Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-04-28
DISPOSAL 81 TEE PUBLIC LANDS.


ject has claimed the attention Of Congress of more
Importance OF greater magnitude than proper dis.
pOsal Of the public lands, and, certainly, has
been more seriously neglected. The public lands
are public property, and, Of course, require the
adoption Of some distinct and settled policy in order
to do equal justice to the various portions Of the
Union. Gen. JACKSON saw this aud urged it fOrci-
bly, upon the consideration of Congress- and subss-
ouent Presidents, we believe have done the same
thing For the last eight or ten years the public
lands have been preyed upon and gambled over By
INSCRIPTIONS politicians, seeking sectional advsn-
tages for railroad and ether purposes until the Gov
eminent has been plundered and robbed Of large
share Of her most desirable domain. And this sys-
TEN Of things must continue SO long as both parties
fail to set their backs against it. having national
policy upon the subject.
Two propositions are now before Congress the
FIRST introduced by Hon. ANDREW JOHNSON and
known as his homestead bill-the second by Hon,
G. W. JONES, embracing the graduating system
both Of which, however, proceed upon the same gen
era idea Of reservng the public lands homes for
and rghtful property Of actual settlers upon proper
condition and not as free booty for the mOnied
Between the two plans, trust that something may
be accomplished. The general sentiment Ofathe
people of this State is well understood
The find in the Philadelphia Argus whose articles
upon all questions are characterised by great ability,
the following interesting and fOrcible remarks,
which we urge upon the special attention Of or
readers
In nothing has the shameless treachery of the
agents of the people been more strkngly manifest,
than in their reckless squsnderiDg of the public
lands. Il il quite time that 3 voice Of public re-
buke should be heard in tones that cannot be mis-
construed or misunderstood.
Among the causes which have been instrumental
in producing the frightful inequalities which now
exist, the Monopoly Of Land has been one Of the
most powerful 1t has heaped wealth. honors, pOliti
cal power, upon few favored ones, while the many
have been left in the csnkered walks Of beggary TO
struggle with poverty and destituiOn as they might.
We presume that it Willnot be doubted or denied,
that the earth IVES originally given to man by the
Creator, a universal patrimOny-the common
property ofthe race Very early however the grasp
ing spirit sel6ishness began to appropriate that
TO few, which was originally designed for all to
remedy this great and already growing evil, the
great Jewish LaWgiver ordained that 8" the land
shall not be sold forever" Had all civilized nations
been governed by the code Of Moses, it would have
prevented delUge Of tears from flowing down the
Sunken cheek8 OF penury anu ueSILullOn.
The overwhelming evils of the present social
system are seen, felt, and understood, by a multi
tude Of Christian phianthrOpists. Good men every
where deplore the wrongs which grooming Labor
endures; the ponderous burdens laid upon the
shoulders Of patient, long suffering industry, are
becoming too OverpOWering to be longer borne, and
they will be thrown of Is it not wiser that they
should be quietly and gently removed, than that
they should be cast aside by the strong arm, smart
ing under the evils Of centuries Of crime and op
prsssion?
As one means of mitigating the unhappy con-
dtion Of the houseless, homeless victims Of unjust
legislation and unWise policy, II has been proposed
to make the public lands free to actual settlers
It Gen. Jacksons deliberate opinion, as long ago
as the year 1882, that it was best to abandon all
idea of raising future revenue out of the public
lands He was immessurably anxious to put an end
to all partial and interested Legislation the sub
ject and that every American citizen Of enterprise
should be afforded an opportunity Of securing
independent freehold. See his message to Congress,
Dec 4, 1882. We look upon this as one Of the
strongest evidences Of far-seeing sagaoity ever ex
hibited by that remarkable man.
Those who oppose universal suffrage maintain
that every voter should have stake in the great
interests Of the country. Nov here is plan pro
posed by which hundreds and thousands Of landless
labOrers can be put in possession Of the very quail
catiOn loudly contended for. These lands belong
to the people-they have been purchased and paid
for with their blood and toll; why then should the
real owners Of these lands be debarred by their
public agents in Congress, out Of it, from occupy
ing, improving and cultiVating theml They have
been of but little if any profit to the nation at large,
under the system Of sale which has been pursued
why then shOuldit be longer continued? Why should
immense tracts Of the common patrimony be mono
polized by horde of heartless spectators, the
cormorants of capital, and the poor by thousands
be deprived of a home Of their own ?-the lands
kept in unproductive barrenness. when they might
be covered with abundance and prosperity.
It the remark of the immortal Jefferson, that
those who laborin the earth are the chosen people
of God in their breasts is the safe depository of the
public virtue; they keep alive that sacred fire which
might otherwise escape from the face of the earth.
Corruption Of morals, in the mass Of cultivators, is
phenomenon of which no age nation has fur
nished an example They have none Of that ahject
dependence upon casualties and customers which is
toe apt to beget spirit Of servility and venality
We cannot, then, afford too many encouCsgements
to persons seeking profession, to engage in agr-
cultural pUrsuits-One ofthe greatest encOuragements
would be to offer every who is destitute a small
farm out the public domain, free of expense pro-
vded he will give satisfactory evidence that he will
occupy it permanently If this was done, how soon
would the wilderness smile and the solitary places
be glad how would the boundless wealth Of the
mighty West be unfolded villages would be seen 4
rising by every stream; the hum of busy industry |
would break the silence of ages; hearts bowed with
agony and bleeding with grief would thrOb With |
unutterable joy All this could be accomplished |
without injury to auy-Without infringing upon the |
rights of a solitary individual Who will say that
the experiment should not be tried p?