Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-12-22

Of capital and labor carried into the hearts OF
the several States by their construction. Hun
dreds of thousands of laborers Scan find con-
slant employmento on them, and each, by very
small amount of labor, can secure the blessings
OF homestead" without feeling degraded By
having it conferred on him as a gratuity, even
if it were constitutional thus to benefit few
at the expense of the many, or compatible with
the pledges heretofore given in relation to the
public lands
1t is not my purpose at this time to discuss
the principles Of the homestead measure,
my views on that subject having been fully pre-
scented in a communication of the 18th June,
1852, to the chairman of the Committee on
Public Lands of the Senate, in answer to a
call from him; but it must be obvious that the
friends of that measure can in this way accom-
plish all that is desired by it, without any of its
Objectionable features.
To grants of this character for railroads, ca
nails, &C., not one tangible or substantial objec-
ton can be presented. The increased value
given to the lands enables the government to
get double price and ready sale for those re-
tanned, and hence the grant costs them nothing
The same reason removes all difficulty in rels
ton to the pledge given by the United States,
at the cession of these lands, that they should
be considered common fund, for the use and
benefit Of all the States, and renders them more
available towards meeting the obligation i'm
posed on them by the act of 2Sth January,
i847, that the proceeds should be set apart for
the payment of the public debt created by that
act. Let these railroads and canals be com
pleted, and the husbandman will no longer
have reason to complain that his grain re-
mains ungarnered from year to. year, because
there is no mode Of sending it to market; it
will all be eagerly sought after, and, with his
surplus stock, will be sent abroad over the land,
to feed thousands of his less fortunate fellow
beings while he will thus be made to rejoice
in the prosperity secured by his honest toll and
industry, saying nothing OF the advantages to
the business and finance of the country.
Moreover, these means of intercommunica-
tion like iron bands, will unite the whole coun-
try together by community of interest and
feeling, and, like the arteries of the human
system, will disseminate to every part the .bene-
fits ofhome production, and the eastern, Pa
cifc and Atlantic trade, when the great Cali
fornia railroad shall have been completed.
The recommendation heretofore made is
therefore renewed, that liberal grants for all
such objects be made, under suitable restric-
tons.
From the annexed statement Z, which ex-
hibits the present condition of the public lands,
it will be seen that many millions of acres are
now subject to entry, presenting to the settler
every variety Of soil and climate, rich in mex
haustible fertility, and the valuable timber it
bears, and in many sections containing mines
Of the precious metals, and of copper, iron, and
coal
AS matter that may be interesting, have
appended a table, marked f prepared in 1850,
with great care from the most reliable data,
giving the cost of the public domain, of extin
gushing the Indian title and of surveying, sell
ing, and managing the lands, with the average
actual cost of each per acre.
Respectfully submitted, by your obedient
servant, JOHN WILSON,
Commissioner.
Hon. ROBERT McCLELLAND,
Secretary Department of the Interior.