#
VOLUME VI.
By m. MAC LE1A.
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From the Boston Cultivator.
asiif.s ox ploughed lands.
To tee Editor of the Cultivator:
Sir,?I have read with much pleasure
uormr Tor coi-fm I months nasi, and I
Jf UUI |/?|A.I I V? ? V. V?. p y
think from the hints I have received that
I can make my farm much more profitable
than I have ever done. I know that
? manure is the main thing on any farm,
but 1 do not recollect that you have given
your opinion of the value of ashes. I
hear very different accounts from those
who have tried them, and I should like to
know on what soils they operate best, I
have land which is heavy with clay, and
I have gravelly and sandy lands.
Yours, WALPOLE.
Jan. 22, 1840.
We have often spoken ;r. the early!
numbers of our pape: of t..e veduv of ashes
on certain sods From the ?:umerous
trials which we have nude we .arc; inclined
to think u.-m s h oeficial on ail dry
soils; but on wot an.l heavv grounds tiiev
f C? J
are decidedly had?thry tend to mak
tlie soil still more heavy and retentive of
moisture, and consequently they intro
duce moss. W ken sown on the surface,
on heavy, clayey grounds, they will often
increase the grass harvest at tiist, hut as
their tendency is to render soil.-, more
heavy and clammy, they should bo applied
to those only which are light.
We have heard some farmers object to
putting ashes on their dry sandy soils,
' m ? -1 -All'
lest they should ttius render uiein suu
more dry and light, but a very little re.
flection or experience may teach any one
that the tendency of ashes is to render
light soils more compact; and to make
them retain moisture through the whole
season.
Farmers on Long Lland, X. Y., have
often purchased leached ashes in Maine.
and used them to good advan'age. Much
of the soil of that island is sandy, and those!
ashes have always there operated well.?
^ But why will tire farmers on the Kennebee
river sell these ashes?or why will
they suffer the soap boilers to send them
to a distance ? It is because much of the
land on the Iveunebec is clayey, and a
great majority of the farmers there think
they are good for nothing as a manure.
There is much land however on the banks
of the Kennebec tnat would be greatly
improved by the use of ashes, but we
would not advise to put them in large
quantities on any clayey soil. On green,
sward land small quantities of unleached
ashes may often be used to advantage to
give vegetation a start. These are full
of lie, and they effect a very rapid decomposition
of all the vegetable matter
within their reach?therefore there can
be no objection to putting small quantities
of these unleached ashes into hills of
corn or polatoes?the lye would work well
to rot all the decomposable matter in the
green-sward, while the quantity used
could not much affect the soil, after the
first season.
Leached ashes may be purchased in
many parts of Massachusetts for live or
six cents per bushel?a cart load for a
yoke of oxen might cost one dollar and a
hair?on any gravelly or sandy soils twenty
loads of these to an acre would be a
good dressing for any crop?and their
beneficial effects will prove much more
lasting than any kind of stable manure?
they will alter in some degree the nature
of the soil.
When ashes are used on corn hills,
they should be applied as soon as the
corn is planted?it is then less labor, and
? A. _ I. I
they operate quicker on trie vegeiaoic
matter in the soil?but strong ashes must
not be put in the hill with the corn?the
lye will eat off the tender roots of the
corn, and will often destroy the stalk.
Ed.
Diseases of swink.?Blind Staggers.
The swinish race arc subject to sonic
severe disorder.-, a;ivi one w.. oh very often
proves fata;, i.j the blind sluggers, so
called. The anum begins to lie stupiu,
declines eating, gr.i'es his teeth occasionally
soon after tins he begins to travel
round in a circle?tnen falls down in convulsions,
kicking and twitching violently
^pthen lies quietly a little while, after
which he will sometimes jump up and run
top speed against the fence, or walls of
CUE!!/
j the stv, or whatever else lies in his path
i He also froths at the mouth,
j We had a young Berkshire boar?live o
six months old, taken with this disorde
very violem'y. We found him on hi
side, making his f?.et fly like drumsticks
Our tirst course was to cut a deep gasl
on the top of his neck and fid it with fin
sait. From observation which we have be
fore made, we had come to the conclusioi
that it was caused by some derangemen
in the stomach and bowels. We tiiere
fore, as soon as we had salted, his neck tho
roughly, according to rule, procured j
large syringe and plied him freely with in
jeclions made of warm water, swectenei
with molasses, and salted a little. Tlii
in iho pvnninnr. Ho armeared to ex
------ o - ii ?
perience relief immediately. In the morn
ing repeated the injection, and next da]
discharged him from the pig hospital
cured.
