The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-03-17
Mr.. Webster on the Public Lands and Rail-
roads.

WASHINGTON, Friday March I2, 1852
MY DEAR SlR--l was exceedingly sorry that it
was not in my power to accept the invitation, re-
ceived yesterday, of yourself and your New York
friends, to dine with you at your hotel to-day. You
are here, | understand, upon business connected
with the Illinois Railroad, and the members of Con-
grsss from that State are expected to be among
your guests. 1t would have given me great pleasure
to meet those gentlemen, and to express my
qualification that that magnificent work is now
about TO commence and that its completion within
no long time is put beyond contingency. The I'M
dertaking is equally vast in its plan and its impor
lance; and with the exception of those measures
adopted the session before the last, hardly know
whether the present President of the United States
has given his sanction to an act Of Congress likely
to have larger influence on the prosperity of the
country.
Several years ago was in Illinois, and passed,
tor "a great extent, through the country in al
through which this railroad runs. / thought | had
never seen such an immense tract of valuable land
and subsequent discoveries of many sorts of the
most valuable mineral produce entire conviction
That the state OF Illinois may become as prosperous
IN IT'S manufactures as in its agriculture Ere long
we shall see another and u similar work. eommenc-
ing at the southern extremity of this road and run
nlng through the Southern States, till it reaches the
Gulf ofMeXico. This is not only probable, but GER
tam, II no great political evil shall in the mean time
be1all the country
The grant to the Illinois railroad disposcs Of q
large portion of the public domain; but it will be
well disposed Of and this grant, and other similar
SIanls maze already. or now IN contemplation,
while they leave tie residue Of the public nn,ls
more valuable, do not essentially interfere with the
objects which have thought just, and have for u
long time zealously supported, Of giving laud
enough Tor homestead 20 every actual settler, on
The sole condition OF actual residence for IL short
tenn Of years. In my opinion, the public good aud
the happiness of individuals alike require this God
gave the earth to to be Tiled ard land Is Of no
value whatever until the approach of cultivation
shows that II s about to become he theatre for the
application of human labor the all producing source
Of comfort and wealth.
Nobody can contemplate these great lines of in
ternal communication, running through many
states, without perceiyirg at their important
political effects. Nothing tend more strongyt to
hold the States together or, If may borrow an ex-
preston from language usually applied to that
which Is the object of your thoughts to-day nothing
ls more likely to keep the government and the Union
IRON running of the track.
pray you, my dear sir, TO accept for yourself,
and 70 signify to all your associates not only the
assurances Of my high personal regards, but also
my sincere congratulations mt the success which has
50 far attended their most valuable and important
undertaking.
remain, with entire regard, your obedicnt SER
want, DANIEL WEBSTER.
DAVID A. NEAL, Esq.