The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-08


to promote their settlement, sale and reduction TO
cultivation. All should know. and all who are
inclined to do justice TO the States will admit,
that these were the controlling considerations with
tins Government, and very wisely and properly
SO, and In perfect consistency, not only with an
enlarged and liberal policy, bat with the strictest
references 10 economy as touching its pecuniary
interests.
But the honorable gentleman from New York
(Mr' bESSETr) says-.in an ironical way-and
quote his Words wherever lands ares granted to
States, and are used benefit the other lands,
1t is for the benefit of all % lie continues: .sA
man who builds by the side OF my village lot,
and thereby doubles its price, on this ground
to the alternate section principle, which assumes
that the General Government is at least and me-
cessarily UNIDENTIFIED by the enhanced value of the
reserved and remaining lands on and near a rail
road, goes upon wholly false hypothesis, and, like
every other argument built upon false premises,
must fall TO the ground. II goes upon the idea
that the State fret builds the road causes it to be
punt, and then claims portion OF the refuse pub.
nc land lying on Its route, q reward for having
enhanced its value. Whereas, it will be observed
that the State asks the alternate sections to cid her
In building q road, which, without that aid. could
not De putt. 1t ID a case analogous to this and
VIII state PLAIN and familiar one: Suppose
individual owns three vacant lots in new town
or village for which he cannot get fair price,
the price he asks. by letting an industrious me-
chanic, who wishes to ''sct up in business" in
ohis building upon it, he will be enabled to cell the
remaining two readily at the price hich he asked,
but had failed to get for the uhole three uuim-'
proved lots Would he not, man OF common
sons ;, go into the arrangement! Would he, a
sensible man, consider that he had os. any thing,
or was worth any less by the operation? Would
ne not, on the contrary, as citizen and property
holder, interested in the Improvement and pros
perity OF the community, be benetited-profted--
by the arrangement? Would he, as a fair man,
ever, on any future occasion, under any cir
cumstances, think of Infringing charge against the
mechanic Tor the nominal price of the vacant lot?
so II Ia with US as the trustees of the public land
bound by our oaths, TO make what think the
wisest disposition of it for the benefit Of the people,
IN whom the beneficiary interest resides. If, by
granting alternate sections, ns 10 proposed on the
lines OF these different railroads, which have been
or shall be brought before us, we enhance-and we
unquestionably will by the building Of the road
the aggregate value OF the public land, rendering
the rcsduum of more value than the whole would
be without the public road through it, then, as
honest Legislators and faithful guardians of the in
terests OF the whole people, not bound to do
just what, in an analogous case, a prudent ma II
would do With his own property? Such is the
rect view o! the case, sustained by the experience
OF the country, which is worth NOR c than all the
fanclful theories and lar fetched rcasonngs which
can be divised- which is sustained by reason, and
must be approved by the sober Judgment and
-hould be adopted by the patriotic practice of this
H,use, as has been the case in the past legislation
OF the country. But there is another objection
taken IN debate here, as to the '.nlternate section
system, which will notice. Ii 10 THE: that the
building OF the road-rather the making of these
grants thcretor-will draw persons to the road to
buy lands there, and thus tend to depopulate the
sections remote from The road and thus diminish
the sales Of the lands back from the road. There
might be more force in this if the building Of the
road did not increase the emigration to the new
State In which the improvement is made. But
every gentleman knows that it invariably has that
effect. The aggregate population OF tho country
d. lU ho dom and for
and cash sales of the public domain in The State are
increased. The increase of The price OF the lands
on the road, however, as general thing. is by no
means in proportion to the Increase of the actual
Intrinsic valoe caused by furnishing facilities OF
acceas to market and other circumstances Such
Is the lie giving elect OF the construction Of this
magnificent species Of improvement! Seeing,
then, that your land 'sfund'' is not diminished
but maniicsty enhanced by the small grants we
ask, even II this were the only view of the case
ask you why will you refuse us that, the retaining
OF which will do you good, but the granting Of
which to Us, in our present condition, win a
sparse population, and our resources bot partially
developed, Will be OF ncalculable benefit to US
We do not ask you 10 build these roads for US;
we merely ask you 10 aud Us, as the younger mem
bers Of our political household doing that speed
ny and promptly which, to'thout that AID,
would be compelled 10 DO, perhaps, through a long
and tedious series of years. VIC ask you TO do
II upon such principles and on such terms that you
cannot lose any thing, and must, by all past expo
ricnce, be greatly benefited. We ask nothing at
your hands as n matter OF charity. Ills true,
are comparatively scarce of active capital-poor--
out we have becoming pride, which sh'uld in
spirc the bosom OF every American freeman We
viii not receive these linds--we ask them not as
mere graiuity; we will not suffer ourselves TO be
placed In the attitude OF pensioners upon the boun
~ 81 our sister States, or of this Government. We
would scorn mere "gifV' of the public domain
TO be solicited and fought by us ne a matter OF IA.
yor Our fathers and we have braved the dangers
and prvatons OF the wilderness to add stars TO
the bright constellation Of American States. The
tall forests have fallen before the axe of industry:
the beautiful prsries have been brought in subec-
ton TO tho plough; thousands and myriads OF hap
Ply Christian ireemen occupy the lands over which
but the other day the savage and the wild beast
roamcd. We not content with merely Civ
ing you, in consideration of these grants the d.
rect benefits resulting to you by opening road
through your landG and 10 your lands; but we pro
pose, by the bills which have been reported 10 this
House, TO transport the mails 10 the United States
at su-h price as Congress may prescribe, and
troops and military supplies free Of charge. The
value OF this equivalent TO the Government has
been already ably commented on by my colleagues,
and others who have preceded me- and have not
time 70 dwell upon IL. But cannot forbcar from
abiding 10 ono view Of IT, Examine the report OF
the Secretary Of War, and il will be seen that the
cost Oh transportation for that arm of the public
service has increased from : 80 O53 81 In lS45,
10 S2,09i,soS 81 in 1851. The causes of this ia
crease nre clearly set forth in that report ond are
IN substance, that the army IL necessarily eta
uon'd mainly on The remote frontier; the increased
remoteness OF tho military posts from navigable
rivers, and The necessity oi reaching them by long
overland journeys; the smallnoss OF tho army, in
yovtng the neccssity Of frequent changes OF posi-
ton IN order 20 protect the frontiers Of the western
and southwestern States against the Indians.
which It has been the policy If the old States TO
transport from 3D. ir own limits. and settle upon
the borders Of tht now States md Territories. We
proposc then, 81 fH eqisalenf for the lands pro-
posed TO be granted, not merely great "highvays
Of commcrce''-couBtitutng links in the great
chain destined sooner or later TO connect the rock
bound COST OF tho Atlantic with the golden strand
OF the Pacfc-but great military roads free for the
use oftbc grantor ior an Indefinite period Of meal.
culable value 20 Government and people. II is on
these terms Of the strictcst and most unquestion.
able reciprocity Of benefits and advantages that
VIC demand, az an act Of justice, the passage Of
these bills They propose no gilt" Ia the most
unfpvorabc light for the new States, they are vir
tually advancements loans Of these lands 10 be
repaid, promptly repaid, ''wiih usury"
The bcnefcoht rosuits 10 flow from these grants
cannot be successfully-nay, not even plausibly--
denied. II you stop short now, and refuse these
granite, (Which We thus ask in good faith, and upon
terms maniicsting the most scrupulous regard 10
the rights apd interests Of the whole country,) as
some propose TO do, what, lot me ask, will be the
consequence? What condition do you leave us
in During the last Congress you made, and
rightly and wisely made, to our sislcf State, hi
r.