Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-08

Of the population the cnlyators Of the soil Indepene
farmers everywhere the basis Of society and fens
OF liberty II be policy that the public
shall cease practicable TO be Of revenue
Hence now propose the graduating policy as bette
calculated to accomplish that purpose than these raroa
schemes Lands which have only been in market te
years sell for 1925 the present price Of all those whic
have been in market ten and not exceeding fifteen
sell for 81 those in market for fifteen and not exceed
ing twenty, eighty cents those in market twenty am
not exceeding twenty years, sell for sixty cents pc
those in market for twenty-five, and not exceedn,
thirty years. sell for forty cents per acre and those ii
market than thirty sell for twenty cents The bill
propose also makes provision for pre-emptioners.
1t only the ground that these railroad bills viii
promote sale and settlement that their
is justified and therefore submit that waving the con
sttuonal question, the which advocate as I
substitute would be much efficient in promoting tina
object well as more just and equitable to all parts
the country Its consutonaty is admitted by ALL anl
it is the only measure which think pass the House
of Representatives offer it as compromise measure
1t is urged as another reason in favor Of these bills
that it would be unjust to permit the States to con-
sruct railroads whereby the value Of the public domain
would be augmented, without making some adequate
compensation 1t is said thakhe United States is great
land proprietor and should aid in improving the country
and its lands Now sir, there is perfect answer to
this argument Does not every railroad and canal made
from the Atlantic border to the Western waters improve
the price Of the public lands Therefore if the new
States to be compensated the old States should
be compensated and the General Government would have
would in for large share, for she has incurred
debts the construction of railroads and canals
ing to the West than any other State in the Union.
1t is further urged, argument in favor Of these
bills that the Government although it grants alternate
sections five miles each side Of the roads, makes
ney by the operation because it doubles the price Of those
retained and thus promotes sale and settlement Now
although this is true to extent is not better
measure than the one propose BESIDES it is liable to
the many objections which have stated.
But if the construction of these railroads do thus
nance the value of the public domain why do not those
who desire TO construct them enter and take up all the
land through which they pass at the minimum price be-
fore they begin the work. and thus the increase in value
will nure to their advantages and not to that of the
Government Those who wish lands therefore seques
ter them for their own use.
But the practical operation of these grants, exem
pfed in the case of the grant at the first session Of thu
last Congress to Illinois, is this the grant is made to the
State and forthwith company incorporated the grant
transferred to the company and thus railroad company
becomes the of vast bodies Of land mortgages the
same and thus constructs the road do not think the
General Government ought thus to lend itself to create
facilities for the multiplication of incorporated companies
On Saturday last observed by the papers compliment
tay dinner given at of the hotels in this city by
committee of this Illinois railroad company to the Ii-
nois delegation in Congress- in honor Of their
They here doubt thanks for the patron
age of the Federal Government.
have thus, Mr.. President briefly though fear i'm
perfectly, stated my views upon the important subject
under consideration have studied language as
certain with how few words could ste facts and
ments and make myself understood HE Senate and my
constituents will judge with what success upon this
sion.