We would advise those who have swim
attacked with this complaint, to be promp
in their application, and by no means
sparing in the quantity of injection. Ii
is a rapid disorder, and requires immcdi
ate attention.?Maine Farmer.
curious apple.
Mr. J. L add of this town handed us ar
apple the other day, raised by Mr. Elishr
Rice of Unity. It appeared to be mad<
up of two kinds?sweet and sour. First
say one quarter, was light yellow incoloi
and sweet of taste?the next quarter waof
a greenish color and somewhat sour ir
taste?then a quarter like the first thei
quarter like the second. Mr. R;ce statec
that it vas done by splitting or quartering
' scions a'i:J binding them together and
I O n
setting thcin. After inanv trials he sue
ceeded in uniting them by growth.
The apple which we saw hud begun tr
decav, and the sour juris were more do.
caved than the sweet.?Such apples ina>
be more curious than useful, but the}
serve to elucidate some of ihe laws of veg
etable physiology.?St/rue.
PRIME WHEAT.
Mr. L'idd also left a sample of Red
Chaffed wheat, the seed of which he oh
tamed hist year, in New Hampshire. Mr,
(i. stated that he sowed one bushel uf tins
on a piece of land 011 tin. 2J:ii of May iast,
and gathered twelve bushels of seed. He
also sowed on another piece one and n
half bushel of the same kind and obtainec
33 1-2 bushels first rate wheat, while hi
the side of the first sowed piece, he sowed
four bushels of the common kind, whicf
suffered so severely by the rust, that it was
not worth thrashing.
Fr m the Southern Cabinet.
OF SUCKERS ON CORN.
Mr. Editor;?lath- last nuranero'the Cab
inct.isyour article on the "Agricultural iSur.ey'
of <hecountry about IVedee.you seem tor- gari
t lie fici, of Surke b 01 corn bearing a1
th?'ir proper places, as before uukn<?w;i toyou
and you nsk, if it is not one of the peeoiiarilie
of tbe Corn colli-ated by Col. UTo-mis, ii
producing suckers beu" ing ear*! I can eaai!;
answer that ques* ion by cb*<rvmg that it i
not peculiar to Coi. Williams, species ol Corn
unless his and mine are (lie same, winch
| lluiik scarcely pnilubl'V and it ha? b*eu in
i settled conviction front several years c ose ob
I servation, thai Indian Corn, when tliero is
superfluiiy of sir* ngth in the soii for its owi
wan's, will send out suckers, winch if suffere
to remain, wnl not only do no injury to thi
parent stalk, but wiil, in corn and blades
produce more than ): igina) stalk witliou
them. That this is o newly formed opinio
of mine, you can, by referring to tbe June nuni
ber ol the Southern Agriculturist for 183*
and in an article on this subject, see that
came to the same conclusion from my lira
years' observation.
Coin highly manured, when not planted to
thick, will begin to send out suckers whei
about from six inches to knee high, and i
those early suckers are suffered to remain, aiv
if the hold is well cultivated, they will grov
off rapidly, detach roots of their own, thoug!
they adhere still to the parent stalk; tasse
sle ot, and ripen, at tiiesame time; and if th
Bilkers appear very early on the Corn, there i
often -ome d fficulty in discovering which is th
p rent and which the offspring.
