Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-01-14
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

This il the FIRST occnrrencc Of tho kinl since
we became its conductors We trust that, on
Monday. we may Be able to make up for it by
presenting our readers with melange Of
items, even more Interesting than usual.
RAILRoAps GRANTS BIT CoxeREss TO 1HE
srArEs.-At no previous session have 50 many
applications been made to Congress for grants
Of lands in aid of railroads through United
States lands in the old and new Gland States
Wepropose hereafter to give our readers as
full q list as we can procure, showing the
quantity Of lands asked for in each case, and
the particular objects for which the grants
are ostensibly solicited. The peculiLr char
acter Of some Of the projects proposed may be
adverted to This list may exhibit some Gu
rious facts. Some acuteness may be required
to fully distinguish between the instances in
which members of Congress urging claims,
are going merely ''for Buncombe, OF are pro-
noting private speculations, and those whs
are really actuated by patriotic motives. and
disinterestedly seeking to promote the public
good. sr.s l.lEGg
Public Lands Of the respective Houses, on as
certaining that nearly every one Of the many
different applicants have proposed their own
bills, drafted differently and liable to be diff
ferently interpreted, and that therefore,
the adoption of some general uniform system
was advisable, have delegated joint sub
committee to draft "mOdel bill'' to all cases
We learn, also, that it is urged by some who
have devoted some attention to this subject
that the following principles ought to be sus-
tanned in such proposed bill as far as practi-
cable; and, indeed. general law for the
regulation Of all such grants; and leaving the
specification of the object of each grant only
to be provided for in each act; might be the
best Certainly it would avoid the volumin.
Gus legislation by separate laws in each case
reiterating the same provisions and conditions
The rules suggested ale as follows:
1. That no grant may be made to any city,
town, railroad, or other corporation, or to in
dividuals; but that oil grants be made directly
to the State wherein the road is to be con-
structed. and the disposition of it to be placed
under the plenary control of the legislature of
such State, and subject to any conditions i,
may impose upon its transferees to effect the
objects OF the grant.
z AS a consequence of the above, no grant
should be made except upon the express APP
plcation of the legislature of such State to
Congress, by memorial or otherwise, stating
the general route Of the road proposed TO he
constructed and showing that it will lie fer
the interest of the Federal Government, as a
land proprietor in the State, to make such
grant
B. That in making the grant, Congress. ex-
cept in special cases, should avoid specifying
the particular route, stating the principal
points and the teTMiNi only, leaving the pre-
else location between such points to be fixed
by the ate Legislatures. Such rule many
insist, and with some force, is necessary to
protect the rights and interests Of the State
aud 1t would seem most appropriate that the
regulation of its internal affairs should be
left to it rather than be interfered with by
federal authority.
4. In making such grants of alternate sec
tons, the sole principle upon which they
ought to be made, should be that conceded by
the President in his Message at the opening
of the present session, the Secretary Of the
Interior in bis Report, and the Commissioner
of the General Land Office in his report, viz
tie enhancement Of tie raiue ami proniottuu
Of tie Saies ofthe y. $. ianas III the .lciuity
Of smch road. The incidental and collateral
advantages that may result otherwise, will
doubtless induce some to a favorable consid-
Grafton of particular applications, bu, it is
quite apparent that no general principle.
founded on such arguments, can be laid down
to govern ia all cases. Constitutional ohiec-
tiOns Wi! also DC raised to combat sucl, aryu-
ments, and which objections do MT apply TO
grants made on the single principle stated
Besides, if the door is once opened 10 the con
sideration Of such arguments, there will DC
no end to the fhaneia! speculation aud hum
bug projects made each one being urged by
those who propose it rs being as ''important''
and = invaluable" = in national point Of
view. As every Yankee invention offered to
the Patent Office, always is in the opinion of the
inventor. Congress should stick. like cobblcr's
wax, to the rule IF direct pecuniary interest
in the sale Of the public lands; should not
recognize any other and regard all other sng-
gestions az irrelevant CANNON and stuff
Every mile Ut railroad made, uses 100 tons Of
railroad iron worth at $50 per ton. 81 600.
If imported, the duties paid on it into the
Federal Treasury at 80 per cent, wilt be
more than fourth Of the sum Which the
alternate sections would bring at 81 %
per acre. Thus, by these grants, the policy
and necessity of repeating the present Ugh
duty ON railroad iron may be dispensed with
and the domestic manufacturer of such iron
is really the party protected and aided by
being furnished a market, with 30 per cent
advantage over the foreign manufacturer
This, however is but an incidental considera-
ton, giving weight merely TO the 8 sole prin-
ciple above advanced, and which should be
tonaciously adhered to.
). AS u general rule the grants should be
made Of alternate sections. within sig. miles
of the roads. This has been the rule hereto
fore adopted. The grants heretofore made.
have been OF ecen numbered sections; but
we learn it has been ascertained that this des-
ignation interfercs with the advantageous OK
ecuti0n Of the law: among other reasons be-
cause the school sections are always numbered
l6 and 36. The restriction to sir miles is
OF in those States where lands !
have been exposed to sale for 10, Is, 20, and !
even 80 odd years, and remain unsold, because |
they are utterly useless, and will be made |
only comparatively valuable by the road An |
intelligent member from Alabama urges, with |,
great force, that whilst lands in the ne " north
western Staies, through which it is proposed |
to run railroads, will, when the road is com. |
pleted, be worth several dollars per acre. in |
his State, where the lands have been picked |
and culled for thirty and forty years, the road |
would only make the worthless lands, still |
r :maining unsold, worth 20. 30 or 10 cents,
and that the quantity granted should there
fore be increased IN his State. Certainly, the
rule Of equality ig amount, is one that
in all cases and on all subjects should not be
dlsregarded by Congress inlegislation, dispen