Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-07-12


subject-and that is, that with the most innocent
simplicity the gentleman has COMPOUNDED naked gifts
and grants with conyeyances made or authorized py
the Government upon consideration He has COM
pressed them all pell NELL into onesitem, without
recognizing the principles upon which the grants
were made whether granted for a consideration or
in conformity to treaty stipulations, or the otner
reasons and principles which have controlled the
Government nrelaton to the particular transactions
He puts all down as naked gifts to the States ana
Territories in which the lands were located and
them he supposes and assumes that he has estab-
lShed the fact that the Government has made naked
gifts and grants of these enormous quantities OF lands
to the land States and Territories of the Union, it
having been previously conceded-as it is conceded
by all-that the public domain is the common prop
erty and the common fund of all the States of the
Union then he concludes that they-that is, the old
States-are entitled to their share--corresponding
share-in the distribution; because, as he assumes
for his logic runs, the States have had extern
sive grants gifts lands therefore the old States
must have equal gifts That is the argument Now,
sir let us go back and examine little this extraor
binary statement of facts, and see what the land
States and Territories really have got as gifts T"
Mr.. Disney then argues the Constitutional ques-
ton at some length, and then takes up the facts of
Mr. Bennett, as follows:
"Having disposed of the constitutional question,
and satisfied him that Congress may just what it
deems proper with the public lands he then proceeds
to show how much land has been granted to the
States "for public buildings, corporations, private
claims saline and swamp lands, and goes on to give
the amounts which, he alleges, were given to the
enumerated States. In this statement grants to
Territories in order to carry their governments,
grants made under contracts with the States grants
made under purchases and sales to individuals, are
conglomerated together and charged as grants--and
by the word grants the gentleman mean naked gifts
He means grants without consideration, grants
without compensation to the government. say
that he has congomerated them all into one hetero-
geneous mass. And it would be well it the errors
had stopped there; but he has gone beyond Let
US look at his figures for a moment: First In the
list stands my State To Ohio he says there
have been granted eight million eight hundred and
eighty-three thousand six hundred and seventeen
acres of land. That is, there has been granted to
her. as a naked gift this quantity of land.
We'll, sir, when first l saw these figures they
struck me as somewhat familiar. l thought that L
had seen them before, and turned to the Commits
sioners Report, and there found under the head OF
reservations" pretty much these same marks. Now,
will explain to the House exactly what the gen
tcman calls grants. This amount which he has
charged to Ohio, will illustrate it. First, there is
all that portion of the State of Ohio which the State
of Connecticut claimed and held, and owned, and
sold, and the title to which was in the Gener-
al Government. Connecticut coded to the General
Government the jurisdiction over the territory, but
retained the proprietorship of it, and the entire
disposal of the lands for her own State purposes.
Yet this territory is embraced by the gentleman
from New York in the grants to the State OF Ohio
Why sir, the General Government never held the
title to of it.
State of Virginia, within the limits of her cession,
pay the soldiers of her Continental lne the title
to- which never went in the General Government, ex
cept a trustee for that specific purpose.
For the satisfaction of the House, not Of myself
for was familiar with the facts before, addressed
note to the Land Office this subject and required
an answer, and here it is. will read it for the d
gestion of the gentleman from New York.
"In answer to your oral enquiries lhave the hon
or to state
'That the s,sO5 s76 acres entered in the statistics
Of this office, reserves in Ohio, made up as
follows, to w.t.
l. CONNECTICUT reserve, $500, 921 acres. |
g. Virginia military, $685. 4S
g. Ohio Companys purchase, LA, 800
4. j. c. Symmes, 2s4, sos &c
Total sso5, 976 acres. |
LIST. The fee in the lands Connecticut reserve
retained by the State of, Connecticut, the jursdc-
lion only having been coded by that State to the
The State of Ohio. All the lands in that reserve
we're disposed of by Connecticut.
I'd. The lands in the Virginia military district, in
0ho transferred to the United States, in trust
the satisfaction of warrants issued to be issued
oy the State of Virginia, to her troops continent
al establishment
Sd and 4th The Ohio Companys purchase and
John Cleves Symme's purchase, were made from the
United States before Ohio was admitted into the
Union. They were, in fact simply sales of the bod
es of lands, the areas of which are given above"
That is say that of these eight millions and odd
lcreS which the gentleman charges as grant made
~ the United States to the State of Ohio three
Millions six hundred thousand acres were owned and
old by the State of Connecticut to individuals
hree millions hundred thousand and odd acres
we're retained by the State of Virginia to pay her
roops, and one million four hundred thousand acres
sold by the United States for dollars and cents
o the individuals there designated and the money
or which was paid into the Treasury of the United
states. These items make eight millions eight hum
red and five thousand out of the eight millions eight
undred and eighty three thousand which this gen.
leman has charged to the State of Ohio. The bal
nee of these lands, which he has charged as grants,
lands reserved under treaty stipulaons for the
eneft of certain parties who set up legal right,
Ihich the government acknowledged. These amount
d to twenty-sx thousand four hundred and fifty
inc acres.
Again, there were the Saline lands, amounting to
twenty-five thouse nd acres, which werergranted by
he United States the State of Ohio by virtue of
he terms of the compact admitting the State of
hio member of this Confederacy, in considera-
on of which the State stipulated to forbear taxation
pom lands belonging to the General Government,
OF only during its ownership, but for five years af
# their alienation by the Government and the re-
raining twenty-fv thousand acres passed to her |
nder the swamp land grant, Now, sir, there is an
ustration of the statements in this report. Eight
illions eight hundred and eight thousand acres of
nd charged as granted by the General Government
the State of Ohio, seven millions and half of
hich never owned by the Government, and Z
lie balance of which was sold by the Government
r money, while not of the remainder of the
ght millions eight hundred and eighty-three thou
nd six hundred and seventeen acres was ever Civ
grant, in the sense in which the gentleman Z
- ~ n