In 1838, I made the fairest t-xperiiner
that could be with suckers. It was a dr
Spring and a great in my appeared on m
manured Corn. In a held of thirty hve acret
1 left eight rows lengthwise throughoc
the held with the suckers on; from the rest <
held I had them taken away; and I was s
fully satisfied wiih the result of that trial, tha
I have never taken them away from tny Cor
since. The quan'ity of fodder was so muc
greater than upon the adjoining rows, tha
there could be no doubt of the propriety c
leaving suckers to produce a farg
yield of fodder, and that nothing was lot
in the produce of grain, the following extract
from my Agricultural Journal of ihat year wi
show. The Corn wag planted lour and a ha
feet each way, one stalk in each hill, was we
manured with Cotion seed, s:able and yard iim
i.ure. in nearly equ i] proportions, and wai
careful!) cultivated.
August l.j.? 1 counted nineteen ears <
Com upon tight fobs in 's tick
in one place; upon which the suckers ha
j had been left. Oil ifiesamer-w adjoining,
counted sixteen ears, upon eight lulls, froi
i win:!) the suckers I.ad been taken away
In iiioiin r place, I counted upon eight In!
i nineteen year.-u;?ou the stalks with sucker
j and thirteen e? s mi the same row on ?igl
hills upon the stalks without In
another place fifteen tars upon the stall
with suckers, and twelve 01 those witiinu
The fodder on the eight rows throng hoi
the field must have been treble as much i
upon any other eight rows in the held."
B 4
\W, SOUTH-CAROLINA, V
tmrnrmtmrnm^mmmama?mvrnmmmmm?c???wk???='
i.. "November 17.?Measured the Corn taken '
t frmn thir y-t wo hills (four rows of eight hil ? 1 I
I each) upon winch the suckers had bem left,1 j
r j and tlnr v-two hills adjoin'ng (f?ur rows, of i
r j eight bills,) from which the suckers had bepii
s I taken away, and the result was as follows:? <
i. j The stalks with suckers made sixteen quarts I
(1 j and halt-pint (of shelled Corn,) and the stalks <
t without suckers made even sixteen quarts." '
e In the same held that year, i rein irked a 1
- i stalk that ban two suckers, and there were six '
n J good sized ears to tiie hid?two on the parent i
j i staik and two on each sucker. 1 showed it to <
several of iny neighbors, and they thought the J
produce not only of that hill, but of the whole <
- eight rows upon which suckers had been left *
1 so remarkable, that some ol them thought it <
_ was a peculiarity of iny Corn, as they said ?
j they had never observed more than the worth- <
less efforts to produce a few grains amongthe ^
s j tassel in their own Corn. I was able, how- <
1 ? ? f? * L l- ~ M*.ta AHfini* fA thoir 1
CVt?rf IU U Cin uvi lug kv iuvii
. having taken away the first suckers, and the <
, second growl h was too late to produce any i
thing more. I
' In the following year, 1831, a great many <
suckers appeared on the Corn in the same |
2 field, which was manured and cultivated in <
t the s mie m anner as the year belore, all of i
which were suffered to remain, and I inade a I
' *arg. r crop than evei upon that field. I
^ Tnis year, 1940, but few suckes appeared |
- on any of my Corn. I have artnuuted it to j <
the unfavourable nature ofthe Spring lor Corn, I I
which lias confirmed my pri vious impressions, j i
that the appearance of suckers is an effirt of i
natnre fo relieve the plant of any superabun- J i
1 dance of nutriment. I 1
i In conclusion, I svou'd remark, that I have ,
> yet to see Com that has be n well cultivated ' I
ot all injured, by ihc early suckers being left I i
' upon them. I
r COTTON. i
> Orange Parish, Oct 22, 1849. I
i j
, From the Fanner s Monthly Visiior. 1
i Extracts from an Addkkss dklivkred i'
r hkfork t1ik C'HRSHiRB county AcJRI- j ,
| cultural Association, .Skpt. 29,
1810. By Joiixathan K. Bmitii, ;
Esq., of Dublin. I
* In every civilized country Agriculture <
' must be the paramount interest,?the pa- j
' rent art, whence the others draw their
nourishment and support?the great wheel I'
which moves the machinery of the com- J
And. rr?mt;rallv. in Droportiou i (
""""V 7 O , ,
as this languishes, or is prosperous, will a i
nation rotrogade or advance in comfort, <
j wcal.o a.id virtue. Commerce and man- 1
u fact urea may in some localities, and for'1
a limited time, give consequence and11
j wealth io a community: but it is only when
they are well sustained by Agriculture,
, that they can be considered as fixed on a \
firm i asis. it icliows, then, that not ag.
