Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1857-03-24
COMMUNICATED.
a Public Lands.
-.. ~ For tie STIR

|. "a = - uoiiN LhuuSs
The subject Of the public lands and
surplus revenue are beginning To attract
unsual attention of the public mind. In
deed, it is the second tinIe, in the history
of ourcounry, thar the surplus ,rcyeune
has accumulated in the treasury, to So
large an amount, that, after paying off the
national debt, the ordinary expenses ofthe
government will not consume it,
Thus, the danger is, of its becoming
a corrupting fund TO government and
people. And, the great increase of our
public lands, under the wise policy of
Democratie administrations, in The at-
quisllionEof vast territories from foreign
states, and The unprinciplcd 7nainler in
which they are being voted away 10 new
States, corporations and individuals,
niake-it7not' on va matter Of policy aud
wisdom, but Qf real Interest to the States
1.-THE people who havea common right
ID the NATIONAL, domain, that the subject
should be grady considered, apart from
the Prejudlce-of party politics, aud some
Jusr.tand setties4 course@of policy adopted
., Y regard ri to IT. which should RoI be de-
Tic question now presents itself ia
marsy aspects altogether new, and more
important and PRACTICAL than ever before.
Something SHOULD be dong, alE agree; but
what should be done is matter of more
difficulty. Different views are entertain
ed among Democrats, as we'll as others,
qq the subject. ~ -.
s.tIien, jackson, in his message TO the
lirst session Of the Goth Congress, said
lila: ITO avoid these evils, IT. appears to
me that the mpst safe, ju$t aud federal
disposition which could be made.6f the
surplus revenue, weuld be. its iapportion
ment among the Several States, accord
ing TO their ratio of Representations
And in hismessage totbc second session
oEahat Congress, he again urged the
same, views in the following language:
Il lave heretofore felt it my duty 10 re-
commend the adoption of; some plan for
thes distribution, Of the surplus funds
which may, a. any time remain in the
treasury alter the national debi shall have
been paid, among the States, in proper
ton to the number of their representa-
lives, to be applied By them to objects Of
internal improvement"
sIu 1886, Mr.. Calhoun bteught forward
his proposition to distribute the surplus
money in the treasury, among the several
States for their use, which Became law,
and now stands upon the Statute book,
unrepealed and without an effort, SO far
as we know, on the part of a9y to repeal
It. Again, Mr., Calhoun. in 1897, with
the eye, ofaa prophet, foreseeing the diff.
ficutiesa and dangers that would grow out
of the land question, and the disposition
Of the new States, n their rapid growth
and acquisition Of power in the general
TO appropriate to themselves
the lior's sharc7of the public domain,
introduced his celebratea land bill, i'll
in which he proposed TO eede to the new
States all the public lands lying within
their borders respectively; for which they
were. to pay thirty five cents per acres
And in f341,@in supportof hisHviews on
the land question he said, Sthere were
then eighteen senators from, the new
States. In four. years there would be
six more, which would make twenty FOUR
All, therefore, must see tlrat>in a Very
short period, those States would have this
question in their own hands. Il Through
lss4lands, the authority and action Of this
government, prevade the whele Territory
Of the new States; and there citizens be-
Come claimants at your doors, session
after session, either for favor or justice.
We must calculate that the means of con-
troll, which this state of things puts into
the hands Of the ambitiousan and designing
will notLbe neglected: and instead of Idly
complaining, let us remove the cause by
wise and timely legislation. The di a.
culties and dangers are daily on the in
crease. ! ....-,..... ....:S< u.
.sThepublic lands, with their immense
patronage, will be& brought to bear more
and more on the action Of Congress-; will
control the presidential election, and
the result will be that he who uses this
vast fund Of power with the least scruple
will carry away the prize. a
"Iregard it as one Of the wisest max
inns in human affairs. that when we see
an inevitable evil, like this, not to be re-
sisted, approaching, to make concession
10 him, while we can do i with dignity;
and not to wait until necessity compels
us to. act, and when concession, instead
gratitude, win excite contempt,"