The daily union., 1856-12-27
DISPOSITION OF rHE PUBLIC LANDS

The columns Of the Pennsylvania have recently been
occupied by series Of exceedingly able articles in ch
the policy Of granting the public lands TO incorporated
companies to aid n building railroads has been discussed
aud condemned From its issue Of the 24h instant We
make an extract below which touches upon two
very delicate and interesting aspects Of the question which
are worthy of special attention
can ima agne folly equal TO that which supposes
that representative body above temptation, With 10
disposition TO reflect upon the character motives Of
gle individual in out Of Congress, or 20 deny to
patriotic and honorable purpose still clear in the
victon that there is little safety in executing great land
trust except faithful adherence and submission to the pow
granted TO the legislature in the federal constitution Tho
involved the treasury is concerned and the
higher interests Of the people who desire the utmost dbu
on Of estates the integrity of Congress ITSELF whose
uness becomes the subject OF suspicion
require and demand that that body shall ever eou to the
federal chart the guide Of its actonhe imperial director
Of the peoples WILL This government has just strength
enough when administered strictly by the conditions OF tho
compact of union 20 secure all attributes of great
state and departs from that standard In the slightest
degree just far il travels the way to anarchy H
government Of integrity and when administered upon that
basis thus reectng the popular will and maintaining the
equilibrium of the State and federal systems Is the
beneficial and powerful in the world IL is because
the vital force of unity in greater degree than
other and this fact sufficient Of itself to show that
must be administered faithfully than any other.
Now is 1t not apparent that serious evils are resulting
serious moral questions arisingrom the manner in which
the legislature dispong of the public domain? Are there
those who feel deeply impressed that in the multiplied
schemes proposing large grants of lands to various ncopo
rated bode the aemoraizDg effects the country
foow2 Congress it to itself without ad-
ancng another step fully to consider whether the people de-
re and demand such appropriations not and to dscrm
nate such demands and those pecuators fortune
hunters and traders Great dsrust is beginning to bo et
all the country of the integrity of our land policy Pow
erfu corporations have sprung like magic into wealth and
influence under its sway. Rich have become richer
have been the actual benefciares while the
the stockholders in the original estaehaye looked and
wondered how system equality could work out such dis
benefit Nor is 1t any Justification we have
said of the SYSTEM aside from the question OF constitutional
power point the rapid progress Of the country under
the legislative policy referred to. Such claim oyerlooks
entirely the rights of the matter and refers to
momentary view so partial and evanescent,
which makes the present everything not only ignoring the
future but all the lessons Of experience and sound economy
and the dictates of honesty in the execution OF trust which
gives the trustee indeed the discretionary to
it, aside the righul beneficiary, is at once
ous mercenary and revolving to exclude the pos
by that Congress has been moved such
in the past or in the present" ...