,<0 PUB L IO LANDS . [No. II3-/; .

No. 1133

ON A FORTH E R GRANT OF SCHOOL LANDS IN OllIO.

MT. C ... r, f«>m the Committee on Public Land., to "'hom ",os [(!fetred th~ .-e..,lotion of Ibe 27th of ~tJlber last, ..",cerni,,!> a furU,er grant of land for Ihe 8Uppor~ of 1Icll",,]. in the Conn.cticnt W'u­tem ...."r?e, in tho State of Ohio, reported;

'n.~t, by ref .. rence to \00 M,npac~ bet .. cen tho United Sl;>IC8 and the St&t~ of Ohio, ent<lr'ed into at tho time of the ao:l"" .. io" of that State into the Union, tbe """,,,,itt,,,, find it wao "greed Ihal. th" United S\"t~ •• IIQuld ""de to lhe Sinle Qf Ohio, for the support M .cboot., .. qu:mlity of land cqu~l1» "ne Inkly­.both part of too lo.nda ,vilhin .o.ld State \0 "hieb tl>e l .. diM title had. been then ""tinS-uialled; and aJ." that .. like proportion should be granted r(lt the r<>.idl1(l upon tho e"'tinguiJIhmcnt of tho Indian title. At tbat time ttte Indian titlo hod 00,,0 extinguiahed to that POT! OIllyof Ihe Co:llleCticnt we&t.:rn re.erv~ whicll lies ca~~ of the Cuyahoga river. and it i. ~li"v~d tha~ the appmp<iation of land tben mwe I ..... n,ado \Tith ref~rcn"" to the POTt of tho ..... rvo to which Ihe India" title wa. tbcn extinet ; le~vi"g the ro$iduc t<> be provided foe w~n_ 11", aboriginal t;(1~ eh<luld 00 extinguished. Tb~ lndian titl. to tbe re.idoe was e:ttin"ui.hed many ye ...... ill"'-. but II<> pe",,'.iob foe the ""ppo,t of -",boola bas ~t ~n mado. The eommlt\~ ..... of opinion thnt \h~ opirit of tbe oo ... p~ct and tho "'UOII of the e~se '''<I\Oi .... th •• this tract of conntty should be placed "pon on "<1".1 fClOtin; wilb tIw _t of tlle Slate of Ohio. and, iudecd, of an Ihe ,,·.,.tero St31,,". in tho p",vlsi"n that ha. been made for the support of .cboola.

2S. CoMRC,;a.) No. 1134.

ON THE APPLIQATION OF CERTAIN STATt.S FOR. A REDUCTION AND GRADUaTION OF THE PRICE OF THE PUBLIC LaNDS.

Me. C .... r. of Alabama, (<<an tbe Commi ttee on Publio Lands, to whom were referred memodals fcom 1"" legisl.turee of th~ Stat •• of Indiana, lllinol~. Mi",-",ri. ond A\al,am~. aaking • reduction " ud grod ull\ion of Ib~ priee of tbat portion of tho public lauds whieb has been offered at publi~ ule and remain. uol'Qld. and also .undry reeolutiono of Ihe Boo"" inetrucWng them to inqnim into tbo '''PI'' ditney of such a me",,, • • reported :

Tbat Iboy have gi\..::n to Um . ubject tho sl\.ention ond deliberation ",ilicb seemed to be demanded I>y its n .. t" r~ and importance. Whether coruoideT<l<I in rcf<:renee to the !nler~3t or tho geM.al government, the haTmony of tbe Union. or the ... If. re and prosperity of tbe n"'V State. wbich emhr"C'l the puhlic land •• tb8 Cjue!!Uou in .. olved i$ oM of mOre than ordinary magnitude. Th~ WIDIlIiU .... h ..... relt it tbeir d"ly to look inlo th" origin of the claim of the United Slot"" t<> tbe public dom"in, t~ bette: to COIIlfl"e­bend the motives ~nd inducement. 10 Ibe vaTio"s eo:a.io" s wbich WCT1I mado by tbe States ha"ing claIms to weatern lands • .....:I the obliglltion. incllrred by th. general S"9"etnment ""dOT Ibo," eempo.et.. It i. from this GOurce tbat tbe titl~ of the United Stale> to much th~ larg<lr portion of the public lando i. deri~ed,

