Washington sentinel., 1854-07-12

ability, the true faith upon the same subject
when he was a candidate in 1851, and was sue
cesstnl. Il may be. policy for public men not
70 meet fairly, OF to withhold an expressions OF
opinion, upon great questions; but never
thought so. | have always acted upon the be-
lief that the course of sound policy was the
course Of true duty.
There has been considerable sentiment worked
| up throughout the country in favor of this
bill; many sentimental and eloquent speeches
have been made, but not quite as many as were
made in behalf Of the Nilnot proviso The
'lte of the bill, as introduced into the House
OF Representatives, is q very captivating one.
IL Is called Bill to encourage ag71cult,ue,
commerce, and manufactures, and ALL OTHER
BRANCHES OF INDUSTRY" DC. II is the same
| title, believe, that it has had since Felir g..
| Mcconnell, member from Alabama, intro.
duced it in the House If Representatives almost
| ten years ago. l well recollect the occasion.
Since that it was brought conspicuousy before
the country by Mr. Johnson, now the Governor
| ,t tennessee; but the bill which he advocated
did not go so far as this--it only gave land to
he landless heads of families; under the pres
| ent bill man In Iowa, or any otner State can
sell or rent his farm, and take another one
| aundred and sixty acres he may want in the
neighborhood, before the people from Pennsyl
vania, or any OF the old States. could move out.
Ii it is really meritorious bin, do not know
why it should have such title.
Ii it was only intended to catch a popular
breeze, l think could suggest an amendment.
so as to make il read "a bill to encourage ar.
riculture, commerce, and manufactures, and
all other branches of industry, to gire erery-
0ody ererything and hasten The mileniuna.n Il
IS certainly u bill of large promises, and, /
think, will be able to show, of little perform,
ance. 1t ought to be called a bill to diminish
the value OF every acre of land in the old States,
and especially in Pennsylvania, and to build u y
The new States; bill to throw the expenses oi
the land department upon the customs; to tax
the people Ut the old States to purchase lands
o give away to foreigners who have not yet
become citizens by complying with our naturali
cation laws; bill to discriminate against the
mechanic and other persons not acquainted
with agricultural pursuits; bill TO destroy the
value OF land warrants to be granted to the old
soldiers.
l stated in my opening that the message
under consideration contained sentiments whicn
committed the President against this bill; aud
| Will now proceed TO prove that, to be con-
sistent, he would be obliged to veto it. The
president, after quoting u portion OF the act OF
S47, pledging the proceeds OF the sales of the
pubhc lands Tor the redemption of the $23 900.
900 war loan, and saying that it would be "a
violation OF the pledged faith of the govern
ment to grant the lands to the States iur Tn,
1eneht OF the insane poor, proceeds to argue a,
follows:
Il have been unable TO discover any distinction,
on constitutional grounds grounds OF expedi
rncy between an appropriation Of Sl0,000,0OO d.
ha th.
Jett contemplated and the appropriations OF land :,
presented Tor my sanction; aud el cannot doubl
that II The bill proposed Sl0000,000 from the irea-
sury OF the United States for he support OF the in
Urgent insane IN the several States, that the
>illutional question involved the act would have
attracted iurcibly the atienlion oi Congress
respectfully submit that, in constitutional
point OF view, II Is wholly mniateral whether tn.
dpproprlatlon be IN money or IN hand.
| The public domain u the common property OF
The Union, just as much as the surplus proceed.
OF that, and Of duties on imports. remaining un,x
| pended IN The treasury As such, II has been
pledged, is now pledged, and may need 10 be 60
pledged again, tor public Indebtedness.
As properly, II Is distinguished from actual
money chiefly in this respect, that its profitable
management sometimes requires that portions OF
| II be appropriated 10 local objesls IN the tates
wherein II may happen TO lie. would be done by
any prudent proprietor 10 enhance the sale yalu.
| OF his private domain.
"Al such grants o. land are in fact disposal
OF for value received. but they afford no prece
'ient or constitutional reason for giving away ih,
public lands. Still less do they give sanction 10
| appropriations Tor objects which have not been
entrusted 10 the federal government and therefore
belong exclusively 10 the States"
| Ii will be perceived that the President dis
tlnctly says, that, in constitutional point OF
view, here is NO difference between money and
land. And ] add, that have no more power
l ....r L. n
land, without Consideration. than have TO give
away or go and take sl60 from the public
treasury. But it is said that the President
would sign this bill because the alternate sec
mons are retained, and that prudent propri.-
tor might give away part, in order to enhance
tie sale value Of the parts retained. And this
allegation raises question Of fact: How much
II any, will this bill diminish the receipts from
the sale OF the public lands? The answer to
this question will determine the position Of the
President say it will nearly, if not entirely
destroythe land revenue, aud charge 81, ,O00, 900
or S3,OOO,OOO per annum upon the customs is
that righl? Is that the way prudent proprie-
tor would act? We now have a communica-
ton on our tables from the Postmaster Gen.
eral, asking us TO appropriate over $4,000. 900
rom the customs To sustain that department,
when the democratic rute used TO be, that the
post office should sustain itself So, also with
the land department
A man wishing to build up city, or town.
might well afford TO give away every other lot,
provided the purchaser would improve il. but
not 50 with vast tract Of country, useful onl,
for agricultural purposes. The best sections
will be taken under this bill, and those adiuin-
ing the government will seldom, If ever, sell
The truth is, the settlers will use them without
compensation, under what is called the settlers
law. A man would not want to purchase one
\ without having the consent of the neiyhbors
and he could not get it. 1t seems to me that
any person who will reflect for moment must
conclude that the land revenues will be dimin.
ished at least three-fourths People will no,
purchase farming land when they can get il
for nothing. They will 20 a mile or two fur.
,her in order to get farm for nothing, Only
about two or two and half millions of acres
are required annually for settlement and cult.
vation.
MIR. President, know very well that it is
sound poicy and true duty to dispose of the
public land chiefly with view to settlement