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

Judge under the responsibility OF pecunary interest in
what the grant should be made for, a
grant is made Of alternate sections 20 any railroad the
State pays the regular per oentaee that would be due upon
the sale OF those lands 10 the general government and Is
reimbursed already stated by the sale of the remaining
sections al double price The other amendment extends
the time right Of prescription in the second section
from ninety days TO twelve months and is for the benefit
OF actual settlers.
The lands in Territories not affected by the proys-
ions of the bill
Under this bill the railroad interest is amply protected,
the general GOV is than reimbursed the pur-
chase and survey Of the public lands and relieved OF an
onereus and annoying agency their disposal while the
citizens of ali the States guaranteed the advantages OF
graduation in their price.
The States benefited by having settled within their
borders all those annoying land claims and conflicting titles
that up Washington from all quarters to be decided
frequently upon imperfect testimony
Most of the States have already State well
federal land offices within their limits Under this hill the
State land Offices will do the work OF both
At present the general government pays to each State
five per upon the public lands within their borders,
and the State cannot tax them for FIVE after they
sold. #@
BY the substitute this is reversed the State pays
tain per cenage to the general government The receipt
of this per centage by the general is insured
by the titles under the State being dependent for their e
gality upon its payment
the States to the States in which they lie two condi-
tons:
First that the States shall dispose of them ST. rs cents
80 cents and 20 cents according they have been offered
for sale, ten fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five years
Second that the States pay to the general government
10 per cent the net amount realized from their sale
This centage to paid quarterly as the lands are dis
posed of nj the State land Offices those remaining unsold
at the end Of thirty years belong to the States
ARGUMENT FAVOR SUBSTITUTE IS, THAT
cURTAILs EXECUTIVE PATRONAGE by its adoption 226
federal offices will be abolished and their duties imposed
upon State officers.
Mr. Calhoun, to whom it was given to detect danger
the constitution before it visible to most minds, and
whose eloquence but the protest of the future
against the present. said that the greatest instruments
of consolidation under government the land Office
the currency, and the post office.
The constitution, originally interpreted by its trainers
left the great of legislation to the States and restricted
the federal government to the management Of foreign a
fairs, and few internal matters Yet disguised under
pride of national greatness has been the tendency to COIL
solidaton that nsensbly power after another has
been assumed until the general government almost to the
exclusion of the State governments has made itself felt in
all the relations Of life Its encoachmens have been in
visible, but constant
With the addition of each State the relative great
of the general has been increased and that
of the individual States diminished With increased
power reward, its Offices have become valuable
The popular mind has associated increase Of constit
tonal power with national development Congress has
absorbed nearly all the legislation Of the counrys
sons Increasing length while those of the State legisa
lures have become less frequent and shorter.
Under the administration Of Mr. Jefferson, in 1902, there
but FIVE heads of department: there
There then but 1896 federal officers there
in the employment of government throughout the country
35456. H rE
The adoption of the substitute will abolish 228 of these
and with advantage to the particular interests in
volved transfer their duties TO those Of the States See
table By
John Randolph Of Roanoke speaking this subject in
the Senate of the United States in March, 1926 said:
wish that every new all the lands within the
State that in the shape and other these
States might be brought under the influence Of this
miles square In other words wish that all the patronage
the land Office in the hands of the individual States
and not in the hands of the general government am the
friend of State rights and win down the patronage Of this
general government which has increased increasing and
be diminished we-the States-sbaN be not only
'shorn of our beams sir, but abolished quite
Mr. Van Buren, in May Of the year. in the Senate
said the public lands had extended the patronage of the
government the States TO great extent" and sub
ected' those in which they situated ito unwise
and Improbable dependence the federal government
No could render the greater service than be
who should devise plan by which the United States
might be relieved from the ownership of this property by
equitable mode" He would votef fora proposition
such terms.
In $780, Mr.. Hayne, in the Senate, said
More than one half has been taken up with the
discussion ofpropoons connected with the public lands and
than oneha of our acts embrace provon growing
out of this fruitful source"
In 1899 Mr. Calhoun said the discussion about their dis
position consumed one-thrd Of the time Of Congress
Mr. Speaker Boyd, in answer to inquiry made by rne
under date of May Il, 1854, says:
state my deliberate opinion that during the sixteen
have served in Congress at least opehird Of the entire
time Of that body has been consumed in the consideration Of
questions connected in form other with public
land system. tsee appendix
The Clerk Of this House Colonel Forney in note in re-
ply to an inquiry on the subject says:
Fifteen hundred columns of Congressional Globe and
Appendix for the ThrtySecond Congress taken up with
debates public lands and the expense the government
incurred alone by the time consumed Slt3 800 tSce
Appendix.)
Again this substitute not only reduces The patronage Of The
general government resulting from he administration Of ne
public lands, ba takes them out Of the political
question purely Of political economy loW longer Be made
Of pdrtisan eonfroveSy is non-intUenon IN the 10
cal iHterests and politics Of the States
| discuss
aud without appeal TO party feelings But ask members
II the disposition Of the public lands has not been ee-
nen side the other in all political contests
II directly connected with the great Hayne and Web
ster debate and after arrayng in opposition the old
and the States and embitering feeling at the North
and the South has since affected the regulation of the
tariff |.
II closely connected with all the financial measures
Of General Jacksons administration mixed itself up with
his contest with the United States Bank and became the
suggestion of change in the constitution II has
been associated with the discussion Of the power of Con-
gress TO make internal improvements and when
after another OF these questions have been settled passed
away, IL remains with the subject of slavery monopoze
our time and cmbarrass legislation.
ls this never TO cease Having assisted 10 make and
unmake Presidents for half century, IL IL continue
fund upon which individual members may draw to supply
political capital for their districts Has the OF
depend upon the legislation OF Congress upon this subject
than npon any other7 DO measures Objectionable in
principle ally themselves with grants of land to force rep
reseniaves TO the alternative Of violation Of their
vction Of constitutional right seeming aniagonsm
TO the interests Of their constituents
believe, sir, there Is general desire that this should
believe u to be the feeling of the country tina,
the public lands should be disposed Of once or austy
and equaby--to prevent improper combinations To re-
duee the length OF sessions and enable logisate