t ,
, rieulturists rnen.lv, hut every member of
1 j some v has a d"ep interest in promoting
j it. \Vouid thai all might feel this interest
' j and he induced to in.lite an elFhrt for its
1 ! improvement. Tint ii is abundantly sas>
ceplible o: improvement is loo plain a case
for argument* Tlie following plain statement
of fuels by lJr. Humphreys, in relaHon
to the agriculture of Croat Bri.aiu
will sei the ma iter at rest especially wh-ni
. it is considered that in lhat country agri'
cultural improvements ate fur 111 advance
1 j of those in the United States.
' j It is the opinion of competent judges,"
g j says Dr. Humphreys, "that the advances
i mniifi in iim Horiculturo of(?rcat Britain,
fl j ? -nv
| during t he last seventy or eighty years, are
* j senrcoly exceeded by the improvement am!
't j exertion of its manufactures, within the
* ] same pi riod; and that to these advances, no
^ j other old settled country f :rnishcs any
* } parallel. That they have been very rap?
; id indeed, the following figures and comil;
parisons abundantly show. In 17C0, the!
? | total growth of all kinds of grain in the
!? island of(ircat Britain, including England.
1 | Scotland and Wales, was estimated at i
' j 170 millions of bushels. In 183.), the
I ! quantity could not have been less than 340
I ; millions of bushels. In 1755, the populat
; tion of the whole island did not exceed 7,00,000.
1 It now (1833) probably is between 17 and 13
o million!, being an increase of 10 millions or
n j more than 130 per rent. Now the improveif
inents in agriculture have mere than kept pice
d with this prodigious increase of demand for its j
v varr us productions, for it in agreed on all hands j
h that the population now is much fuller fed, and j
I, 1 on provisions of a much better quality, than i
e that of 1755. Nor is Great Britain indebted!
s ! at all at present to foreign markets for li*?r ?up- |
e ! plies. $ince 1832, she has imported no grain J
j worth mentioning; and till within the last six J
it | months prices have been so depressed as to
y | call forth loud complaints from the whole agriy
j cultural interest of the country* England is
<, 1 at this mom.*lit, (1837) so far from wanting
it i any of our bread stuffs if we had them to ex?f
! port, that she has been supplying us liberally,
o ail the wili er, from her own granaries. And
it I yet it is the opinion of tnen of the first respect*
n ' ability in England, that the raw produce ofthe
h j island might be well nigh doubled without belt
j ing dependant on foreign countries for a supply.
>f That i- to s iy, 35 millions of people might draw :
- I n....r ..iIknihwc from that one little speck in |
U j v..
it 'he ocean! Now we h*ve a territory more
s ! tlian fifteen times as large as ..he island of
II J Great Britain. And what should hinder it,
If I when it comes to be brought under no higher
|| I cultivation than some parts of England and I
i. j Scotland from -usiainnig a population of five or !
b' j six hundred millions of prope? This would i
j give to Virginia. Illinois, and Missourri some- i
if ' thing like llnr'v millions; to New York near i
J, I twenty-five millions, and so on in proportion '<
il ! to ihe other States." **I am aware," contm- 1
I j nes Dr. Humphreys, Mhat tins esti :;a'e will,
n j he regarded as extremely visionary and iie*
I credible by many of your renders, but not more
Is so than il would have been thought in the ;
s, ! middle of the lot century that England, Scot- j
it j laud and Wales could ever be made to sustain j
thirty.five or even thirty millions."
is I have spoken of England,but the remarks will
t. ap,d" to some o'her districts in Europe with I
it equal force. "The soil 01 Flanders isgererally j
is light and moist, and much of it was absolute- j
ly incapable of growing farm crops in its nat
?g??mmmmmmrmm
VLDNESDAY, F?JSRU
jral state. Yet the skill and industry of th
Fleintitg^s has rendered it the mos productiv
agricultural district in Europe, and its fertilit
s still increasing."
