The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1860-03-22

OF PESSsYLyANIA,
+ In the HoUse Of Representatives, Februar,
I goth. 1860.
The House being iu the Committee of tn,
Whole On the state Of the Union
Mr.. GRow said:
Mr. Chairman: At the close Of the Revo
luton. the Colonies claimed dominion. baset
upon their respective colonial grants from th,
Crown of Great Britain. over an uninhabitet
wilderness Of two hundred and twenty mil
lion acres OF land. extending to the Missis
sippi on the west, and the Canadas on th'
north. The disposition of these lands became
a subject OF controversy between the Colo
nies even before the Confederation, and wa,
an early obstacle TO the organization Of any
government for the protection OF their com
mon interests.
! The Colonies. whose charter from the
! Grown extended over none of the anoccupied
lands claimed. in the language of the instruc-
| tions of Maryland in 1870, to her delegates
in Congress:
That a country unsettled at the com
mencement Of this war, claimed by the Brit
ish Crown, and ceded to it by the treaty of
Paris. if wrested from the common enemy by
the blood and treasure of the thirteen States.
should be considered as a common property,
subject to be parceled ont by Congress, into
free, convenient, and independent govern
ments, in such manner and at such times as
the wisdom of that assembly shall hereafter
Direct
The propriety and the Justice of ceding
these lands to the Confederation, to be thus
parceled out into free and independent States
having become the topic of discussion every
where in the Colonies, Congress, in order to
allay the controversy and remove the only
remaining obstacle TO a fual ratification OF
the articles of Confederation, declared by
resolution, on the tenth OF October, 1850:
That the unappropriated lands which may
be ceded or relinquished to the United States
by any particular State"
"shall be disposed of for the common benefit
of the United States; and be settled and
formed into distinct republican States. which
shall become members of the Federal Union
and have the same rights Of sovereignty. free
dom and independence as the other States.
&c. That the said lands shall be granted or
settled at such times and under such regua,
tons shall hereafter be agreed on by the
United States in Congress assembled, or nine
or more Of them
In pursuance Of the provisions Of this res
olutlon. New York, Virginis. Massachusetts.
Connecticut. South Carolina. North Carolina
and Georgia ceded their claims. including IL
tie and jurisdiction. to the waste lands, as
they were called. outside of their respective
State limits; all of them. except Georgia aud
North Carolina, without any conditions an
nexed to their respective grants. save those
contained in the resolution OF Congress Just
referred to. The reservations in the grants
of Georgia and North Carolina were not,
however. As to the future disposition of the
lands. but a condition that slavery should not
be prohibited therein by Congress. The ter
ritory thus conditionslly granted is con aned
within the States Of Tennessee, Mississippi
and Alabama. With the exception Of the
grants of North Carolina and Georgia, land
! the reservations even i'll those related only
to the torn Of their future government } the
public lands claimed by the Colonies at the
close of the Revolution. were ceded TO the
General Government to be settled aud dispo-
sed OF "under such regulations as shall here
after be agreed on by the United States in
Congress assembled
Since that time. the Government has ac-
quired by treaty, of France. the Louisiana
purchase; Of Spain. the Floridas; Of Mexico,
Utah. New Mexico. and California; contain
ing. altogether. over twelve hundred million
! i,
by occasions from the original States aud
purchases Of other nations, has acquired, ex-
elusive of water. as computed by the Com
missioner Of the Land Office, fourteen hun
dred and fifty million acres Of public lands;
Of which there have been sold, to September
80, 1859, one hundred and forty seven mil,
lion, eighty eight thousand. two hundred
and seventy four acres; and otherwise dis
posed of in grants and donations to individ-
uas. corporations. companies and States. in
cluding grants since 3oth June, 1857, two
hundred and forty one million, seven hundred
aud seventy thousand and ifty-two acres
leaving OF public lands belonging to the Gov
eminent and undisposed of on the seth Sep
tember, 1859, one thousand and sixty one
million, one hundred and forty one thou
sand six hundred and seventy FIVE acres.
What disposition shall be made of this vas
inheritance is a question OF no small msgni
Itude. Three times within seven years,
homestead bill has passed this House, an,
been defeated each time by the Democrat,
majority IN the Senate. On the vote on th
homestead bill in tie House. last Congress
out Of one hundred and thirty Democrats
but thirty-one voted for it; and in the Sen
ate. on the test vote between taking up tn
homestead bill. after it had passed the Hous
and only required the vote of the Senate t
make it q law. SO far as Congress was con
eeined. or TO take up the bill for the purchss
of Cubs. but one Democrat voted for tn
homestead bill and only six a. any time:
while every Republican in the Senate. al
every one in the House. with a single exceE
ton, was for the homestead. OF all the Rel
resentatives Of the slave States. but three
the House voted for it: and but two at an
time in the Senate. So the Democratic part,
: as party, arrsyed itself in opposition
this beneticent policy. The Republican par:
on the other hand. Is committed to this me,
sure by its votes in Congress. by its resolve
in State conventions. and by its devotion
l. the great central idea OF its existence - ii
o' rights aud interests OF free labor.
J, Early in this session, introduced bi
T. which now awaits the action of the Hcus
o. providing that any person who is twenty er
o. or more. old. or vho is the head of iamil,