohio river the west by the Missssipp,
on the by the Wabash, on the north by Lake Mich
gan and penetrated by the Illinois nver through lis GEN.
ire You can hardly find foot OF land IN that great and
growing State that is distant more than thirty or forty
miles from navgabe stream. Yet, for the purpose OF
iustfyng such grants this bill proposes, the senator
saws these lands of Illinois worthless and good LOT
nothing because OF their destuton of timber and dis.
lance from market. From my own experience, know
that the facts do not warrant the statement oil my end
He seems 10 have forgotten another thing. he says
that II his people raise forty or nifty bushels OF corn
per acre il cannot be carried TO markett will not bear
transportation. He forgets very common adage among
the farmers OF the western country that hogs are tne
best sacks to carry corn 10 market IN Mules VIII DO
very we'll So will horses and cattle. My friends con-
stuens have nothing TO do but TO convert Their corn INTO
hogs and mules, and horses, and cattle, and then ,hey
can drive them 10 market My friends representation OF
experimentally upon subjects OF this kind
After presenting this view of the subject, my inend
from Illinois triumphanty asked the Senate as hough
he had convinced everybody oil the truth OF his posieon
How would an individual act II he were the great land
owner which he represents the United States 10 be
will teIl you how an individual would act II be owned
ali these lands He would improve them; lie would
make improvements himself, or, If be could not make
them himself he would select his patnershe would Sc
Iect those 10 whom he would give interest 10 beip hn
And IL there happened TO be two farms wbch stP
araed this individuals great estate, he would gel he
of way across these farms to connect his lands ne
could not get this right Of way through the intermediate
lands for nothing. he would pay handsome sum ior ma
privilege That is what individual would 40 ana
II YOU carry out the individual idea which my ineno
from Illinois has suggested the United States ought 70
pe the right Of way across that little strip oi Kentucky
And Tennessee which stretches TO the Mississippi Tor the
purpose OF connecting the railroad from chicago WIN ,nt
railroad from Mobile. Under the new idea Oh innss
which now prevails there no authority 10 appropriate
dollar 10 make this connexon across Kentucky anu len
nessee. You can make railroad from CnicaRo
Cairo and there Stop You can begin al Mooe ana ee
mo 10 the Tennessee line, and there you must stop Iht
intermediate space Kentucky and tennessee mus
he lei unmproved because there rs no consutuuoha
power as coniended, TO appropriate land or money W
make the road over il and complete Inc connexoh al
individual similarly situated would gel the tsht ol wa,
across this intervening space, and connect ms gfea,
iales by a continuous road. The individual who woait
moi do that would deserve sraigbtJacket fof ofes
and lunalic asylum for home. But, SIR, government
affairs are never conducted individual AFFAIRS are
There is not the same wisdom; there Is not Tue SAM
prudence nor is there the same moral honesty anu
am sorry TO say 1t. ~
have noticed those arguments of the senator from II
nois which struck very Objectionable IN reference
10 the general subject OF the lapds OF the United states
Now what is TO be done regard to this great fund It's
great question: which have often attempted 70 answer