Indeed we frequently find the actual prr
Juction of the so.l in an inverse proportion t
its natural fertility. "Necessity is the molt
?r,'' not only "of invention" but of industry,an
lence in poor districts where nature has don
east, we find men doing most.; and hence a
10 rich lands are suffered to deteriorate wliil
irt and industry are augmenting the fertilit
>f poor ones. The agriculture of he Unite
States, as a whole, will not compare witli th^
>f several countries of Europe. Various cat
ies have operated to produce the difforence.Among
the most prominent of these may b
nentioned the low price and great abundanc
jf new lands. By this cause the farmer i
erftpted to crop his lands to the utmost will
jut due care to replenish them, and when the
become exhausted, to sell them for what h
can, and purchase a new farm, on which t
nd./it t ho oima ovIiiiialiniY nrnoaac rim
iUUI\*V HIV OUIMV VAiaauuilll^ WVOO* V IIV
Ltie groat West is filled up. this cause mus
operate to retard, in some measure, the nr
proveraent o( agriculture. The same reaso
also stimulates to the cultivation (or rathe
the carrying on, as it is called,) of too larg
farms. By seemingly trifling diffeience in th
mode of cultivation, one acre may be made t
pay the annual interest of an hundred dollar
or it may produce less than sufficient to pa
the expense of cultivation. But notwithstanc
ing the operation of this and oilier causes, ajj
riculture in the Northern and Middle Siates i
advancing. Some d.stricis arc highly wull
rated.
The coun'y of Duchess, inj New Yorl
ranks amongst the best cultivated districts i
the country. 4-Jfinlire farms in thai count
iiavc netted the owners an annual proflf of fl
leeti and seventeen doll trs an acre. And fot
ty years ago a->ine of these very farms wer
mostly old fluids, exhausted of fertility and lj
jog in commons." The late Judge Uuel s i)
id his own fann lying west of Aibany: H
was considered a barren sand; and I becam
the butt of ridicule to some of my acquaint
incos lor attempting to bring it under proli
ab'e culture. It was a lean sand abuundm
in springs, swamps and low wet grounds. I
I aenty years, however, it has assumed quite
diffjient appearance It is now worth $21
an acre for fanning purposes, that is, it net
me more than tho interest of $200 per acri
My acreable crop in corn is 80 bushels, i
grass nearly or quite three tons, in potato*
in favorabie seasons,>'100 bushels, and my other
ops are in proportion. These improvement
it is true, have required a considerable ouM i
of capital in dninsng. clearing, manuring, .&i
in some portions to the extciit probably of till
dollars to the acre. Without the outlay, tliei
reclaimed land-* were valueless* with it the
are highly productive, and give ine a liber
per cent, on ; he mnnify expended, and I hat
no doubt I could readily sell for cost and cha
ge?."
These insiances show what can be doie
this country, hy an eni:ghtened and scieiitif
people in applying capital to !lie cultivation
their fields- lint how te-v, ai.ts. the numb
di.tcan ap, ly ho saiilfuiiy and judiciously j
ih?- talented and I unen B.i-m. ?he gre
principle* ??( MC.ivJlCO to Ijr- 0 v?l the SO!
I have rnyseif visit* d and ox a m.i .u i.is fir i
in.l can hoar testimony << tin- iru'n of his d<
scrip'ion of if. BtU iie had <nJv .utages wiii(
totv e nnpar liiv Iv can o.*j>v. Si ua .1 wit
m thr *e miles of rhe city of Albany, ho coy
have a fuii supoiy of the host o' manuie at
trilling ctM of transportation. which no ill'
could apply more judiciously than he.Then,
his vicinity to flie city in idea goi
market for many products, which would hai
been of no value to one at greater distance.