The iod.cetDMl.l3 to ce .. iQJlll held ""t by C<Jngt"1IS to th.,.., St.!;.,. h."vi oll" wcst.:rn tC"tritot;Y, wen' to ",d in supp lying the means of extioguishiug tho utioo,,1 debt ""'Dted by the '"'' of the re~ol"lioD, aud "10 promote the barmony of tho Unionn and" tho stability of tho gcoo,al confederacy." Ou the one b""d it SOems t" bal'(! been co!llliderod not oDly desirable to obln;u 100 m""na of payment, bnt to gain tbe ooo6dcnce of the public eredilors by appearing 10 poucea them. On Iho other. it was no Ie •• important to the bacmony <If the Union to suppr,,". cont",ve"""", a. t<> tertito<i~l drums DlDong Ihe Stat ... to p",,,ent too great iooquality of s ire of Ine di~at St.tes. ""d to bop down tho jealO1.l"y which ",onld h ve been i n&<lpanble f,om .uch disp .. rit,..

Tho public debt 110 long'" p""",nb any obatad. to tI, •• x.rei. c of ouch policy as may! in othe, _peet., be oompatib]" with tbe ter"", of Ibe eomp:wlll. Bdore any Dl""Sure proolneing nn mportDn~ cho.ngo can be """icd into operation. it ,.m ba.'<'(! !.eon entiroly e~tingu;8bcd,

It 'pp"ara, by the lerJD$ and eonditwna on wbicb the 8C...,r~l State!! owning ""'.torn looru. ceded tho ... me, tbal one if not- tbo cbid co".ideration w .... tl>(, fOTmati"" and "'\ahlishmenlof new St~les. t<> be admitted into lbe Union witb equal rights and oo,..,,,,igllty. In the act of the general u""mbl)· of Vir­g;nia. authori~iu g the Innofer . nd eoINey.ne<: of ber ed .""ivo dom. in northwe.t of tbe river Obio. tbe

Jir>!. and doubtle •• thelb1ding. iDduce .. ent i. ""p,essed tD be" uPQD condition Ibat tbe territory eo ceded ~hal\ be b id out nd fur"",d into States containing a ouitablea:<ten\.,n &0.. "and Ibat ths State. 10 formed .haU be diotinc! n>publican St~t .... and admitted ","lIIb¢ro of tbe fedl:ral Union. M..mg 1M ""me righl. <I _~"'Y. j-a_. and 'ndep<nJenoe, Q.J lhe otM' Stala."

In like manne<. Nortlt C<.rolinn ."pre •• ly s tipulMed in Ite. nct of <:<:I!lSion "that the tel"l"itOty 00 ce<led .hll be laid O1I t and fOrlned. iut<> _ Stahl or I:llc9.teo. containing .. . "itable ""t.:al of I<ll"l"itory.n &c.

Georgi~. in her ... tides of agreemeut . ud "_ion, is not l"lls c,.",f"l in e;tatUng. no a ooodition of

11m. [ 641

her gr~nt) "thnt the lerrilory Il,u. ceded shall form :J. SialC-. and be admitted ns ouch into> lhe Union ... $00;' "" il ",.11 W>1lain .~y fho=nd "inhal>iltlltl"," «e.

.l.Dd in Ibe third article of tbo treaty hy wbich LOuiaia,,~ ""3 acquired i. to l>e fOllnd "stipulation ou Il'" part of the Uniled Stal~l. au\>$\Anlial!;y to the same effect. I~ is. that .. Ihe inhabitnnts of tbe ~ed ~crrit.:>ry sh,l! ~ iOe<)rpOraloo in the Un',?11 o.f the United .Stntes. aod admitted .3 600ll as possible • • C"urdln~ to the p"nc'plco of Ih~ Feder.1 ConstltuhOll.. 10 the cnJeymorot of an the rigMs. ao!Vlntogeo, and in'muuit'e~ <>f dt'WIlIl of the United Statcs," &e.

