The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-03-31

their territory among conquerors, Is spec ctacle
too often exhibited. But never has history
presented a more noble spectacle than that
which was exhibited when the Federal Govern
ment assumed the charge of a wilderness do
main, under deeds of cesson which stipulated
for future States to be organized therein, and
deliberately assumed the charge of their growth
and prosperity Never has a more noble act
been performed than that by which old Statas
yielded to the Federal Government the region
of the rich basin of the Lakes and the Msss
spp, with the enjninnd duty OF building up
free and independent States within it. States
in that region, it was required by the deeds OF
| cession, should be admitted into the Contedera-
cy. The people constitute the State, and not
merely uninhabited territory aud much was to
be done before that distant region could become
! the abode If civilization, and expand itself into
the proportions required tor that political organ
,zation. While the territorial form Of geovern.
nitnt has existed in This portion Of the country
the General Government has exercised liberal
policy in the promotion of settlements. 1t
has been the custom to make roads within the
Territories bv money appropriations. Within
the last year or two, Minnesota, the most recent
| ly organized territory in which public lands
offered for sale, has received liberal grants for
the purpose of making ntercommunications.-
1t seems, however, to be supposed that the mo-
ment the State within which the unappropr:attd
land is located, is admitted into The Union,
the care AID charge If The General Government
over it is o cease that the liberal action of the
Government, for the promotion OF the settle
ment and the convenience of the immigrating
community, may justly be abandoned, and that
| the care of very interest which lningles itself
with the general prosperity Of the country de-
wolves upon the State authorities.
| These new States were to be admitted when
they contained sixty thousand inhabitants each,
We inquire how the admission of the Stale into
the Union can change the duty or the interest
| of the Government, in regard to the policy of
settling and selling he public domain? States,
with thirty five millions of acres, may, on ad-
missions into the Union, contain, sixty thous
and inhab,tanss-scafcelye enough to constitute
the population of Well-settled ayr cultural
county. If, when the State is formed and ad
mitted into the Union, the of the General
Government in promoting sales of the public
domain is to cease, it We're far better to defer
| the State organization and to remain in terri
toral condition. Almost the entire territory
| within its boundaries is perfect Wilderness
You have little settlement in a single corner
wherever stream of water runs and navigation
can be had. You will find small settlement
here and there along the streams or navga
bic waters but the great mass of the State is
| as much an uninhabited country, and as mac
cessible for purposes of settlement, as when it's
forests were unbroken. And yet it is thought
that the duty Of the General Government is
Terminated whenever the State is admitted into
the Union
Maps are sometimes prepared. distinguish
ing by colors the portions Of the new States
which are settled. and those where the lands
/ are still held by Government. If any one will
take the trouble 10 examine such map, he will
h, l. - l.,
ing uns I'D. The diff renee, between this state
Of things and that Of the old States, where
there are inhabitants on every square mile, and
: whore roads are already made, and abundant
facilities for communication enjoyed, does not
readily occur to the mind might refer. for
an example, to the condition Of my own State
Michigan is composed Of two pennsuIas,-
Since nv knowledge Of the country, which was
Mt many years ago. the settlements were con.
6rmed to two snnthern tiers Of counties, and
; the large mass of the State was as much will
derness as when the territorial government was
first established there. Until within the las,
r two or three years. not single acre of land in
the northern peninsula was entered, and even
, now it IS penetrated bv no public road or Other
means Of communication in land beyond the
lake shore And yet it comprises about one
: third Of the State. In the southern penin sula
within the limits IF the settled counties, on the
: southern border, we have all the ordinary facil
: tiles for travel and business belonging to set
: tied country but beyond this the great body o
, the territory is held by the Government, un
settled, and a portion Of it unsnrveyed. Thi
, condition of,hings exists not only in that State
! but IN many of the others Look at Wiscon
:, sim The settlement there is chiefly along
the lake. and on the southern border Of th
, State, while the great mass of territory in tn
| ;rto &c chad Tha N
!, dition Of things exists in Iowa, the State 70
: whose bnn"6' this bill is intended. or an are
!, Of some az 1000 ofacres, %, ,0Oo. .O0O remai,
- --cordnc TO ..hles nreparcd in JS49. pnsold
IN Michigan, will m nrca o. ea5. O00, 900 of acre
: 25 600 600 remain nnsold InMissonri, of 43, 900
OOOthe total area ,2o, ,n0OI're public property
: In Florida. of 3S. .O00,00O Of acres 81 900, 90
!, still belong to the Government.
) Now, sir il is manifest that over the interes st
Of the land S 'ates, the General Government, b
:, vrture of ITS connection with the ownership
: : the soil, has control almost absolute. TIL
:, prosperity Of the State is commit'f d to tn
: charge IF the Federal authorities. Suppose tn
: latter, disregardng the prosperity Of the form
, er, and undertaking to exercise an arbitrar
. power over the whole subject, should utterl
- :, refuse to make sales Of The public lands woul
:. it not embarrass the action IF the State govern
ar ment? Would it not check the advance Of III
"a pnblic we u Would it not present an impas
- able barrier TO the growth and thrift of II
>. S,ates Indirect legislation bearing tn
:, subject even remotely, not nnfrequently carrie
r. with it an influence which is felt in its r
tarding effects the settlement Of the ne
:, States.
: The absolute control which is claimed ov
the public domain yin0 within the State,
broad enough to exclude all interference on tt
., part of the latter. The authority Of the Sta
te is by it made as pnwerless as that of indvd
re ais Railroads, canals, and other improvement
Il required for the use Of the public, and whit
$, NAV be carried, by the authority of the sove
g eign State, upon making compensation, ,,hrou.
rs anv private property, cannot be ex'endt
,e through the public lands If the continue,
1t line Of such al improvement is Intercepted
IS forty acre lot belonging t" the public domai
is the power t. construct the work is termina
re ed
% Every year applications are made to Congre
20 in such cases for permission to cross the pub
y lands hy companies whose charters from q
'' State Legislature already grant a full right
location, but which rendered neffectu
'e without permission under The solemn act If r.
IN i,ation by the General Government winch
10 claimed over the subject 1t is full power
a. ! has over it. The effect Of it is, that athou
NC the State government has necessarily the CT
~ and charge and expense Of administering I
on laws over it's entire territories, yet the power
m %. take the land Of the United States for a
no public purposes, is denied, even to its SOW
~ eign authority. And this claim carries with
ne the power, in the land States, to prohibit
'h' most important public works.
will refer to an instance, memorable
YES stance, Of conflict between the two jurisd
ia' y t.ons in thai regard. There is at the entrance
ne Lake Superio. Implications for aid both
~ the present and at the past session Of C"ngr.
on have given Senators t. know it--an obstruct
tes between that inland sea and the chain OF lal
'v- belowit. A canal half mile in length, W
re- two locks, would overcome the obctruction,
mo extend navigation Of some twelve hund
ma nils in length, to the waters Of Lake Superi
''i- The State ofMichigan loaned money to mi
ro the Improvement, and men, in the enploymt
'th Of the State, commenced the work, and
ker early completion was expected. But the G
hat eral Government interi. red. That interp'
The ton was mt of peaceae and quiet charac
IN by admoniton or remonsirance, or an appea
OF the clval authorities, but the force ofthe Uni
ced States troops was invoked. and the agents
hvvl Al.