Bat, geiitVmori, how is agriculture fr> I
improved, and tlie benefits diffused gen'rai
over the country! 1 answer first t?y convi
cing men that the me'hod pursued by ininy
our farmers is bad, and by setting before thei
boili by means of reading and examples, tl
bot mode of renovating their exhausted land
Here comes up the prejudice against 4,Bu<
Farming-'* Bui this is last wearing away,
ihe recent increase c f agricultural publicatioi
clearly demonstrates. Farmers are Icarnii
the value of the many sugg- s'.ions contained
well conducted agricultural papers, and inui
more generally ; la.in turmerly I hey sul.soril
fur :hcin. One dollar paid out in ibis w;
wilfprobably bcnedt each farmer wiio roa
it a teiilively five dollars ai least. Ufconf
judgment and discrimination are necessary
adapting the information tu our own ca*c.
The soil, the climate, the imnur?, &<\ m
eeeii and all have an influence in producii
different results at different trials; hut tl
skillful cultivator will be at no loss in dele
ting the cause of d ifcrence, and will lay 1
plans accordingly.
SPEECH
of
MR. CALHOUN OF S. CAROLIN.
on
The Prospective Pre-Emption Bill.
Tuesday. January 12, 1841.
The bill to cstabiish a permanent pre
pective pre-emption system, in favor
settlers on the public lands, who shall i
habit and cultivate the same, and raise
log cabin thereon, being the special ord
of the day, was taken up, the question b
ing on the proposition by Mr. Ckitte
den to recommit the bill, with instructioi
to report a bill to distribute the procee
llin e.nlpa (>C flip iiiihlic lands among tl
Vl fcMV I w
States, which Mr. Caliioun offered to
mend, by substituting a bill to cede tl
public lands to (he States in which tlx
lie, upon certain conditions.
Mr. Calhoun saiJ : I regard the qiif
tion of the public lands, next to that
the currency, the most dangerous ai
difficult of all which demand the atte
tion of the country and the Governme
at this important juncture of our affhii
I do not except a protective tariff, for
cannot believe, after what we have exj:
rienccd, that a measure can again
adopted, which has done more to corru
the morals of the country, public and p
vate, to disorder its currency, derange
business, and to weaken and endanger
free institutions, than any other, exec
the paper system, with which it js so i
timatcly allied.
Ha<Z
JiiY 17, 1841.
e In ofTv3r?Tig the amendment I propose, I
e do not intend to controvert the justice of
? the eulogium which has been so often
u pronounced on our land system, in the j
r) coarse of this discussion. On the con- j
trary, I believe that it was adi&irabiy ad-!
il justed to effect its object, when first ad op- I
? ted ; but it must be borne in mind that a
'* measure, to be perfect, mast be adapted
to circumstances and that great changes
j have taken place, in the lapse of fifty
years, since the adoption of our land sys- j
i. tern. At that time, the vast region Hour !
- covered by the new States, which
(J have grown up on the public domain,
e belonged to foreign powers, or was
? occupied by numerous Indian tribes, with
y the exception of a few sparse settlements,
e on the inc< nsiderable tracts to which the
o title of the Indians was at that time exil
tinguished. Since then, a mighty change
11 has taken place. Nine States have
l* sprung up as if by magic, with a popula"
tion not less, probably, than two-fifths of
e the old States, and destiaed to surpass
e them in a few years in numbers, power,
o and influence. That a change so mighty
8. should so derange a system intended for
y an entirely different condition of things
as to render important changes necessary
j* to adapt it to present circumstances, is
j. no more than might have been anticipated.
It would, indeed, have been a mira*
"I^ korl it linnn nthnruridu ? nnil tV<? niHrhf.
i, ">*? ** O"""' I
n not, therefore, to be surprised, that the
y operation of the system should afford
* daily evidence that it is not only deranged,
.* but deeply deranged, and that its deranger.
nient is followed by a train of evils that
rg threaten disaster,^ unless a timely and
it efficient remedy should be applied. I
I'- would ask those who think dilferentlv,
~ and who believe the system still continued
to work well, was it no evil, that session,
ff I
J alter session, for the last ten or twelve
a years, Congress should be engaged in an10
gry and deeply agitating discussions,
is growing out of the public lands, in which
- oneside should be denounced as th. friends
in and the other as the enemies, of the new
States? Was the increasing violence of
j, this agitat on, from year to year, and
v tnreateniag ulti-nitely, not only the
c. loss of the public domain, but the tranquilty
ity and peace of the country, no evil ?
