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

ask for benehcent national purposes, and for
fair equivalent, nor suffering us 10 do it, But per-
init me, sir, 10 ask those who make, or incline 10
assent TO this objection, any kindred one,
question, and do il in all candor. You say the
old States ought To have provisions made for them
out of these public lands different from what have
been made, and that the small grants asked by the
new States shall not be made Till these provisions
made for the old States. Have the old States,
any of them, ever heretofore demanded such
provisions for them out Of the public domain,
either in land or the representative of land? Have
the old States, or any Of them, ever asked Of the
hbeahty Of this body donationsof land for praise
worthy or benehcent purpose, and had their re-
quest denied? lperceive, by reference to the Uni
ted States statutes, that Kentucky, not many years
since, asked for u township, or three thousand eight
hundred and forty acres Of land, Tor the benefit OF
her unatic Asylum, and received IT; aud that Con-
necticut also asked a donation for n similar pur
pose. and got il If there be any instance Of such
request and refusal, it has escaped my knowledge;
and shall be obliged to the gentleman from New
York, or some other to advise me OF II. II there be
such an instance upon the Congressional records OF
the country. Why, then, do you complain! Do
you bane>the new States and bring trailing ac-
cusatlons" against them, because Congress, OF
whom you compose majority have not ''buckled
lands upon your backss" My Bible teaches: "Ask
and you shall receive, seek aud you shall find,
knock and it shall be opened unto you" com
mend the matter to the especial consideration Of
the venerable gentleman from Massachusetts,. MIR.
FowLER,) who made us speech on yesterday, in
which he incidentally spoke Of these proposed
grants OF alternate sections TO aid the new States
In building their projected ''Tailroads," and ex-
pressed himself willing to go for them on certain
terms. Let the old States make reasonable de-
mand OF this sort for any praiseworthy object,
specially affecting them; and. If the new States
refuse to aid them in getting it, then there may
be at least ''decent pretext for refusing to do at
the instance OF the States what is admitted to
be just and benehcent, national and expedient, in
every point OF view in which it can BIO regarded.
But the honorable gentleman from New York
(Mr. BENNETT) seems to assume that the new
States are disposed TO play "a grab game" in
gard TO the public lands He says: each Of the
new States now claim all the lands within their
limits, and the grants proposed to the old States do
not interfere with that claim The cooness Of this
up such claim. At least speak advisedly for
Missouri and think can for the rest of The land
States. l deny the honorable genteman's posi-
ton IN toto. They do not claim all the lands ly
ing within their limits; nor do they ask of this
House qualified grants of one tenth or one-twen-
tieth part of the lands that lie within their limits.
The new States are actuated by scnsc OF JUS
tce. They do not seek to deprive the old States
of their "share' Of the public domain. They
respect The just rights Of and are moved by "a
sense of gratitude and fa Affection towards the
glorious "Old Thirteen" who "bore the brunt
of the Revolution;" whose soil has been pressed
by the footsteps Of the heroes Of 10 and moisened
by their blood, and beneath whose surface their
cred dust reposes. They seek TO do them ''no
wrong" They only ask email grants Of portions
OF the refuse public domain, which they have aid
ed to win Tor the Government by their dangers.
tolls, and privations, in the wilderness They ask
these, not gratuity, but upon the srictcst prn-
cipies OF equivalents and reciprocity of benefits.
But the honorable gentleman brings up columns
OF official figures TO show US that there have been
donated for all purposes to fourteen States.
including Tennessee, and the four Territories-
Utah, New Mexico, Oregon, and Minncsota--sone
81 GOD 900 acres Of land; and that the Government
baa enld nply ahn,,f o.ftt -
main-oDly about 10000 900 more than it has
thus donated Now, what does all that prove ]?
