Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1859-03-05
The Staqaata.
PRESIDENTS VETO MESSAGE

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PRESIDENTS VETO MEsSAGE
To tie HOUSE Of Representative
Of tho Uasted &ats:
return, with my objections, to the House Of
Representatives, in which it originated the bill en-
titled IAN act donating public lands to the several
States aud Territories which may provide colleges
for the benefit Of agriculture and the mechanic arts
presented to me on the 18th inst
This biN makes donation to the several States OF
twenty thousand acres of the public lands Tor eacn
senator and representative in the present congress
and also an additional donation of twenty thousand
acres for each additional representative to wnicn
any State may be entitled under the census OF lSoo
According to a report from the Interior Depart
ment, based upon the present number 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 prlce
of one dollar and twenty five cents per acre, to
seven million five hundred and seventy five thous-
and dollars.
The object of this gift, as stated by the bill. is
1.-THE endowment Support and maintenance of at
least one college lin each STATED where the leading
object shall BE- without excluding other scientific or
classical 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 order to promote tho liberal and prac
teal education of the industrial classes in the sever
al pursuits and professions in life"
As there does not appear from the bill to be any
beneficiares in existence to which this endowment
can be applied each State is required Ito provide
within five years 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 the
United States the amount received Of any lands
previously Sold and that the title to purchasers un-
d.r tho State shall he valid -"
The grant in land itself is confined to such States
as have public lands within their limits worth one
dollar and twenty five cents per acre. in the opinion
of the governor. For the remaining States, the
Secretary of the Interior is directed to issue land
scrip to the amount of their dstrbutive shares in
acres under the provisions of this act said script to
be sold by said States and the proceeds thereof ap-
piled to the uses and purposes prescribed in this
act and for no other use or purpose whatsoever =
The lands are granted and the scrip is to be issued
in sections or subdivisions of sections not less than
one quarter of section"
According to an estimate from the Interior De-
partment, the number of acres which will probably
be accepted by States having public lands within
their own limits will not exceed five hundred and
eighty thousand acres, and it may be much less
leaving balance of five million four hundred and
eighty thousand to be provided for by scrip.
These grants of land and land scrip to each of the
thirty three States made upon certain conditions,
the principal of which is that if the fund shall be
lost or diminished account of unfortunate invest
ments or otherwise the deficiency shall be replaced
and made good by the respective States.
shall now proceed to state my objections to this
BILL l deem it to be both inexpedient and uncon-
sttutional
l. This bill has been passed at a period when we
can with great difficulty raise sufficient revenue to
sustain the expenses of the government Should it
become law, the treasury will be deprived Of the
whole or nearly the whole, of our income from the
sale of public lands which, for the next fiscal year,
has been estimated at five millions of dollars.
4 bare statement of the case will make this evil
dent The minimum price at which We dispose of
our lands is one dollar and twenty-five cents per
acre. At the present moment, however, the price
has been reduced to those who purchase the toan-
ty-land warrants of the old soldiers to eighty five
cents per acre; and of these warrants there still
outstanding and INDICATED. as appears by report
Q2th February, 1859 from the General Land Office,
the amount of eleven millions nine hundred and
ninety thousand three hundred and ninetyone acres
This has already greatly reduced the current sales
by the government, and diminished the revenue
from this source. If in addition thirty three States
shall enter the market with their land scrip, the
price must be greatly reduced below even eighty.
five cents per acre. much to the prejudice of the
old soldiers who have not already parted with theil
land warrants as to government It is easy to per
ceive that with this gut of the market government
sell little lands at one dollar and twenty
five cents per acre. when the price of bounty land
warrants and scrip shall be reduced to half this
sum- This source of revenue will be almost entire
ly dried up. Under the bill the States may sell
their land scrip at any price it mag bring. Their,
is no limitation whatever in this respect. Indeed
they must sell for what the scrip will bring, fo
without this fund they cannot proceed to establish
their colleges within the five years to which they
are limited 1t is manifest therefore, that to tn
extent to which this bill will prevent the sale of tn
public lands at one dollar and twenty-five cents pc
to that amount it will have precisely the sam
effect upon the treasury as if we should impose
tax or create loan to endow these State colleges
Surely the present is the most unpropitious me
ment which could have been selected for the passag
of this BILL
2. Waving for the present the question of con
stitutional power what effect will this bill have
the relations established between the federal an
State governments The constitution is a grant
Congress of a few enumerated but most importar
powers relating chiefly to war, peace, foreign an
domestic commerce. negotiation, and other sIbject
which can be best or alone exercised bene6cially
the common government All other powers are r,
served to the States and to the people For the e
ficient and harmonious working of both it is nece
sary that their several spheres of action should
kept distinct from each other. This alone can DR.
'SnS SOiIA'SI dhu uIutudl OuOulO the uu
ever arrive when the State governments shall loo
to the federal treasury for the means of supportn
themselves and maintaining their systems Of educ
ton and internal policy, the character of both 60
ernments will be greatly deteriorated The repr
sentatives of the States and of the people, feeling
more immediate interest in obtaining money to lgh
en- the burdens of their constituents than for Il
promotion Of the more distant objects intrusted
the federal government will naturally incline to .
tain means from the federal government for Sta
purposes. If question shall arise between an a
preparation Of land OF money to carry into effect
objects Of the federal government and those of Il
States, their feelings will b. enlisted in favor of Il
latter. This is human nature; and hence the n
cessity of keeping the two governments entire
distinct. The preponderance Of this home feeli1
has been manifested by the passage of the prcse
bill. The establishment of these colleges has D,
vailed over the pressing wants Of the common tire,
ury. No nation ever had such an inheritance as ,
possess in the public lands. These ought to
managed with the utmost care but at the sa,
time with liberal spirit towards actual settlers:
In the first year of a war with powerful ma,
nation the revenue from customs mnst in . on