Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-08-21

,.., oe -h,.h v.. Far s;gh, hundred ,hou.
sapd acres. which could be located In a
hoav and sslse,ed within thirty or FORTY
milss from ,he line Of the canal. Similar
abuses of our Ia nd grant policy have been
sanctioned bv. ('oogress. Ia aid Of sundry
ship canals: but the policy itself, iads
pendent of these abuses. IL indefensible
and iuiouitous. II blocks up the way of
our pioneers. who would subdue our dis-
tsnt borders, aud open tho pathway for
organised civil comm anities. Il hinders
the Increase OF national wealth. by pre-
venting the cultivation and Improvement
Of vast districts Of fertile land, which
should be left free to the lsndless poor,
under the pre.emption and homestead
laws. IL is wicked compact betUeee ~
QQvornmon1rnn fhla one hand, and land
. 1|1stU on the other, executed st the
hatlon's expense, and 10 the cruel wrong
OF our hardy pioneers, who are driven to
The outskirts OF civilization, and com.
PEELED to encounter alt the increased ex-
ponse and danger of securing homes for
their families. while surrenderinr such 10.
cal advantages la tho way OF schools,
churches, roads, and other improvements,
~ might otherwise DO much sooner en-.
joyed. Nearly two hundred millions OF
acres Of the public domain have thus been
granted by Congress In aid Of railroads
aud other improvements under this IN.
Fortunate land policy, and its evils will
prove a. intalesably greivous In their
character ~ they will be enduring In time,
Gentlemen, who inaugurated this system Of
national plunder. this monstrous oou /.
spiraey against the productive wealth Of
tho eountry. this remorseless crusade
against the rights Of settiers9 II was tho
Democratic party, Democratic leadcra
hs,ebed /, into heing. O,hsr n.,,iss. In
later yesrs have been mora or Lass In.
yolyed In Il. bu, has a Dsmoo,.,,e ,s,ssi.
and ancestry. sueh men a. Case Ran.
ton, and Douglas. champloned n and al
tbough Its beglnnlng ds,ss haet msnv
wears. 4, was onlv fullv Installed ,hrough
the enerretlc leader.hip of the latter. In
securing the maenlgeent Grant .flsna. |,
aid of the Illinois Central Railroad This
launched n. and secured he ,r,.mnh ss
leading fsa,ure oe Demoe,.,,e rol,ev 7
her. hnweyer. that | NAV moi he mlsun-
aerstood. In arralenlne tbis sys,am I
do not mean 10 denv that IA has done
much IN devotion our country. notwlth.
slandlps Tho avis 20 whieh I have re
ferred. Nor do l question ,hs dutv ef
tho Government 10 aid imnertsnt wo,ks
of internal Improysment. or ths nel,ey of
doing this hv grants OF land On another
7 have auoted the authoritative
words OF John stuart MIN that 'rood
.,, 1. az 's,.", aa :. nYv' h. 49,, ~ ~
.s.a. oei. ""''"., ,"'
=. ,ha n,oa,ss rom ,hs so,, ~ saa-
vsv,ng 1, % The n,acs whsrs !, 4 - \.
ana ta,aijws,s.aa .a..Is
ave y,,,n,llv = a,m,na,,on or ,ha COS, -
oe All ,hlnys san, % mako,
nv than" No ons will asny ,h.," these
en,er,,l... have dome a ,re,t ssrv;cs ~
,hs ea,,,,, .nd ,h., ,ha f,a,..n.,a.. n,
al ,...a..h,s .a.as shoutJ Ia h..
Is, Conc,ass nroyide ,h.,ths ,snd. c,sn'
ted In All such cases sb,ll he sold n se.usl
...,,.. ,,..,..s .,.,s s.,' y. "s..
for 4 nriee which ,hall insnre their rar.
ch.sa Th;s oil, .e,,Is .na a..s,oo Al.
country ro;nr hand ~ h.nd' w;,h ,hs
nrs emr,;or and homsst..d lsw. and :,
III ..n,. ,,,,. -. me-, .s,,.;n,. 80 .assa;,.
comrle,s ,ha ;mnrovemsn, Th;s 4. ,hs
psr,h,,e.n doe,r,a. Lied. .aon,.a -
,he lsa;.,.,;on ae ~. For,,s,h 'f,ev Te.m,... ="
md wh;.h ,hs ssvmo,r nama.r..r .v.
stolen and attemnted 10 appropriate as
tbeir partiouiar thunder.
OUR SWAMP LAND LEotsLArIoN.
pass-to the subject Of swamp lands.
The frst grant by Congress of swamp
and overaowed land" was made in the
wear 1910 10 tho State of Lon;siapa
This was followed the next wear bv n
general law. granting snch lands 10 all the
States In which thew were situated. The
lands claimed under this legislation have
grown N immense nronor,;ons thar
character AS swamp lands having been ad.
Indicated in the interest of the States and
generally In accordance with surveys made
Immediately after The season of their over.
flow.
The total amount Of select;ons alreadv
made Is about sixtv millions of acres and
not far from fortv-fve millions have ac,-
ually been patented yerv large nortion
Of which l. drv land. and among the verv
best the nation owned
The management of these land. vbetb.
or in the Western or Southern States. has
been most unfortunate and ruinous.
TIKI. i s.neo;,,,v ,rus q, M;..;ss;no;