Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-04-12
CongTess.


Nothing of importance is passing in Congress,
ami since the Breckenridge and Cutting excite
ment has passed by, Indictments have quietel
down and perhaps something may be done in dis
patching the business OF the country. We have
seldom read more amusing Pickpiekian than tina,
developed by the correspondence published in our
paper Of yesterday, aud it would be difficult for
similar "affalr of honor 10 be gotten up. Land
appropriations seem 10 be the order OF the day in
Congress. Every Western State and almost every
county in some Of them, is applying for grant upon
grant for railroads. INDECENT insane, and other pur-
poses generally. While the majority party in Con-
greSs opposes Internal improvements by the Fede-
raj Government, they find it compatible with their
ProerGsteGn conciences TO give, (not the public
money! but the public lands, which are convert
able into money, 10 the States aud corporations TO:
the purpose of constructing Internal Improve.
ments.
This evasion is honeyed over by the argument
that the grant of alternate sections for ralrcad
nance doubly the value of the balance by thus
making q road where there would else be none.
Grant ii. Would mol the grant of money, tquiva-
lent in value 10 the alternate sections granted, be
far the most profitable course for the government?
If, for instance, tie government grant one of two
sections each worth before the grant 80 per acre,
and by such grant the remaining section is made
worth 50 per acre, would II not be clear saving of
33per cent 10 tie government to give the company
$3.50, the price of une section, and by holding
both sections realize 81 per acre, equivalent 10
$500. instead of the sum of so, the amount 10
be received under the reasoning of the advocates of
the sectional Gland robber bils, thus netting the
sum Of Sl2s0, or 80 per cent But this is not all.
What is the difference between taking public prop
trty flor such the Democracy cl"im the pnblic
lands TO beg for internalin provemcnt purposes and
taking public money for like purposes5
One is convertible into money while the other is
money. But say they, the Government cannot
constitulionaly make these improve mentS ht rself
and has no interest in them. having donated the
lands 10 them. Well, this is equivalent TO the
proposition that the government may gioe a,cay 70:
special interests, but shall not inuest for general
interests. Bat they say that the States are trrs-
tees and the lands are generally donated 10 them
for tie special internal improvement purposes, ami
thus the government clears her conscience of con-
stitutiona scruples. and away goes the pubic do
main, no: equally TO all the States 10 whom it
equally belongs, but TO the sections and land Job
bers thus robbing the old States of their lust and
equal rights. This is consistency If the "pi-
rates" are successful. millions upon millions of the
public lands will be squandered during the pres
ent session, and yet the old States, rnd Virginia
among them, continue to refuse either 10 demand
or receive that which Is their own property Ere
long all will be gone, and then Virginia will open
her eyes 10 her error and see what good she might
have done with her large proportion of the public
domain. BUTT seems that nothing can be done 10
gel the old States rc 10 themselves justice, but we
would at least have them prevent the new States
from enriching themselves by practically robbing
them of that winch is tile common property of the
Union.