Is it well that one-third of the time of
y Congress is consumed in legislating on
a> subjects directly or indirectly connected
r. with the public lands, thereby prolonging
the sessions proportionately, and adding to
in the expense upwards of 8203.000 annualic
iy? Is it no evil that the Government
<>f should own half the lands within the limits
'r of nine members of this Union, and over
** which they can exercise no authority or
jjt control? Is it nothing that the domain
n, of so many States should bo under the
e. exclusive legislation and guardianship of
'i' tins Government, contrary to the genius
!l* of the Constitution, which, intending to
1,1 leave to each State the regulation of its
n local and peculiar concerns, delegated to
__ the Union those only in which all had a
,d common interest. If to all these be ad- j
ye ded the vast amount of patronage exer- j
cised bv this Gover.im oit through the
*G medium of the public lands, over the new
^ States, a id through thein, over the whole
"t Union, and the pernicious influence j
thereby brought to bear on all other subjo
jects of legislation, can it be denied that j
many and great evils result from the sys-1
k iem as it now operates, which call alouJ I
jj* for some speedy and efficient remedy ! j
But why should I look beyond fiieques- ;
tion before us to prove, by the confession !
3|j of all, that there is some deep disorder iu 1
be the system? There are now three meaav
sures before the Senate, each p.opuiiig !
,ls important changes, and trie one, or the
fe receiving the support of every m imberof
_ the body ; even of tho*e who cry out
against changes. It is too late, then, to
jor deny the disordered slate of the system,
be The disease is admitted, and the only
c- question, is, what remedy shal1 be applied.
)1S I object both to the bill, and the amendmt-nt
proposed by the Senator from Kentucky,
[Mr. Crittendkn[ because, regarded
as remedial measures, they are
both inappropriate and inadequatg. Neither
pre-emption, nor distribution of the
revenue, received from the public lands,
can have any possible effect in correcting
a. the disordered action of the system. I
Gf put the question, would one or the other
n, contribute in the smallest degree to dia
minish the patronage of the Government,
cr or the time consumed on questions growing
out of the public lands, or shorten the
s, duration of the sessions, or withdraw ine
ns action of the Government over so large a
js part of the domain of the new States, and
ne place them and their representatives here,
a_ on the same indepcndant footing with the
|je old States and their representatives, or
,y arrest the angry and agitating discusnons
which year after year distract our councils
!S, and threaten so much mischief to the
0p country ? Far otherwise would be the
effect. It would but increase the evil,
n by bringing into more decided con&ct,
nt the interests of the new and old States.
rs< Ofall the i!M that could befall them, the
j former would regard the distribution
>Cm as the greatest, while the latter would
i)t, look on the pre-emption system, proposed
| by the bill, as little short of an open sys.
!u torn of plunder, if we may judge from the
:,g | declarations which wo have f^eard in the
:.u course of the debate.
Ita . L
nt A a, then, neither can correct the disease,
the question is, what remedy can/
I have given to this qucs.ion the most de?
NUMBER 14.
liberate and careful examination, and have
come to the conclusion that there is, and
coo be, no remedy short of cession?cession
to the Spates respectively within
which the lands are situated. The discase
lies in ownership and administration ;
an d noibiog abort of parting with both can
reach it. Part with them, and you will
at once take away one-third of the business
of Congress ; shorten its sessions in
the same proportion, with a corresponding
saving of expense ; lop off a large a id
iiiost dangerous portion of the patronage
of the Government; arrest those ang-y
and agitating discussions, which do so
much to alienate the good feelings of the
differeot portions of the Union, and disturb
the general course of legislation, an J
endanger ultimately the loss of the public
domain. Rtain them, and thjy must
continue, almost without mitigation apply
what palliatives you may. It is the allsufficient
and only remedy.
Thus far would seem clear. I do not
see how it is possible for any ono to doubt
that cession Would roach the evil, and that
it is the only remedy that would. If then,
there should be any objection, it can only
he to the terras or conditions of the cession.
