Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-01-24
Distribution of the Public Lands.

Distribution of the Public Lands.
There are certain questions of The most vital i'm.
portance TO the people, which popular Indifference
allows. to pass unheeded, until necessity obtains
for them an imperative consideration Amongst
such questions, and perhaps the one Of first impor
lance in this country, is that relative to the sDistr
button OF the Public Lands" The land is the source
from whence umanity derives, and is to derive to
the end, the chief elements of existence, and it is
therefore the duty of the American patriot to see
that the most important element Of life and national
prosperity not directed into sources which are as
unnatural as they are unjust, and which initiate
against the general good.
One Of the greatest evils in connection with this
subject, growing out of the Mexican war, was the
system of bounty enlistments. By this law grant
of l60 acres of public land was awarded to every
soldier for the service in Mexico for certain peri.
Oh. The warrants so granted were transferable and
restricted to land then in market The majority Of
those who obtained these grants sold them to spec
ulators for one fourth of their value and they be
came in this way profitable source of speculation.
These lands have, since that time, been gradually
rising in value. Being transferable they can be sold
upon time land although they are taken cheaper than
government land which sells for cash only they weld
the Spectator handsome profit. Being picked
lands too, they come into competition with the ref.
use lots which the government retains with treble
advantage; first, that of time TO pay; second, their
lower rates oil purchase: and lastly, superiority Of
soil. The pro6tableness of this business induced
spectators, and their friends and allies 10 extend
the system Of land plumber, and accordingly guran-
tees OF land to all who engaged in the lasI war
against Great Britain, in proportion to their time Of
service, was passed. Then came the law of 1850.
which gave land warrants to all who had been en-.
gagged certain time in actual hostlties in behalf of
the United States, from 179Oup to that time. This
included hostIties with any of the Indian tribes,
&c., SC.
This most unjust law was carried by means Of the
outside appliances of the spectators, and by the
votes Of members in land speculations. This law,
which for a while seemed to appease the men who,
under the name of national gratitude, and patriotic
generosity, voted away the wilderness in order that
they might make traffic oft, longer satisfies their
desires. In the former acts, grants were restricted
10 lands actually in the market; now it is proposed
IN the bill before Congress, to open TO those specua-
tors any lands that may hereafter be surveyed and
offered for SALE Such proceeding must throw in
to the hands ofthe spectators all the best lands at
cheaper rate too, than that at which the govern
ment sells the worst to actual settlers By this
means, the settlement of new States is Retarded
Another feature Of this bill is its proposition to ex
tend grants Of land to call and any who have been
at any time or place engaged in protecting from, or
preventing Indian hostiities.' This clause opens
the door to the claim Of every one who, according
to his own showing, supported by such evidence as
he can have, has ever pulled trigger against
poor red-skin. This bill has been reported from n
special Committee, and upon motion 10 assign il 10
Committee Of the whole house, is now being deba.
ted in the House Of Representatives.
We believe that those who render bona fole SER
vice to the government, worthy of being paid the
amount that service is worth. Let them be paid,
and the account closed but we think il both mpoI-
tic in the time, and unjust to posterity, to
make any such disposition Of the public lands, as
have been made by Congress since the Mexican war,
with all its villaines and atrocities, opened the
foodgates Of political corruption upon the country
Those grants have been public swindles. The bills
have been filed upon false preences: and the public
juggled by Unsuitable harpies, and adroit, unscrupu-
lous politicians. The only means by which proceed
ings OF this sort be prevented and the spirit Of
true democracy egtimatey carried out in relation to
the settlement Of the public ands is by the enact
ment of law which shall grant the same in limited
quantities, to actual settlers, and restrict the holding
of such lands to bona fde holders only.
The unsettled lands of this Continent are Gods
gilt to our postery; they the elements Of future
great States, which ought not to mortgage. =
The bounty land bills have ali had this tendency and
effect, and the only remedy correct this, is to
hasten to perfect bill granting the public land to
actual settlers and no others.