Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-03-14
The Public Lands.

Ait TGUtBC EdHuSs
A great deal il just now heard about "a
fair division of the public lands" Unques-
tionably every State is entitled to full par
ticipalion in the advantages of the public
domain; and it is equally unquestionable
that some have got portion above others.
clamor raised by the citizens of the old
States, without u just foundation They
poiat us to the immense grants Of lands
made to Railroad companies, in the Western
States, and loudly declaim against the inius-
tee which withholds equal grants from SIM
liar companies in the old States
When men undertake to speak in the name
OF jnstice, they ought to be very careful to
state the mhole truth for justice has nothing
to fear from truth it is founded upon it.
Now what is the fact about these railroad
gratis Government does not lose one cent
OF money by making them. It does not gixc
a cent. 1t only asks dollar and twenty
tive cents per acre fer its lands; and when,
il order to allow citizens Of the Western
States to improve their country, yields up
the alternate sections Of land along the lines
OF Improvement, it at the same time, doaJes
the price On the reDaaintler, charges two
dollars and fifty cents per acre, instead of
one dollar aud twenty-five cents, and sells
Its lands much faster than before. Thus the
United States get as much money for the
land as she ever asked, and gets it sooner,
and it goes into the common treasury for the
good of all. Now who is wronged by this :?
Illinois may be benefited, bat is Virginia
cheated If go, how If not, how can We
appeal to Justice to sustain US in any
claim
But i. is said that these companies make
great profits out Of the lands thus coded. L.
Well, suppose they do. Who cares ? IF
we have got our full price for property
got all We asked shall we grieve at the
prosperity OF those to whom we have parted
with it ? 1t is matter Of State concern to
protect Its citizens against powerful monop-
olies aud we think aAy such giants should
always be put under State, instead of cor
poration control and this We believe is the
usage of late. But this is not the question
Of justice to The old States. And we ask
citizens who complain in this view, to Law
aside defamation and vague, general aecu-
sations, and point out clearly and plainly
wherein these railroad grants do injustice to
the old States. We ought not to fill the air
with our elanlors, we ought not to invoke
the shriae of justice, without first dispas-
sonately examining to see if we can main
tain our cause
Suppose that the general government
owned a vast body of land IN Virginia.
Suppose for instance that between Alexan-
dria and GordoHsyi!le, the whole domain had
been government. land. not even taxed BIZ
the State of Virginia. when we went about
constructing that read, the whole private
subscription along the route would have been
lost. Government canNct help TO build it
as private individuals would. But it is ask
ed to make an arrangement by which it will
get its full price, ard get it sooner, and at
the same time remove the obstacle to the
building Of the road. Suppose it refiases--
would we not complain: Suppose it cen
sents, lis Massachusetts, wrongcd ? That is
4 parallel case. What claim of equity do
roads not running through public lands &C
quire BY such grants to roads that do?
That many improper grants of land have
peen made IS Doubtless true. But they give
no more justification for a general scramble,
than the robheries of the Galphins, and
Gardners, do fer general division of the
monies in the public treasury.
II is "A curious fact that these land COM
plants of unjust spoliations on the public
lands come from the party that votes for al
most all these appropriations. They have
steadily voted to thrown down the barriers
and now take advantage of their own wrong
to raise cry for general division .-dlcr
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