Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1856-07-12
THE VINDICATOR.
STAUN TON, VA,
SATURDAY MORNING, JULY ~
An Honest Man in Congress.

The New York Herald, when not under
the influence Of dollars and cents is capa-
bic Of dong good act occasionally. The
following just tribute to the Hon. J. Letch
er, member Of Congress from this District,
| is alike creditable to the honesty and the
sense of the editor.
THE PEorLE PLUNpERED- PUBLIC LAND:
given away TO SpEcULAToRs-AN Hon.
EST Man IN CoNGREss.-The Herald ha.
| from time to time called the attention 81
its readers to the gigantic schemes Of plum.
der which are now connecting at Wash
ington. |. has exposed the method by
which laws are pressed through Congress
giving away millions of acres OF the pub.
lie lands to private corporations; how
they originate. how they are managed IN
committee. and struggled through the
House. At last we have resi- onse from
the right quarter. Virginia is aroused
MIR. Letcher, member of Congress from
that State, has come 20 the rescue, and his
speech is worthy Of the closest attention
and the highest praise.
The public lands are the property of the
|
which, as the country progresses, was 10
be carved the cheap and fertile possessions
of the industrious poor, the homes Of the
emlgrant and The asylulhs of the exile.
But speculative cupiGity is at work to
defeat this noble policy, SO worthy of the
republic and SO favorable to humanity
Corporations for the construction of rail-
ways are Using up in every quarter where
these lands lie, and, by an adroit manipu-
laton, the most neiarious projects are Car
ried on under the sanction of Congress-
II appears, from the speech of Mr.. Letch-
er, that the system is so well coutrlved
that il is hardly possible to resist it. Bills
reported by committees, giving away mil
lions Of acres, rarely. if ever, printed, are
read hastily from the Clerks desk, and
passed by the force Of the previous ques
lion, almost without notice
II is urged that the lands thus given
away to railway companies benefit the
alternate sections which are reserved, and
that the treasury is largely gamer by the
process. Sc far from this, il is found in
practice that the land Offices, upon rise
taking place, are freousi ~ closed. or, il
the grants, rush in and secure what is left.
For tins they Immediately demand the
largest prices, and the emigrani finds him
| self unable to purchase. In some al these
| Congressional grants, it is true, price is
1 fixed foi those government lands which
remain but it is au advance of one hun
dred per cent at the existing valuation
Very strangely TOO, the very men who
have always been guarding the Iu5hc
lands as a public treasure, are now mys-
;enously in favor of parting with them to
build UP monopolies thousand times
worse than the Unitee States Bank ever
was, and WHO at the same time approve
every veto which destroys an appropria-
ton for the removal of distractions in pub
lie rivers navigatea with equal freedom by
all the States.
MI. Letcher exposes the effects Of these
grants with earnest truth, and points to the
disastrous consequences which will result
and are already resulting from the enrich
ing Of these unscrupulous and powerful
! corporations.
Already the Illinois Centralis beginning
| to show its hand. In the carrying Of the
mails it begins to consult the interests of
The towns it is building up at the expense
of all others. 1t it complained that Du-
buque Is beginning seriously to feel its in
fuence exercised in favor Of rival town
Dunleith ahd with its immense resources,
its numerous dependents. and lis pol itical
power. 1t already menaces the indepen-
dence OF the State government itself.
We have seen something, here at home,
| of the power of the companies. We, too,
know what is the strength OF Central
Railroad power, at Albany, and in the
halls of legislation. We have seen our
great system of canals endangered by rail :
road interests, and system of spoliation
favored through the medium Of contracts
AMI engagements, whenever railroad inilu-
ence chose to widen It's own track or ben
eft its lavorltes.
The speech of Mr.. Letcher exposes this
reckless and corrup, schemes which are
now sweeping away the public lands aud
we hope he will find himself supported
and sustained in his opposition by a Spar.
tan band, who though not numerous, will
10 good cause, be triumphant, as they
deserve to be.