Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-07-28
l!rgn the Va .hiRGiun Seu'in.i /
TIL. GREAT LAND BILL.

We have f,.w words fo- those opponent. nj this
H. uf MI hi!!- for general disposition Gt r public
ls:s. and who ground thcr pDlcrNoh, upon lie l.';
;ha, The public lands "rc; Inheritance, held
srcurity nr our national debt, Gni regarded hy tie
L,l,r of Government bond; ta: ;hcr possession hv
the rovcrnmcn: improves IL credit; that the Old ihlr.
teen States which acquired much, and have borne
,L.r sbure o the c,-t II oil lands siacc ACQUIRED, will
receive noIng by this bill. That, the contrary,
ills well calculated 20 drain them "f Gcsirblc lr
pulation cud To brnc prcmatrrr.v Ecw lands int" RI
valry with the lands Z" tie old States. i" such Oh
i,it6r.. who's. difficulties we fully appreciate we
would appeal, Ia the hrol place 10 the teenng eVI'
,lcncrs before iL..a that by one scheme other
these lands will. before many years bc wrIng from
the government. aud L. many WAYS more exception
able than GnyihinG III this bill They Will occ;!s.,,ii
in tie mean tic. ali sorts ot intriguing and l"E-r"-
iur CONSUMING the time Of Congress, aNd perhaps
coruptiur bile there wouli hc danger Of collision
bctwreu the Federal GIG State governments. J: nI:!-:
be ilpahr in toc ntector- tia: in some way ttcsc
lands will be- disposed o. and the only question +
whether i; is ~; better L. accept this rcGs1na!.r
practicable bill. than have the disposition prn'r"c;r
amid - many difficulties and accompanied by such
objectionable. textures. We Thin. sober coIa!t"TR
ton of these matters will incline them 10 Gcccpt t-
hill MS the best disposition that cnn be ma'!y.
Asameaeurc affecting the resources and cTrdl: "i
In. Federal government, we would surcc,t ,!nt most
%. the sc;tier- on the lands being additional p"-
uulutinu. on the dytlOhr goods Consumed b" them.
Government will receive from wear {" wear more iIh'i
an ample remuneration Tor tie difference between 'hc
rates of this bill and those under cN>!!u. laws. iG-
kim: the impr"ha'', Supposon. ;hat these laws
will b. allowed tu Remain unchanged. aii ;ha' M
more ol the public lands will be s4Uam.crcG here
after.
Thnsr who 20 w.-t 10 these mew lnnl~. become i'm
n,ia:rv good customers 10 III" c;r;. AMI thus repay
,L, luss al their departure from the east. The ci,
ai!oII- brought UP fHrm- III the wcs; wti! be
hral;lv. brave. ard honest and ~" migration VIII b"
limited hv :!Ic market pf" 81 pr"da"". Srttlc'nr;
viii when ig products e" th";r i':-InS ~! !io
paw Besides. It. foreigners viii COM, This rr.rr "i
land will temp; rIuId and healthy rlH>s u come
among H.; ana Staic- cannot spring up in The west
wi;hou: iuparti"= impetus I" III" business "i Ia"
eaS;.
Amid the varying, conflicting plans for the rro-"n:
and .iUrc disposition "i The pubic land, II l. q"
course impossible grav to Tie tul! every cxpccta-
.iun All. therefore, that can hc r"asonabl expected
Is 10 present for acceptance such bill ~ shn. com.
h;nc I" :hr rctr: extent al the imp".ia"; !ratGr-
If other mri.-ug,> pr"po,ed w!"! Iiav. r'"nGn. nj,
,,! rhrIn,cyc, - favorable consideration.
W" think this hi. ',in"n;y Successful! III this :'
-pecr. Oihcr bills EGl: y" devised which w"uli be-
,,r,.,cYr,r!-~un" by c!nss 10y Others. iGi
lnnv safely affirm :hr. ~ niTochrs ui each III the
other modes Of dsp"si';"n failing I" -rcu:r ;h"ir "'Sn
unde would prefer this :" ANY other. Suc hc!ug.
we h,rvo III" fac. in The cssu. !; b'nuov.S ryrrv
wcli-w,Icr Tor the harmony of Congress. and for tie
riGduncc Of very possible and may hc pr"
babc corruption and general i"--r"liIng :" hesitate
before c"Un!"nnucirG AZ" change in this bal winch
can p"seihv cniangc- H. passa@- hui that; on the
can;rnrv every "n" will fec, il incumbent himself
~ aid in ia" accomplishment. of :" good an object ds
this bill will secure.
