Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-03-04

gal title IN the States. But / do conf
denlly submit tha, in this peculiar, time
honored immunity, originally claimed
by the nation and conceded by the States
within which public lands lie, there is
ample groihd of equity, under which
these States may now appeal to the ma
ton for assistance out c. these public
lands.
When listen to comparisons discreu-
iting these States by the side of the old
States; when hear it said that they
have been constant recipients of the ma
.tional bounty; and when catch those
sharper terms OF condemnation, by
which they are characterized as "plun-
derers" aud robbers" and "pirates," |
am forced to inquire whether the nation
has no, already, received from these
States more than il has ever bestowed,
even in its most liberal moods; whether,
at this moment. the nation is not equifd-
biy the debtor to these States, and not
these States the debtors to the nation
The answer is clear.
In order to estimate the extent of this
eguify--for l will call il by no stronger
term-we must endeavor to understand
the extent and value of the franchise or
immunity conceded by the States.
III. And am now brough, to the sec.
ond head Of this inquiry; that is, the ex-
tent and value of the immunity from
taxation enjoyed by the national domain,
after deducting iherefrom all reservations
and grants TO the several States. Au-
tben.ic documents and facts place these
beyond question.
From the official returns Of the Land
Office in January, ls49, Exec. Doc.
I'd session, 30sh Cong, II. II. No. IL,
p. 225, it appears that the areas OF
twelve land Ohio, Indiana, lli-
nois, Missouri, Alabama, Mississippi.
Louisiana, Michigan, Arkansas, Wiscon-
sin, Iowa, and Florida-embrace 392,-
$4,000 acres. California was noi a,
that time State Of the Union. Of this
territory. only s9,96l.95 acres had
been, in pursuance of the laws Of the
United States, surveyed, proclaimed.
aHu pu. iutO VIC adihCs III sOiuC vi
the recent States, more than moi,y Of
The whole domain had never been brought
into this condition. Ii continued still
unconscious of the surveyors chain.
Thus, in Wisconsin, out Of territory
Of more than thirty -four millions Of a
cres, only a little more than thirteen mil
lions had been proclaimed for sale; and
in Iowa, the very State whose interests
are now particularly in question, on, of a
territory Of more than ,liirty-two millions
of acres, only little more than twelve
millions had been proclaimed for sale
1t is evident, therefore, that, i'm point Of
fact, the true extent of territory, belong.
ing TO the United States at any time,
much exceeds the extent actually in the
market; but since i. may be said. that
the lands no, yet surveyed, proclaimed,
and put into the markell, though nomin-
ally under The jurisdiction of the State,
must actually lie out Of the sphere of
their influence, SO as not 10 derive any
appreciablt advantage from the local
Governments, and, as desire TO hold
this argument above every imputation Of
exaggeraiion-know full well that i, can
afford TO be undei -stsied--l shall forbear
TO take the larger sum as the basis Of
my estimates, but shall found them up
on The extent of territory actually pro
claimed for sale. from the beginning
down to January, lS49, amounting TO
2S9 ,96l 1854 acres.
ALI these lands thus proclaimed have
been exemp, from taxation. But since
they were proclaimed at Indifferent periods.
and also sold at different periods, SO far
as the same have been sold, il is necessa-
ry, in order TO arrive a, the value of this
to ascertain what is the aver
age period during which the lands, after
being put into the market, have been in
the possession of the United States -
This we are able 20 do from the official
returns oil the Land Office. Here is a
table, now before me, from which it ap-
pears that OF the lands offered for sale
during period of thirty years, large
quantities--in some cases more than half
were, at the expiration Of the period,
still on hand. OF the fourteen millions
offered in Ohio during this period. more
than two millions remained; while, of
the nineteen millions offered in Missouri.
more than twelve millions remained. OF
all the lands offered during this period
of thirty years, more than half were
still unsold. And out of the above ag-
grega,e Of all the lands proclaimed from
the beginning down TO January, lS49,
Notwithstanding the advancing tread Of
our thick. coming population, only l0O,-
2O9,656 acres had been sold. Now,
without further pursuing these details, |
shall assume what canno, be questioned,
as it is most clearly within the truth, that
the lands proclaimed are not sold till az
ter period Of fifty years. This esli.
mate will make the average period du-
ring which the lands, after being survey
ed and proclaimed. are actually in the
possession Of the United States, and free
from taxation, twenty y.fve years.
b According to this estimate. 2s9.96I,-
954 acres proclaimed for sale. have been
absolutely free from taxation, for the space
Of twenty-five years, and yet during this
whole period have. without the ordinary
consideration therefor, enjoyed the pro-