Washington sentinel., 1854-07-12

| Wheh the people consented TO receive their sup
plies from the pubic store-houses? Was moi
the days of the French republic numbered
when Lamartine aud others established public
workshops? As wenow have a surplus Of near
S3O,OO0,000 in the treasury, suppose a member
OF Congress would bring forward bill TO pay
every poor man and woman in the United
States above the age of twenty-one years $l60
out OF the public treasury, would that be a "bll
to encourage agriculture, commerce, manufac-
lures, and all other branches of industry" or
would 1t be bill to encourage loaferism ?
Aud would the cry go up against man who
would oppose such a measure, that he was OPP
posed TO the poor; and as the poor greatly
outnumber the rich, would he be voted out of
oihce Tor opposing such an act Of political
prostitution? Suppose candidate for the
presidency in 1856 should declare himself in
favor OF such bill, would he succeed against
a pure patriot and profound statesman who
would refuse to make any such donation? /
hope not, although | confess that demagogue-
ism has gone pretty far in this country. There
Is, however, some republican purity left yet.
believe descendants OF the men of l776, OF the
war OF 1872, the sons of the old Indian fighters,
(who have heret, fore been obliged to pay for
land il they wanted any,) however poor, would
scorn TO live either upon the charity Of their
neighbors, or the bounty Of their government.
What Is the OBJECT of government? Is it not
to give protection to person aud property, and
TO tax the people as little as possible for that
purpose?
1t is said, however, that the government is
hard landed propretor that it follows and ex-
acts the earnings Of the pioneer that 1t has
no right to prevent the people from entering
upon and cultivaling land, DC. How is the
fact? Suppose the government had not gone
ahead OF all, put up fortifcations, purchased
the Indian title, removed the Indians west had
the lads regularly surveyed, and systemat-
cally prepared for the use of the settlers, and
those who prefer frontier life, would our settle
ments be halt as far west as they now are ?
Would there not have been constant scene OF
border warfare; would there be any certaint,
in regard 10 titles? do not believe, all things
considered, that the government has ever yet
received dollar of net revenue from The pub
Inc lands. They cost as much, if not more,
than we get for them. Since l have been
member OF this body, we paid five millions for
the extngushment OF the Indian title in Min
nesota, besides large sums to extinguish titles
III other sections of the country; and treaties,
we are informed, have been made for the ex-
tinguishmeut of Indian titles in Nebraska and
Kansas.
Has not the government adopted liberal
policy toward the western States aud peopleY
tias 1t not paid the expenses of territorial gov
ernments, and gwen each State kind OF outfit
when it came into the Union. BY compact
with the new States, upon their admission into
the Union, five per cent. of the net proceeds Of
the sales OF the public lands is set apart for the
use of such States. Three per cent. is TO be
annually paid 10 the respective (new) States,
and two per cent to be used in constructing
/ m tharn Il.
whole five per cent. has been paid to them
Out of this three and two per cent fund, near
live millions have been paid to the new States
independent OF what was expended in con-
structing roads to and through them. We have
too, liberal pre-emption system in force. Be
sides, over one hundred and twenty-five mil
lions OF acres OF public lands have been granted
| 10 the new States, for the purpose of education.
internal Improvements, &c, &c, &c. And
look, as consequence of this liberal policy, at
the unexampled growth and prosperity OF the
western and southwestern country. 1t is un-
exampled in the history of nations. To no one
does this afford more sincere pleasure than to
myself 1t is great and glorious spectacle 10
see the human family thus going out, not law
les ,ly, but under wise laws, peaceably to pos
sess the earth, aud to enjoy its fruits. The new
States now possess great political power. They
grow, multiply, and prosper, and / presume
they will continue to do SO until they have the
numerical strength to control the government.
And why this desire to build up prematurely
the western Stales and country by government
buunties? Why not let population gradually
diffuse itself over the western country? Have
not settlements progressed west fast enough
Why this hot bel system? A natural growth
is always more healthy and enduring than an
artificial one. Why offer a premium to the
people Of the Old w World and old States to settle
in our western COUNTRY? May we not want
some land fifty OF one hundred years hence for
our own people gradually TO go out upon
May We not want them hereafter as we have
heretofore, to pay our debts, or raise money
upon?
Let me now, Mr. President allude to the
practical effect of his bill upon the good old
State OF Pennsylvania, which | have the honor,
IN part, to represent. Does it not proceed
upon the idea OF redundancy OF population
aud an amount Of pauperIsm there that does
not exist? Who will, or who can, in that
State, accept lis Povisons7 Not the loaf
ers and drinking people about the towns
aid cities. They are too lazy to work, aud
too cowardly to stea. aud have not the means
OF the energy TO make settlement on one
hundred and sixty acres. Ii farmers aud
| 'S PSvPiS1 WV "o'c bos
means, accept It's provisions, they are obliged
70 leave the State and is not the State OF
Pennsylvania as good place for this class OF
people as any other State in the UnionP And
the more who leave tbe less valuable our land
| VIII be, and the less will be the number left 10
pay the taxes and do the work. Aud if they
do go west, they will % upon delusive idea.
Before they can get out there the most valu-
able sections will be taken up. Those living
in the new States, in the neighborhood, know
where the most valuable sections are; aud
when our Pennsylvania people would arrive
out, they would find settlers upon the most
valuable sections. Our mechanics cannot ac-
cept It's provisions, because they are unaccus-
toned to agricultural pursuits, and yet they
bave helped pay for these lands, aud have Oh
interest in them, because they paid their pro-
portion Of the taxes by which they we're pur-
chased. Have we not Isrge bodies Of good un.
cultivated lands in Pehnsylvania7 The truth
is we have, aud the liberal land policy of the
general government vest has prevented their
sale aud settlement for The last fifty years and
more. And why should the federal government