The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-03-15

Ill Importance. L lie measure proposed b
by the bill is not circumscribed, nor To- !
cal, nor partial in its operation, like very |
many Of your grants; but, on the con
trarysit Is general and equitable, and ms |
universal in its operation and influence
as tho miserics it proposes to relieve 1t
passes clear Of all the objections to mere
ly local and partial grants. 1t comes
clearly within the limits of your cons,i
tutional power upon general principles.
and has the authority Of preccdents al
most without number. Indeed, the pre-
cedcnts, many Of them 90 far beyond
this proposition and which, from their
local and partial character, were obnox.
ious to objections Of which this case
stands clear Objects Of humanity and
charity, both at home and abroad, have
not unfrequently claimed the attention
and consideration of Congress and have
shared the bounty Of the Federal Gov
ernment iii different forms. Without
stopping to comment upon them, beg
leave to call the attention Of the Senate
to several acts in which the principle and
the power we ask to be exercised and ap.
I DliNh III iills NtoC ll3kNC DttD lullN IGCtL-
nized by Congress.
In 1919 Congress granted a township
Of land for the support Of an asylum for
the deaf and dumb in Ha; ford. Con
nectcut In ls26 they granted another
township of land for the support Of a
similar Institution al DanviIe, Ken
lucky and in 1912 Congress appropri-
a.oJ = "a Q0O ., h. ox,o,,1,J -; H. ,,,
chase Of provisions to be sent to the poo.
pie Of Venezuela who had suffered from
the great earthquake; and in ISIS they
granted tract of land in the territory
Of Missouri. called the New Madria
Grants" for the benefit Of such persons
as had suffered by earthquakes 1u 1927
Congress voted 10000 to the city Of
Alexandria for the relief Of persons who
had suffered by the fire which had
consumed considerable portion of the
town; and in lGl7 Congress authorized
the employment Of the United States
ships Macedonian and jamestown to
transport provisions for the famishing
poor Of Ireland and Scotland. These
were all objects Of charity. Of benevo.
lence, and Humanity They were objects
local and temporary in their character,
and, in two instances, among foreign
people. Yet the Congress Of the United
States answered to the calls of human
suffering. and in bestowing these gratui-
ties, while you inflicted no blow upon the
Constitution, you struck responsive
chord in the American heart.
In 1921 Go,orocc ,,r,,toJ tx,,t 6
land to the trustees Of Shawneetown, H.
llnoiS, for the purpose Of graduating ard
paving the river bank within the limits
Of that town aud at another time sim.
liar grant was made to Tuscarawas coun.
ty, Ohio, for the improvement of streets
and alleys But need not multiply in
stances of this sort. Special grants in
almost unlimited numbers have been
made for purposes of local improvement;
for educational purposes for sites for
court-houses for churches and cemcto-
ries. and the like
OF similar character was tho large
grant in lSll Of half million acres in
each Of the States in which the public
lands are situated for purposes Of inter
nal improvement Your whole system
of annulties, your pension and bounty
land system, is but system Of beneii
cent and charitable gratuiiies, and found
Cd upon no consideration springing from
any contract for service. Your statute
books abound with acts making grants Of
lands and money for particular and local
objects; for local aud specific improve
mouts for local institutions within the
States for the support Of schools. acadc-
mics, colleges, and universities, to say
nothing of your annual appropriations
for your numerous marine and military
hospitals.
In addition to all this, there are now
bills upon your table by which it is pro
posed to invite the landless Of our own
country and of other countries to go and
take possession, each man, of hundred
aud sixty acres OF your public domain,
without money and without price. In
the fuluess Of your liberality to all 9TH
er claims, you are now asked to bestow
this comparatively small pittance for the
relief of those who are not only destitute,
but are mentally and physically unable
~ ohAti VI Jul lAhhSANN
boon upon that condition-who have not
the ability to 90 and personally occupy
your lands The only mode in which
they can be benefited by the bounty of
the government through its public lands
is in the manner proposed by this bill
Why shall We hesitate to pass it2 HUI
manity, public policy, aud impartial jus
ticc alike demand the adoption of the
measure. Pass the bill, and the senti
ment Of the country will respond to it as
one Of the most just and beneiicent acts
of your legislation Pass this bill, and
it will accomplish more substantial and
lasting good, it will alleviate more suf
tering and sorrow yes, sir, it will illu'
mine, with the rays of hope, more dark
and desolate places Of anguish and de-
spair than an equal appropriation of
your public lands in any other manner
or for any other purpose.
1t is no argument against this propo.
siticn TO tell US that 1t is the duty and
the proper business Of the States to pro-
vide for aud take care of their INDECENT
insane. We do not propose to take from
them that duty, but the rather to en-
courage and aid them in the discharge
Of it. p. And with the multiplied exam.
pies and precedents before us, it is quite
too late to plake Il serious question of the
power Of Congress to grant such aid If
Congress may givo lands to the States
to aid them in building roads, aud canals,
and railways; to support schools, aud
academies, and colleges; to improve
streets, and alleys, and river banks, in
particular localities, lift may give sites
for court houses. and churches, aud cenc-