The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-10

eleemosy he cannot approve one which grants
his homestead 10 the hardy pioneer which grants
alternate sections OF land for the construction Of railroad
Whilst there be reasonable ground for controversy
the principles which the constitution fobids the
dsposing of the public lands by way OF donation for char
tiles there is much for doubt TO whether the
principles stand In the way Of bin which, whilst dimn-
ishes the aggregate quantity Of the public lands YET does not
diminish their aggregate value II may be contendcd
least pausiby that whilst the grant in is without
consideration, and is therefore necessarily dminuon
the fnd in the other that there is valuable
consideration for the grant and hence that the common
fund remains undminshed How the President would de
eide such question have no knowledge do we
eye any is authorized deduce his message that
he had formed, intended to express any conclusion
thereon We repeat that il is just the President to
strain his language for the purpose Of making deductions
that may be used outside Of the particular measure on
which IL was used The pending before Congress
ought to be delibeated upon by Congress with us much
prudence If such message had been the SEN
ae and when such pass Congress the President
ought to be as free to investigate and determine upon them
as if no insane bill had been vetoed by him.
Believing do that the principles Of the veto
sage viii gain strength by investigation and discussion we
reproduce extract in which of these principles
announced with peculiar clearness and force
~ have been unable discover any distinction on const-
tuonal grounds grounds of cxpediency
preparation Of ten millions Of dollars directly from
in the treasury for the object contemplated the
preparation of lands for my sanction And yet
cannot doubt that II the bill proposed millions Of dollars
from the treasury of the United States for the support
dgent insane in the several States the constitutional
question involved act would have attracted rciby
the attention of Congress.
g respectfully submit that, constitutional point Of
view, it wholly immateal whether the appropriation be in
money in land.
The public domain is the property Of the Union
just as much as the surplus proceeds Of that and duties
imports remaining unexpended treasury Az SUCH
has been pledged is pledged and may need to be
pledged again for public Indebtedness.
As property it is distinguished from actual money chief
ly In this respect that profitable
requires that portions of it be appropriated local objects
in the States wherein it happen e would be done
by prudent proprietor TO enhance the of
private domain All such grants of land are fact
posa of for value received but they afford precedent
constitutional reason for giving away the public lands
Still less do they give sanction appropriations objects
which have not been ntrused the federal
and therefore belong exclusively to the States.
To that the public lands applicable ordi-
nary State objects, whether of public structures police
charity expenses of would be to dis
regard to the of the value of the public lands all the
limitations of the constitution and conound that
all distinctions between the rights and powers the States
snu tnoec VI ior pubic lands
be applied to the support Of the poor whether
II the disposal Of them and their proceeds be subject to
the ordinary limitations of the constitution Congress
unqualified provide for expenditures in the
States by of the public lands the degree
deang the salaries of judges and all other
penses Of the and internal within
the several States The conclusion from the general
Of the whole subject is to my mind irresistible and closes
the question: both Of right and of erpedency far
CARDS the principle OF the appropriation proposed this BILL
Would not the admission Of such power in Congress
OF the public domain work the practical abrogaon
Of the most important provisions of the constitution
II the systematic reservation of definite portion of the pub
lie lands hc sixteenth sccton) in the States for the
of education and occasional grants for similar purposes
be cited contradcting these concasons the answer
appears obvious and satisfactory Such
lions and grants besides being part of the conditions
which the proprietary right Of the United States
taincd along with the eminent domain of particular State
and by which the public land free from the
State in which lies long remains the property
the United States, the of land owner dis
posing Of small share Of bis property in way augment
the value Of the residue and in this encourage the
early occupation of by the industrious and intelligent pio-
nscr."