Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-05-22
FRIDAY. MAY e2, is57.

for more than 81 e5 per acre but ex.
perience shows that the quantity sold
above that price is so small that its effect
on the general average price does not ex.
ceed 2 40 cents per acre, and is too in
considerable to take into the estimate.
Taking, then, all the circumstances
into consideration, the committee feel as
sured thatthe result TO which they have
been brought is too high rather than too
low but they do not deem it material
whether it be, in truth, few millions
more or less. Their object is not perfect
precision. but to give correct general
impression of the value OF the lands en-
braced in the bill, in order to correct the
utterly fallacious conception which even
many of the we'll informed entertain on
the subject. So long as the value Of the
lands embraced in the bill is estimated at
hundreds of millions OF dollars, instead Of
the few millions which they are really
worth, so long it will be impossible to OBJ
tain for the measure which it proposes
that impartial aud deliberate considera-
tion necessary to correct decision, and
hence :he necessity Of removing such er.
roneous impressions preliminary to the
discussion Of the general merits of the
bill. to which the committee will now
proceed"
Extraordinary efforts have been made
within the last few months. by the oppo>
sition papers OF this district and State. to
excite discomfort by vivid and reiterated
declarations of the gross mismanagement
Of the public domain. Tabular statements
have been paraded before your eyes of
the enormous donations made by Con.
gress to the new States for school, rail-.
road, and other purposes. Editors and
orators have dwelt with real or affected
indignation upon the reckless squan.
dering Of the public lands. the extraordi-
nary lavors shown to the newaStates and
the injustice done to the old, the rapid
decline Of Virginia and the unparalleled
growth Of the northwestern States, all the
result Of concerted movement. origina.
ting in party purposes, and all designed
to prepare the public mind for revival
OF the oft-repeated and discarded policy
Of distribution.
That there is not some just ground for
discomfort with the Legislation of Congress
Tor the last seven or eight years do not
deny. One might naturally inter such TO
be my opinion at least. for my vote has
been uniformly arrsyed agains. every
bill disposing in any fo,m OF the public
lands submitted to the body Of which
was member. during the six years OF
my service. But it will be found, upon
examination. that much OF this camor
grows out of a misconception of the true
character of the Legislation Of Congress.
or is ascribable to natural and unayoid-
able causes, over which Congress and hu.
man government can have no control.
will examine separately the three
classes of grants. which are the theme Of
greatest denunciation by the opposition
press. and submit to your consideration
the reasons Of just policy upon which
they respectively rest. and you will thus
have the means Of deciding for yourselves
whether you have been robbed and plum.
dered TO the extent that you are led to
suppose by those vigilant sentinels. who
claim now to be the only safe repositories
OF the public interest.
SCHOOL LANDS.
The new States. created out Of the ter.
ritory of the United States, have always
had, at the period of their admission,
large vacant aud unappropriated public
lands within their limits. Coming into
the confederacy. as members of the fede>
raj alliance, with all the rights of inde-
pendent States, subject 10 the Constitu.
lion of the United States. would have the
rnquestloned power to tax FOR State pur-
poses all the lands within their jurisdic>
ton, whether belonging TO the federal
government or TO individuals. To.guard
against this exercise of State power, it
has been the practice OF the government.
from our earliest history, 10 enter into
compact with the State seeking admission
into the Union, by which the United
States agree to transfer to the State one
section of land in each township for "the
use Of schools" and FIVE per cent. Of the
FIRST proceeds of the sale of the publ,
lands lying within the State. after deduc-
ting all expenses incident 10 the same, for
public roads.
" Provided that the foregoing propo,
sitions herein offered are on the condition,
| that the said convention which shall form
the constitution, of said State shall
provide. by clause in said con.
stitution, or an ordinance. irreyocable
without the consent of the United States,
that said State shall never interfere with
the primary disposal of the soil within
the same by the United States. nor with
any regulations Congress may fnd neces.
sary for securing the title in such soil to
bona 6de purchasers thereof; and that no
tax shall be imposed on lands the proper.
~ of the United States and that in no
case shall nonresident proprietors be
taxed higher than residents
It will be seen that the grant of school
lands. DC. is made by Congress as con-