Washington sentinel., 1854-06-23
It hundred and seventy-one acres.
Total for twelve years. 19,s56.6o5

The habit of donating alternate sections of land
for railroad purposes was contracted, believe, in
1916; yet there was less land sold in twelve years,
from 1871 10 1852 inclusive, than under the old
conservative habit in The single year 1886 When
alternate sections of land are donated. il is the
stereoiyped language Of the bills that the reserved
sections shall be held at double price, which leaves
the impression on the public mind that, with the
difference of the odd section, there is an equal
number OF sections reserved and granted, and that,
The half being sold at the price OF the whole, moth
ing is lost 10 the treasury. Such, however, is
not always the fact for private entries inform
ally respected, and when they fall within the line
to which the rights of the donees in the first in
stance extend, then authority is given 10 the do
nees 10 60 still further, 10 the right left, and
take another amount of land equal 10 the amount
taken by private entries, though such private
Tries were made al the government price Of 81 25
per acre. | quote from the act 10 apply certain
alternate sections of the public domain towards
the completion Of works of internal improvement
in the State of Michigan, the following clause:
"And some Of the sections, and parts of sections
within the limits aforesaid have been heretof6sa sold
otherwise disposed of encountered they
be applied it furthermore enacted that quantity
land equal to that sold otherwise disposed Of
direction Of the Secretary Of the Treasury from the
thereof
This fact explains why it is that. while the Hi
nois central railroad received 375l,7l1 acres,
there was reserved at double price but l67946l
acres, winch Is 223.9Sl acres less than helf the
number donated by the government The re-
served sections were offered for sale in July,
1852, and on the 30th OF September, 1883 there
had been sold in Illinois, at the double price
(S2 50,) but 264 ,0s0 acres,
The practice of donating alternate sections OF
land, particularly in the States, is not only un-
equal and unjust, and therefore unwise, but is
generally injurious 10 the treasury. The recipi-
ents oflhe donated sections are thrown into direct
competition with the government. Ii is not rea-
sonabie 10 suppose that purchaser will pay 81 SO
per acre TO the government when he can buy lands
adjoining at less price from others. The public
lands are one OF the sources of revenue, and
reduction of the revenue of the country is thus
wrought by excluding its own lands from the
market. Nor can this be denied by the warmest
advocate Of the theory that the government iosss
no money, because the price Of the reserved Sec
lions is doubled, without being precipitated into
another dilemma which is quite as fatal 10 his
theory. The value Of the reserved sections is in
creased, il is not. Ifit is increased the donees
can updefsel the government and at a heavy profit
If il is not increased, the argument is gone A
pressure for the funds viii cause the donees 10
sell al any price.
Ii is my faith that there is material difference
IN the powers of Congress over such paris of the
public domain as lie within States and in territo-
ries territory continues to be The common
property OF all the States, so long as il remains a
territory; and any improvement within Ifs limits
rebounds 10 the common benefit OF its common
owners. But when part of the public domain
les within the boundaries OF Stale, il is difficult
o conceive OF any Improvement of such territory |
which will not result 10 the benefit Of that partcu-
ar State, and, il may be, 10 the exclusion Of all
benefit 10 the remaining States. SUCH case /
might occur, as il Stale was surrounded by ter
rllories, which has never yet happened, but is
virtually approached by the geographical position
oi California. Again, the territories have no
power but such as is given by Congress. They
nfan frxNlr IN
ior revenue protection, and for law. This istber
only legislature, and should legislate for their
gooa' precisely as State legislature may for the
gooa OF me S,aie-both being subject TO the pro-
f'S9pss % .nelf respective constitutions.
cast my vote Tor doSaiiDg lands which lie within
me limits OF State: bot when The lands asked
iorfe within territories, org anized or no, organ.