The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-06
s,o2o,oO7
I.1o7. 7.2q1,b72.74


The table giving the estimated quantity Of all our pub
lie lands shows the feasibility Of the plan in favor OF
which have been speaking. know that some gentle
from the southern States object to this bill because
they fear that it will carry emgants from the free States
into those States WE'LL sir this point have drawn
| some conclusions from figures which will present to
the Senate. In the State OF Alabama there un-
disposed Of nine thousand one hundred and twenty
quarter sections of land ask my southern friends
would it not be better IL man in the State of Alabama
would select quarter section there, and take the two
hundred dollars it would have cost him, and expcndlt
there, though it might be inferior land than TO
compel him to pay 81 25 acre. and emgate from the
State of Alabama to place where he could get better
land If you compel him to pay hehigher price, II be-
his interest to leave his native State but by per-
mttng him to take the land and expcnd on its improve
what he would otherwise have to pay, and what 1t
would cost him to move the chances are that he will
remain where he is. In the State of Mississippi
there are thirty -four thousand four hundred and
nnctysx quarter sections in Louisiana, thirty seven
thousand in Arkansas, ninety seven thousand in Flor
ida hundred and twelve thousand Altogether the
quarter sections of public lands belonging to the govern
ment amount to six million nine hundred and twenty
thousand. How feasible the plan is. have shown,
too, that it would take six hundred years to dis
pose Of the public lands at the rate have been dis
posing of thcm and that if you take million quarter
sections and have them settled and cultivated You will
obtain more revenue, and you will enhance the remain
ing psblic lands than the value of those the gov
ernment gives t
live in o southern State and, If / know myself,
am good southern as any one who lives within
the borders of the South It TO be feared that by
this bill we compel to go on the lands. want to
compel to GO. / want to leave each and every
to be controlled by his inclination, by his
interest and not 10 force him but is It satesmanke is
It philanthropc is it Christian, to keep in State
and refuse to let him CO. because II he does go, he will
tend to populate other portion Of the country f
lives in county in which live, and he can by
crossing the line into another county, better his cond
ton, say let him go IT, by crossing the boundary of
my State and going into another he better his con-
diton, say let him go. II go from Tennes-
see into illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi Arkansas
any other State and better his condition. let him go
not where he goes that hc locates himself in
this great of freedom becomes attached to in
stitutons and interested in the prosperity and welfare of
the country. not where he goes, that he ig
under the protection Of stars and stripes sny let
him 80 where he better the condition OF himself
his wife and children let him 60 where he can
receive the greatest remuneration for his toll and
for his labor What kind Of policy Is it to say
that shall be locked up where he was born and
shall be- confined to the place Of his birth Take tho
State Of North Carolina represented by the honorable
senator before me- Mr., CLMGaASl land have no doubt
lcoNrmuED FOURTH rAoE1