American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-04-04
From the National Mieligeacer.
a.NE PUBLIC LANDS,

10 corporations WITHIN the new States |
have awakened the attention of the
people Of the old States to the subject,
and of Virginia especially, where the
burden Of taxation for internal improve
mcnts has been greatly increased. 1t
strikes US, therefore, that a brief re-
currenco to the history and conditions
Of the tenure Of the public domain may
be of general interest at this time.
At the commencement of the Revo-
lutionary war there belonged to some
of the States large tracts of wild and
unappropriatcd lands, whilst in others
none such existed. The States pos.
scssing no such lands claimed that, as
the war was waged with united means
and equal sacrifices, the waste lands
which might be conquered from the
enemy should become common proper
ty, and, under the recommendation of
Congress, 10th October, 1880, "that
the unappropriatcd lands which might
be cedcd to the United States by any
particular State, pursuant to the re-
commentator of Congress of the 9th
of September last, shall be disposed of
for tile common benefit of the United
States"
Virginia promptly made ccssion of
her vast domain north of the river OHIO,
out of which six new States have since
been formed. The condition of her
ccssion adopted substantially by other
States was, that all the lands convey
ed shall be considered as a common
.tUnd for the use and benefit of such of
the United States as have become or
shall become members Of the confedcr.
acy 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 tide
disposed Of for that purpose, and for
no other use or pUpOse Whatever. -
Thus were the lands ceded, accepted,
and held IN TRUST. How they have
since been disposed of, in total disre-
gard of the conditions of the trust, the
history Of the country tells in the an
mails Of Congressional legislation.
In disregard Of the plain obligations
Of the trust, President JACKSON, in the
early days Of his administration, pro-
posed to ccde the lands thus acquired,
and all subsequently, purchased, to the
States in which they lie, gratuitously
o. for a nominal price.
To counterfeit this movement. which
at that time met with no favor in Con-
gress, but which has since been sub
stantially adopted in the system of
partial grants, MIR. CLAY introduced his
well-known distribution bill, which was
passed by Congress on tho Cd day of
March, 1888, by vote Of "a to 20 IN
tho Senate, and go to 40 in the House
Of Representatives. This bill President
Jackson refused to approve, and it did
not become a law, the popular will, as
indicated by the vote Of the House, to
the contrary notwithstanding. Some
OF the Western members did not hest.
tate to aYow the purpose Of eventually
appropriatng to the States in which
they lie all the public lands, and one of
the most eminent Of them declared that
do 50 would be- irrcsistibin ' p Tbo fO "
flmcnt Of this menace is almost conn., on
rIefo and offor tho ccnsns ofI9GG EV tIo
old Stotcs win be nttorIv noworl"s o
rnlcss thcv un;to cord;aliIv Gov tho;n
common ,,rotcc,;nr ava ''''''
Tho ,dhoIo o,oo,,,. % ,,o..,.
,ro,,iI h"a "0'o o "aGu,'S ~ 'Uney "h'cH
T WIN ,"' ,,, omV ,,'o , saG treasury OF
rIas m' II I' f e 1o5o o. hf'
ner;od Of scynn v l,o nonId " I, ,oJD,
ForR MILLION THREE urYDrrn AM
IA. -. ,.,.l,.-..-. -. 800 -'-''