The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-04-01

The Mime sofa Land Graut.

We are INDEBTED 10 Hon. L. ID. Campbell oi
Ohio. for copy of his excellent speech, deiiv-
cred in the House of Representatives Oh the
7th inst, in favor of the bin for granting lands
to Minnesota for railroad purposes. We are
sorry We have not room for The entire speech
The first part is devoted to a thorough usiiig
up Of the arguments Of Mr.. SsyfeY, am other
Virginia members who opposed the BILL OIL
Constitutional grounds. We quote the latter
part of hisremarks. They are well worth read
ing: and Minnesota will not forget Mr. c. for
this mastery effort in her behalf:
l pass on now, Mr.. Chairman. to the conrid-
Grafton of the practical effects of this policy.
The arguments contained in the extracts have
read from the messages Of Mr.. Madison and
General jackson are pertinent, too, to this
branch of the subject. The General Govern
ment has never been made dollar poorer by
reason of these grants, whilst their effect has
been to secure high degree Of prosperity to
those States which have been the fortunate re
cipents of them. Ali past experience corrob-
crates this assertion. Let the labor of the home
less dcvclope the hidden riches Of your vast and
fertile wilderness aid in the construction Of
railroads 10 give them cheap anI speedy
Transportation Of tho fruits Of their toll. and
you add largely TO the great cause of human
happiness ard tO your national renown.
! Mr. MCNulIlN. Will the gentienlan pefflfi {
me for single lnomeut-
Mr. CAMPBELL. Yes; will yield the floor to
you, but | would not do SO just now. tt any
other gentleman in the committee. Ii.aua ahter. ]
MR. McMt.iIN. ] an Obliged to the gentle
man. He has arraigned the entire Virginia
delegation without excepting me.
Mr.. CAMPBELL. You voted for the bounty
land bill, and did not vote On the wet land
question.
| Mn. MCNfuIIIN. / do not remember how !
voted on that question; but go, perhaps, as
far as the gentleman from Ohio for the power OF
the Government TO dispose of the public lands.
Mr.. CAMPBELL. understood your colleague,
+ Mr. Letcher | to say that Virginia was all on
one side in regard to the subject.
MR. McMtILIN. Willie conccde the power
to the Government. | say that the Government
NAV abuse it. | think it has abused it. If the
gentleman had looked at the record he would
! have seen. that Yesterday. and during the last
Congress. / voted with lin for the homestead
bill. t. is true. | stood solitary and alone from
Virginia. |, like that gentleman. constri,. the
| ConStitution far myself and act arroriIiugly.
TCrics of ..Good,"l
| Mn C;v1ru,II / ain harny 70 see. Mr. CHAR
mau that there is one nrnnr.ssiyc suirjt left in
! plJ Nir.,;nia fIoughter1 Nv friend u,,ret
not think that attack his prncjpIes or votes
or thosa of his collrorns in tlr s,,rit of i'll will
! II wos snyu,st,,i IN me that some of fine hon
orallc membcrs from that State regarded me
as narticuIorIv inclined TO oupo.e or rather. to
use a western cypress;on. TO ..ptch into " Viz
ginia This is am error | have nn surh inc}i
nat;nn II is Virginia that clutches into rs
whom she onnoses western interests. and hv her
nolirv nuts a chock unon the Growth and nros-
nnar;ty IF tho yrc.t valley of tho Nississinni
sm disnosnd in return 10 "nitrh into these
untrnabIe distractions. Having grown with
tho crovtb and strpnqthcncd with thc strength
| Of NV St,te and epioved in common with nv
! ruow-cit;zn,s ot home The fruits of tbis svs
tom I regard II os a hiph dutv to defend II
a ru;nst ,ha ATTACKS of Viroinians
Mn R,yIrY Of VIRGINIA. mr.. Cumpbcll
| Welding the fioorO The gentleman has made
| an accusation arainst VIRGINIA. and gone into
specifications. lie saws that Virginia has beeu
| DISPOSED to pitch into the west Well, she
pitched into the west the State which the gem
| tcman himself in part represents. Laughter |
! Nix C.MPBElh. She '.pifctei IN the west
| Ohio. did she. True, Virginia by her ancient
charter. claimed all that territory, extending
| [ believe, to TIE Pacific ocean. when Il wilder
ness, unoccupied gave bv the ssvag. and the
Will beast She ceded her ciai,n. hut it was
perhaps q little like that title which a certain
| pretended owner of much land had in the oldcn
| times He took the Saviour into mountain
| and promised it to him on certain conditions.
| His title however was dcfgctiyc-lc did not
own an acre. But supDosc Virginia had con-
tinucd to hold that territory. does the gentle
man sunnose uuIcr Virginia rolicy and Viz
! ,riuia mana cement. those piorious States which
bayc s,ruu@ M there as if bv magic. and now
add dirnity and character and grandeur TO our
national Union. would have had an existence?
If Viro;ui, woul1 .nitrh in; herself 10 the
Northwest. we would make sometng out of her
vct.
: Mr. Chairman. ! cannot understand why gen.
tlcmcn from the old States should continue ia
Ionnosr The granting of aid TO the yomr and
frnbln States on the western frontier have
Ihecn arnroachcd Wit, the suggestion that Ohio
is pow an old State. and that her intcsess in
these lands of the General Government. ought
to induce her representatives to oppose all
these grants. Sir should be false to tue hon
ar of NV own State. and untrue to nv own na-
ture as one of her nativc-born sons. were now,
after we have been the recipient of Goyernmo nj
aid. to refuse it to our younger sister States
that are springug up beyond us and emuatirs.,,