yhole Xo. 087
Tarborough, (Edgecombe County, X. C.J Saturday, Lctcmber 23, 1837-
Vol. XIII JVo. si
ffif "Tarborouzh Press,11
jU' GEORGE HOWAKD,
I diiMie I weekly at Ttco Dollars and
ri!.C'.i Pr year, if v. in ailvaiire
'jkrte lh)lldrs at Jlie expiration of Hie
'l, rijii"'1 vear. Tor any period le
vesr, Tunf fiet. Ctn's per month.
fbcri"hers aie at' liberty to disr.oiilwme
timi, on giving nodce thereof and
,l '', a,,enrs those residing at a dis
"must invariably pny in advance, or
responsible reference i tbis viriiuty.
'lU-PftiseimMit not exceeding 1G lines
'"nth (,,r H square) will be inserted at
the first insertion and C" cfs. each
ifc'ceni
..nit unlike
Longer ones ut tbat rate
''' ferv square, Advertisements must
i lsvkeJ llie mi;u,er f ineition requi-
j" J, they will le continued until other
FC onire' a,u fna,ee accordingly.
' r, pressed to the Editor mnt be
:. i!v,prlliey may not ue attended to.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
continued.)
It was my hope lhat nothin
it! late miuonai ianii. i Here
are circumstances, however, con
nected with the presetit state of its
jtnirs 1l1.1t bear so directly on the
character of the Government and
e welfare of the citizen, that I
11.... C. .1 - li- I
s!U)j uoi icei uiyseti e.uuseu in
needing to notice them. The
charter which terminated its bank-
March, 1336, continued its corpo
rate powers two years more, for
the sole purpose of closing its af
fairs, R'ili) authority "to use the
corporate name, styfe and capa
cliv.for the purpose of suits for a
id settlement arid liquidation of
the affairs and acts of the corpo
ris, and for the sale and dispo
ses of their estate, real, person
2! and mixed, but for no other
frcpeorin any other manner
wtaever." Just before the
forfog privileges ceased, its ef-
jkUwwe transferred by the bank
Uaueiv Slate institution then re
riatly incorporated, in trust, for
tbe discharge of its debts and the
'ettlement of its affairs. With this
tuilfce, by authority of Congress,
3Q adjustment was subsequently
-aie of the large interest which
. t i -
'United States have given val
e- Ihe two years allowed are
w nearly at an end. It is well
Rerstood that ihe trustee has not
raed and cancelled ihe out-
pnding notes of ihe bank, but
i...
L ret.
ssued, and is actually reis-
c since the 3d of March,
eAthe notes which have been
t(ived by it to a vast amount.
cording to its own official
dement, so hiP ihp n.-ii nf
tober last, ninptppii months nf-
;'lJie banking privileges given
Jwe charter had expired, it had
"r its control uncancelled notes
late Ii ink of the United
1,1
U 8,4 unuars, ol which six
C?5 lle m,ntlreil a,1(l seventy
.fjiusand eight hundred and
.'0ie dollars were in actual
"anon, one million four hun-
anl SiltV-pirrht ilmnsrmfl nt
l.le tank agencies, and thrrP
l!0nstwo thousand three hun
ai'U ninptv Hall
ii, i - -.7 o hi, ii uiioii-
1Us showinnr tl
.'"ions and a half of the
-i,01 the old bank u pi e I hen
kePt iiict..wwr,.w, ri'i.
n. 1 -iiiuiut. x lie nil-
l-ciy ot ll
his proceedure is ob-
tta
I'VI
u;u0 -"b c uy 01 me
) H IPInrr 1 1 . .1 T . 1. -
. o cancpl Hurt ii.i in t-v.ii
). v IIIMUIIUUII.
rttrhl
b" " issue uirse notes now. I
In I . .
can see no reason why ii may not
continue lo do so after ihe expira
lion of the iwo ye'ars." As no one
could have anticipated a course so
extraordinary, the prohibitory
clause. of the charter above quo
led was not accompanied by any
penalty or other special provision
for enforcing it; nor have we any
general law for the prevention of
similar acts in future.
But it is not in this view of the
subject alone that your interposi
tion is required. The United
States in settling with the trustee
for their flock, have withdrawn
their funds from their former di
rect liability to the creditors of
the old bank, yet notes of the in
stitution continue to be sent forth
hi its name, and apparently upon
the authority of the United States.
The transactions connected with
fjulJ occur to make necessary, I the employment of ihe bills of the
c;1 tins occasion, any allusion lOuld bank are of vast extent: and
should they result unfortunately,
the interests of individuals may
be deeidv COinorotllied. With-'
- - , - - .......
out undoi taking to tlecide how far,
or in what form, if any, the trus
tee could be made liable for notes
which contain no obligation on its
part; or the old bank, for such as
are pul in circulation after the ex
inj privileges on the fourth of Epilation of its charter, and With
it,.,.!, lOlfi onnhiinu.l It I . i
out its authority; or the govern
ineni for indemnity, in case of
loss, the question still presses itself
upon your consideration, whether
it is consistent with duty and good
faith on (he part of the Govern
ment, lo witness this proceeding
without a single elforl to arrest it.
