The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-02-17

the States will issue it TO their own agents, and
thew will locate she lands they will follow
along upon the border OF our settlements they
will follow on the line Of our railroads, and they
will take every acre OF the land that 10 worth
anything, and there let il lie ~ an incubus on
our prosperity. until Il shall be worth five, ten,
twenty, or fifty dollars an acre, and that value
added 10 ii by the labor Of the citizens OF the
State.
Mr.. Mason, Of Virginia, opposed the
bill upon constitutional grounds. He also
adverted 10 the evil effects Of the measure
upon western interests. He said:
agree with the honorable gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Reel As TO the effect is mist
have upon those States who are unfortunate
enough TO hold public lsnds. There are 10 be
twenty thousand acres given 70 each state for
each member in the House and Senator in this
body. The State Of New York, believe. has
thirty three Representatives in the other
branch, and two Senators here. For each one
Of them she 10 TO get twenty thousand acres.
Then the pill will give seven hundred thousand
acres OF land to the State OF New York, Tor the
purpose Of building up agricultural colleges,
There are no public lands in the State OF New
York. and this grant IL 20 be located elsewhere.
The honorable Senator from the State Of Min
y
land now untouched. with o sagscity that be.
longs TO him, has seen the dsletefious effect
that will be exercised on his State and others
standing in that condition, from locating such
Q large grant within their limits. He Ia answer.
ed blythe honorable Senator from Michigan by
saying that the bill anticipates that the
States will not be allowed ~ become landhold
ers the scrip is 20 be issued'to them, and they
are TO sell this scrip In the market. and the
fu Int ia n al II a IN Ia "a N r
Of the agricultural colleges in such States.
Now let US work II out. You issue 10 the
State Of New York scrip 20 the amount Of seven
hundred thousand acres, believe that will he
about her share, and New York puts in the
market scrip ~ the amount Of seven hundred
thousand acres, and the other States holding
no public lands do the same; what will be the
effect In the first place, 10 depress 90 very
great extent the price Of the public lands; but
the true operation Of II will be this : either
there will be combinations among the States
holding that scrip, or there will be combna-
tons ong the capitalists OF the country to
possess themselves Of the scrip, TO make them
selves landholders. and TO operate as they may
well operate, upon the interior policy OF the
States where the land lies. What is TO prevent
the large capitalist in the northern cities from
seixing the scrip In that wsyi This scrip Is not
to be gathered, as the honorable senator from
Michigan said, a. bounty lands are gathered
one hundred and sixty scrss from one, and
eighty from another, &c.. but to be bought in
bulk; and what IA to prevent the large capital
lists IN the northern cities from possessing this
scrip 10 the amount of six hundred thousand,
or eight hundred thousand, or q million acros
in any OF the new States, and then governing
at their pleasure the policy Of those new states
The bill was also ably opposed in the
Senate by DAVIS, of Mississippi, PrGn, of
Ohio, and other Democratic Senators.
The vote in the Senate, upon its passage,
will be found in another column.