The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-02-25
CITY OF WASHINGTON WEDNESDAY MORNING FEBRUARY

distribution of these lands among all the States The
honorable senator from Michigan assumed that there
could be no equitable mode OF doing this but that which
has been heretofore pursued But both those honorable
senators maintain that the government OF the United
States being the trustee o this fund have the power 10
appropriate portion OF these lands to the States IN
which they lie for the purpose OF improving the remain
der, and thereby Increasing the fund OF which they are
the trustees. All that is well enough and the PROPOSE.
on is clear enough that the trustee OF this great landed
interest may grant dispose OF portion OF il in order 10
enhance in greater degree the value OF what remains
but the argument Is that you can only make gut or
iof s purpose 70 he States nd ~ wsn susb ne amds @
ation in the principle in the policy which authorizes
Congress as the trustee TO give away part 10 improve
the residue AS trustee OF the fund, the manager OF
the estate. Congress can give away whatever portion OF
II may be expedent to give greater value 10 the whoie
estate That il the principle, and is reasonable enough
what persons corporations This gift grant Of por-
lion OF the estate is made; but The senators IRON the
new States contend that this gilt or grant can only be
made to the States in which the granted lands lie.
Where, sir, repeat is the authority for any such re-
stricon upon the power of the trustee answer, no.
where, except in the selfish policy OF the new States
Where is the authority for the Limitation in reason or IN
JUSTICE lfyou can give any portion Of these lands al
all why may you not give them 10 individuals or com
panies as well as TO the States themselves in which me
lands lie, or why not give them to other States IN when
there are public lands Is any violation Of Stale
rights any trespass upon their dignity and jurisdiction
need not be- because the lands can be sold and Inc
by the agents officers OF the general government An
agent officer of the old States may never set his loot
within the limits or jurisdiction OF any OF lhe ne"
| States.
Let us examine little further the grounds OF this ex-
elusive policy of the States This is the argument
by giving them for the construction OF railroads Wlh
State you improve the value OF the remaining puoc 40
main in the State to extent equal to the value OF
the lands you have given away, that nothing IS lost
] TO the public interest
| How, them does this improve the value Of the public
domain! Simply by making great thoroughfare through
them and attracting OF business, farmers mechan-
ics and others, to the settlement OF the country on me
line OF the road and by opening communication 70 tue
distant markets of the United States Very we'll But
sir, after thus Iesatlng the proposition, do not see
the Limitation that these grants OF land Tor railroads M
shall be made 10 the particular State in which the
lands lie or Ter railroads within the same State want
to know on what principle il is assumed BY honorable
senators themselves. think it can be demonstrated
roads enhance the value OF the public lands Admit that
but lei me remark that you had no other road connecting
with this road in Iowa. il would OF itself be OF very little
value. II would enable you to get to the Missouri or
Mississippi rivers; but during one half the year would
be comparatively useless, for these rivers would be
blocked up with ice But another and connecting
link through the States extending eastward until you
reach the Atlantic ports, or southwark until you reach
the great southern markets, would not your railroad
become infinitely more valuable! Would not every
farmer, every manufacturer, every trader along the
whole line OF the road within the limits OF Iowa. be BEN
Gifted by this nson OF the line o that road Most
suredly they would Then why limit the grant OF lands ly
ing in Iowa railroads within that State, when you know
that, without roads extending through other States TO the
East or South, your road would not be worth within
and connecting improvements Let II be further remem
bered that the principle upon which 1t conceded that
the general government can give away any portion OF The
public lands TO particular States corporations is that
the value of the general fund estate in those lands is
thereby increased. II that is the true principle upon
which these grants made, why not take part OF the
land lying in Iowa for the purpose OF extending the Iowa
railroad through Wisconsin 10 the lake. or through LII.
nols and other States eastward II will not De denied
~ tko IAs
enhance the value OF the public lands in Iowa Such an
extension OF the Iowa road would possibly add hundred
per cent 10 the value which road limited TO Iowa would
confer say that there is no logic no reason no as-
ce in this Limitation attempted 10 be imposed upon the
power OF Congress this subject IL simply policy
founded upon COOL clear and selfish calculation oil local
interest
| To show the injustice and unreasonabeness OF this
policy OF the States maintained by the senator
from Illinois and others, in more striking manner let me
put the OF the extension OF the road projected through
Iowa. west ward TO the Pacific ocean Does every
perceive that such extension o the road through Iowa
would give increased value TO every OF land in tina,
Statel But senator's repudiae the idea OF giving lands
lying in any OF those States 10 construct road to
the Pacific through any State Territory except that
in which the public lands happen TO be- They reject such
policy as utterly inadmssible. Is there man with a
sane mind in Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Wiscon-
sin who does not know that road roads on their bor-
ders connecting their local improvements with some
leading channel oil communication with other sections OF
the Union would enhance the value OF the public and
all other lands within the respective limits OF their own
States greatly beyond the effect OF roads within their own
boundaries Ii is not the quantity OF land which is
given away which increases the value OF the remainder
but the principle carried out would authorize Con-
gress to give some lands for the Improvement oil the
remaining stock. long giving any increases the
value OF the remaining lands, and would therefore
lead giving lands in one State to make roads IN another
The making OF road in Kentucky and Tennessee, and
thereby forming connexion with the Illinois road at
Cairo would undoubtedly enhance the value OF the pub
lie lands in Illinois and, OF course, the principle which
justihes these grants goes the full extent OF granting
lands lying IN Stale TO make roads IN another.
There is limit TO the policy except the discretion OF
Congress, whenever you eoncede the power OF giving
lands for the purpose Of making other lands more vaua
be To put the argument in syllogistc form, II may
be stated thus The government OF the United States IS
bound TO manage and dispose OF these lands for the COM
mon benefit OF all the States but in the management OF
them trustee, the government may give portion
of them away provided the remainder OF them thereby
improved in value This general proposition must be con-
ceded But the senators from the new States state a
second proposition which is complex one The lands
however say they thus given away cannot be given fer
any purpose object out OF the limits OF the States IN
which they lie and the conclusion, therefore, follows
that no portion of there public lands can be given for
any improvement purpose, or object, In the old States
The second proposition mention is gratultousy as
sumed II follows from nothing that goes before, and is
founded upon solid reason or principle OF justice
say there is neither logic nor reason m IT, IL is
founded upon a policy which appears TO have been
adopted by the States upon calculation OF purely
land interest They have gone step further still They
say that you give portions OF these public lands to
some other work of internal Improvement or OF beneh-
cence; but understand that the Committee on Public
Lands have adopted the further principle, or rather
limitation TO the granting power OF Congress-and the