The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-03-24

then multiply the class Of fresholders; pass the
pubte lands cheapiy aud easily into the hands
OF the people; sell, for = reasonable price TO
those who are able TO pay and give without
price 10 those who are not able to pay and
that which " so given, consider ~ sold FOR
the best Of prices for a price above gold or
silver q price which cannot be carried away
BY delinquent officers nor lost in failing banks,
nor stolen by thieves, nor squandered by an
improNident aud cxtravagant administration.
IL brings price above rubies-A race Of ven.
turous and independent laborers, the true sup.
porters OF their country. and the stock from
which lis best defenders must be drawn"
What constitutes State,
Not high raised battlements, nor laborea
mounds,
Thick wall, nor moated gate
Nor cities proud, with spires and ,urre,s
croWn'd,
Nor starr and spangled courts.
Whose low born barenes watts perfume TO
pride:
but MsS high minded men,
Who their duties know, but know their r,ghts'
And, knowing, dare maintain them
In favor Of low prices and donations Of
land TO actual settlers, Mr.. BENTON quoted
the example OF and condition Of the Allan
tic States Of this Union--all settled under
liberal systems Of land distribution. lie
said:
These Atlantic States were donations from
the british Crown; and the great proprietors
distributed out their possessions with asfrec
aud generous hand. A few shillings for u hun
dred acres nominal quit rent, and gifts Of a
hundred, i've hundred, and thousand acres, TO
actual settlers: such were the terms on which
they dealt out the soil which 10 now covered by
. race Of freomen. Provinces, which now form
IA Sfatas ~ snll IN "A lan nd In hand
for y less sum than the federal government now
demands for An AREA Of two miles square. !
could name instances, could name the state
Of Mane-a name, for more reasons than one,
familiar and agreeable TO Missouri, and whose
pristine territory was sold by Sir FerdnAndo
Georges 10 the proprietors ~ the Massac husetts
bay. for twelve hundred pounds, provincial
money. And well il was for Maine that she was
no sold well II WAS for her that the modern
policy Of waiting for the rise (of land) aud
sticking al a MINIMUM price Of 81 Is, was not
then IN vogue, or else Maine would have been
u desert now. Instead Of u numerous. intelli
gent and virtuous population, We shoud have
had trees and wild beasts.
IL say we'll II was for Maine that she was sold
for the federal price Of four sections Of Alaba.
ma pine, Louisiana swamp, or Missouri prai.
RE. Well II was for every State In this Union,
that their soil WAS sold for . song, or given IN
a gift 10 whomsocyer would take H. happy
for them and for the liberty OF tho human race,
that the kings Of England and the Lords Pro.
prietors did not conceive the luminous idea Of
waiting for the rise, and sticking 10 a minimum
oftl q per acre. Happy for Kentucky, Ten.
nessee. and Ohio that they were settled under
Nfafss and not under the federal government.
To this happy exemption they owe their pros
cnt greatness aud prosperity. When they were
settled the state laws prevailed In tho aequisi'
ton Of lands and donations, pre-. smptions,
n astt 10 nj riubfa and saiaa at w nj
per acre were the order Of thc day. ! include
Ohio, and do II with u knowledge Of what !
say for ten millions Of her sol--that which
now constitutes her chief wealth and strength
were settled upon tho liberal principles which
! mention The federal system only fell upon
fifteen millions Of her soil. and 0f that quantity,
the one half now lea waste and useless, paying
no tax TO the state, yielding nothing to agri.
culture, desert spots In the midst OF = smiling
garden, waiting for the RISE and exhibiting
10 high and bold relief, the miserable folly Of
prescribing an arbitrary Minimum upon that
article which Ia the free gin OF God to man,
and which no parental government has ever
attempted 10 convert into source Of revenue
and ah article Of mere handre."
President JACKSON, 10 one Of his annual
messages, recommended TO Congress tho
adoption Of the policy Of disposing Of the
public lands chiefly with view TO settle.
mcnt and cultivation; aud that they should
cease to b. subject Of revenue after the eN
tingiishmcnt OF the revolutionary debt.
That debt was extiDgulshed near the clo@e Of
his last presidential term. And well would
il W for Minnesota and Tor all the Vest.
for the public treasury and the whole Union,
il the wise, liberal and just policy advocated
by Hon. L. ~ BEsrOS and other senators,
and recommended by President JAcKsos,
was adopted now in the disposition Of the
public lands
PHnAD. SETTLEMENT, CHrA0O 90.