Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-05-26

THE NORTH CAROLINA sIANpA RID WI ~

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stili more recent organization Of Similar society
colpaze Virginia for The purpose Of ebolshing slaye-
~ her tanatical and impairment Interference On
the sfaiIs Of others throngh 81 her past
leave ussno room 10 doubt with whist JOY she would
embrace any policy that would enable her plant d
her batteries in the heart Of the feeblest OF the
States; nor, can we doubt for mo-
ment what sort of settlers she would place there,
and what use she would make OF her position. The
states have the power to protect themselves against
this, in the unlimited power they possess Of taxing
all the lands within their limits. They Mould tag
the lands belonging to States 20 heavily to compel
the osoners to abandon them. If any one doubts
their right to tax them, will only remind him, !
that although the question as to the right OF State
to tax lands belonging to the United States, has
never been decided by the supreme Court, yet Con-
gress has always acted on the assumption that the
States do possess the right and the admission OF
every new State, enters into compact with It,
whereby the State in consideration OF certain pay
ment to it by the United States, binds itself not to
tax its lands. If however there is any wel-found-
ed doubt to the right to tax the property Of the
United States land eminent lawyers differ about it,
there is no doubt about their to tax the land or
other property of individual States and there is no
authority in the Government that can limit or re-
strain its exercise.
A notable display of this jealousy, on the part Of
the new States and of submission to their demands
nv Congress- is to be found in the bill introduced
by Mr.. MORRILL,. of Vermont, which passed the
House Of Representatives few days since, Provid-
ing for distribution of lands TO the States for the
benefit of agricultural colleges. The first section
grants to each State quantity of land, equal to
twenty thousand acres, for each Senator and Repre-
sentative il Congress. The second section provides:
"And whenever there public lands in State, worth
81 rs per he value of said lands to be determined by
the Governor Of said State) quantity which said
shall be entitled shall be selected from such lands
and the Secretary hereby directed issue
TN fhoSoS Mates in W
value of 81 2 per land scrip to the amount OF Their
distrbuve shares in acres under the provisions OF this
thereof applied the and the purposes prescribed in
for other use or or purpose whatsoever Pro-
thus be issued allowed locate the within the
limits of any other State but their assgnees thus To-
said land scrip of the unapproprated lands
Of the United States, subject to private entry"
By this simple arrangement the States which have
public land within their limits secured against
competition and will be able to get land worth, per-
haps, ten or twenty dollars per acre. Whilst North
Carolina, and other States having no public lands
within their limits, are not even allowed to locate
their scrip in the Territories but required to sell
it in the market for sixty eighty cents per acre.
This is one of the Wanted distribution schemes for
voting against which my COLLEAGUES and myself will
be denounced. 1t is fair sample Of all the disri-
button projects-givng the shell to the DID, and the
kernel TO the new States.
V. IT IS PROPOSED TO ISSUE SCRIP TO THE STATES
The opposition candidate for Governor (Mr.
McRae) in his letter to Mr. Dancey recently publish
ed in the newspapers, says:
"What, then, do propose? I propose that Congress
shall withdraw all the public lands in the territories from
sale for ten years lands in sections and
quarter sections the of the several States
according to their federal population for two hundred mil
lions or thereabouts the number still remaining unds
posed of in the land States perhaps two hundred and fifty
millions which warrants will be subject to sale like the
soldiers apdwarants and located when sold by the pur
afr;l
sovereign holding domain in the limits of another, and
about the taxation of these lands by the States in which
till the location"
1t will be that, like Morrill's BILL it does not
contemplate allowing the old States to locate their
scrip on the best land they find, but they are
compelled to sell Show That d 81 al the plans YET
proposed that profess to let the old States in
for share, this is the most unjust and injurious to
the old States. proposed to issue land warrants
for two hundred million acres and give them to the
thirtytwo States to sell. Let it be borne in mind
that that number of acres will cover an area six
times great the whole State of North Carolina.
That much land would not be wanted by actual set
tiers in twenty years; yet we would have thirty
two States acting independently Of and in COMPETE
lion with, one another, and forcing that amount on
the market at once Of course the States would
strive to underse one another, spectators would
take advantage of the competition to put down the
warrants and "our share" would probably not bring
into our treasury five cents per acre. out of which
agents, brokers, and commissions would have to be
paid. Experience is always safer guide than mere
speculations and fortunately we are not without ex
perence this subject. By reference to the report
of the Commissioner of the General Land Office.
page So, it will be that the whole amount of
land warrants issued to the OLD soldiers from 1s47
to September 30, 1857, So 6S9, $40 acres being
average of five millions and fraction for each
year. Every old soldier who has had warrant with
in two or three years, knows that all he could get
for it about eighty cents per acre, although the
lowest Government price for The land is 81 % per
acre; and much Of the time the warrants could not
be sold for eighty cents. And this, too, notwith-
standing that there has been more demand for land
in the last three of four years than before.
Now let every person make a calculation for him
self-if putting upon the market five millions of
per year depresses the price from 81 25 to 80
CENTS what will be the effect of putting two hundred
millions of acres upon the market at one time? Es-
pecially when it is considered that the old ldier
not obliged to sell his warrant but could have
it located If the price did not satisfy him. and hold
the land for a rise whilst under the plan
discussing the States cannot locate, but must sell
their warrants for whatever they bring. In my
opinion, land warrants would become. drug like
the old Continental money, and could not be sold at
all, or, if at all. only for nominal price. Who
would be benefited by this scheme? Certainly not
the old States for they would scarcely get enough
money to pay expenses. 1t would be equivalent in
It's effects to giving the land to any person who
would take it, and that is what the States most
desire; because it carries population to them, and
enables their citizens to get the public land without
paying for it. If it is to be given to any who will
take it, let it be done openly, SO that We may say
that we have been robbed, not outwitted.
The expenses Of surveying and selling
the land amount to, per year, (See Es-
Inmates of Commissioner of Land OF.
flee for 1859 $685., 21O
Annuities paid to Indians for their lands,
(see schoolcraft's Report, vol viz 1904, 1872
Making an annual charge of $2,7ss,542
to say nothing of the expenses of extingushing In