PUl"S"ant 10 the term. of tho ... v.".,.1 compacts to which referenoo hoa ~n made. Ihe gO"<"el"nment of the Uniloo Stat ... has at dillerent v<";oos admitted ioto the Un;"" 8e~en Sbtu, comprieing porlion. of the tetT!lory Ihu. acqnired. 10 every instance. it i~ belicved • ....,ry .",all p<lrtion. of the public land. b.d been pl"(lviously sold; nnd tllilllCl. authorizing tile admi •• ion of ne,.. St~te. into the Union have uniformly l ru~ed ~rtain conditions to wbiel' the .greemeut nf the people inhabiting s~id State. "<I·a. indispenMLle to entitle them to ancl, admi •• ian. Among oU,er conditioIlll, t!,e woven!;a". of the l"(lspecti .. e States ha~o been required to. "provide by an ordinance. ;rre.-ocable without Ibe COnsEnt or the United State • . that tLo peOplo inhabIting said territory do a~ nnd dedare tht Ihey forever di.c1.im IOU rifht aud t illa 10 the ,.,.a.re and nD~'ppr0l'riate<l !ancU lyml;" within uid territory; awl Illa~ Ihe Mm<! .hal be .nd re"':lin "t Ihe ~olo and entire dIsposition of tl", United ShIH; aod moreo .. m·, that e. eb aDd overy tract of land 80Id by Ine United St"t~ (~rter the forru~ti<m of a eOnstituttoll by tM pJl.rticular t:ltato) .hall be ~ud re"uin e""mpt {,on, any t;!.r laid by the order Or undar the o.utharity of Ibe Sllte, ,..hetb", for State. <:<>uoty. te"·,,,hip. p~risb, Or .nyalher purpo ... wbate.-cr. for the lerm of 6~e years from nno:l after the resp""th·e d~ys of tbn .a!eo ·thcreoft &e. "AIld ibat no I"~ .boH l>e impo.ed on I.nd, tl,o pro~rtr of the United Statest~.

The committeo do nat pr0f'080 " di~~"8.iQII of tbe q~€8t,oD whelher, io the langu.ge of II<lme of the .cts of (e.. ian ",ferred to, the new States be ..... beeo admitted into the Union with" Ihe ""me rights of $l"Jotrri9'''Y. fr(:cioro, tlJl<i independenl*, as tbe <llher Stale. ;" nor whetloer there i •• triet propriety in ti>o decla~QtlOn 19 be found in aU thn acts and resolu\i0ll8 of Cong"t<l •• fur the admissioa of n&W" StMe., tbat they are" admitted inlo the Union M an ",lUll f<>«mg ",ilk 1M original Slale-.;n tdl.-npecl. wliatel;er.n It '8 not nQ"', ond W<l hope it IIcver moy be, n<>ceunry to in'J.nire how Car the , .. ant of elllment dam.iu_ the PQ'lI""cr to dispolle of or t,~ ""it wilh in her limit.!! i. comp"-tible with Ihe "1I<l~ereignty" of '" Stnle; nOr to sbnw that tbe origioal States from tbe time of tbeir independc""" ~n~ at Ihe date of tbe severnl compaol. I",d tbat rigbL Tbe new Statell baring, •• a condition precedent 10 Iheir ndmission inlo the Union. diseiliwcd o.!! right and litle 10 the wute and unapproprialed lands lying .... ithio their limi~, nnd ~l "" the right tn lu Ihcm wbile owued by Ibe United States and for the term of 6ve years .fter the sale tbereor, if Mt ~bsululc!y foreclo$ed, w<)uld doubUes. be reluctant to raiJie the qu""tian. But it i. in some '''''Iances til~ laagW1lJ". in sU the rpirit of the eom~1s "ad.cr wilieh the publ i~ domain was aequi.ed, that new Slale. 8houlo:l be. fo,med and admitted as SOOI' a.! r»=wk Stores ClJUllOt be formed without inhabit­aot'" r~ would nat then h.se 00e1\ ~ compliance either with the letLer '" ~pirit of lil""" compacta t., h:< .. c6.~ II<> hir;:b .. miniluum 011 tbe public !.nds a$ to hve pre~ented their sale. and, con"",!uenUy, their leg.1 sett!ement; fur if it.lo.d, it "WOuld bavo been in tbe po,~er of one of lhe parties to ha..., defeated tb8 main objec~ ,.,.bieb indllced the o/Mr 10 eoter iot.:> tilem. It seems fair I., <:<>oclude that tbe Unit~d State$ w~re bound to pursue .u~h a policy ns would re.ult. in the speedy ""ttlement or U,e public domain, 6.:<ing priees l>earing "Om<! relation to Ibe ~lne or bnds in Ihe same quarter of Iha Union, at whicb alone thoy could ha.-c been H]>Ileted 10 sell.

