The Empire County argus., 1854-04-08

a few designing men.
If the Congress of the United States had dona-
ted ten million Of dollars from the Treasury of the
t. 5. to this State for railroad purposes nay, two
millions one million, how grateful would
fccl-how our Federal presses would have lauded
the generosity Of the General Government to this
Statehow the opposition would have thundercd in
tcrnal improvement-how the Wings would have
charged us with stealing their thunder But, sir
change the appropraton-;he Congress Of the |,
s. is stepping aside from their legitimate business.
and appropriating from the pockets Of the people Of
this State not only one million, but tens Of millions
Of dollars and for what sirto pat them into the
pockets Of capitasts-into the pockets Of foreign
bankers and Spectators. And who sir remon-
strates against ths outrage! Does cur delegation
in Congress Indeed they do not And worse sir.
they advise it. Nay. sir our prcss-the presses Of
our State take credit that Senators have orgl-
mated so magnificent scheme. Magnificent sir
yes magnificent indeed, if that term be applied
to any thing diabocal. Again sir | ask who
demonstrates against this wrong! The puny voice
you now hear, but sir, through me speak the squat
tcrs of our land-through me speak our people
through me the hundreds of thousands which now
or will ere long dwell on our land d-through me and
in my puny voice do the millions yet unknown pro-
test aganst the wholesale alienation of there nat
ural rights.
But we have heard, sir and presume it is a mat
ter OF fact that Congress has ere this donated 100
acres to every actual settler
have shown sir, we have then the astounding
quantity OF five million three hundred and seventy
six thousand acres reserved from the action of the
law of Congress donating 100 acres to every ac-
tual settler, for which surprising the most liberal
construction of the law citizens will have to
pay the trifing sum ofthirtcen million four hundred
aud forty thousand dollars. That this must be the
case il these laws come into force none can deny.
But let us see what may be the case Suppose II
| railway f,ru,nJ t,n l,n,l. / 10
value assessed, agent is sent to New York or Eu-
rope the funds are easily raised the security Of
these lands as the work progresses the lands may
be sold-mind may be sold-in tcn .ars must be
sold, that is the alternate sections or GecUVJ acre..
. mag be reserved Iir better price.
Now, Sir, from the limited quantity of available
land in our State. and the increase of cur popul-
ton, to be anticipated from the donation of public
land, it is but rational to suppose the alternate sec
tons reserved by the L. ). will mostly be sold,
even the increased pice Of 81 90 per aero the
purchaser goes on and improves, and thcrely en-
hances the value Of the sections granted the rail
way company consequently. partly by the inAu-
cnce Of the road but more by the increase Of pop
uaton and the energy Of citizens, in ten years
the lands will increase III value at least five fold or
for the purpose OF being within bounds cav Gl.n
81 y per acre to So at which price they will sell
for sos $50 900 the United states alternate sec
tions having sold for $6,72o,OO0, Now after our
people have paid the enormous sum Of S33, 500 900
what have they got in return! Do they own the
railroadl No. lave they any exclusive right OF
is there any law insisting chat they and their pro-
duce shall be carried at reasonable rate! No
But they have the privilege Of riding at thirty Oh
forty miles per hour, and possibly of being killed
in the bargain, if they willing to pay any sum
(thesc immense monopolists that these bills have
created) may choose to exact from them. They
have built up Il monopoly that will prevent any
pos.i1ln cn,nyntitiOp InnOnbDlv thot bn Il
gerous to the liberty of our State. as with the
ception of few of our citizens who will make
enormous fortunes, the great bulk of the capital
will be held by foreign capitalists | may be told
they will have the lands for which they have paid
True, Sir, they will have the lands for which they
will have to pay from sou to go per acre lands
which they have right to according to custom OF
many years standing, for Sl.2j per acre, Lands to
which they have an inalienable right, with
out price-a right which, to the lasting honor oi
the L. s., she is the first among the nations Of the
earth to acknowledge. She acknowledged this in
hcrent right few years ago IN Oregon. to-day by
the action Of Congress she acknowledges this right
in California in few days she will acknowledge
that right on all her unsettled lands; and. Mir.
Speaker, the day is not far distant when the right
OF every human being to portion Of Gods tree
earth will be acknowledged. not only in the United
States but sir, in every nation OF earth, by every
people, and by every tongue.
MI. Speaker, our hign prCroGatlVe has been, to
teach the world that man is capable Of self govern
ment-that good government and self government
are synonymous terms. We have, by ourexample
taught the world that sovereign States having ,ari-
Gus institutions, may exist i'll unity and brother
hood-may settle their differences without resortng
| tn brute force. We have shown the uselessncss,
the utter worthlcssne,s Of standing armies We
have proved the possibility of contedelncy OF
eycrf civilized State in the world for if thirty
States can SO combine. why net sixty! why not a
| hundred! We have shown that having started on
firm right basis progressing in the right,
| (although too enthusiastic it may seem now) We
have now commenced to restore to man his natural
rights and one of the most important after life and
liberty the acknowledging the guaranteeing to
every human being portion Of the soil. And. cir
shall we, for the qualification of few Of our citi-
zens--to make them rich-to make them million
aiIs-sha we, to enrich foreign capitalists and
bankers, allow our public domain to be donated
from its rghtfu owners. Shall we allow so mag
niicent an act of our Congress to be stulthed!-
| Never, never
Mr. Speaker, some gentlemen may get up after
me and say have draw q fine fancy sketch. Sir,
| it is 10 fancy. What is tiu operation of similar
law in the State of Illinois; and illinois is 4 very
dissmar country o California. Illinois is one vast
extended plain, nearly every acre capable Of cult
vation. While vast proportion of this State is
mountainous, that can never be brought under the
plow. Well, in Illinois does the system work we'll
from the fact that large portion of her territory
arrable! Most of the railway lands in her various
counties remain unsold but her railways pay
| int on +ba on1 hnr neoplo