The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-05

PUBLIC LANDs.-The lobby of Congress ia SWARM
ing with hungry Spectators, anxious to get good
slice of Uncle Sans vast domain. All sorts of rail-
road projects are presented, and various contem-
plated improvements made up, for the purpose Of
getting grants of land ranging from fifteen to thirty
miles in width and from one hundred to one thousand
miles in length, direct from Congress. There are
already applicants enough to use up all the public
lands belonging to the government in every one Of
the Western States These cormorants are not ga
tsed to let the grants of lands in aid of the con-
structon Of railroads pass through the regular chan
nels-the State governments-fort they know that all
the swinding concerns got up merely for obtaining
land would find favor with the State authorities,
and the opportunity for making great haul would
be Of little value Their applications are therefore
dirdo to Congress. The right Of Congress to grant
public lands direct to railroad companies has very
justly been questioned, and we have not on record
precedent in favor Of such grants The President pref
tycleary defined his position this subject in his last
message to Congress- in abiding to the construction
= 'Ae ~SAs A'.noa0 - anfacient lobby indu-
cree can be created to carry any Of the bus now De
ore Congress through, we have no doubt the Presi-
dent win interpose his veto. If not, the door ia
opened for all time long as there is an acre of our
and help themselves The proposition now before
Congress, to grant all the public lands within the
limits Of the States to the government Of each, for
aiding the construction of railroads and other public
improvements, is the only sound and sensible one.
Such grants have been made BEFORE and should, in
justice to the new States, be made again. The State
authorities are the best judges Of the character and
Importance Of any contemplated work, and can there
fore aid it or not, understandingly We trust there
fore that Congress will place any distribution where
ijustly belongs-n the hands Of State legislatures
Marine Affairs.
TIE STEAMSHIP BALTIC, Capt. Comstock, left at twelve
O'Clock yesterday for Liverpool with one hundred and
sixteen passengers.
TEE STEAMSHIP NORTHERN LIGHr, Capt. Churchill, left
yesterday for San Juan, Nicaragua with largo number
Of passengers bound to California
fHR NEW STEAMSHIP CHAs MORGAN, Capt Forbes intend.
ed for the mail service in the Gulf of Mexico departed
yesterday for New Orleans to take her place in Harris
Morgan's line
QUICK TRIP OF THE ProrBoAr GEO. s1nRa-rhe follow
ing is extracted from letter dated
OMoA, HoEpuRAs Jan a. 1854
The Geo. Steers arrived YESTERDAY having made tho
passage from New York in thirteen DAYS twenty hours
We sailed by everything saw had forty eight hours
calm and made the shortest passage by long
odds.
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW York HKRArD--
TEAR sIR-Under the head of "Martime Intelligence
your paper Of I'd inst appears notice to this effect
" The revenue cutter Forward run into at Lewes,
Del, during the storm Of Goth ut by steamtug Thun-
derbolt and badly injured that she will have to
proceed to Philadelphia for REPAIRS"
This statement is totally incorrect of the
circumstance will convince you On the above
referred to- the seamtug lying at anchor about half
mile to eeward Of the cutter At the height of the gale
the cutter dragged her anchor and dred directly
the steamers bow and the damage sustained was
trey owing to the careessness Of her officers who
glecting to have er sufficiently moored. 4
The damage would have been infinitely greater and the
cutter prob bly, sunk but for the exerons Of the officers
and Of the Tbundcrbo As the notice referred to
will have tendency to reflect against the character Of
he officers OF the steamtug will you please publish this
statement in vindication. Yours, truly,
JAS. J. MASON, Master steamtug Thunderbolt.
Philadelphia, March 3, 1854.
Tho paragraph complained of extracted from a
parer.-ED. N. Y HRAID.1