The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1859-03-09
PRESIDENTS VETO MESSAGE.

llNNC1DLlN1 ~ L1U M1SNAUG.
To the House Of Representatives Of the Uni-
ted States:
return, with my objections, to the
House OF Representatives, in which it or.
iginated, the bill entitled Gan act dona-
ting public lands to the several States
and Territories which may provide colleges
for the benefit of agriculture and the me-
chanic arts" presented to me on the 18th
inst.
This bill makes donation to the sever
al States of twenty thousand acres of the
public lands for each Senator and Repre-
sentative in the present Congress; and al
so an additional donation of twenty thous.
and acres for each additional Represen-
tstive to which any State many be entitled
under the census of 1860.
According to report from the Interior
Department, based upon the present num-
ber of Senators and Representatives, the
lands given to the States amount to six
millions and sixty thousand acres, and
their value, at the minimum government
price Of one dollar and twenty y-6ve cents per
acre, to seven million FIVE hundred seven
ty-fve thousand dollars.
i The object of this gift, as stated by the
bill, is "the endowment, support and main
tenance of at least one college Tin each
State where the leading object shall be,
without excluding other scientific or clas-
sical studies, to teach such branches of
learning as are related to agriculture and
the mechanic arts, as the legislatures of
the States may respectively prescribe, in
j order to promptc the liberal and practi-
cal education of the industrial classes in
, the several pursuits and professions in
life" t.....l.,.,
| As there, does not appear from the bill
to be any bene6ciaries in existence to which
t this endowment can be applied, each State
is required "to provide, within FIVE years
f at least, not less than one college, or the
grant to said State shall cease" In that
: event the "said State shall be bound to pay
b United States the amount received Of any
e lands previously sold, aud that the title
: to purchasers under the State shall bs
q (valid.".
;. The grant in land itself is confined t.
l. such States as have public lands within
It their limits worth $l,25 per acre, in th'
l. opinion of the Governor. For the re
). naming States, the Secretary of the In
n terror is directed to issue Gland scrip tt
l. the amount of their ditributiye shares il
|. acres under. the provisions of this act
d said script to be sold by said States, an,
d the proceeds thereof applied to the use
t. and purposes prescribed in this act an
d for no other use or purpose whatsoever
The lands are granted and the scrip is t
,e he issued in sections or subdivisions Q
is sections not less than one quarter Of
th section. --.,
is According to an estimate from the Ir
terror Department, the number of acre
ne which will probably be accepted by State
r. having public lands within their own lin
IN its will not exceed five hundred aud eight
=. thousand acres, and it msy be much les
,e leaving balance of FIVE million four hui
e. d.ed and eighty thousand acres to be pr,
= dided for by scrip.
L
as each of the thirty three States are mat
on upon certain conditions, the principal
re which is that if the fund shall! be lost
diminished on account of unfortunate il
Al. vestments, or otherwise, the de6cien,
de shall be replaced and made good by Il
cg respective States. a
k shall now proceed to state my o
ee. iecticns to this bill. deem it to be DO
all inexpedient and unconstitutional.
L. This bill has been passed at a pei
cd when we can with great difficulty raj
sufficient revenue to sustain the expens
oe of the Government. Should it become
se' law the Treasury will be deprived o: Il
zee whole-or nearly the whole-or our
ey come from the sale of public lands, viii,
las for the next fiscal year, has been estimate
at five millions cf dollars.
ar A bare statement of the case will ma
Tor this evident. The minimum price at viii
we dispose of our lands is one dollar o.
'u- twenty five cents per acre. At the pre-
Pc ent moment, however, the price has be
1t reduced to those who purchase the bou
ty land-warrants of the old soldiers
OF eighty-fve cents per acre; and Of the
Ell warrants there are still outstanding al
ise INDICATED, as appears by report az
ate February, 1850 from the General Ian
icy Office, the amount of eleven millions nj
hundred and ninety thousand three hu
"a dred and ninety-one acres. This has
II ready greatly reduced the current sales
= the Government, and diminished the rev
nue. from this source. II, in addi;io
ng thirty-lhree States shall enter the marl
ev- with their land scrip, the price must
greatly reduced below even eighty-6
ca cents per acre, as much to the p
DE judice of the old soldiers who ha
for not already parted with their land vi
req rants as to Government. 1t is easy
SE- perceive that with this glut of the mari
Government can sell little or no land
leir one dollar and twenty-five cents per &C
Der when the price of bounty-land warrant a
al scrip shall be reduced to half this sum.
This source of revenue will be almost