The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-03-05

date the ages OF all the territorial governments formed
northwest 81 the Ohio back TO the year OF the Virginia
deed OF eesson, (and which would be perfectly Just in
consequence OF the vast expended in prosecuting
Indian wars and extngushng their utles) them Instead
have more than double Now is there no propriety 10
saying 70 the people OF the States You have been
governed year after year as Territories at expense
we have paid millions for and purchases OF Indian
tles and when you claim The equitable right as States
10 lax the national domain, even Tor county purposes,
ought you 10 forget and overlook these things
MIR. GE1ER. III my friend will permit me, / will say
that seven OF these States never had appropriated
one dollar to them for legislative expenses for building
eonf'-houses or any other purpose, except perhaps,
little Tor Ohio, Indiana. and Illinois. Seven OF these
States, down 10 and including the State of Missouri, were
Obliged TO pay their whole expenses, except the salaries
oil The goNyep5n9. The lndges and the secretaries
Mr.. UNDERWOOD. have not gone into any calcu.
laon to show precisely how much each OF them have
got out OF the treasury have made no examination
from The Time Louisiana was acquired down TO the pres
ent from the Time Florida was acquired, and from the
time Virginia ceded the Northwest Territory, ascertain
how much has been drawn from the treasury for all the
territorial governments, and Tor all other purposes con-
nected with these territories, including Indian and
treaties. was mol necessary Tor my purpose Inc iact
IS, that we did govern ihemhe fact is, that we did sup
port their governments TO considerable extent if not en-
nrely How much we paid Tor territorial governments,
Indian wars, and treaties, do not know but will ven
ture 10 say that any gentleman will go TO the Treasury
Department and ascertain, he will find hat will not only
be sufficient as oH 10 extngulsh the $4,000 900 re-
manlng after deductng the value OF our advancemens
and interest, but than sufficient TO balance the
WHoe S12,uUUOUO Claimed by the senator from NlaSsa-
chusetts am nearly done with this gentemans speech.
On yesterday undertook 10 show that there is nothing
whatever upon which his principle of State taxation
rest have now shown, trust, that if his principle be
right, st upon any fair and equitable adjustment OF &C
counts, we owe nothing.
have so far proceeded upon the ground that if the
principle was right, then the whole expenses OF county
and State government were TO come out OF the public
lands that the back of that old gentleman whom we
call Uncle Sam was strong enough TO bear The entire bur
den, and should bear it, So far have claimed credit
Tor The which the UeOUle the States
TO pay. have thrown all that in for good measure so
that there could be no grumblng at my mode OF settle
ment But surely after we have consented TO the forna-
ton OF State governments, and borne all the burdens up
to that tne thencefoh portion of the burdens ought
TO fall upon the land and personal property owned by
the people Of the States They should at least pay
their own country levy, Now, when estimate the
amount OF taxes which should be paid by The citizens OF
the new States will greatly reduce the 330s0,ooo
1874 ,0O6000 which have already shown TO be the ut
most limit OF any reasonable State taxation upon the pub
lie lands The extent OF such reduction certainly
ceeds third and would probably come up to two thirds
OF that sum- for more than third OF the land proclaimed
Tor sale has been actually sold and in addition TO the
land sold, the personal property OF the citizens added TO
the Improvements the lands. would greatly increase
the sources OF Stale Thus instead OF the
eman erring in his figures about 3S 600 900, il is evil
dent that his errors amount to more than $4,000 900
have now done justice to the speech, aud shall leave
the senator TO say whether have given Justice to the
land States" ] have taken no account OF the military
lands in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Arkansas have
not mentioned the lands granted by the French and Span
sh governments before we acquired territories from
them. All these lands being private property were sub
Ject 10 State taxation have thrown them all in, not
needing Their aid, powerful as il would be- 10 demollsh
the structure raised by the gentleman from Massachu
setts The Yankees great inventors and great manu-
facufers; but such a mental invention, such mental
manufacture as this, never met with before. | now
take leave OF il 10 pay my respects 10 the worthy chair
man OF the Committee on Public Lands, Mr.. FELcH.
took up his long speech with pen in hand 10 mark as
read the passages 10 which could not assent On get
ting through, found had made so many black marks
upon il that it dsfgured than the expunged
resolutions Of undying celebrity Indeed SIR my back
lines" were 50 numerous that concluded my speech
must be proraced day or two longer should notice
everything | did not approve. | therefore determined
this morning TO take up only few things OF the most ex-
cepionable character and leave the rest without com
ment His first idea which shall notice u.s. that these
donations 10 construct roads for the new States make but
very uncomfortable amount when compared with the
outlay oil the States in order 10 complete the work And
II understood him Alright in the delivery OF his speech
he said his Slate had so mismanaged matters that they
had been compelled 10 sell out OF these roads TO
private company He was then attempting to reule an
idea had adganced, that the States might make large
profits by taxing the travel and commerce upon these
roads, built in part by national funds Now, SIR, here ~
a most pertinent confession; and, say, no less peril
nent than true. Ii is 4 confession that State works,
national works, II you please cannot or will not be man
aged with the economy and skill that private lndi
vlduals, stimulated by those motives oil seIt-lnteres
which so forcby operate upon all the faculties oil man.
display in the conduct and management OF their business
This shows the wisdom OF that old system which we
have unfortunately abandoned To secure The highest
success, the government should unite with THIS private
enterprise TINS private SIKH, tns private
noting private interests The legislator who does not
understand the principles OF human conduct and action,
The motives OF sefinerest by which are all more or
less mpeed and who does not them TO advance the
public welfare is not fit TO hll the place he occupies.
The time was when sensible legislators in this country,
understanding these springs oil human action, blended
public with private interests in order 10 secure The adj
yantages OF interested skill and management Where
can you find engineer who will superntend public
work with the diligence and economy that he uses
in his own affairs Where can you find tenant who
will lake good care OF the property leased "a he would
II il were bis ownl There may be such, and hope
there are but my observation through life has convinced
that men will not attend TO business for others
show 10 this Senate how by investing money in the
Louisville and Portland canal by mingng national and
individual interests you have been paid back all that you
ever invested, and thousands besdesto show, by the
operation OF that system oil coalition with private ener.
prise, you now nearly the whole oil that splendid
work. and that the stockholders who the remnant
OF stock begging you 10 take il al fair pnce, aud
thus relieve the commerce OF the great valley IRON an
oneTous tax.
But my friend says that the lands granted are uconsd
cradle when compared with the advances required OF the
States TO construct railroad think he undertakes the
value OF the grant Let me give you the fgdres The
side OF the road, which is equivalent TO all The sections
for six miles side OF The road The consequence
is, that each mile OF the road gets 3S40 acres OF land
The whole grant based upon the idea that, by making
IT, you double the value OF the land both sides of the
road for six miles The value Of the land is therefore in
creased 50 so per acre. making the total value OF the
grant 600 for each mile Of the road unless
you deduct the value OF the sixteenth section already
granted 10 the land States, and which will be greatly i'm
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