The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1854-06-07
sfEEcH OF
Hon. George E. Badger,
" koRTh CAROLINA


" NORTH CAROLINA.
On the Presidents Veto Message.
Dslirefsj in The 5cnsfs OF The Cniiea States.
May IL. 1884.
conelude5.
TIE President Of the United States
has remarked in his message, that the
publis dqnain constitutes fund fer
the common benefit Of the States; and
in thar view. let u consider The matter
ppaH the oihsr superstition. that the
United States stand merely in the cha.
raier Of trustees. hulding these lands in
trust for the common benefit at the
several States in their sovereign cara.
cities--a view which is commonly TAX
en- Of this subject. and which. in the
debates here in which | have taken
part. in relation to the public. lands. l
have been cui,trnt 10 assume as suiii-
eient to answer The purposes Of discus
siors then pending, though | believed
in the pawer af the Government upon
the general grounds have now stated.
suppose The Government Of the Uni>
ted States 10 be such a trustee far
whom is il trustees perceive tl,at
at the FIRST Indignation meeting which
was held at Boston upon the subject Of
the passage cf the NDfaska bill BY this
body. the persons who composed that
meeting adopted solemn resolution
that the public lands we're held in trust
by the United States for the benefit OF
all the people in the United States who
had no lands, natives and foreigners,
and for all those foreigners who might
hereaftercome to the country. Laugh
teri Ipresume there is no gentleman
here who would carry the idea Of trus-
teeship quite as far as that, II we
hold in the character Of trustees, it is
either for the benefitof all the people
Of the United States. and then it is no
more than saving that this. like all
our powers, is public trust, or we
hald tor the common benefit of the diff.
fercnt members Of the Union. Well,
If we do, how does that furnish any
reason why We cannot grant the lands,
which We hold as trust fund for the
common benef; Of the members of the
Uniun--the State.--amnng the very
members for whom we hold them as
trustcesi Is it not curious afgu
menti z 1t Is first said sthe.- -Enifed
States are not owners Of these lands
have naufrue property or dominion oyel
them. Dol hold them merely us trustees
For mhom are we trustees? For ths
common and equal benefit Of all the
States. 1t is proposed, then, totake !
portion Of these lands and apply their
in a particular direction for the coin,
mon and equal benefit of all the States
But We are told, !" No it is unconsti,
tutional to do that; you have no right
ful power to do it; you are compelled
TO hold them for your cestui que trusts
you are to keep them; you are not t.
let the parties for whom you hold hav,
the benefit of Them" The Unitet
States do not hold them, We are told
. for their own benefit, but for the be
. nefit of the several States !; yet it Il
required that the trustee shall not per
nit the States to have the use or pro
, fit, although the only purpose for whicl
the trustee holds is to benefit the Sc
seral States on common aud equa
footing of fairness.
!, You may, according to this doctrine
! grant any amount OF the lands yn
I please to the States in which they ar
situated. You may go there as Ian
: holder, and you may grant lands 70
i primary schools, you may grant land
for canals aud railroads, you may gran
!. lands for court-houses and seats of 60
vernment. All that, as a landhoIdel
you have right to do; but what be
comes of the character of a trustee i
the mean timer These ideas are n,
reconcilable. If We are, in the tru
and proper sense Of the term, land
# holders. il We own the lands, then V
q have the right the dispose Of them.
: We do npt, if We are merely trustee
!. for the benefit of all the States equal,
! where do We get the power. as trustee.
!. to give away portions pf these land
j. for the purpose Of building college
: and erecting primary schools in tn
!. !. States in which they lies The argu
: ment has been often urgued, that whe
we grant them in, alternate sections fu
. canals and railroads., we double til
: price of the remaining sections; an
thisis the advantageous operation whic
is produced to the great landholder-
], tile United States. | believe we a
:. !. pretty well know. however, that tn
= theory is not true in point of TACT.
j. has been spoken OF, and is what tn
5. law contemplates; but it is resu
" which the law has not produced. Bt
g assume that to be so. how is it th;
y your prudent landhnlder gives ava
lands which do not belong tn him, b.
Il which he hnlds in trust, for the eres
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