Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-12-28

In the Territories and new States where many of
the public lands remain for long period unsold,
liberal grants should be made for those great high
ways which, to certain extent may be considered
local in their character though general in their nu
ence, and not conflicting with the interests of the
old States In this way, without any expenditure of
money, the general government greatly increase
the value OF the public domain. 1t has made
such donation without being fully repaid. The
principle OF granting alternate sections and selling
those reserved at double the ordinary price has been
found, by experience, to be most sautary. By rea-
son OF the improvements made with such grants
large tracts of land that had long lain waste have
been brought into market, and found a ready sale
the surrounding country has been peopled; the
onue has been augmented by the increased consump-
uon OF foreign merchandise; and the State in which
the improvements have been thus made and not I'M
frequently the adjacent States have been largely ben
eflted Without these donations and CONSEQUENT i'm
provements, some of the finest portions of the new
states would have continued wilderness lands that
mad been Tor fifteen or twenty years in the market
might have remained as much longer unsold and
thus the prosperity and advancement of the whole
country greatly retarded. The loss to the govern
ment would have been serious, without any CORES
Pondlng benefit The true policy is to bring the
lands into market and by all legitimate means dis
pose OF them as speedily possible; Justice to those
VINO nave been induced to settle in the new States
ana territories and the interests of the government
alike demand it. The strongest political and eco
nomlca considerations therefore, dictate this course
On the 10th September, 1850, grant of lands
was nlaae 10 the StateS OF illinois, Mississippi and
Alabama, to aid in the construction of the great Cen
tral railroad from Chicago to Mobile To afford these
States an opportunity of making their selections the
lands along the propo5cd route of the road were for
short period, withdrawn from market, most of them
being OF little value to the States in which they were
or to the general government until the grants were
made and was ascertained that the road would be
constructed; but then they were brought up with
aVidity and are now considered as most choice and
valuable. ss
The Illinois Central Railroad Company was incor
porated and the route of the road and its branches
within that State designated by act of the legis
lature, in February, 1851 During the half year
ending the31st December 1850, the quantity of land
sold and located with bounty land warrants, in the
district traversed by the road was 487 88 acres
The alternate sections reserved the United States
were released from reservation and brought into mar
ket in July, August, and September, 1852, and du
ring that and the next succeeding quarter the sales
and locations amounted to PA 5222S acres show
ing anincrease over the corresponding half wear next
preceding the location of the road, of 932 084 40
acres
The unsolicited lands in the Augusta and Column
bus districts in the State of Mississippi were restored
to market in the month of September last and not
wthstandng the sales in those districts had for many
years been very limited the lands thus restored met
with ready sales, at enhanced prices The quantity