The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-28

The honorable gentleman from South Carolina,
Mr.. ORa, who is a member Of the Land Com
mtce, (and, l believe, sIrict constructionist Of
the Constitution has reported and ably discussed
number Of these special land bills, and quotes Mr..
Calhoun authority for his guide 10 defending
these special grants. What was Mr.. Calhoun's
opinion a. regards the equivalents the Govern
ment were TO received
quote from his remarks on the Michigan grant
for railroad, vol. Is Cong. Globe, p. TAI:
"Mr. Calhoun was very anxious to vote for the
BILL but he could not do so only on the general prin-
eipie that the Government Of The United STATES pro-
prieiors Of he public lands ro,id be unidentified for
he grams To that extent he saw his way clearly.
Beyond il he did not see his way So long the
grants were limited by reasonable distance from
the line of the road or canal there was ground to
believe that the end OF the grant would be accom-
plshed But when the grants trent beyond hai, The
policy Das perp questionable. OK PRINCIPLE, and
The ground II erpedieney, therefore, II wouh be in
possible for hin 10 pos for The grans beyond the
line, although he had very strong desire to vote
for the bill.n
The ground Mr.. Calhoun took was, that the
same amount Of land donated TO these companies,
on the line OF the road, should be raised to 80 SO
per acre, as equivalent and that ne donation
should be made without such equivalent.
No, sir, make the declaration, and il will stand
beyond contradiction, that there has not been
bill reported by the Land Committee In this House,
or in the Senate at this session, dona Ting lands TO
railroads, that contains the equivalent upon which
these lands are asked. Sir, dissent from such
equivalents. This Government should not become
a common Spectator upon us soil, in connexion
with railroad companies; and where the system
has been adopted, il has amounted to "niehfs
kouims hernm"
will point to one instance, and could furnish
more IL necessary Alternate sections of land were
granted to the Miami and Dayton, and Wabash
and Erie canals, in Ohio; $50, 400 acres Of the
Government land was doubled in price to 50 so
per acre of which there have been sold up 70 the
30th Of September, 1851, l04,4F acres, at 81 so
per acre. leaving vacant and unsold 154,976 acres
none OF which has been sold or could be sold at
81 IS per acre. And we find a bill now lying
upon our table, just passed the Senate, ccding
those lands to the State Of Ohio-without consid-
Grafton. What becomes Of the "equaraieni" in
this casoi suppose the government will not ex-
pcct the mails TO be transported upon these canals
in order for the Government to obtain an "eqlaro-
lent" All the special bills reported by the Land
Committee are based upon the "eqIraieui" to
the Government, that the alternate sections for six
miles in width shall be raised in price TO the set
tier ~ so per and that II there are not up-
settled lands enough within the sIx miles range,
the companies are to have the privilege OF range
OF fifteen miles WIDE each side OF the road, TO make
up the amount Of land donated to the roads-with-
out the Government lends being raised.
How did this system work in the grant to the
Illinois rallroadi The road had donated to them
3,259, 900 acres Of public domain. Within the six
miles range on the line Of the road, the alternate
actions OF the Government amounted TO l,i9s $50
acres which was raised in price TO ~ so per acre.
The result is, the Central Railroad Company gets
1897, 1861 acres, without this boosted "equipa-
knn to the Government Of doubling the price.
The plan is a hun,bng.n The Government
price Of thepublic lands is too high ats IS per acre.
1t ia detrimental TO the interest and settlement
Of the new States TO pursue this system.
IL is putting conditions Of sale upon the soil,
which are unjust to the settler, distinction IN
favor of capital and location. Who opens your
frontier and reduces il 10 settlement and cultiva-
tioni The hardy pioneer, with limited means,
that In thousands Of instances has barely money
enough TO purchase one hundred and sixty acres
Of land at the Government price, and he is driveo
back from these great lines Of improvement, by the
spcculsror, who has ample means TO lay his hands
upon these valuable locations, and hold them until
the poor settler the has given them an adj
ditions value by tho cultivation Of the country.