Washington sentinel., 1853-12-11

chase, survey, and sale Of The
public lands will lin the end
have cost SIS, 1894 ,013, the net
amount which will have been
realized therefor is the enor-
nous sum OF. 331, ISL 1863
1t is thus shown that the general government,
instead of being loser, many have supposed,
by its connexion with the public lands, has found
them not only source OF revenue but ready
means of promoting the cause Of general educa-
tion, and OF bestowing wel-earned rewards for
military service.
In the Territories and new States, where many
of the public lands remain for long period un-
sold, liberal grants should be made for those great
highways which, TO certain extent, may be
considered local in their character, though gen.
eral in their influence, and not conflicting with
the interests of the old States. In this way with
out any expenditure of money, the general govern
ment can greatly increase the value of the public
domain. il has never made such donation with
out being fully repaid. The principle of granting
alternate sections, and selling those reserved at
double the ordinary price, has been found by ex-
perience TO be most salutary. BY reason of the
improvements made with such grants, large tracts
of land that had long lain waste have been brought
into market, and found ready sale the surround
ing country has been peopled; the revenue has
been augmented by the increased consumption of
foreign merchandise; and the State in which the
improvements have been thus made, and not un-
frequently the adjacent States, have been largely
benefited. Without these donations and conse-
quent improvements, some OF the finest portions
of the new States would have continued will
derness; lands that had been for fifteen or twenty
years in the market might have remained as much
longer unsold and thus the prosperity and ad-
vancement of the whole country greatly retarded.
The loss TO the government would have been
serious, without any corresponding benefit. The
policy is, to bring the lands into market and
by all legitimate means, dispose Of them as speedily
possible justice to those who have been induced
settle in the States and Territories, and the
interests of the government alike demand it, The
strongest political and economical considerations,
therefore, dictate this course.
| On the Goth September, 1850, grant of lands
was made the States of Illinois, Mississippi, and
Alabama, TO aid in the construction of the great
| Central railroad from Chicago to Mobile To af-
/ ford these States an opportunity of making their
selections The lands along the proposed route of
the road We're, for short PERIOD withdrawn from
MARKET most of them being of little value 10 the
! States IN which they were, or to the general 90
vernment, until the grants were made, and il was
| ascertained that the road would be constructed ;
| but then they were bought up with ayidty and
| are now considered as most choice and valuable.
/ The Illinois Central Railroad Company was in
corporated, and the route Of the rbad. and its
branches, within that State, designated by an act
Of the legislature, in February, 1851. During the
| hall year ending 3lst December, 1850 the guam
ity of land sold and located with bounty land war
| rants, in the district traversed by the road was
3I24S7 SO acres. The alternate sections reserved
| 10 The United States were released from reserva-
ton and brought into market in July, August and
! September, 1852, and during that and the next
succeeding quarter the sales and locations amount
ed TO ,271 22S acres; showing increase over
the corresponding half year next preceding the To-
cation of the road, OF 932, ,03f40 acres.
The unsolicited lands in the Augusta and Co
lnmbus districts, in the State of Mississippi, were
restored TO market in the month Of September last
and notwithstanding the sales in those districts had
for many years been very limited, the lands thus
The quantity sold af Augusta in the month fSep
tember, 1919, was only 424 acres and in the same
month in the years 1850, 1861, and 1852, much
lesss and yet in five days ia September last, after
the route of the road had been established and the
alternate sections designated by the State, 1880
acres were sold for S34,O46, being s9,643 more
than Their aggregate value at the minimum price
IN the Columbus district in The short space OF 10