Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-04-11
The Public Lands.

cation and internal improvements; and that in this
way the old States being injured and the federal
treasury deprived of its just income from the lands
The Register, of this City, characerzes the grants
to new States for purposes mentioned, as unfair, |
corrupt. and iniquous"-and that paper then pro- |
cecds to show, by ats figures, to what extent and
how these lands have been squandercd. 1t states,
in the first place, the number of sold up to
this time account of the federal treasury, at 1884,
800. $780, That is nearly correct reference being had
to the American Almanac of 1857, and to the Re-
port of the Secretary of the Interior for 1853. But
the Register then states the number of acres given
away" by Congress, for schools and colleges, inter-
nal improvements, &C., at 16O.s1s, 436 acres This
is great mistake Up to 1858, as the Report of
the Secretary of the Interior shows, only about
twelve millions of acres had been granted for educa
tonal PURPOSES and about seventeen millions fo: in
ternal improvements; Whereas the Register has six
ty six millions donated 10 schools and colleges and
thirty-three millions to Railroads.! That paper must
have obtained its figures from the bogus statistics
of Mr.. Bennett, of New York. AS to the swamp
lands granted to the twelve land States the Register
Is about right in estimating them at A.. 900 900 of
acres; but these lands are 1t is known in most cases
comparatively worthless, requiring large expendi-
lures and much time and patience to render them
general government, but something may be gained
to the individual States to whom these swamp lands
are granted; for they may drain and improve them,
but the general government never will.
The entire of the public domain is estimated
at 5S4 600 600 acres. In this is not included any
territory acquired from Mexico Exclusive of the
lands in Oregon, California New Mexico, Utah,
Kansas, and Nebraska, the number of acres is cst-
mated at All 02459. This is, indeed great in
heritance. The whole amount which has accrued
from sales of the public lands, up to this time, is
about Sl6O, 600; and of this according to the
Report of the Secretary of the Interior referred to-
some $50, 100000 must be regarded net profits
1t is however, asserted the contrary, that the
lands are still largely in dtJt 10 tile customs. This
is the opinion of Gov. Wise; and, if we are not mis-.
TAKEN it stated and shown to be the fact bv the
Commissioner of the General Land Office in 1854.
That the new States, as they called, within
whose limits these lands are situated should be ill.,
orally and even generously treated by the genera!
government, we presume every will admit. We
take this for granted and shall not therefore, give
the reasons why it should be so. And we now as
sert that, up 10 recent period this hos been as
general thing the policy of the general government
nothing more and nothing less; and furthermore,
that the Wing and the Democratic parties as repre-
sentcd in Congress, are both committed to this poll
cy, as shown by their votes and that, though siren
uons efforts have been ,dc during the last four or
five years. to waste the public lands, and to divert
them from their proper object under the Cons,u-
ton, yet these efforts have to great extent failed
owing either to the tirmaesS of the Senate or the
interposition of the Executive Veto
LIST. 1t has always been the custom to grant to
States, their admission, ce, tain quantities of
lands for school purposes ana public buildings; and
also five per cent on the amount of land sales with
i'll their limits By their distribution act of 1911
the Wings went greatly beyond this. This act pro.
vided that in addition to their full share with the
old States, the then States should receive ten
per cent on the ne: proceeds Of the sales and that
they should also lave, absolute gift four mil
lions five hundred thousand acres to be chosen by
themselves The act provided that diStribu-
ton should whenever the tariff should be rails
ed above twenty per cent; and at the next session
OF Congress, the Wings raised tue tariff, and thus
cut off distribution.
This was not only rery generous to the new, but
unjust TO the old States The Editor of the Register
approved this act andis therefore, with other Wings
responsible for it.
Cd. The grant of land to the Illinois Central Rail.
road Company is often referred to as instance Of
reckless squande:ing of the public domain. The
act making this grant was approved by Mr.. Fill,
more, and voted for by the Wing Senators from
this State, Mes>r>. Badger and Mangnm. [See Cong
b,p . I L. !
by majority of Wings, and opposed by majority
OF Democrats in the House of Representatives,
And this assert, is the with nearly all the
improper and extiavasant grants, that have beer
made The old Wing party in its day, much
more inclined to squander the public lands on the
new States and on Railroads than the Democrats CIV
err have been. They voted for and passed bills ant
their Presidents approved them, doing manifest in
justice to the old States; and they turned rount
then, they do now, and abored to fix the respon
s;biiy for this injustice on the Democratic party
We speak by the record, which will abundantly
sustain us in what We have said. Let the Register
before it finds fault with and censurcs the Democra
tic party on this subject, go to the rccord-look NJ
the Jacts and tell its readers what has been the &C
ton of its party friends in relation to the pub
lie domain.
We agree with our contemporary that the question
of distribution is important; but he is mistaken i,
surprising that our purpose is to waive evade
discussion of it. We have thought it well enough
in the outset of the discussion, TO bring forward
| few; "reminiscences of the action of the old Viii,
party in relation to distribution and the public lands
and to show, first have done, that that part,
was uniformly more extravagant in its grants O
| lands to the States than the Democratic part,
ever has been, and consequently more unjust to tn