Nor did Ibe obligation. of Ibe Un ilild State •• as Ngards the sale of the public lands, cen"" with the "dm's.ion of lhe .e~e",1 Slales into tile Union. ConC<!diDi\", on tbi. oc.c""oo. the rifl"ht. of the general gcrcromcnt I., eXllet of the people of Ihe new Stat"" a d '$<:lalmcr aft". right of tbe 9011. 'Jld the rig-bt or taxMian. as tl,o price of Iheir .dmis.ion into lhe Union, it. canno~ be maintained th.t furl her Aalcs of the public landt could r ightfuUy be arrested altogether i or (wbich would be equivalellt) tha~ tboy C<)tIld be hdJ at priC"a II<l far .ho .. ~ their ",lative value a8 not to ... U. What "WOllld be the differeDce, in offeet between a law ~"Sp"o<Iing further oal"" entirely aDd ODe requiring four Or 6<'e t imea tbo value to ba paid I In eitber ClJS<! no 10.00:1 ""'010:1 be sold; no settlement. eonld bo made in confotmily ,~iU, !aw; !Uld Iba gro,..th Qnd ",alorily of tho Stare ,,"ould be mast injuriously retarded. Such Q policy would not only e<)ntra~eDe the spirit of t bo seve,.I.els of .... sian ",b'eh bo.ve been .dverted to. but wonld he ineon$istcnt with lho .e.-era! eo,,,pad~ het"" ... n tbe $:eneral go .. erumeot and tho Dew State. 00 their ndmi .... ioo. While rboae CO"'pact' in their tC1"lll.S restram the new St~f<'" from inlerfer;nl'l" witb the priwary disposal of Roi!, or tIo~iDg- loods of the Uniled Stat"" for lhe f<'rm of fivo yurs aner tho .... !e, Ihoy do oot reiea""tbe United States from the doties impoaoo by tbe term. of cession. and. at least, imply an obligation an the part of the gene,...1 gn~ern",ent 16 id/. i .. a r"" .. ""bl~ lin",. That cannot be dODll except On rru:",moble ferm • . Suppose. 011 the admiuian of anyone of the new Slates, the genero.l gO"<"ernmcot bad addt<lssod her in thia langu.ge: "Y COl sbaU not extend your .ettlemouta beyond their p",.ent limit.; if your poJ)ubtio.u inc"' ..... it muot be crowde<l on lands wbich w" ban alrendy Sl>ld.» Would i~ not ba~e heen pronounced an all band. a violation of tho compact, aud :L TUOSt ro""lting breach of good faith on tbe par~ of tbe United Stale. ?

If. bowever, the subject be """"i~ered io reference to the jinancWl ;"It:teel 01 tlte general govornmen' ~looe, i t is .,liov.d th.t the prl ... of the pnblie lands ehoo!d l>e reduced. after !laviog been fi",~ offe~d a~ public . ale, and tbon l"(l",~iniDg:L re""on~blo tjmo .ubjcc~ to private entry at the present minimum. The

c go"erDDlo"t of tlte Un ited Statea is probnbly Ibe only veDdor. eitl'er of hnd or tny other property, that fwld. the most inferior 'l.ualily of any arfu:le at the .anle price with the besL If an iDdi .. ,dua! ,~ere to mo inbin th.t aU domestIc aDimala of .. gi .. en .peci .. were of the satno value. how incouistent would he appear I If. merchont "",re to refuse to ..,U h ...... !I" at any lowor price than he could obtain for svperjin. brooddoths, hia conduct. ,,"ould ccrt.inly be deemed ulterlyabsuN. Yet tbero is not e;ro~ter abllurdity in eithor of 14 .. e poaitions tban U>ere i. in Dloint;!.jniug Ihat la~d if e,e~!I quality ia wortb, '" should COm· mand lhe ta .... price. TIw esperience of lhe laat ten year. h •• domto""trated that hnd. of the groatest ferlility. wben aold at auctioo, ,..ilI only command a ~ery~maU fraction above $1 25 per aero. To prore this it ill only neeea-' oary to rofer te offiaial document. DOW On tlw 6!es of th<l HOIIU. I t i. not probable that more tb.n OM-­feW" of the pnblie domain i. of t ho 5rst qunli!)·; yet ,?e ref""" to let tho t<lm"ining ni!ONlrillhs go at any lower price.

By. rePQrt (wbich is h.",to anne~d) ",ade by the Secretary of tbe Treasury 011 t!'e ~~d of January last, io ~ru".,.er to. rClI<llu\,on of Ihe Hoose." it appears tbat the quantity af land to wbich the Ind ian and

Q s.. J""o.,.,. U, U83. In thlt Tolumo, -ri.

