The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-12-21
33l,lSl,369

1 n
y 1t is thus shown that the general government,
instead of being loser, as many have supposed,
by its connexion with The public lands, has
found them not only n source of revenue, but a
ready m ans of promoting the cause of general
education, and of bestowing well-earHed rewards
for military service.
In the Territories and new States, where
many oftha public lands re nain for a long pc
Rod unsold, liberal grants should be made for
those great highways which to certain extent,
NAV be considered local in their character,
though general in their influence, and not con-
fiicting with the interests OF the old States. In
this way, without any expenditure ofmoney, the
general government can greatly increase the
value of the public domain. IL has never made
such donation without being fully repaid. The
nr,nc,,,, -, granting alternate sections, and,
selling those reserved at dousle the ordinary
price, has been found, by experience, TO BE
most salutary. BY reasons of the improve
ments made with such grants, large tracts of
land that had long lain waste have been brought
into market and found ready sale; the sur
rounding country has been peopled, the reven-
ne has been augmented by the increased con-
sumption of foreign merchandise and the State
in W hich the improvements have been largely
ben flied Without these donations and conse-
que mt improvements, some of the finest portions
fft
de rness lands that had been fer fifteen or 90
wears in the market, might have remained as
much longer unsold, and thus the prosperity and
advancement of the whole country greatly re-
tarded The loss TO the government would have
been serious, without any corresponding benefit
The true policy is, to bring the lands into mar
ket and by all legitimate means dispose OF them
as sneedily as possible justice TO those who
have been induced TO settle in the new States
and Territories, and the interests of the gov
ernmeat. alike demand it. The strongest poll
tica, and economical considerations, therefore,
dictate this course.
On the 10Th of September, 1850, a grant of
lands was made TO the States of Hin DIS, Miss
issjppi and Alabama, to aid in the construction
of the great Central railroad from Chicago TO
Mobile To afford these States an opportunity
of making their selections, the lands along the
supposed route Of the road were, for short Pc
Rod. withdrawn from market, most of them be-
inc Of little value to the States in which they
were, or to the general government, until the
grants were made and it ascertaned the
road would be constructed, but then they were
brought up,with avidIty, and are now considered
as most choice and valuable.
The Illinois Central Railroad Company was
incorporated, and the route of the road, and its
branches, within that State, designated by an
act of The legislature in February, 1851. Du-
ring the half year ending 3lst December, i-5O,
the quantity Of land sold and located with boun-
Nv land warrants in the district traversed by
the road, was 342, 4o7,S 50 acres. The alternate
sections reserved to the U. s. were released
from reservation and brought into market, III
July, August, and September, 1852, and during
that and the ne xt succee ding quarter the sales
and locations amounted t, l PA ,522,25 acres;
showing an increase over the corresponding
half year next prece ding the location OF the
road, of o32,o34, 40 acres.