Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-09-16
id Seventy-one acres.

Total for twelve years. ;.

Total for twelve years. 800, 6o5
The habit of donating alternate sections of land for
railroad purposes was contracted believe in 1916 yet
there was less land sold in twelve years. from lS4l to
1852 inclusive than under the old conservative habit in
the single year 1885, When alternate sections of land
are donated it is the stereoyped language OF the bils
that the reserved sections shall be held double price,
which leaves the impression the public mind that with
the difference of the odd section there ia equal num-
Der of sections reserved and granted and that the half
being sold at price of the WHOLE nothing is lost to the
Treasury Such however, not always the fact; for
private entries informally respected and when they
fall within the line to which the rights OF the donees IN
the first instance extend then authority is given to the
donees to 20 still further, to the right left and take
another amount Of land equal to the amount taken by
entries though such private entries were made
at the Government price OF Sl 20 per acre.
the act to apply certain alternate sections Of the public
domain towards the completion Of works of internal i'm
proyement in the State of Michigan the following clause:
And as the sections and parts of sections within
the limits aforesaid have been heretofore sold otherwise
disposed encountered that they cannot be SO applied
it furthermore enacted that quantity of land equal to that
SO sold otherwise disposed Of encountered shall be
eeted by said agent under the direction the Secretary of
tho Treasury the public lands the site of said
railroad on either side thereof
This fact explains why it is that, while the Illinois
Central Railroad received acres there was re-
served at double price but 679 461 acres, which is
98 less than half the number donated by the
Government The reserved sections offered for sale
in july 1852 and on the 30th Of September 1853 there
had been sold in Illinois, at the double price, ISL 5O but
284 $50 acres. ..@ g..s.
The practice Of donating alternate sections of land
particularly in the States, is not only unequal and unjust
and therefore unwise but is generally injurious to the
Treasury. The recipients Of the donated sections are
thrown into direct competition with the Government 1t
is not reasonable to suppose that purchaser will pay
so per to the Government when he can buy lands
adjoining ct less price from others The public lands
are one the of revenue and reduction OF the
revenue of the country is thus wrought by excluding its
lands from the market Nor can this be denied by
the warmest advocate Of the theory that the Government
loses money because price of the reserved sections
is doubled without being precipated into another d-
lemma which is quite fatal to his theory The value
of the reserved sections is increased it is not fit is
increased the donees underse the Government and
at heavy profit If it Is not increased, the argument
is gone pressure for funds will cause the donees to
sell at any price
Of Congress such parts of the public domain
as lie within States and in Territories Territory
nues to be the common property OF all the States so
Hong as it remains Territory, and any improvement
within its limits rebounds to the benefit of its
common but when part of the public domain
lies within the boundaries of State tits difficult to con-
ceve Of any improvement Of such Territory which will
not result to the benefit OF that particular State and
it may be- the exclusion of all benefit to the remain
ing States. Such might occur, as if State was
surrounded by Territories, whchhas yet happen
ed but is virtually approached by the geographical posi-
ton Of California Again the Territories have power
but such is given by Congress- They are in DEEPEN
dant condition. and look to Congress for revenue protec
ten, and for law. This is their only Legislature and
Legislature may for the good Of the State both being
subject the provisions of their respective constitutions.
Entertaining these views cannot consistently cast my
vote for donating lands which lie within the limits Of
States but when the lands asked for lie within Terrific
ries, organized not organized, have constitutional
scruples and the question then arises to the expe
dency Of making such grants as are sought.
i ExPEDIENcY.
The isolated position Of California lying, it does,
on the western verge Of the North American continent
her separation from her sister States by dreay deserts
rugged mountains and large territories inhabited by
tanned Indians her natural resources and the adventu-
rous spirit of her people leave but little doubt in the
minds Of rejecting that she must be brought into
more direct and immediate communion with the heart Of
the Confederacy, ultimately dissolve her connexion
with it. This separation would entail the loss Of every
foot of American territory west Of the Rocky Mountains,
together with all the property Of the Government found
there at the time. railroad communication between
the Atlantic and Pacific would that entire
region forever together with its untold mineral
wealth, and, which is valuable STILL pioneer
brethren who illustrating to the world American
sereliance and American enterprise 1t would scatter
broadcast in midst the treasures Of Asia and 0cea-