The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1854-03-31

The iund shall bc lost, or II u shall be-
come diminished from any accidcn, or
cause whatever. the State must make
np such loss or d,minution, and keep the
fund entire and inyiolahle
These are the principal features Of
the bill. The object Is a good one. Il
is, indeed, an object Of growing aud ma
tional importance The measure pro-
posed by the bill is no, circumscrihed,
nor local, nor partial in It's operation and /
influence rs the miscries il proposes TO
relieve. II passes clear of all the ob 1
jcclions to merely local and partial /
grants. II comes clearly within the lim- /
It's OF your constitutional power upon /
general principles. and has the authority |
Of prccedcnls almost without number. |
Indeed, the prcccdcnts. many of them,
goiar beyond Ibis proposition. and which
from their local and partial character,
were obnoxious TO objections of which
this case stands clear Objects Of hu-
maui,y and charity. both at home and
abroad, have not unfrcquently claimed
the attention and consideration of Con-
grcss, and have shared the bounty OF the
Federal Government in different forms.
Without stopping TO comment upon them
beg leave to call the attention of the
Senate TO several acts in which the prin-
ciple and the power we ask to be exer-
cised and applied in this case have been
fully recognized by Congress.
In 1879 Congress granted "A township
of land for the support of an asylum FOR
the deaf and dumb in Hartford, Con
nccticut, In 1926 they granted anoth-
cr township of land for support of u
/ similar institution at Danvillc, Kentucky;
and in 1912 Congress appropriated sj0,-
600 TO be expended in the purchase of
provisions TO be sent TO the people of
| Venezuela who had suffered from the
great earthquake and in 1915 they
granted tract of land in the territory
Of Missouri, called the New Mad
rid Grants" for the benefit of such
persons as had suffered by earthquakes
In 1927 Congress voted $4,000 to the
city of Alexandria for the relief Of per-
sons who had suffered by the fire which
had consumed considerable portion of
the town; and in lSi7 Congress author
lied The employmen, of the United
States ships Macedonian and jamestown
to transpor, provisions for the furnishing
poor OF Ireland and Scotland These
were all objects of charity, Of benevo-
lence, and humanity. They were oh
jects local and temporary in their char
actcr, and, in two instances, among a
foreign people. Yet the Congress OF
the United States answered to the calls
Of human suffering, and in bestowing
these gratnties, while you inflicted no
blow upon the Constitution, you struck
responsive chord in the American
heart. In 1881 Congress granted n tract
of land TO the trustees Of Shawneetown,
Illinois, for the purpose Of graduating g
and paving the river bank within the
limits Of that town; and at another time
a similar grant was made TO Tuscarawas
County, Ohio, for the improvement oI
streets and alleys. But need not mul
tiply instances Of this sort. Special
grants in almost unlimited numbers have
been made for educational purposes
for sites for court houses for churches
and cemeteries, and the like.
OF similar character was the larg,
grant in lsil Of half million acres il
each of the States in which the public
lands are situated for purposes Of inter
nal Improvement Your whole system
of annuilics, your pension and bounty
land system, is but system of benef
cent and charitable graiuties, and found
ed upon no consideration springing from
any contract for service. Your statute
books abound with acts making grant
Of land and money for particular and 10
cal objects for local and specific i'm
provement for local institutions within
the States for the support Of schools
academies. colleges, and universities, {,
say nothing of your annual appropra
tions for your numerous marine aud NIL
ilary hospitals.
In addition 10 all this, there are nov
bills upon your table by which il is pro
posed TO invite the landless Of our owl
country and Of other countries to 60 anc
take possession, each man. Of hundred
and sixty acres Of your public domain
without money and without price. II
the fullness Of your liberality TO all 9th
er classes, you are now asked 10 bestov
this comparatively small piliance for ib'
relief Of those who are not only desti
tute. bot are mentally and physically
unable 10 avail themselves Of your prof
fered boon upon that condition--Sh'
have no, the ability 10 20 and personal
ly occupy your lands The only mod
in which they ran be benefited by th,
bounty Of the government through IL
public lands is in the manner propose
by this bill Why shall We hesitate Il
pnss il Humanity. public policy, aa'
impartial justice alike demand the adop
ton Of the measure. Pass the bill, nm,
The sentiment of the country will re
spond 10 It, as one Of the most jnsi an,
} benefceni acts Of your Legislation. Pas
) this bill. and j, will accomplish mor'
substantial and lasting good, il ~,li al
J leyisie more Suffering and torro~ yes
sir. II viii iliamine. Nth the RAYS o