The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-06-30
rhs orabbsrs Of Land.

1
This is peculiarly day ofland grabbing.
As there, never was country where the
temptations and facilities for that operation
were 50 great as they are in our wide.
spread domain, so there never was time
when the practice was so rife as it has be.
come under the loose, speculative and, cor.
rupt generosity of the present Administra.
tion. While Uncle Sam, like great farmers
generally, is hankering for all the lands that
adjoin his broad acres, the greedy indiyid.
uals who compose the most thrifty part Of
his increasing family are striving eagerly for
the lions share Of the rich inheritance. The
prodigality of Congress, the trustee Of the
coveted possessions, has emboldened nu'
merous schemes and suggested enterprises
of every sort, by which larsesses Of these
lands could be secured underpretences Of in
ternal Improvement and the public benefit.
Already, more than four hundred millions
of acres Of the public lands have been given
away, or disposed of by vote Of Congress
without any direct compensation, ia further
ance of projects of diiferent descriptions,
some of public and benefcent character,
but many ola strictly private nature, or
such as very remotely concern the public.
In these grants are included distributions
under the homestead law and to soldiers Of
wars previous to the late rebellion, dona.
tons to schools and agricultural colleges,
and gifts In aid of canals, wagon roads and
railroads. The system Of aiding railroad
enterprises by subsidies in the form of pub
lie lands, was initiated in the liberal dona.
ton oftwo and a half millions Of acres 10
the Illinois Central Railroad, which was not
made without great deliberstion, strong op.
position, and serious misgiyings as to the
propriety and even constituticnality Of the
measure, but which has never been cause
of regret on the grounds of public policy,
although it may possibly have fostered the
spirit Of monopoly and contributed to pri
vate fortunes at the public expense. Sun
dry canals were subsequently assisted by
til l.,;. A.. a.. .-,on. oe = ,,;lI;o,
- re .aa - -. a.. a. a..
80 " re..;,,:a - r. -.;,.oI.
within Ave or six years--the Northern Pa.
ci6c, the Atlantic and Pacific and others
,ho dono,;ons of land. hive ,e.cbsd tho
high figure Of one hundred and eighty mil.
lions Of .cro.-on ars, AZ ,srr;,orv If tho
80, of .,h;,h ,ha r,;na o.,,o, ,n.d;Iv
oon,o;vs Csr,.;,Iv M nation nno .or,h
-, 49, ~ lov;.h i i. noI;ov az ra;l,o.d
Id or.,,,
AnS .,;II ,bo :, for mora I'll. anna.
A. ar Ia .hha.. H.. r.. ~.h.,,.d H..
a.. ;,d,,,.o,oo or ,ho ,., al, |, I'm, hooor,o
;,uo...l, "a ;n.rd;..,,,. L.nn Tr,w.r,,
e ooo Ian. 49,. o.. -;
=. =,
e"s' VIZ, , ny -, ,s -,0 -; ~
lu''"c' ',e' ', ~ -. &C. o,. - :" 49,
,ri ., ,"' DO " w ~, -. =. "
DeeS ', 0.' -
fu.'' S"u l'' C.,
"o'se'es''y ,p'sau upO" 'io T0" '''a'
AP'S' mat inc eou,'u''s peop'e VI 'He Gun
Try, VINO ,mag'ae themselves 10 DC u"'ou"u
GU 'e'"o'ueis :! '"' 'A'eS' VI ",e, nA'
w 0oaee 'O" v ."e 1'e''' -. -. ~,
."'"e1 po,se'''O"' "io 'NpO1es i'O'i 'n'
ue1's"o VI r"e eD"s, "1, .a"
sn' i"' "uo'- VI "''e' ""'' -, '"e's
'"'' f'V'.N' ',N INV
ne"' "n' require 70 ansaet .".f "cuaoiouS
e"as' -, .'''euy ess';'"'eu Nv IRON, TWO
"'n1 " As "u"eN 'i'o"'
VI aoi'' ef''A'e, 10 ''"o V"' "aS e'.
-, " " ~ e's" ms "
"'''" nv" '"o '''''ou'' " 'he ! a''"'
o1e"n us AZ any ia'e' ''om q 'n'iu 70 d
nan " all 'ie i""u VINO" our i'npro''oe"ce
mas ,e'. U.S. VIC except 'nose POSSESSIONS
- a4sAa' Nn',u may oe .sna anu may DC
Sou IN ""u ''''' Ve ,"ae'S,o'e u e''net
grams sa, INC A'e asAeu lof oy 'nese
s'ee'y la''.oaa D''is vary from nse thousand
70 '~en'y'nVe thousand acres per m'ie OIL
loaa con'enpia'eu' according 70 'ne modes'
W Vi he ps'','ohefs OF 'ne pausioiiity OIL
'nei. pre.enaee claims, OF the anticipated
pfon'S VI 'ne !oo winch 'ne Pretence con
cea's' III one case we oeheve, IT'S MADE
70 appear very reasonaole ana JUST, especi'
any III view Oh previous iioera'ity' that the
grant snouid DC equivalent 10 about forty
| Thousand tai