The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-06-10


States, to aid in such Improvements
as may be designated by the Legis-
latures thereof respectively, leaving
it to Congress to aid directly such
works as may be Of national import
ance by appropriations from the
Treasury.
Fowfhly. The policy Of land
grants in aid of railroads and other
public improvements is demoralizing
in its tendencies and operation. Re
presentive responsibility isnot 50 sen
sibly felt in giving away lands, the
present and future value Of which
is little appreciated, and which does
not diminish the cash funds Of the
Government nor aid to the public
oebt as in case of direct appropFia-
lions or money from the Treasury.
Anu many grants Ofland have been
made IN aid of improvements that
"ouia not have been added by appro-
priatIons Of money, even II the
Treasury had been full and the na-
ton not in debt. 1t is easv to cav
"Silver and gold have we none. bIt
such as we have give we unto thee
and we give lands.
It is written, Where the carcass
is there will the eagles be gathered
together;;" and the torn and mangled
carcass of the public domain is seen
and scented throughout the land.
The eagles are here from the east
and from the west, SrOm the north
and from the south; and those alres-
Gy gorged are the most revenOus of
any. They fill the lobbies, press in
to the cOmmittee-rOoms,and even in
trude upon the floor. They invade
the sanctuary of private quarters,
button hole members in the hotels,
and waylay them on the streets.
They fusillade US with circulars and
petitions and private letters, and
lombard us through the press. They
give us no rest, and will not until
the carcass is consumed or they are
driven from it. And they viii hover
here till we declare that what re-
mains shall be preserved for the
homeless, to whose use il has been
solemnly dedicated by God and the
nations Congress.
Mr.. Speaker, have said that the
reasons for land grants apply with
force and plausibility, differing only
in degree, to each and all The grants
which have been made or may be
asked for. If we pass this bill there
is no reason why we should not pass
all pending bills and all that may be
pending. And if we follow preced-
ents and our own logic to legitimate
conclusions, however pure our mot
ives may have been, and with what
ever sense of rectitude and duty we
may personally have acted, this Con
gress will become odious to the peo-
pie, and future generations will skip
or hold their noses while reading
the page that records its history.
Filthy. With the exception of in
terested circles-those owning or
seeking lands near proposed improve
ments, and corporations and stock
holders-public opinion is opposed
to land grants in and of roads and
other public improvements and en-
terprises. The disinterested and
unsubsidized press Of the country
oppose them; and the people, where
ever they have spoken through con
ventions or Legislative assemblies,
have condemned them. The Legis-
lature of my own State has den.
.ounced them. 1t is true. the resolu-
tions were passed by a Democratic
Legislature in 1869: put we have
since had, and now have, a Legisla-
ture which ratified the fifteenth
amendment and the resolution re-
mains, no motion having been made
to rescind it. I should not regaad
such a resolution as bindingly in.
structive, nor aXcept as worthy Of
respectful consideration, if it did not
reflect the wishes of my own con-
stituents, nor if myself did not ap
prove it; but know ofno newspa-
per, nor party, nor any considerable
number Of individuals, either in my
own district or in the State, who do
not concur in the express views Of
the Legislature, as l also do myself,
| shall therefore cheerfully yield to
the legislative request Of Ohio, and
vote against this and kindred bills,