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

States but cannot allow old State TO hold them, thus
making distinction between the national government
and our sister States throwing them suspicion and dis
fus indicates the existence OF feeling mat u unchaI
table and wrong Your alarms are not real but Affected
for you ought TO know that the old States cam they
choose purchase and hold the public lands now 10 any
quantity they may be able to pay for MoreoyerI you
really afraid Of any abuse, you could put The old
States upon TERMS both TO price and tme wlhn when
they should sell These things have been done You
may find presidents for them. Away win your suspi-
clons, then that the old States would IN case my amend
menl prevails act in such manner as 10 offend OF nJure
the new States.
Butte case in point There portion Of land 10
Arkansas and Florida which granted TO the Deal and
Dumb Asylum in Kentucky. What injury TO these States
has ever grown out OF that grantl No human being
has ever suggested the least improperly on The part OF
those who manage the fund The suggestion now made
that the old States cannot be trusted think Oolh
groundless and offensive.
But have another and stronger example to give you
Tennessee and Kentucky once had difficulty about their
State boundaries. Kentucky claimed some fifteen or
twenty miles into what is now the State OF Tennessee,
and the controversy lasted for years had the happiness
OF being the instrument by which il happily settled.
We had appointed commissioners to treat with commits
soners upon the part OF Tennessee. The commissioners
met, but could not agree was member OF the Ken
lucky legislature at the me and alter the disagreement
OF the commissioners, offered resolution that
mssoners should be instructed 10 lei Tennessee have the
political jurisdiction over the county, provided she would
yield TO us the vacant land That resolution was adopt
ed, and the controversy accordingly settled this gov
eminent asserting TO the agreement between the Two
States. Kentucky thus obtained the vacant land in Ten
nessee. fifteen twenty miles wide, by three
hundred or four hundred miles long. Kentucky passed
laws approprating the lands Her surveyors went into
Tennessee and made their surveys, upon which Ken
lucky issued patents. Tennessee respected our rights,
and difficulty trouble between the two States has
taken place We felt and acted in this transaction
like brothers, The land has been nearly all sold, and no
trouble has grown out OF the arrangement Here is
fact against theory Here is fidelity and fraternity be-
tween States epelling all suggested suspicious. Have
the States no honor, no virtue, no benevolence!
The next idea of the senator from Michigan Mr. FELcH
that shall notice this He says the school lands
granted TO induce emgrants TO settle the country The
gentemans astule intellect how this argument
peplexed by these grants for school purposes He could
only get OF the officially by making these grants
local affair. By satisfying the Senate that they were
made stimulate tho settlement and Improvement of the
country, he would establish rule which would work for
the benefit OF The land States TO the exclusion OF the
old But if he disconnected the grant from local consd
eraons, and admitted to be for the benevolent purpose
Of educating the moral and intellectual faculties Of the
rising generation he saw al once that the old States would
have the right the 10 claim portion of the
public lands for the education OF their children In this
sad pedcament see the workings OF his mind 10 de-
wise rule or principle by which grants for educational
purposes the States defensibe, while grants
the old States, for precisely the purpose could
not be defended tolerated My friend perceves that
by connecting the grants for schools with the local in
erests oil settlement and improvement the old States may
be excluded, and my amendment defeated. lie there
fore plants himself upon that position.
Now, sir there not word to be found in the egs-
a,ion OF the confederation, which early as l7S5
served and dedicated the sixteenth section every
township 10 Schools indicating that such grants were
maze 10 lHuuCe the settlement Oh
country Ga the contrary, the Congress of the conied-
Grafton, in the third article of the ordinance OF 1857 for
the government of the Northwest Territory, declares that
"religion morality, and knowledge being necessary 10
good government and the happiness OF mankind schools
and the OF education shall forever be encouraged
Here have the high, and holy and true motives
which induced the Congress OF the confederation 10
make liberal grants for schools The gentleman's argu
ment discards the connection between education and
'good government" between education and the 'happ
OF mankind = leaves out of view The great OBJ
Jects avowed by glorious ancestors IN founding
schoos-the increase OF religion, morality, and knoIc
edge among men-and attributes their conduct To the
low and mercenary motive OF establishing schools for
the purpose OF fastening the sale and settlement OF the
wilderness His speech makes our revolutionary fathers
prize "hthy lucTe than intellectual and moral i'm
provement and be does in the face of their exalted
proclamation in the ordinance, declaring good gov.
motives BY the avowal OF these all other motives
excluded. Sir, ancestors in providing for
schools did not conne themselves as the senator does
TO local considerations. Their large and liberal views
embraced all mankind" They looked al The great in
OF the great whole OF this great naon which they
rescued from monarchy and established in liberty. They
said that the rising generations must be educated, and
therefore they gave, "a far they thought proper fund
by which TO accomplish that object. In considering
what they have said and done, find for a dis
tncton between the old and the States But even
If the grant OF the sixteenth section entirely local
matter how the gentleman make grants for State
universities local How does he reconcile the grant Of
10000 by the confederation 10 the Moravian
brethren in Pennsylvania far back $751; for the
OF such Indians they might convert TO Christianity
win his idea OF local interests Here
promote the Of religion and morality. But the
senator, apparently not entirely satisfied with his own
argument upon tie ground that school lands were only
given 10 induce settlements presents another consdera
ton upon which he thinks il reasonable 10 refuse dona-
lions TO the old States for purposes OF education and inter-
nal improvements He says that the old States are already
provided with means and facilities and ability 10 make
railroads, build school houses. and pay teachers, and
therefore do not, like the land States need any aid
for such purposes. According 10 this Argument the
rights of the old States and the 10 the public lands
depend upon no fixed legal or equitable principles but
upon the degree OF wealth or ability in the several
States The rich and powerful should have no part or
ot-the poor and needy should have ALL Now, put il
TO the members Of this Senate say whether the admin
sraon OF this great land fund shall depend upon ques
ton OF wealth poverty. Does the right or the power
10 divide the lands among the States, my amendment
proposes, upon the relative wealth poverty of the
States Not at all But even VI ii did-if the wants
and necessities OF the States 10 goyenhe argument
Is against the gentleman The old States that have been
duce for makel-stand more in need Of conveyances,
OF railroads to get TO market than the States where
the farms are not open, and where the people cannot
aise than enough for their subsistence Sir,
il The OF the thing be regarded where there is travel
where there is commerce. railroad is wanted but where
these not, railroad will not pay expenses II may
be that Michigan not sufficiently advanced in pop
ulaon and when she built the railroad which
she compelled to sell anil that may be the main
cause OF her failure TO manage il 10 advantage When
the gentleman attributes more wealth. and
commerce 10 the old States he thereby proves their greater
need OF railroads and therefore, upon his ptnci
Pies the old States should have the preference His poll
icy is premature He appropraes the public lands in be-
half DI AInt. Al