Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-01

shall this debt be paid? Shall the patriotic States Of New
Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Rhode Island whose
grants limited, bear the burdens OF the
war; and then quietly sit down and pay their proportion
ate share of the expense leaving the other States TO the
enjoyment of the region Of unappropriated LANDS
laying between the settlements on the seaboard and the
Mississippi or shall these lands be regarded national
fund.- devoted to expenses and the common benen Of
all the States? These questions, at that important
uncure worthy the thoughts Of statesmen The subject
of vital interest," and was treated with the grave
delberaton suited to its importance. II 3sA.
Some Of the States refused to sign the Articles Of Con-
federation until equitable adjustment Of this matter
should be made In l7Ie Congress passed resolution
soliciting the then land States dispose Of the unap
propriated lands during the continuance Of the war
Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey evinced strong
desire that justice to them should be done, and ardenty
pressed Congress for settlement Of this question Vir
gnia unwilling resign her claims to any Of the unap
proprated lands demonstrated against any interference
with her possessions the part Of the General Govern
ment This subject had approached dangerous crass
patocay to the rescue, and passed an act autho
rising their delegate Congress limit the western line
aads q sss as 9 should ss q Sc
come members Of the Federal Alliance Before such ces
sion actually made Congress passed resolution in
ytng the other States TO follow the example set by New
York. and in that resolution expressly pledged the faith
of the nation dispose of the lands which should be
ceded to the General Government by the respective States
for the benefit Of the United States Whereupon
the State Of New York in 78l three years in advance Of
her present State line to the United States to
the resolution of Congress. The other land States fol-
lowed the example of New York, and, relying upon the
resolution Of Congress- ceded their unappropraed lands
to A United States in the following order Virginia in
part in 1884, and finally in 1885, Massachusetts, in 1856
Connecticut in part in 1856, and finally in 1905 South
Carolina in 1885, North Carolina in 1905 and Georgia
in 1902. ef
What were the purport and effect Of this resolution of
Congress pledgng the faith Of the nation to dispose
these lands for the common benefit Of all the States and
the cesson of land by the States thereto These
transactions together constitute compact obligatory
upon the parties full force and binding as the
constitution itself What legal moral right have to
break that compact Where do gentlemen find the power
authorizing Congress to trampe this solemn agreement
under feet and instead Of dsposing Of these lands
for the benefit of ainstead of collecting their
avas for the support of Government and the payment of
the national debt-gve them away under the name Of
States to railroad corporations and yoracous speculators
What right has Congress under this compact give them
away for any purpose?
The Constitution of the United States provides that
The Congress shall have power dispose of and make all
Deedu rules and regulations respecting the territory other
property belonging the United States and nothing in this
shall be construed to prejudice any claim of
the United States or Of any particular State"
This is the only clause in that instrument relating to
the public lands What do the words comforting upon
Congress the power dispose of and make all needfu
rules and regulations respecting the territory or other
property Of the United States mean when taken IN con-
nexon with the clause prohibiting Congress from pr9adcg
any claims of the United States Of any paytin0l~ .
therein ? Can it in truth be -aaia : osa'e
States has NJ :-4-----'' -. mat any Of the
Stas- ...eresI IN the public lands? If each OF the
mas an interest in them, what power, what right
has Congress prejudice such claim by giving them away
either to States individuals corporations? Is 1t not
also obvious that any such donation works prejudice %
e claims the United States in the public do main These
questions admit Of but one answer. The consntunol
ITSELF therefore, not only fortfes the position nav
taken in rcsPees 70 public lands east of the
ppi river but the respective States tner ID
terest in the public domain every where Throughout
| Union
In the ordinary transactions of business WHERE sever
persons purchase tract of land and all assist in payn
for it. each has an equitable right his share thoup
the legal title may be held by Of their number or by
third person. In 1903 purchased Of the French r.
public the Territory of Louisiana for pwards of eleye
millions and half Of dollars and sp nlated to releas
that Republic from all liability for $40 Iiaons upon ou
commerce prior to 1900, amounting to about as muc
more. In 1919 purchased Flor ida from Spain fc
$5 600 000 Immense of ley have been yearl
paid to the various Indian tribes fo the extinguishmer
of their titles q small part of the public domain
For the extngushment of Indiar titles to I16 $40 SO
Of land between the 4th of arch 1922 and the
of December, 1885, paid and greed pay to India
tribes the of $72 562 056. Larger sums sti win
required from year to year for he purchase Of other In
dian titles. The Indian approp ration BILL for years. ha
exceeded million of dollars annually. At the presen
time the amount Of annuites and interest payable In
dian tribes is SS22,215 OF this $3.50 $40 is per
petual annuity equal in value to two and half million
of dollars We various tribes of Indians upon whic
we pay annual ntereSt, the sum OF SD,ZI,bOU. III
take into consideration the present value of all annue
due these tribes together with the amount Of funds
longing to them and in the hands Of the General Gov
ernment this branch Of national debt alone cannot
less than twelve millions of dollars
The survey of public lands for years past ha
cost the Government from 5000 900 $780, 900 year
We have paid Mexico for the acquisition of territor,
1Sl5Oo00O0, and relnquished claims upon that Republic
amounting to about So 600 600 more We agreed to pa,
Texas sic, ,0O0, 600 for her claim upon New Mexico
The spuations entered into between the United States
and Georgia, upon the cession Of the inappropriate
lands of that State to the General Government resulted
in the Florida and the consequent removal Of the In
dans from that section Of the Union west of the Mssis
spp The with Mexico resulted in war for the ac
QUESTION Of territory In the treaty of peace the United
agreed to protect that Republic from depreatons
by Indians residing within the United States What these
wars have cost and what amount viii be required keeI
up army upon southwestern frontier in order tc
comply with the terms Of the treaty with Mexico il is not
easy to determine.
These immense sums have been expended from the pub
lie treasury substantially for the acquisition of public
lands These moneys have been in part paid out of the
treasury Of the naton and the residue also be drawn
from the same treasury.
Mr. JOHNSON, Of Tennessee. / wish to ask the gen.
teman from New York single question. If the amount
we have paid for the acquisition of Florida, Louisiana
California and all the other acquired territory is chargea-
bic to the public account? to extent the
question by asking anoher If there not foot Of
unoccuped land would not the United States have
been justified in paying the amount which has been paid
for the extension of our jurisdiction Z
Mr. JENKINS. The last question put by my honorable
friend from Tennessee is not quite pertinent TO the matter
under discussion for in may have been
nerated for these in the glory Of and
the fame of achievements When have purchased
territory and paid vast of money for it, though