The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-03-01

Missouri. And from our Congressional reports, II
would appear that IN attempt has been made 10
run this bill through the House without even the
formslity Of debate. Other bills making grants
for similar purposes, pending between the tive
houses, cover, probably, from eight to ten million,
Of acres and the only difficulty to passing the whole
Of them, and ten times as many merchandising
Whitney's grand Pacific Railroad, which only re-
quires the small grant Of sixty millions Of acres
the only drawback to all these projects, Whitney
and all, is the opposition Of the members Of the
Atlantic seaboard.
Now, the question arises, what should be DONE
or, rather, what can b done, to save the
public property from the land sharks. land
jobber7, log rollers, and traders in the profits
arising from acts Of Congressional hberality?
The granting of million acres to rail
road, or any other public work, is equivalent to
g. 25O000, at the minimum rate Of 81 rs per acre
just 30 much money from the treasury. Every
acre Of the public domain in those States for whom
these grants are intended is equal to at least one
dollar and quarter in cash, and in many cases
equal to two, four, OF six dollars, at public auction
We undertake to ssy that the public lands are
the property Of the United States, and that overy
State has an interest in them, and right to q
share, if they are to be divided. We apprehend
that it was under some such construction Of the
rights Of the States and the powers Of Congress
that the surplus proceeds in the treasury, aosumu
lated from the public lands, during General Jack
sons administration, TO the amount Of fifteen mil
lions of dollars, were divided among the States.
| The share which was thus received by New York
was made tho foundation of her present school ays-
tenn; and our experience in the benefits Of that
measure induces to believe that the State would
have no sort Of objection 10 several millions more
on The same terms.
Mr.. Underwood has introduced an amendment to
the Iowa land bill, in the Senate, granting to the
old States, on the basis of their federal rep
resentation, such an amount of lands, cash, as
will bring them up to the maximum Of the
grants already made to he most favored States Of
the West By this amendment, the share asruinz
TO the State of New York would be ,097 $50 acres
nearly four millions Of dollars at the 10 vest cash
price. But giving to the State the disposition Of
these lands, their valEe would probably be enh
to eight or ten millions THIS would cover up the
entire outlay for the enlargement Of the State
canals-preyded, always, that none Of the CONTRACT
60 by the board OF overlap their estimates, or
turn up missing. Eight or ten millions of dollars
are worth having and between squandering the
public domain among Western spectators, for pro-
jects Of Western railroads, and other schemes for
grasping the public lands-besween this plan and
the old exploded plan Of the distribution Of the pro-
ceeds from the pablo lands among all the States,
common justice and common honesty require the
adoption Of the latter nd this would be perfectly
fa', after reducing all the States to level accord
| ing to Mr. Undsrwood's amendment
| IL conclusion, whatever may be done-a and we
know that corruption is at work, in the capitol and
ont Of the capisol-it is time for the N embers Of
he Eastern States to wake up Let them wake
up then, or one source Of the common revenues Of
the nation through the suction Of gangs and com
panies, and monopoes of land sharks, will be dried
up, and the expenses of the government Will have
to be met by increase Of taxation, direct in
direct. We have a large debt to pay-our expenses
are increasing-the receipts from the public lands,
will DE useful to meet public obligations. and
they cannot very we'll be spared But f the public
domain u to be squandeIed away, let us have a
:" fair divide all roend,' and let our senstors and
representatives in Congress to it thst New
York is not cheated in the bargain And, in vie y
Of all his merces to cur happy country, in spite Of
the corrupt and trading politici Ans, the Lord be
| praised
Il