Nebraska advertiser., 1856-06-21
TFor the Nebraska Advertiser
PUBLIC LANDS IN NEBRASKA.

Mr.. EDIToR,-From the eternal ringing of
the sounds of Kansas and Nebraska, through
the halls Of that august tribunal--the Federal
Congress--one might reasonably suppose, that
the congregated wisdom, patriotism and states
manship Of the country was assembled at
Washington, for no osher. purpose than to watch
over, guard and protect the welfare and inter
ests Of these Territories. Day after day, week
after week, and from month to month, that
honorable body has been engaged in debates
and controversies OF fearfully exciting and in
famatory character, over the one single ques-
ton, ofslavery in the Territories--a question
with which, of all Others, Congress has the least
business to medle Invectives, fierce and Bit
tor, are hurled at the institution, with such
force ana fury, that they shake our whole po-t
Iitical fabric from centre to circumfrence, and
threaten it with immediate destruction. Now,
it must be obvious to every man of ordinary
mind and reflection, that, whether or not
slavery shall be legalized and form one of the
institutions of Kansas, is question which
concerns thp. people of Kansas alone, and that
they alone should be allowed to settle, to suit
themselves: it is matter over which Congress
has just as much constitutional control, as has
the Pafliment of Great Brittian or4he Confed-
erative- Diet at Frankfort-on-the-M Maine, and
that is simply, none at all.
If Congress really feels that intense and OBJ
sorbng interest in these Teritories-whicb
the honorable members so loudly and zeal
ously profess--let It cease for awhile, its quar-
rels and wrangles and stormy debates over
slavery, and turn its attention to matters in
which it may render us some practical bene-
fits
The disposition Of Public Lands has been
placed entirely in the hands of Congress. Let
it display little of the same liberality to us,
that it has manifested for nearly all of the
Western States, by giving us few million of
acres for railroad purposes. But few days
ago, the State of Iowa received a grant of a
million and half acres. In that act, as in
most Congressional acts of the present day,
the cloven foot of sectionalism and local infu-
ence betrays its hateful presence. The lands
are to be used for certain specified routes and
excluding the Fort Madison and Nebraska City
railroads from any Of the benefits of the grant
The grants should not be made for the benefit
of certain specified roads; they should be CIV
en- to the States directly, and to be csed gener-
ally, for railroad purposes. What does the
honorable gentleman" from Maine or Califor-
ala, know of ths proposed railnoad routes in
Iowa? Has he even set his foot upon the soil;
does he know anything of the population, the
commerce and resources, along each particular
route; Of the means of getting to and from
markets; and of their demands for railroad fa-
eilites; or are not his views formed upon in
formation which he gets form interested par.
ties or partizans, whom he meets with on the
floor or in the lobbies Of Congress2 We would
ask for donation of lands to Nebraska, fol
railroad purposes--nexs ask, not that they be
given to particular or specified routes, but thai
they be given to the Territory; and the people
Of the Territory, through their Legislature, viii
know how to apply them.
She acquired, with our Territory-for mere
song--some several hundred million acres o.
beautiful lands of unsurpassed fertility Yet
vast as It is in extent, stretching as it does
from. the banks Of the Missouri, to the far of
base of the Rocky Mountains-no navigabl,
streams penetrate its interior the settler ther,
has no accessto his home nor outlet to the mar
/ kets abroad, but such as the slew, cumbersome
and expensive facilities, that his wagon ant
team affords him. While such is the case, tn
interior must settle slowly The emrnigran
will be 10th to seek home distant from th
Fiver, if, in SO doing; he isolates himself from
the world abroad and is shut out from all inter
course with his fellow men, save, only. thos
who chance to have settled immediatel,
around him. :.
If the Government would have the land
in our interior settledup speedily, and by a
enterprising and productive class of people, le
her aid us in the construction of railways owe
them, by liberal grants; otherwise, they wi
remain vacant for years and will not add fal
thing to her revenue.
Again, Congress has already given to th
States, respectively, all the swamp and over
} flowed lands, within their borders. Now, W
ask that she Immediately extend the provis
ions of that act, over these Territories. w
have thousands of acres of bottom lands, sub
ject to overflow, which, by draining and ditch
ing we might reclaim and render useful an
productive. Will our respected mother, th
Federal Government, deal as kindly with US,
; new Territory--just sprung into an organic ex
istence, and yet but weak. poor and infantile-
as she has dealt with the grown-up and -four
ishing states around US, whose Golfers are al
ready filed to ovenlwing. We certainly fec
justified in indulging the hope that she viii
I res LEoNIDAs.
BRowSv11rE, JUxE 21, 1855.