Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-03-15
DAILY VIRGINIAN.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. MARCH Is, 1854
A truly Bencfioent Measure


The bill passed by the Senate on wednesday,
making grant Of public lands To the several
States for the benefit of INDECENT insane persons,
saws the National Intelligencer. does infinite
credit 10 TINT body. and we trust will meet SINH
lar faver in the other branch of the National LIE
pislatnre The bill provides
81 That there be granted to the several States,
for the purpose mentioned. ten millions ct acres
of land. to be apportioned ander the direction oi
the President at the United States, IN the com
pound ratio of the geographical area and repre-
sentation of said States in the House Of Represen-
tatiyes, according to The census Of eighteen hun
dred and fiftys Proridsd, That said aPporton
,nep, sl,ap be made af,,r first al'oiting to each
State one hundred thousand aeres.
"After directing how the lands are to be dts
posed of, tho bill provides the nude in which The
money received therefor shall be invested and
axnended. The moneys so invested are to CON
stitute perpetual fund, the principal Of which
shall remain forever undiminished. and the inter
est be inviclably appropriated TO the comfortable
provision for and the proper maintenance aud
support of, the INDECENT insane
..The durable INDECENT Insane are to be placed
in regularly organized State institutions or IN
public incorporated Institutions nr hospitals tor
shc exclusive care Of the insane, or IN public CITY
hospitals for the sole care and treatment OF the
same. No part of the fluid Is To he applied 10
the support of insane persons confined IN JaiiS OF
work or poor-houees nor in any private hospital
not exclusiyel, devoted 10 and occupied for the
remedial care of the insane.
This bill, besides the difference in its objects
and details. is distinguished from the Homestead
Al. 4
in regard 10 which we took occasion to express
our views, by the essential principle OF equality
in its operation Regarding the public domain
as a trust fund, TO be held and used for the good
Of all the States we have no objection 10 any np-
propriation or distribution in which the funda-
mental principle Of equality is observed, and the
States are permitted to share equally, relative
proportion to their federal strength
The Homestead bill. from the very nature OF lis
provisions. and the subject To which it relates
will enure 10 the benefit Of the States in which
the public lands lie. This it will do, first, 10y af
fordinr 10 the citizens of those States II more
ready and convenient opportunity, than the ciii-
zens Of other States, 10 avail themselves OF lis
benefits second, by attracting to themselves the
inhabitants of other States, aud thereby adding
to their population, forwarding their develop
men, and augmenting their material wealth: and
third, by increasing their political and federal
strength, and acquiring ruling influence IA the
National Congress. In like proportion the old
States will be drained, and their political power
diminis shed. Now, when it is considered, that
the public lands lie chiefly in TIE free States the
effect of such measure upon the South, ean
not but be anticipated with equal alarm and alb
horrence.
Such too is the operation of That partial sys-
tenn of donating the public lands TO the States
and companies, for purposes of internal improve
ment-a system the inequality Of which is pal
pabe violation of the trust. aud an unprincpled
and Arcenous appropriation OF the property of
others.
For these monstrous inquiries, we are di-
rectly indebted to the composition aud policy OF
the dominant party-a party which have strength
enough in the South TO prevent general and
equitable distribution Of the public lands, when
ever proposed by the Whigs,bu have not strength
enough to prevent the continual aud enormous
spoiatons made, from year to year, by their po-
htical brethren of the Northwest and West.
The bill referred to above seems to us to have
due regard to the rights of all the States, and TO
be intended to subserve most benevolent and
praiscworthy purpose and we therefore hope that
it win pass the Lower House and become II law.
Should il do So dare the democratic Legisla
ture of Virginia TO reject that portion to which
this State will be emit led,