The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-06-20
CONG r ESSI0N AL.
SPEECH OF HON. ID. 4. DISNEY,
or ONO,


The House having under consideration the bill granting
lands equally the several States TO aid in the construe
ton Of railroads and for the support Of schools
Mr. DISNEY said:
On Yesterday declared my purpose TO endeavor to dis
abuse the minds only Of the members of this House.
but much of the public mind of the country with regard
important facts IN relation 10 le past history
Of the public domain
Ny health, regret say however admonishes me- this
morning that il quite problematical whether shall beable
to remain upon my feet longer than for very few minutes
Indeed il 10 myself to say that doubt very much
whether any before undertook address the
House when suffering much as am physically at the
present moment should not undertake the tasktor II
Is great in my present conditondid not feel my
self compelled to it by considerations Of than an
ordinary nature have on previous occasions expressed
nv regret in regard TO the false impressions which have
prevailed here upon the subject OF the public lands have
seen these received and entertained and feel il to
he nv duty chairman of the Committee Public Lands
TO at least endeayor dsabuse the minds Of the House
and country with regard to the past legislation of the gov
ernInent in relation to this subject
There certainly few, IL any subjects Of import
real solid interest to the people of the United States
than this matter OF the public domain Your appropra
ton bills matters OF importance to be sure to the
tent which they go but they merely temporary in
their character from necessity and limited by the extent
of the provisions of the respective bills But the public
domain is fund vast and incacuabe in amounta fund
vast that exceedingly Aoubt whether any man
living justly appreciate the value of it in the future
Looking forward into the prospective history of this
try, and contemplating the teemng millions which will
hereafter populate land and contemplating the
sary appreciation of these lands constituting in point of
fact they do the most solid basis Of credit for govern
ment in time Of peace and one of the most powerful and
effective snews Of power in time of repeat that
doubt whether it is possible for any living ap
precate the value of this public domain in the future 1t
shall be my purpose to show that amid all the strifes and
contests OF parties for the last sixty years the public do
main has hitherto been preserved intact and in all its in
tegy and that it has remained for this Congress sig
naze itself by abrupt and violent departure from the
established poity OF the government and introduce
practice in action; to threaten and which threatens
the entire destruction of this invaluable possession Of the
federal government
know and / appreciate the temptation which is
presented to gentlemen to make ephemeral popularity
among their immediate constituencies by presenting
them with portion of plunder wreted from the general
government But the people of the United States an
intelligent people they reading and thinking peo-
ple and they will ascertain and under
stand that they the owners propetos and masters Of
the funds OF the general government well the funds
Of their respective State governments that it is only their
property which is bestowed upon them by these
schemes of punder that has been taken from pocket
to fill to repleton the other; and they will find that the
and tear of the process of transition will pay
They will find that the substantial interests of the country
have been sacrificed by the operation The American peo
pie will find out this fact
confess that have but little hope of arrestng the pro-
gresS OF this House in the direction in which il has
menced to march still shall feel all the be Ter and sel
though had discharged my duty the House and the
country when shall have placed before them the facts
belonging TO the history of the public domain See the
strides that this House has made. What has already been
done by the passage of that graduation bill whose pro-
gress endeayored to arrest2 BY that bill alone m pass
into law, have stricken down the value of the pub
lie domainso far the lands in the market and open
purchasers alone concernedto exceeding
S5o0o0ooo Yes sir; by that you have stricken
down the value of the public domain-eyen so far only as
the lands in the market and offered purchasers are
eoneernedto an amount exceeding, repeat $4,000 900
While upon the floor, succeeded in making adverse
disposition of the insane-asyum bin reported TO the
House; but, during my illness and while was confined
my bed saw by the reports of the proceedings in the
newspapers that afterwards this House had passed the
senate bill upon that subjectthe bill making grants of
lands for the benefit Of the INDECENT insane Against that
bill had the honor of making report Upon the princi
pies Embodied in that report stand now and shall CON
hnno 70 stand The report written hastily, and with
out polish but the principles on which il was based were
well considered and well dipested
ana mere und take TO say, that the passage of that
6l this House introduced in the policy of the
Congress OF the United States in relation the admins
traton of the public domain That Is the first great and
important violation Of the rules and principles heretofore
acted on by Congress in relation 10 the administration Of
the public lands. IL an act which need hardly an
to this House is in my judgment not only In violation Of
the constitutional organization Of this government but inn
polite in every Of the word
have endeavored heretofore prevent the passage OF
these bills, and proceed now following the same path OF
duty to endeavor TO arrest the bin providing for the dis
ubauon OF large part Of the public domain among the
OLD states OF the Union.
This bill Is introduced by the gentleman from New York
hr BENNETT II has been advocated by him in speech
made on this hoo the principles of which all set out
W m IN the report which he heretofore submitted and Of
which now propose TO speak With the matters in that
report and speech IL is my purpose TO deal But de
sire hrst TO say iha in legislative experience somewhat
extended u has been my fortune 70 Legislative reports
more or essrmarkable in their character but never be
lore saw remarkable document as this Ofal the pub
nc documents that have fallen under my eye during
my legislative experience yet have which
WIN at all compare with this have occasionally seen
Document remarkable for bunder but then II was only
asngie hlunder But this is remarkable for rs bunders
IN regard TO every fact it undertakes TO state Here Is
grave report deliberately presented to this House. and
ough " 70 the country, presenting long and imposing
army OF hgures and pretended statements Of facts not
NJ noi 20 Rt as have examined them is truo-not
is strong langagei but mean precisely use H.
shd 70 inc gentleman from New York Mr. BENNETT
sesraay mat y was my purpose TO gibbet his report
Somehce lhat operation and think that when
aone With IT. not even the gentleman from New York will
any disposition 10 put his hand upon the carcass
ee at all disposed towards effort TO take II down Wv
SIR an occasional blunder in figures NAV 10 arib
ued to hasty preparation inadvcrtence; hut when
whole document teens with errors and bunders from, hc
ginning TO end and when the facts and principles are All
confounded in universal mass what are we IL a ~
regard to the gentleman who presented the House,
ishould weary your attention TO enter into dis
eusslon OF all the details of this remarkable document
WIN not attempt IT. but will take up enough of IL TO un-
mskaby expose It's character The general burden OF the
ecp ana OF the reporor the report is the speech
ne speech ~ The reports, first that by the constitution
congress being empowered TO dispose OF the public lands
mere being words OF limitation expressed with regard
he exercise OF the power therefore Congress dispose
them IN any manner and for any purpose may fl
and proper
snow The grants 10 the respective States and makes the
general allegation that these lands have been granted and
naWay with the most extravagant profusion. To
s own wordsand do II for the purpose Of doing the
gonean exact jusuoehe says that the lands being
qnanderedi granted and given away with the most reck
less and extrayagau profusiono lie then gives state
ment IN hFurc and preends TO make ont that In the au-
EeRs' no 'ess IMAM one hundred and twenty-eigh mil