There ar three principal fea:urr, r;abga"ci in th-
bill. which are familiar - IL" Piblr:
First The graduation! provision THIS principle
hi- been 81 Ion. pressed, hy such nUnbr- and such
ability. command attention anl Incorporation IA
anv oil !o: the general disposition -: ' public lands
|; irnvirIc- hat auG- which ha>c been suffice; I"
.rI.,. 4 :Ittt i,-- han ',
veur- shall hc sold plla: per acre. ii ihry have
been subject ;"g ten years "a !y>- THAI: iirru Ni
--ycn;v-livc cent per acre " nr :.iccu ana ,, than
vsnty y.Ms ir i } Tjn;; n nr II sch; yvc cont.
per acr. ard ii :.r the twenty-five years and more
ior twelve and-a-hali c"lis prr acre.
uf the graduation hl.-, and sue" ARE tie terms mo-"
which individuals may enter the public !a;!-, "lrss
:hc States shall Gvni! themselves {" the lT"icG"
which this bill gives tn ilIca nj taking, a prs-cn-
tors the graduated laLGs within their border pro-
vdrd they take the whole .: the land, -raIua;c
or the Whole of auv class. This they may d"
without crratin. the relation q" debtor um! creditor
between the United States aGi i- -"v-Ii. S:L;cs.-
To avert that condition Of "iir- til" n re- rEcs the
;lr from the Individual purchaser wmthc pav- 10 iEc
United STATE. the price charged u ti.- Bill Tor rur
land. as he NAV take The United States !rc thus
cured. Will" yet the States ma? take e. prr-omptors
without raising money "r Inc"rr!ng Il debt. Shout"
State choose To- place an advanced price the !Gni
rate Of lis OWE prc-cnp;ioH price.
Thus each State can consult IL own policy. aud
hasten "r delay settlement wlt!!!n IL oT'.er- '!- II
NAV Judge bcs; for H. interest. The tni;rd States
sell the lands for small pccuniaEy price, bu; NUb-
s'dHi0i consideration, and the States have secured /"
themselves the right 1T rcrulac the policy and pro-
of settlement wEG their nwn h"r'!crs. ih;5 l.
hc application OF the hon-ln.crvcutlon principle 70
the policy of the pubic lands, rvecrvn- To the Ini-
tel States il. pccun;a interests but excluding the
l,v tr,l
mcnt. The fair presumption is, that the States will
allow the land. tn b. taken by actual settlers al the
low graduated prices, aud probably charge IN al
yanrcd price 10 those who take larger quantities for
speculation and future settlement, nor can NAY one
complain should they ,lo The State cannnT be-
cnu-c the advanced price mny compensate her for
pu-tpunrmeut nf the period Of Taxation. 81 laUcE
Tor the first ice; ut he bill.
The second series "i provisions has reference 10
that settled idca in the pubic mind, llG: tie United
States. II. inndholGcy should contribute soncihin-
to the emtcrpri5cs OF ;hc S;a;ts by which the value Of
their properly il enhanced. The practical form III
whic this idea has been expressed has much seen-
uC force Alternate sections along the rG road have
United States TO bc sid III double price; hi, being
i,si,,ued TO secure 70 the United States tie original
value of tie whole land, and I" give - the S;a:c the
Increased value which lrr cnicfp:lzc had created.
Bu; experience hus shown thai this practice is ilu-
bic to cr,a, abuses. The grant Of lands has nor NJ
ways been cnnincd ~ INC HC!-"p''''"'' "' '"t l""
Th. double prize un the alternate -cciioi!s has not
al,rays bec, preserved: and crami- have been some
times sought. mct much 10 satisfy any real :icccss
+ for railroad a. 10 promote Ia'i Speculation The
grant being made by C"n.r,s. 10 The roads aud not
70 The States in which ;hey he, practice l" thu,
he Established. no; according - U,i considerations q"
Internal improvements but for the mere purp"sc Of
obtaining the !ai:Gs. To ohvn;e ali these difficulties.
this bill proposes 10 ct the State take III prc-clnpor
4 4. IL. IL,
Weife sections oi i..'i 'o -. " M ~
in twelve miles on either s1c' , n; Prr- ,, aqgi"d ~"
the General PURPOSES ~ lradua;iii iIe State may
take this quantity :" Land Tor such pHrp"ses hs pre-
emp,or wherever the railroad may run, whether the
LANDS be subject private entry or mot tn prYr Is
To Ice one dollar per acre foE I"'lt' 'o fe' ".,,s '
wears If offered for five, aDi less than Ten r1r, then