White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-06-18

50, ana TINS land Is exempt from settlement TO
the grievOus injury of the people of the State.
Having passed many years Of my life in new
State, and represented it for along period in the
Senate Of the United States. know the serious
encumbrance arising from the large bodies Of
lands within State to which the Indian title is
not extinguished. Upon this subject the con-
vention may act by sudh just and constitutional
provisions as VIII accelerate the e1tinguishment
Of Indian title.
There is, Furthermore, the question of railroad
grants made by Congress to all the new States
but one, (where the routes could rot be agreed
upOn,) and, within few months PAST, to the
fOuFishiRg territory of Minnesota. The munif-
cent grant of four millions and half of aeres
was made to Minnesota, even in advance Of her
becoming State, under the auspices of herpres-
ent distinguished Executive, and will enable our
sister State of the Northwest. speedily to unite
her railroad system with ours.
Kansas is undoubtedly entitled to grants sim
liar to those just made in Minnesota, and upon
this question the convention may take important
action.
These, recoilect, are grants by Congress, not
to companies, but to States. Now, If Kansas,
like the State of Illinois, in granting hereafter
these lands to companies TO build these roads,
should reserve, at least the seven per cent. of
their gross annual receipts. it is quite certain
that so soon as these roads are constructed, such
Will be the large payments into the treasury Of
our State, that there will no heeeesi,y 60 inn;
pose in Kansas any State tax whatever, especial
y if the Constitution should contain wise provi-
sions against the creation of State debts.
The grant to the State Of Illinois for the hi
nois Central Railroad, passed under the wise and
patriotic auspices of her distinguished Senator,
was made before the pernicious system lately ex-
posed in Washington had invaded the halls of
Congress; and therefore that State, unlike most
Others which obtained recent grants, was enabled
to make this great reservation for the benefit of
the State. This constitutes of itself conclu-
sive reason why these railroad grants should be
reserved in the ordinance accompanying our
State Constitution, SO that our State might have
the whele benefit Of the grant, instead Of large
portions being given to agents appointed to OBJ
tain these grants by companies substantially in
many cases for their own benefit, although in
the name of the State.
There is another reason why these railroad
grants should thus be reserved in our ordinance.
1t is to secure these lands to the State before
large bodies of them are engrossed by specula-
tors, especially along the contemplated linss of
railroads In no case should these reservations
interfere with the presumption rights reserved
to settlers, or with school sections.
These grants to States, as is proved by TIE Of
fetal documents, have greatly augmented the
proceeds of the sales of the public lands increa-
sing their value, aceelerating their sale and sot-
Element, and bringing enhanced prices to the
government, whilst greatly benefitting the lands
Of the settler by furnishing him new markets
and diminished cost Of transportation. On this
subject, Mr.. Buchanan, always the friend of the
new States, in his recent inaugural used the fol-
lowing language:
"No nation in the tide Of time has ever been
blessed with so rich and noble an inheritance as
we enjoy in gie public lands. In administering
this importsut trust, whist IL riay Bo.-wise 20
grant portions of them for the improvement of
the remainder, yet We should never forget that
it is our cardinal policy to reserve the lands as
much as may be for actual settlers; and this at
moderate prices. We shall thus not only best
promote the prosperity OF the new Stztes by fur
nishing them hardy and independent race of
honest and Industrious citizens but shall secure
homes for oar children and our ehildren's chill
dren, as well as those exied from foreign shores,
who may seek in this country to improve their
condition and enjoy the blessings of civil and re-
ligious liberty"
Our American railroads, now exceeding twen- |
ty-four thousand miles completed, have greatly
advanced the power, prosperity and progress of
the country, whilst linking it together in bonds
Of ever increasing commerce and Intercourse,
and tending by these results, to soften or extin-
guish sectional passions end prejudice, and thus
perpetuate the Union of the States. This sys-
TEN, it is clearly the interest of the whole
country, shall progress, until the States west of
the Mississippi shall be intersectcd, like those
east Of that river, BY network of railroads,
until the whole at various points shall reach the
shores of the Pacific. The policy of such grants
by Congress is now clearly established; and
whatever doubts may have prevailed in the
minds Of n few persons as to the constitutional
~ Of such grants Wbsn based only upon the
transfer Of a portion of the public domain, in
The language Of the inaugural Of the President,
q for The improvement Of The remainder" yet
when they are made, as now proposed in the or
iinance accompanying our constitution. in con-
Of our relinquishing the right to tax
he public lands, such grants become, in faos,
'ales for ample equivalents, and their constitu-
Onality is placed beyond all doubt Or coHtro-
rersy. For this reason, also, and in dsler that
hese grants may be made for ample equivalents,
md upon grounds Of cisas constitutional author.
ty, it is most wise thar they should be included
n our ordinances, and take eject by compact
Eheh the State is admitted into the Union.
II my VIII could have prevailed as regards the
,ubl:c lands, as indicated in my public career,
md especially in the bill presented by me, as
Chairman Of the Committee Of Public Lands,
o the Senate of the United States, which passed
hat body. but failed in the House, would au-
horize no sales Of these lands except for settle
men. AID cultivation. reserving not merely
redemption, but homestead Of a quarter sec
ion OF land in favor Of every actual settler.