If these cau be so adjusted as to
give assurance that the lauds shall be a9
faithfully managed by the States as by
this Govcrnmeut, and that all the interests
- - - -1 ?I II I ? II ?. tm flA r% ? ?a/I
involved snan oeaswcu, ui ucuvi ^u:?i
than under the existing system, all that
could be desired would be effected, and
all objections removed to tho final and
quiet settlement of this great, vexed, aud
dangerous question. In saying.aU objections,
I hold that the right of disposing of
them as proposed, especially when demanded
by high considerations of policy, and
when it can be done without pecuniary
loss to the Government as i shall hereaf.
tor show, cannot be fairly denied. The
Constitution gives to Congress the unlimited
right of disposing of the public domain
and of course, without any other restrictions
(ban what the nature of that trust and
terms of cession may impose, neither of
which forbid their cession in tho manner
proposed.
Tnat the conditions can be so adjusted,
I cannot doubt. I have carefally examined
the whole ground, and can perceive
no difficulty that cannot be surmounted,
i feel assured that all which is wanting is
to attract the attention of the Senate to
the vast importance of doing something
that will effectually arrest the great and
growing evil, resulting from the appliestion
of the system, as it exists, to that portion
of the public domain lying in tho
new States. Tnat done, the int. lligence
and wisdom of the body will be at no loss to
adjust the details in such manner as will
effectually guard every interest, and secure
its steady and faithfuluiauagement.
In the mean time, I have adopted the
provisions of the bill introduced originally
by myself, and twice reported on favorably
by the Committee on Public Lands,
as the amendment I intend to offer to the
amendment of the Senator from Keatucky
t - -
( >Ir. URITTENDKX J US cuniuiuiug vuo
genera! outlines of the conditions and provisions
on which the lands may be dispos|
ed of to tho Siatcs with safety and ad!
vantage to the interest of the Government
and the Union, and great benefit to those
' Siatcs. The details may, no doubt, be
greatly improved; for which I rely on the
intelligence of the body, and critical examination
of the committee, should the
amendment be adopted aud referred. At
I tiie present stage, I regard nothing but the
1 great principles on which it rests, aud outj
lines, to heat issue ; and I do hope, that
j all who m iv coucur with me on principle,
j will give the amendment their support,
1 whatever imperfection they m iy suppose
j to exist in iis modifications. A measure
I rela'ing to a question so vast andcompli|
cated, can be perfected in its details, howI
ever sound the princip'es on which it
rests, or correct its general outlines, only
by the joint consultation and counsel.
With thejc remarks, it will not be necesi
sary for me, at this stage, to give more
j th n a general summary of the provisions
of the proposed amendment,
! Its object is to instruct the committee
j * l-?ll fllOr\AOA /vfoll fllfl
| 50 lO anient! IIJU Ullls <13 IU ui mi buv
public lands, lying in the States of Alabama,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas,
Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and In.
liana, with the exception of sites for forts,
navy and dock yards, arsenals, and magazines,
and other public buildings; the
cession not to take place till after the 30th
June, 1?42, and then only on the States
respectively agreeing to the conditions
prescribed in the amendment; that is, to
pass acts irrevocable to adhere to those
[conditions, the most prominent of which
| is to pay annually, on a day fixed, to the
i United States, 65 per cent, of the gross
1- -1* a., loo rtf iho lanitj ? flint
| proceeus ui 11omw v> ?nv iuhv?w ^ Vaawv
the land laws, as they now stand, and as
| proposed to be modified by the amend*
aeni, shall remain unchanged, except
with the consent of Congress ; that the
i cession shall be in full of the 5 per cent.
| fund thereafter to accrue to those S:ates ;
I that they shall be exalusively liable for the
cost of surveys, sales, extinction of Indian
titles, aud management generally ;
that the States may, within certain prescribed
limits, gradually reduce the pric3
of the lands that may remain unsold after
having been offered for sale ten years or
upwards : may grant, for a limited period,
! the right of pre-emption for ninety days
; to the actual settlers, at each step in the
I