The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1859-03-23
PRESIDENTS VETO MESSAGE,
To the House Of Representatives efth. United

entitled "An act donating public lands TO the
severa States and Territories vii n may HTo.
vide colleges for the benefit o. agriculture and
the mechanic arts" presented to me on the
18th inst.
Tho bill makes donation TO the several
States Of twenty thousand acres of the public
lands for each senator and representative IN the
present Congress: and also sn additional dona-
ten Of twenty thousand acres for each addition
! al representative to which any State may been
titled under he census of lSGO
According to the report Of the Interior De.
partmcnt based upon the present number OF
senator's 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 five
cents per acre, to seven million five hundred
and seventy five thousand dollars
| The object Of this gift, as stated IN tho Dill,
is "the endowment, support and maintenance oil
at least one college Gn each State) where the
leading object shall be, without excluding other
scientific or classical studies to teach such
branches ofearning as are related to agriculture
and the mechanic arts, as the legislatures OF the
States may respectfully subscribe, IN order to
promote the liberal and practical education ol
the industrial classes in the several pursuits anu
professions in life"
As their does not appear from the bill TO be
any benefciaries in existence to which this en-.
dowment can be appl ed, each State IS required
ITO provide, within five years at least, not less
than one college, or the grant to said State shall
cease" 1t that event the "said State Shall be
bound to pay the United States the amount re-
ceyed of any lands previously sold, and that
the title to purchasers under the State shall be
valid" .... ..
The grant in land itselFis 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 re
naming States, the Secretary of the Interior is
directed to issue Gland script to the amount OF
their d,stributve shares in acres under the
provisions of this act; said scrip to he sold by
said States, and the proceeds thereof applied to
! the use 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 not less than one quarter OF Sec
| ton"
According to an estimate from the interior
Department, tho number of acres which will
probably be accepted by the States having pub
lie lands within their limits Will not exceed hve
hundred and eighty thousand acres, and II may
be much less; leaving balance of five million
four hundred and eighty thousand acres TO be
provided for by scrip,
These grants of land and land scrip TO each
OF the thirty-three States are made upon Ger
tain conditions, the principal which Is, that
irt the fund shall be lost or diminished on ac.
count OF unfortunate investments, or otherwise
the deficiency shall be replaced and made good
by the respective States, '.t
| shall now proceed 10 state my objections tt
this bill. deem 1t to be both inexpedent ant
unconstitutional.
l. This bill has been passed at a period
when we can with great difficulty raise suI
lcient revenue to sustain the expense of the gov
ernment Should it become law, the treasury
will be deprived Of the whole, or nearly tho
whole. Of our income from the sale Of public
lands, which. for the next fiscal year, has beer
estimated at five million dollars.
A bare statement Of the case will make this
evidcnt. The minimum price at which we dis
pose OF onr lands is one dollar and twenty-tv,
cents per acre. AT the present moment, how
ever, the price has been reduced 10 those who
purchase the bounty land warrants OF the Ole
soldiers to eightytive cents per acre; and 0
these warrants there are still outstanding anc
INDICATED, as appears from a report (l2th o
February. 1852 from the General Land Office
the amount of eleven million nine hundred ant
ninety thousand three hundred and nnety-ont
acres. This has already greatly reduced thC
current sales by the government, and diminish
ed the revenue from this source. II in addi
ton, thirty three States shall enter the market
with their land scrip, the price must be greatly
reduced below even eighty cents per acre, a'
much to the prejudice ofthe old-soldierS wht
have not already parted with their land war
rants as to government. 1t is easy to perceive
that with this glut Of the maket the government
can sell little or no lands at one dollar anc
twenty-five cents per acre, when the price
bounty lond warrants and scrip shall be reduced
to half Ills sum, This source Of revenue vii
be almost entirely dried up-Under the bil
the States may sell their scrip at any price /
may bring, There is no Limitation whatcve
in this respect Indeed, they must sell for wha
the scrip will bring. for without this fund the.
cannot proceed 10 establish their colleges with
in the five years to which they are limited.
is manifest, therefore, that to the extent tt
which this bill will prevent the sale of puhl
lands at one dollar and twenty five cents pc
' acre. to that amount It will have precisely tht
same effect upon the treasury as il we should
Impose tax or create loan to endo " thest
State Colleges. aaa.a
constitu onal power, what effect vii this bill
have on the relations established between tn,
Federal and State Governments? The con%i
: tuition is grant to Congress ola few cnunera
ted but most important powers relating chief
to war, peace, lereisn and domestic commerce
negotiation, and other subjects which can b
best or alone exercised heneficially by the com
mon government All other powers are reser
we'd to the States and to the people. For th
I eliiciunt and harmonious working Of both itgi
necessary that their several spheres of action
should be kept distinct from each other. Tii
alone can prevent conflict and ruluai injnry
Should the time ever arriysd when the 5 at
Governments shall look to the federal treasury
; for the means of supporting themselves AM
main aiming their system ofedncaion and in
lernal policy. the chasactero OF botlfgovefnment
will be greatly deterioraied. sSlhe representa-
tives of she States and of the people, feeling
more immediate interest in obtaining money t
tighten the burdens Of their constituents thar
for the promotion ofthe more distant ohject
intrusted to the federal government, will natu
rally incline to obtain means from the fedora
government for States purposes, liza question
Shall arise between an appropriation OF land o
money to carry into effect tile objects Of III,
federal government and those Of the States
their feelings will be enlisted in favor ofthe lat
ter. This is human nature; and hence the ne
cessity ofkeeping the two governments entirely
distinct The preponderance OF this home feel
ing hns been manifested by the passage oftht
presept bill. The establishment Of these cole.
res has prevailed over the pressing wants OF the
lcommon treasury. No nation ever bad such m
inheritance as we possess in the public lands
These ought TO be managed with the utmost
4 care, but at the came time with a liberal spnit
toward actual settlers, ssy. ,,oa fs.; ). ..,,.
4 In the first year Of war with powerful ma