Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-03-06
Tho Veto Message Of tho President.

We have before us, at full length,
the late Message of the President,
vetoing the bill passed by Congress,
entitled, "An act donating public
lands to the several States and Terri
tories, which may provide colleges for
the benefit of agriculture and the
mechanic arts" The Documents an
able and interesting one, but we have
not space for its publication.
The bill in question, made dona-
ton to the several States Of twenty
thousand acres Of the public lands for
each Senator and Representative in the
present Congress and also an addi-
tional donation Of twenty thousand
acres for each additional representative
70 which any State may be entitled
under the census of 1860.
Thus, according to report from the
Secretary Of the Interior, making a
donation of six millions and sixty
thousand acres of land, valued at seven
millions and seventy-fve thousand
dollars.
The reasons given by the President
they are, or should be, satisfactory
for disappearing the Bill are six in
number.
First.-That the bill was passed at
a period when We can with great diff
Guilty raise sufficient revenue to sustain
the expenses Of the government
Should it become law, the tres sury
would be deprived Of the whole, OF
nearly the whole, income from the sale
Of public lands, which for the next
fiscal year has been estimated at five
millions Of dollars.
Second.-That it would interfere
with the relations established between
the State and Federal governments,
establishing precedent which would
be acted on in the future, making the
calls of the different States upon the
general government for assistance in
their private affairs, frequent and I'M.
pleasant.
The third reason, addresses itsel
particularly to our interests in tn,
premises. It is as follows.
3. This bill. should it become law, will
operate greatly to the injury Of new State
The progress Of settlements and the increas
of an industrious population owning an in
terest in the soil they cultivate are tn
causes which will build them up into grea
and iourishing Common wealths. Nothin,
could be more prejudicial to their interest
than for wealthy individuals TO acquir
large tracts of public land and hold then
for speculative purposes. The low price I,
which this land script will probably be re-
duced will tempt spectators to buy it il
large amouts and locate it on the best land
belonging to the government The event
nal consequence must be that the men VIII
desire to cultiv ate the soil will be COMPEL
ed to purchase these very lands 1t rate
much higher than the price at which the,
could be obtained from the government.
Fourth.-That it is more thai
doubtful whether the appropriation
would gain the desired object-the ad
vancement Of Agriculture and tn,
Mechanical Arts. After the donatio,
had been made, the Federal Govern
ment would lose all control Of tn,
matter, and could not see that its in
tentions were carried out.
Fifth.-That the bill would inter
fere with existing colleges I'm the diff
ferent States, 10 many of which apri
culture is taught as q science, an,
which it ought to be so taught.
Sixth.-That Congress does no
posscss the power, under the Consitu
ton to make . donation Of publ,
lands to the different States of Ii
Union 70 provide colleges for III
purpose Of edseatiag their own peopl,
From The naaase IL which I'll d,
na&isns e publlsldsd hsvs hssste6os