642 l'unLIt: LANDS . [No. llU.

for~g .. titles had then been e"tingui.bed was SOl,Ml'>,600 a~re.. or th.t qu • .,l;ity th<lre had, on the 3Ist of December, 1831, been <>ffered for "",Ie 130,932,205 "cree; .nd oo\y 2£,~~.'!iO u""," had the" been &Old. By tLe a3me report the quanti':r "fhlnd nbj""! to printe entry, on the g."", day. (and which,of course, had been offer"'; .t public ,,,>c~on and ,..,rneed .t $1 25 p<" acre.) "'M 104,401,755 ."reo. As ""ide .. "" <>f the gre~t inillriOrity of Ihi. !I.ege qn;>nl ity of hnd, it i$ abc .. n by the 0:1,.,. , .. JX>rt that tho ~uantity which had been off.rod "cd refuac>d ~t pubhc ... Ie in tbe ... veral Statu bad be<n in market and .ubJ~ctoo 1";" .1" entry the follo .. ing poriodll: til .. , in Obi<> had "",,,"Iy ~1l been in market 00 yean, the greater pMtioR from 25 to 30 ye .... ; that in TD<lian,. had ncnly aU bee .. in market from 15 to 20 yea,.,,; that in lUinoi. bad nearly an been in market fo,· 15 yean, and upward s ; th at in ::llilliOun, au average of abont 1~ yu~; that io Alabam .. from 12 to 22 yeal"$, U'" average ~nod may be ~.id to b6 15 yea,.. ; lbat in Mioai".ipp, fronl 12 10 ~O yea .... ; that in Louisi~,, ~ about 13 yea,..; ~nd tbat in Michigan about 18 yea .....

In December, 1828, ... tatc",""t. compiled ffOlD olliei.1 documents and printed by order of the Senate, .howed that 14,a.M!,S81 acNla were then subject to private ~ntry, having been oJ:Jered at public oale, and ",fuored, ,.t $1 25 per ""m; Bud that nf this quantity 2S,2~ 1.000 aCre.< (rno.-e than oll~third) "·e,,, "nfit/or culli."tIlimt. T~l;:ing the same rolati ve p'''portion. of tho qnantity noO' ,nhject 10 printe cntry ... Ihe ba.i. of c.alculation, and it follolWS that wo nOW havo ~bol1t .lO,(IlW,OI)O acre,., not ""Iy "i/ife";"r, but "n/Il

lor cultil>ZlWn. Y~t our _;r,te.oo i, based on tLo hypothesi' that there i8 no diff~ren"" in the quality Or value of the puhlic lands.

A. an additional proof of the interior quality of Ihose h,,~dred a~d odd "'ilIiOM <If refWlt! land .. the f.c~ m~y ho . tatcd, tht it is di8~",ed tl'rough thc oldeat .. well n. the worc Teoontly settled part8 of the States nnd Territorie.. It i. not in such de tached bodie& and 90 far removed from the improved and culti_ valed lando os to impede its ""t!lemont and cultivation; on tbe contra.y, weTO the ""il good, its l""ality would afford unusual f:><:il itiea in both reepeets. It i. whOlly unreuonablo to .app"'"' that 8uch land will ""n for the .am(> price at which bnd of the best quality can be pureh""ed. Bot, if re<\uced to ill f~ir rel3.tive value, mucb "'ight be oold. Inferior laud. lying .<lj ... ""nt to lhose whicb nre imprnv-e<i " nd cultivated would b6 valnable appcn<hg<l<l to tbem, and would be purch.""d by present.bnd proprietor.. Olber p<>rtion. would bepurohaae<i by poor mon who have been driven from Ibe moro fertile tract. by men oflarge capital, and by spec"lato .... A..a we have ""cn, much of thi. land haa al"",dy 0.,.:,11 in market., unsold, r"" twenty yea,.. and upw:<ro. ; for .. ~riod how much \on!\"~ it Olny remain on bond it i~ iOl""""ible to determine; but i8 it not perfectly ob.-iou_ thnt it would have been to the interoat of II><.> governmellt, ...,gardiujt monoy alone, to have ""M it nl half tho price in the fi,,,t instane<> f Add intc'"".t for twenty yea"" nt eo1 per cent. peI annnm, on the nine of .. given quantity of land estimated at fifty crnk pi:< oere, and it will be .. bout equ,,1 to tb6 price demanded by the government. Yet ''''' ha"" this land still on haud, with ita ...,Iativ .. valun diminished, not only in tho ratio in whiel, all other real ".tate La8 declined, hut by being shorn of m"ell nf ib ..... Iu"bl .. timber by tMao ~.iding in itl neighborhood, or by oettlenl who h"ve no pertnanent inlero.t in tbe ""it. Be4idetl, WO h.wo ,ustaine<!tbe urnee of keeping np a number of laud offices, Rmonntin~ 10 thousands of doHaT8 overy sear, which wORI have been ",n· dernd ""neteonry by a .reedy .o.Ie, it 1M prite hd been snit"bl~' redl1ced. The proposed policy would _nit in tbe sale of many tboulI"'ldo, if not milliOM of ac~, wh'ch otberwise will not be !lOld, but be deprived uf timber, exllauBtcd, and "orn ont, by Ihose ,.ho bave no inducement to pre6crvQ tbe eoillongor than for merely tcmpo'''''y """; wh ich is not ouly detrime.nto.l to tho inte,e&t of the United Sta108, but higbly injurious to tho particular Slato;n wbi~h they m~y happen tn lie.