What do these donations prove? Some % 600 900
of the quantity ii seems, were donated to the Ter
ritorie5 OF the United States, and was ! Suppose
for the benefit of the people of the United States
including those Of New York-or ga to
tbcm,' as the Gaze may be. What DO these dona
tons OF land prove! They were made for school
purposes, in order that ''the schoolmaster'' might
be sent in the track Of the pioneer; for roads and
canals; for asylums, and perhaps other bcne fcent
purposes. The residue Of the public domain
doubtless enhanced in price thereby; the settle.
mcnt OF the country-a great dcsidcratum always
with Congress, as It's whole land system shows
was thereby expedited Every gentleman knows,
and every husband and father feels, that one strong
iuduccment to emigratc TO a"ncw country is the
Wedge or assurance OF the fact that he will find
there the means OF good common school educa-
ton. Those means were in part furnished IN tho
new States through these donations OF land-this
act OF voluntary liberality towards the new States
4
presume that, but for these donations, there would
not have been than two thirds Of the amount
Of sslcs that there has been So that the States
the old States nothing that And il is
doubt not, precisely because these liberal dona-
tons and grants II iano have been made by the
General Government, that il has sold the
lO 900 600 oi acres which the honorable gentleman
from New York seems 10 consider such "bcggarly
account OF empty boxes" Those s l0l 900 900, and
upwards, have gone into the Treasury, and / trust
New York has received her foil SHIRE Of IL.
Well, sir, while am on the subject Of "fgurcs,"
will allude briefly 10 come statistical statements
of the honorable gentleman from New York, about
the ''hve per cent" in eleven OF the new statcs,
(including Ohio,) in which he eets down the
amount Nj ssour has received, up TO December,
ls47, at S559.o23 81. and which, he says, was
exclusive OF the two per cfft for roads To and
through the Statcs" Nov, Missouri bas received
only three per OF the net proceeds Of the lands
sold within her limits either directly or indirect
iy; which, IT appears, by statement Of the Com
missioner OF the General Land Office which hold
in my hnnd-amounted, up TO the 3lst OF Decem
Der, 1850, TO S374 ,4.7 50; the thirds OF which
that she ought IN justice, 60 have this received
up To the same time, was 2I9 OBS IS. The act Of
the oh oi March, 1920 "tO authorize the people OF
Missouri Territory 20 form constitution and State
government, and for the admission of such State
into the Union on equal footing with the orici
nal stntcs, and 10 prohibit slavery in certain Ter
riiories," among other things, provided 'that
five per cent. Of the net proceeds Of the sales Of
lands lying within the said Territory or State and
which should be sold by Congress from and after
the fret day Of January Ohcn) next, after deduct
ing all expenses incident 10 the semc, should be
reserved for making public roads and canals, Of
wh Oh three ffths should be applied 10 those oh
jccs within the State, under the direction of the
Legislature thereof and the other ftro 6ffhs in dc.
fraying, under the direction Of Congress, the cp-
peDscs 10 be incurred in making a road or roads
canal or canals, leading 10 said State"
The Cumberland road designed 90 be built
20 the scat OF government If Missouri, in fulfil
ment Of the above -recited stipulation which, with
other proposals contained ia that act TO Missouri,
was accepted 10y her organic convention, and hue
became folcInn compact between the Govern
mont of the United statos and that Of Missouri.
The Cumberland road, though completed through
some Of the States, and partly finished through
Illinois, was Abandoned, and never completed 10
Missouri; 80 that the compact remains uneSecuted
on the part OF this Government. One Of the con
ditions Of that five per cent, and the other stipu
lauons contained in that act TALL Of which were
accepted 10y Missouri, and became obligatory upon
the United states,) was, that the said "convrn.
ton should provide, by ordinance itrovtca-
bic, without the consent Of the United States,
That each and every tract Of land, from and
sftcr the fret day of January (then) next,
should remain exempt from any tax laid by order
or under the authority of the State whether for
state, county, or township, any other purposes,
for The term OF five years from and after the day
of sale; and that bounty lands granted, here.
n "a ip ted H4rtr he t.f.