The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-11

more than that amount for their commercial and maritime
capacities and advantages, and including The lee
simple OF the soil-they, ii you please, retaining II
as Texas has Deduct the amount OF their cost, $50,
0oo0oo) and the actual profit TO The government from
The sale OF IFS domain is eighty million dollars and up
wards, $50, 2i3 79) II proper make this deduc
lion, for the value OF the land in Louisiana and Florida
was not the consideration which induced their pur-
chase, The United States for great national purposes,
needed the control OF the mouth OF the Mississippi and
the Gull OF Mexico The same high considerations and
wise policy dictated the expediency Of acquiring Cal
ornia with her unrvaled bay and Larbo OF San Fran
cisco AS mere question, hen OF dollars and cents,
the government might here be willing TO stos, for il has
been more than reimbursed
Our prosperity and growth nation will, in my
opinion, be greatly accelerated by the adoption OF differ
prncpleone that will repudiae the system OF doing
out the public lands al certain number OF shings per
acre. as source OF revenue and treasury profit The
States and the Territories will suffer by continu
ing this system, and especially by the passage OF
leAdng TO excite and aggravate IT, such have
before adyeed to- The mania OF speculation will soon
sweep them like the Sirocco blast, proslrang all
within the OF lis poisonous and desoatng
These embryo States, far regards the public do
main, will 10 be the territories OF the Union and
become the property OF monopoisls, possessing their
soil. delaying their admission into the Union. and ~
shaping their destiny for half century. WitnessV
deplorable condition OF lrelandhe sad evils OF anti
rentism in New York; OF on-residen propretorship of
the half.bTeed lands, so called. In Iowa; Lord Muir
rays possessions in Western Wisconsin and numerous
other instances of absentee laHdodism in other western
States and Territories
The settler, only when his necessities demand it, APP
pears at The door of the government official seeking 10
purchase home He finds that immense tracts-nay,
whole counties, and almost whole Teuiories-are thus
excluded from actual settlement for ordinary lifetme
and he is driven furthen his pursuit of land forced
TO become tenant Could any system be devised more
destructive OF equal rights and republican principles
In vain will have eschewed the feudal system, with
its relation of lord and vassa defeat the homestead
bill and and continue to issue, is proposed by
numerous mammoth schemes now before ua, this paper
currency called land warrants TO be used is, TO abb
sorb the public domain and regulate the terms Of its sale
and settlement!
Excluding the years 1885 and 1885, the average sales
OF the public lands from 1896 down to S47 is about
million and half of acres per annum. Owing to an
increase in the circulating medium but especially
to the enormous issue of land warrants, the sales
amounted to "a OCT during the last fiscal year OF
these sales nearly three and half millions OF were
for bounty land warrants-beng increase pre-.
vous years of nearly million OF thus absorbed by
these warrants, which greatly fear being most
tensvey used to pass the title from the TO the
specuator The following letter from the Commissioner
| the General Land Office bears upon this point:
GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
February H. 1853.
/ SIR, In your inquiry, have the honor 10
That whole of lands sold during the years 1914
@ is osa aIa S w Sss s ss 90 % acres
The whole number Of entries during said period
] Or yearly average of 3s 7s2
This makes an average OF 81 4I0o acres to each entry
showing that large majority Of the entries were in 80 and
la the year 1886 there were sold in the Fairfield district
in Iowa. $50 tracts OF 100 acres EACH equal 8 500
LOIS 80 s2,24O
967 Az $3.50 q
Total 2,l75 1920
Making an average for each sale of 60 $40 acres.
With great Iespect, your obedient servant,
JOHN WILSON, Commissioner, &C.
Hon. A. c. DODGE, Senate
This shows the average OF slles for the four years
therein named to be about two millions OF the
maximum quantity required for annual settlement and
cultivation. The absence Of all artificial exciting
speculation in the four years enumerated, and the pepon.
derance OF forty and eighty entries, show that the
great body of the land sold purchased by those who
desired il for homes and Improvement.
/ Now, il the government OF the United States really
consulted its own interests in pecuniay point of
would il not instead of making the public lands
now of two three millions year, discard that
system and throw open this estate 10 an Industrious and
energetic population, which would give back in exchange
rich and perpetual stream Of wealth. fed by all the ele-
mems OF nations prosperity But not only in this
spect should consider duties and obligations. This
government stands in the position OF political parent,
whose duty TO watch guard and protect the inter-
OF every citizen That duty requires that should
enable every within the limits washed by the Atlantic
and Pacific OCEANS 10 secure farm or homestead for
himself and family. That is generous, nay. Just and
noble system which would repudlae this selfish policy OF
shIllngs and look TO which is more in accordance
with the genus OF our institutions. Let this Congress
OF the United States up 10 the important subject
der proper OF what is due 10 people and
country, and by adopting measure like this they will
rescue from state wholly unproductye, thousands OF
square miles-wl convert them to the great purposes OF
life. thus subscribing the ends OF our being and will
add new stars of equal brillancy TO those consiu
ling the galaxy of the American Union.
fro Continued