Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-07-19

to-
improvement, is cheaper at double the original price
than it would be at the original price without I'M
bereavement There is certainly no difficulty IN
-comprehending that .
My friend from Virginia [Mr. Letcherl spoke quite
at length upon this point upon the Wisconsin rail-
road BILL and he really seemed to think that he was
making an argument upon it. He evidently federated
himself upon his point. He undertook to show first
that the lands belonging to the General Government
in Illinois were not enhanced in value at all in con-
sequence of the location of railroad through them
He says it is actually donation, far as the Gen
eral Government is concerned. He says the Govern
ment donated lands to the State of Illinois, and re-
ceived no consideration in return for them that the
construction of railroad of no sort of advan-
tage to the lands belonging to the Government in the
vicinity of it's location He, the other hand, said
the lands belonging the Railroad corporation were
enhanced in their value to more than double their
original value but the sections reserved by the Gov
eminent in the same locality, the line ofthe same
railroad, were not benefited in the least.
Now, sir, this is specimen of Irish logic. The
Government donated alternate sections to aid in the
construction of a railroad in Illinois, which so en-
HANGED the value of the lands donated as according
to his statement, to furnish capital enough to build
the road and leave in the hands of the builders some
millions as surplus profit while the sections
served by the General Government, being under the
same circumstances affected in precisely the same
manner were not increased in value dollar by it.
Well, this was submitted argument, and the
gentleman, as have said, evidently felcitated him
self upon it. But, really, can such things convince
mind intellect the reasoning faculties of those who
listen to them? Is not the height of absurdity to
suppose it? Take the of a railroad grant Sup
pose it entirely through body of land, all of
which is owned by the Government. Your present
price is 81 20 per You give the alternate sec
tions to company, or the State You sell the bal
ance at So 80 per Will not the balance fthe
sales at 81 80 be precisely equal to what you would
have got for the whole at 81 % per acre? Is there
any man on the outside of lunatic asylum, who is
not the wrong side of the walls of lunatic asy
w nd hiC ell a
portion of these lands shall have been disposed ofby
the Government the effect will be pro rata precise
ly the
Now, so far as the Illinois grant is concerned, un-
derstand that the land has been nearly all disposed
Of The difficulty is, that the land offices there
not execute the papers fast enough to satisfy the
purchasers. The crowds have been great that
they have been compelled to shut the offices to get
up with their writing and their papers, In other
words, the land is much cheaper at 50 so per
acre, with the railroad in the vicinity than it was
for 81 % per without the railroad, that after
1t lay for twenty or thirty years without purchaser
the land not being worth the 81 25 other things
being equal, it is now worth so much more than 50
90 per acre that your officers cannot execute the pa
pers fast enough to satisfy the wishes and desires of
the purchasers.
have some particular figuring here which made
in reference to this particular grant, which
deny who admit that twice two makes four. fthey
deny that, there is end of the argument. Under
the Illinois grant there within the limits OF the
six miles million one hundred and ninety-six
thousand three hundred and thirty four acres out
side of the six miles, but within the fifteen miles,
there was one million three hundred and nnety-seven
thousand five hundred and twenty-six acres that is
to say, there was in the whole grant two millions
i've hundred and ninety-three thousand eight hum
bred and sixty acres. The State of Illinois took two
millions five hundred and ninety-three thousand !
acres by the grant, and the Government reserved |
wo millions five hundred and ninetythree thousand
acres, Independent of the other lands which the |
government owned in the vicinity; and leave these
after entirely out of consideration far the
ent discussion is concerned. Leaving them all out,
md supposing that the Government owned no lands
except those granted to the States and those reserved
n alternate sections, there woald have been five
Millions one hundred and eghty-seven thousand sew
N hundred and twenty acres, which, at 81 % per
ere, would amount to Sc, 4S4, $50. The lands limit
a IN price to 81 30 per acre were one million one
hundred and sixty nine thousand three hundred and
hlrty-tour acres. amounting to $2,770,e35. The
ands outside of the SIX and within the fifteen miles,
t 81 %, would amount to 81 TAG, 9o7. That is, in
ne aggregate the Government now receives from
ne reserved sections S4737,742. And this with
TX years interest, will amount to the whole sum
sked by the Government for the entire quantity be-
ore the grants. That is, the whole transaction is
quivalent to sale by the Government at six years
redlt, without interest And when it is remember
q that these same lands had been in market twenty
r thirty years without finding purchaser will any
ne deny that, as mere business transaction, such
sale would be capital one FIR the Government?
ut TINS is the least favorable aspect of the be-
alse much Of the land outside of the six miles has
old for more than 81 25 per acre 4; and though the
eturns at the land office are not sufficient to enable
n accurate computation to be made vet enough is
hown to establish the fact that when allowance is
lade for the increased price for which some of the
nds outside of the six miles were sold the whole
ansacton is about equivalent to a sale ofthe entire
We million acres at credit of four years, without
lterest. And this computing the lands on the line
t the road at the minimum, for there is no doubt
lat in the hands of individuals the reserved lands
'uld be made to bring vastly more than the whole
act could bring without the railroad
These railroad grants involve pecuniarv advan-
zee to the Government as the owner of the lands |
Id in view of the nggardly policy heretofore pur-
led towards the new States the oppressive bargain
relation to taxation, and the injury inflicted upon
states bv the fact of such vast tracts of unoc
lped land lying within their limits uncultivated .
nfrlbutlng nothing by way of xation contributing
'tnlng towards the support of schools nothing to-
ards building bridges towards constructing 7
'ghborhood roads. but remaining wild and unin- ;
bed, it is natural indeed that these States sbould
mand of the Government some contribution to- :
ards relief, some improvements and if as in the !:
Sc OF Railroads, the improvement benefits both the
ate and the Government land proprietor it | :
ould seem that the reduiston should be made in a
rm which would admit of no denial. 6
1 have done what intended have shown that 6
elusive of the stated executions the Government g
8 never donated any of the public lands And | i,
We shown, that the new States of the Union have +
oild ground of complaint against the Government
It's nlggardlv, exacting oppressive, and unjust s.
urse toward them in the administration of the pub