Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-05-15

ton of country where the institution of slavery does
not exist have appropriated millions from the pub
lie treasury and from the common fund in the shape
of land grants and direct appropriations where
one dollar has been appropriated for the benefit of
those States from which this land fund was deriy-
ed -
How, sir, as do not intend to consume more
than few minutes / viii read from the grant made
BY Virginia Of that empire which che gave to the
United States in 1888; and we will there see that
it is violation of the terms of that grant to make
donations for works of internal improvements and
for railroads in the States in which these lands lie:
That all the lands within the Territory so ce-
ced to the United States, and not reserved for or
appropriated to- any Of the before-mentioued pur-
poses or disposed of in bounties to the officers and
soldiers Of the American army, shall be considered
q common fund for the use and benefit of such Of
the United States as have become or shall become,
members of the Confederation or Federal alliance
of the said States, Virginia Inclusive according to
their usual respective proportions in the general
charge and expenditure and shall be faithfully and
bona fk disposed of for that purpose, and for no
other use or purpose whatsoever"
How has Virginia had her common share in tnis
common fund? The State of Illinois, received from
the Congress of the United States grant of land
which has enabled her to make her great Central
railroad and now after making IT, she has a suffi-
cient quantity of that land left sell for
ey than would pay the whole debt OF Virginia.
And yet Virginia has gone on, with no aid but
her own MEANS resortng to the taxation OF her
citizens in making her own improvements, while H.
linois, which county Of Virginia, hasrap
idly shiDgled her whole State with railroads not by
her own means, but by grants of these lands which
che obtained from the Congress of the United
States. Virginia planted herself here on her de-
sire that these lands should be held sacred, and
should 90 to defray the common expenses OF this
government, and thereby reduce the taxes OF the
country But, sir, she has found that all her efforts
have been fruitless 1t is worse than idle that her
people should be made to groan with taxation and
her public works left unfinished, while this lard
fund is diverted from the purpose for which it was
intended, and is being daily and hourly appropria-
ted by others. So it is with the other old States
But there is another reason il seems TO me, which
ought 60 be sufficient in Itself, and which has re-
Gently developed itself In our Legislation. During
the present session, grave charges have gone abroad
connected with the manner in which these grants
of land have been obtained and the whole Congress
of the United States has been resting under the obi
um. Sir, let as get rid Of this corrupng influence,
if Il be such. .r
But how have these lands been appropriated?
How much of them have been sold How much
of the money arising from their sale has gone into
the public Treasury, and has thereby relieved to
that extent the people of the whole couDtryi /
have before me table which, though not strictly
accurate, approximates accuracy. Here it is: