The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-01-24

in the State Of Alabama and for other purposes Then
there is bill granting 10 the State OF Wisconsin the right
of way and donsion OF the public lands for the purpose
OF locating and constructing railroad from Milwaukee 10
Prairie la Crosse, in Wisconsin; and second bill grant
ing to the State of Wisconsin the right Of way and do
nation OF public lands for the purpose OF locating and con-
suctng railroad from Fond du Lac TO Jacquesville and
bill granting TO the State OF Alabama the right OF way
and donation of public land for making railroad
from Selma to Tennessee river; also bill grant,
ing to the State OF Mississippi the right OF way and
donation OF public land Tor the purpose OF locating
railroad from Brandon the eastern border OF said State
in the direction of Montgomery Alabama also bill
granting 10 the State Of Michigan the right OF way and
donation OF public land for the purpose OF constructing
canal and railroad across the peninsula OF Michigan ;
also bill granting the right OF way and making grant
Of land to The State Of Arkansas in aid Of the consirae %
ton of certain railroads in said State also second bill
granting TO the State of Arkansas the right of way and
making donation Of public land to aid in the cons!ruc
and third bill granting 10 the State OF Arkansas
the right OF way and portion Of the public land 70 aid
n the construction OF Tho rknnsas Central railroad.
from point the western bank OF the Mississippi river
opposite the town of Memphis by way OF Little Rock. 10
point on Red river on the border of Texas.
Mr. BORLAND. Only one OF those bills has been
reported back TO the Senate
Mr. HUNTER suppose that the other two are still
Mr. BORLAND, No, sir The committee have asked
to be- and have been discharged from the further consd
Grafton of the other two bills
Mr. HUNTER. There is still another bill granting
lands and the right OF way TO the States OF Indiana and
point the Ohio river, opposite to Louisville in Ken
lucky, to point the Mississippi river, opposite 10 St
Louis in Missouri And yet when shall have passed all
these bills we shall hear il still said that have granted
nothing And what. pray to know, is to 60 INTO the
public treasury from the public lands when shall
have passed s all these Is and granted away all this
in this way be granted away under partial system OF
the distribution of the proceeds Of the public lands
the Improvement of the States in which these lands are
situated, and nothing will be given 10 the old States,
either for making railroads or for other purposes
But the senator from Connecticut Mr.. SMITH used
another argument in favor of this bill He said that
everybody knew, and as well others. that the
stuction OF such roads increased the Of the
State and its capacity TO pay taxes Certainly sir know
that But the argument will apply to appropriations
OF public lands for the construction of railroads in Vr
ginia, IN Massachusetts, in Connecticut. Ii use
this argument we must go at once broadcast into gen
era system of internal improvements. And admit that
to certain extent there is principle upon which dis
crimnaton may be made between railroads passing
through public lands in relation TO which the United
States is interested landowner, and railroads of
another description admit that to certain extent such
discrimination may be made But these projects have
not confined 10 the location Of lands upon the lines of the
railroads. but they allowed to go into the State, and
locate them elsewhere, within fifteen miles OF the road
We yesterday passed small bill in relation 10 Illinois,
allowing that State to locate lands anywhere within the
State and that is not be the end OF it, We will soon
see bills introduced here making appropriations OF the
making railroads know that gentlemen complain even
that allowed to charge double for the alter
sections that reserved to the government How
long will that last If these lands should prove 10 be
unsaleabe, and lie upon the bands of the government
we will soon have proposition to reduce the price, and
the price will be reduced and not only that but the other
sections will be granted in order TO continue these i'm.
But have admitted that there is a principle upon
which discrimination may be made. But how are
we 10 test that principles How we TO apply il prop
erly Why sir we are to suppose the United States in
the position OF any other landowner And what would
any nj gav "A w adj
TO him this to give away the alternate sections OF his
land, and have no stock in returns II he were to act
upon the principle OF ownership, he would not give away
any land until he had al least much stock in the com
pany this land is worth Is not the extent TO which
this subscription goes into the road pure donation TO
the Sate' Is there any principle upon which these new
States entitled such donation than the old
Statesl Yet all that any other landowner would be
called upon to do would be TO subscribe his share and
for that subscription he is entitled to his share OF the
stock And when you depart from that principle and keep
thai portion OF the stock TO which the landowner is eni
tied, you make absolute donation 10 that extent and
cannot defend II upon any principle which would deny
your making similar donations TO the old States III gen.
tlemen, therefore, mean TO conine themselves to that
principle, they ought TO confae the grants TO land lying
along the line OF the railroad and they ought also 10 give
TO the government whatever stock in the road 1t Is en
tied 10, account OF such subscription. Then II
might come within that principle OF discrimination to
which have referred, whereas at present, Think these
bills do not come within that principle
Our democratic friends IN the new States are pressing
us in the old States very hardly We have heretofore
we still desire TO do so. and TO stand upon the old dem
ocratc republican ground relation TO this mater And
yet how long hold out IL we are told by our OPP
ponents, See here they distributed partially some
OF the States get large grans-as much as they want
while others get nonei How long in the old States can
we resist such appeals these, unless something like
equity and Justice resored TO Now, am willing 10
cousiIer these public lands public trust, public
fund.- 10 be administered for the benefit OF all. am will
ling that they shall be administered, not merely with el
erence to revenue but also in reference 10 settlement
am willing have fair system OF pre-emption and
grants OF lands settlers Perhaps II may turn out TO
be best 10 cede them the States in which they lie
am willing TO administer this fund in reference 10 both
obects-revcnue and the settlement OF the country But
when TO consider IL in reference 10 revenue,
IL administered equally and fairly; and the best way
To do that is by distribution among the Staies but by
applying IL TO the public expenditures and reducing the
taxes in another shape ahd form by that amount Then
il will operate equally and fairly upon all, and we will
be discharging every obligation which owe TO the
new States And in Reepng these lands, and looking TO
them for the purpose OF deriving revenue from them,
acknowledge that are bound 10 look TO the settle
ment the clearing up and the Improvement OF these
lands develop the OF the States am
willing to have liberal system for the purpose OF effect
ing these objects But am not willing TO have partial
distribution OF the benefits OF the public lands OF this char
acler II anybody is to get il. shall be reloced to see
my friend from Iowa Mr. DoDerl carry his bill II [
nj liberty TO consult personal feelings only IN this
matter is from opposition to him or his State that
oppose this bill but from desire 10 some fair, equal
and just system adopted in relation to this matter. +,
But there is another thing TO be looked TO- While we
thus squandeng away the public land, we are adopt
ing almost every project that brought forward in rela
ton to H. no matter how wild and visionary may be,
IL was TO be despised and dsregarded OF
revenue The time has been when, far the revenue,
the financial system OF this government, concerned