Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-12-21

= --'~A-f NNAAbS3 Viz ONA
ending June so, 1854, exceeds the
cost Of the preceding year by four
hundred and ninety five thousand and
seventy -four dollars, Iaga:n call
your attention to the subject of mail
transportation by ocean steamers,
and commend the suggestions of the
Postmaster General to your early at
tention.
During the last fiscal year eleven
million seveniy thousand nine hund-.
red and thirty five acres of the pub
lie lands have lean surveyed, and
eight million one bundled and binety
thousand seventeen acres brought in
to market. The number of acres
sold is seven million thirty-hye thou
sand seven hundred and thirty-fye;
and the amount received therefor
nine million two hundred and eighty
five thousand five hundred and thir-
ty-three dollars. The aggregate a
mount of lands sold, located under
military scrip and land warrants, Sc
lected as swamp lands by States, and
by locating under grants for roads, is
upwards oil twenty three millions of
acres. The increase Of lands sold
over the previous year is about six
millions of acres; and the sales du-
ring the two first quarters Of the
current year present the eXtraOrdin>
airy result of five and half million
sold, exceeding by nearly four mil
lions of acres the sales of the cores
ponding quarters of the last year,
thus increasing to an extent unpar-
alleled during any like period in our
past history the amount Of revenue
provided from this source for the Fed
eral Treasury.
The eommendable policy of the
government, in relation to setting
apart public domain for those who
have served their country in time Of
war, is Illustrated by the fact, that
siaee 1I90 no less than thirty mill
lions of acres have been applied to
this object.
The suggestions, which I submit
ted in my annual message Of last
year, in reference To grants Of lands
IN aid of the construction of rail
ways, were less full and explicit than
the magnitude of the subject and
subsequent deyslopmentswould seem
to render proper and desirable. Of
the soundness Of the principle then
asserted with regard to the limita-
tion of the power OF Congress, | en-
terrain no doubt; but u its appiiea-
ton it is not enough that the value
of lands in a particular locality may
be enhanced; that, in fact, larger
amount of money may probably be
received, in given time, for alter
nate sections, than could have been
realized for all the sections, without
the impulse and influence Of the pro-
posed Improvements. A prudent
proprietor looks beyond limited Sec
tons of his domain, beyond present
results, to the ultimate effect which
particular line of policy is likely
to produce upon all his possessions
and interests. The Government,
which is trustee, in this matter, for
the people of the States, is bound TO
take the same visa and comprehen-
sive view. Prior to and during the
last session Of Congress, upwards OF
thirty millions Of acres of land we're
withdrawn from public sale with a
view to applications for grants Of this
character pending before Congress.
A careful review Of the whole sub
ieet led me to direct That all such or
ders be abrogated, and the lands re-
stored to market; and instructions
we're Immediately given to that Ell
feet. The applications at the last
session contemplated the construc-
ton of more than FIVE thousand miles
Of road, aud grants TO the amour. of
learly twenty millions Of tie public
domair. Even admitting the right
on the part Of Congress 20 be IN
questionable, is it quite clear that
the proposed grants would be pro,
ductiye of good and not evil? The
different projects are confined, for
the present, to eleven States of this
Union, and one Territory. The rea-
sons assigned for the grants, show
thatit is proposed to put the works
speedily in process Of construction
When we reflect, since thecommence-
ment of the construction of railways
in the United States, stimulated as
they have been by the large diYi-
lends realized from the earlier works
over the great thoroughfares, and be-
tween the most important points Of