But. tho o<n(>unt of money to be realiud from the puhlie dQmain is not Ihe 0010, no, evCn the chief coaside"'tioa "Which should infine""" and determine the policy of a wi .. and patemal government. In Ihe 1angu~ge olf the Presidon\; In his auuual m.,...ago of December, 1832, "The weoltb and otu"gth of "

. country aro its popuhtion, and tb. heA~ part of Ib"~ population or. tbe cultivators of the ooil. Independent. farmel"$ are e ..... rywhcro the ba.i. or socie!.y and truc fri~"d. of Iiherty" These ~nlimenb it ;. hoped will find a cor<lio.l ~ponse in c~ery bosom. Their t,utb ~ndj"'tne"" are attested by all history. It may he ""ked triumph.oUy, wben did tbe cnlt ivato,.. of the ""il willingly .l):.ndon the principles, or kDowingly become the anemic. of free government 1 The ",",undn_ of the principle laid down is "ustained by the most approved dOc\riDIllI of political oconomy and .aoctioned by practi(:al·upe<;"nce.

Tbe committee alao coocur in tbe """timent esp.--.d in tbe ""me ""' ..... ge, that it; i . "our true policy tht tho public land •• ball <:eo_fI<:, as """" 3 8 practicable, to be a sourc<l of rov~nue, and thnt they ahould 00 ¥lid to .atlus, in l;mi/&i~, at a price Mffly ""ffide.1l tom»Wllr# the U .. i/&i SI.t~. Ibo expen." of tbo prese"t. "Ystem and the cost ariAwg under our Indi an compa.et$." The new States ha~e, n$ tLey mauif",,!.ly feel, a dec! inte~t io this snbject. By tbeir memorial8 tb<>y have urged upon CODpt.OS repealedly within th~ .. t ten or twelv~ yea", th~ polie;r, juslie." and nece .. ityof redocing the prtce of "fUM lando. Tboy have rcprol;enlcd, and truly rep,..,...".ted, ... the «'mrni ttefO belie,-e, that Ih~ uisting I~w in regaro. 10 pri"" o!?"ratetl m~tcriany and wron"fully 10 their injury. '!'be high price of laud inevit_ ably retaro. the population of '" COll11try, and, taken In connc:oon w ith the want of power to tu. it, must postpone the matu"ty or its <esouroe!.

Jo the QpiJuon of the Wllllllillc\) i~ is dIW to the people of the new State8 lha~ tbe C1istiDg alate of !hin"" _honld be lerminaled ". _000 as practic.ahle. It is certainly desirable tbat. ","ery ""re of land should, if possible, be reudered producti..." and tbis cae never be dono till it i~ in the hands . r individual p,,-,prietc,... Population is emphatically the .Ireogth of "State, and to render a peoplo free, prospcro"", nod happy, they should be the olwners olf the !lOil they culti~ale. •

Afl~r 3 full CCD4ideratioo of tbe compacts between the goneral government and the original St..t ... which oune.nderod territo,y and tho .... wilb tile Dew Stat ... upon their admiaion ioto Ibe Union; regarding that good failb with wbich cngagoomento $0 gra~e nDd important ougM to be fulmu.dj looking to the inte"",t of the gove:rnment either ... to tbe amount of looney to be realized, Or the hal·mony, alrength, nnd resources ef tLe Union nt.l"rgtl; and couoidering wbat i8 duo to the trallquillity and re""urcetl of the ynungtl< me",be", nf the confederncy, the commi~tefO cannot resist tbe con(\""ion tbat a law should be p.ssed roducin!> and g,aduaung the price of that. portion nf tbe public buM whicb baa been offered "t public .ale omd,omnio. unsold in proportion to the time it may hue been in matket; and Ibeyaccordingly report .. hill for Ihat pUTpooe.