The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-06-22


fee ana independent States received into this Union
an equality with those the Atlantic On looking back
little more an century 10 the first feeble settlements
eastern shore and then the stanpont OF onr
present national greatness forward into the future hs
spread Of civilization and art and the growth towns
cities and along shore the mind Is
by turns awed and dazzled by the vision. The Roman
poet taking his hero to point from which he could view
the successive generations Of his nation spreading out into
all the greatness of the Roman empire, describes him
shedding tears the ills that he to bef them
In case il wise there is such cause Of sad
| ness s#t
The but Incorporating influence Of law properly
guarded is the security the time that il is the
beautiful result of our institutions In popular govern
men where all power Of the people for
high moral manifestation. II free will selfcontro
led. 1t has the majesty of power sclflimited and like
force in nature labor in art II is the bottom Of and
creates and is il were the breath and being Of
tiona existence Regarding it in this light depore any
thing that weakens its respect
viii not enlarge this point but, familiar with the
character and the hardy virtues Of the living the
frontiers of distant land States who to be affected
in their rights Of pre-empon settlement and the like,
which, secaed and horn of adventure In the woods
are cherished with enthusiastic DEVOTION much fear
you are imposing upon them system that win prove ex-
pensve and oppressive and that flng Of advantage TO
the government will be productive only Of litigation and
bloodshed. ssa1& 2 t5 43aE1 aGt - 55L.
The substitute have offered proposes at diminished
expense the federal government to remedy this evil
and thank the honorable Speaker BoyD for having sug
gested to the gropey ofbringng it at this time to the
As this substitute yet been discussed in the House.
must anticipate objections to IT, and MsuN in ad
a8 Z g,t = Y a,s- a.
l. That The biz efAs gentleman from NsH York prsyids.
giving to the old States specifically portion Of The pro-
csds Of he public lands, Okils he substas propss that
Be paid into The common treasury, or eoalson Bsnf
will not repeat the argument that the old States are
legally entitled only 70 benefit by The public lands q
that the condition of virginas cesson that their pro-
ceeds should be distributed according to the charge
and expenditure referred to the mode OF taxation under
the confederation each State paying separately its quota
to the support Of the general government and that the
subsequent formation and adoption b the States % our
present constitution with the clause giving Congress power
the Territory like other property evidences the nten
ton of the cession to have been general and that the
omission Of the expresson ausua charge and sxpend-
ture" in the cesson from Georgia made this
period though in other respects in the same words as that
OF Virginia. - confrmaory Of the tsct Nor viii stop
the proceeds of tho public lands in the new States having
themselves originally obtained most Of the lands within
their limits oy grant and sold and spp1leS ,1s Ptoossqs
i rived mostly from this source and Massachusetts, and
Maine at the present time having State land Offices from
which they receive an annual revenue rom the sales Of
The public lands be appropriated in kind There
nual nj charge and expenditure Of the States Federal rep
resenttion will not basis for that representa-
ton and taxation are not correatve under the general
tons Of the Union Shall their proceeds constitute fund
in the hands Of the general government to supply dac
enees inequalities in this respect and Congress eyer
discretion to the mode and amount Of their appca
! ton to particular State insttutions7 ~ ft,
Abuse in the extreme exercise of general power Of the
constitution is often scarcely disnguishabe from the
sumption of an unconstitutional power 1t should be re-
membered however that power under that instrument Is
by special grant with restrictions upon the exercise Of gen
erul power. different mode Of Interpretation would
have the effect to change the entire nature Of cons
ton Admit in Congress the right to determine and egs
late at discretion the public lands for the
benefit and promote the general welfare and its power
is unmtcd for the constitution speaks Of 4teritory
and "other property" Of the United States in the
clause the instruments and agencies of government and
the funds in the common treasury would be- equally with
| the public lands, under its control.
But of the lands ceded by the States few remain
Those upon which the is henceforward operate
acquired either by purchase conquest and
gument therefore founded upon terms Of original cession
| is without application.
| WAvISG, HOWEVER, CONSTITUTIONAL ARGUMENT AND
| REoARDYG MERELY NATTER OF ExpKDIRSoY con-
tend in the words of the able report Of the chairman
DISNEY of the Committee Public Lands of this House.
that expensive mode could be devised support
local institutions than make the federal government the
agent to raise and distribute the With the States
lies the power necessary for their and
ical administration. Supported by rascd by the
authority of the State injustice be inflicted upon
the people Of other States State provision between the
States would be just from necessity and from interest
| would be economical e e--e ~
If it desired to 10 the citizens Of the old States
the benefit of these lands in way IL he efbctuay
done under the provisions of this substitute Whatever
the States through the general have paid out
for these lands will be returned into the general Treasury
and reducing taxation TO the amount Of their sale viii be
common fund for the support of the general govern
| ment
Whatever benefits the settlers the pubic lands are
TO derive from this bin will be shared by the citizons Of all
tho States proportion they choose 10 avail eusclves
Of them The States in which the lands lie cannot Appro
priate them in payment Of their debts grant peculiar
advantages of purchase ownership their citizens
They administer them, but without power TO dis
criminate In price presumption against the citizens Of
other States One State have price and terms
Of sale and another State different the system will act un
formly in all The States cannot purchase them from
the government and sell them At higher price. They
purchase the price fixed but must also sell At the
graduated price in the BILL except in the Of lands along
the line OF railroads. alternate sections OF which may be
disposed Of at double price, but In that CASE cond
toned that the remaining sections are granted for The con-
sructon Of the road
Here Mr. Chairman meet The objection that hs s6ss Of
graduation the price Of e public iands drdws 0 70 ne
| 'Wea tle ,ceolth Of the Aflanhc &atss .at .HW
II Is true that the OF population and wealth In
this going west and with II that Of federal
civilization rolls from 10 to II miles year. Ac
cording calculation OF DR. Patterson OF Philadelphia
as published in DE Bows Review the federal centre was,
in $780, Baltimore county Maryland 4s miles north and
2l east Of Washington in 1900 Adams county, PenDsy
vania Ga miles north and 30 west Of Washington In 1870
Morgan county virgnis Al miles north and u wet OF
Washington in 1890 Hampshire county, Virginia, -
miles north and los west Of Washington IN 1890 Marion
county Virginia miles north and 160 west OF Wasoing
| ton.
Thus going almost directly west in 30 years. fe2 miles not
VARYING in that time miles north south and Zach
moving with increased velocity In 1850 the centre had
reached the Ohio river II has crossed II Would
You check his7 Sir IL attempted at early period
be sold township by township additional one to be of
theI hatt