The report of the Commissioner
of ihe General Land Office, which
will be laid before you by the
Secretary of the Treasury, will;
show how ihe affairs of lhat office
have been conducted for the past
year. The disposition of the pub
lic lands is one of the most impor
tant trusts confided to Congress.
The practicability of retaining the
title and control of such extensive
domains in the General Govern
ment, and at ihe same lime admit-
tinr ihe Territories embracing
Government had in the slock ; them into the Federal Union as
llie institution. The manner coeouals with the original Slates. I
n which a trust unexpectedly was seriously doubted by many of i
paled upon the act granting ihe our wisest statesmen. All feared ;
wirier, and involving such great: that they would become a source
P'jlh interests, has been execu-'of discord, and minv carried their
A would, under any circum-' apprehensions so far as to see in j
aces, be a fit subject of inquiry; ! them the seeds of a future dissolu-
111 touch more does it deserve tion of ihe Confederacy. But hap-
.t attention, when it embraces j pily our experience has already
i"'Erele(nj)iion of obligations to j been sufficient to quiet, in a great
McMlie authority and credit ofi degree, all such apprehensions.
I'he position, at one lime assum
ed that the admission of new
States inlo the Union on the same
looting with the original Slates,
was incompatible with a right ol
soil in the United Stales, and ope
rated as a surrender thereof, not
withstanding the terms of ihe com
pacts by which their admission
was designed to be regulaled
has been wisjely abandoned.
Whether in ihe new or ihe old
States, all now agree that the
right of soil to the public lands re
mains in the Federal Government,
and jhat these lands constitute a
n r ni m nil nrnnertv. to be disoosed
les to the amount of twenty-of for the common benefit of all
;:;!n millions five hundred and ! the States, old and new. Acqui
'J ne thousand eight hundred escenre in this just principle by llie
people of the new btates has na
turally promoted a disposition to
adopt the most liberal policy in
the sale of the public lands. A
policy which should be limited to
the' mere object ofSelling ihe lauds
for the greatest possible sum ol
money, without regard to higher
considerations, finds but few ad
vocates. On ihe contrary, it is
generally conceded, that whilst
ihe mode of disposition adopted
by the Government, should al
ways be a prudent one, yet its
leading object ought to be tht?
early settlement and cultivation of
the lauds sold; and thai "
;v:eiK:,.lH j, hadtiiMlertakenldiscounieuanrc, if it cannnf pre
If the tvueke has a vent, ihe accumulation of brg.
tracts in the same bands, which
must necessarily re;ard the growth
of the new States, or entail upon
thenra dependent tenantry, and
its attendant evils.
A question embracing such im
portant interests, and so well cal
culated lo enlist the feelings of the
people in every quarter of the
Union, has very naturally given
rise to numerous plans for the im
provement of the existing system.
The distinctive features of the po
licy that has hitherto prevailed,
are, to dispose of the public lands
at moderate prices, thus enabling
a greater number to enter into
competition for their purchase,
and accomplishing a double ob
ject of promoting their rapid set
ilement by the purchasers, and at
the same lime increasing the re
ceipts of the treasury, to sell for
cash, thereby preventing the dis
turbing influence of a large mass
of private citizens indebted to the
Government, which they have a
voice in coniiolline: to brin
ihpfii into ni:nl;rt no I'-ictoK !...
- .......... .... IHOIH I II 11 II
good lands are supposed to be
wanted lor improvements, thereby
preventing the accumulation of
large tracts in few hands; and to
apply, the proceeds of the sales to
the general purposes of the Gov
ernment; thus diminishing the
amount to be raised from the peo
ple of the States by taxation, and
giv ing each Stale its portion of the
benefits to be derived from this
common fund in a manner the
most quiet, and at the same time,
perhaps, the most equitable, thai
can be- devised. These provi
sions, with occasional enactments
in behalf of special interests deem
ed entitled to llie favor of ihe
Government, have, in their execu
li on, produced results as beneficial
upon ihe whole as could reasona
bly be expected in a matter so
vast, so complicated, and so exci
ting. Upwards of seventy mil
lions of acres have been sold, the
greater part of which is believed
to have been purchased for actual
settlement. The population of
the new States and Territories
created out of the public domain,
increased between 1800 and 1630
from less than sixty thousand to
upwards of two millions three
hundred thousand souls, constitu
ting, at the latter period, about
one - fifth of the whole people of
the United Stales. The increase
since cannot be accurately known,
but the whole may now be safely
estimated at over three and a half
millions of souls; composing niue
States, ihe representatives of
which constitute above one-third
of the Senate, and over one-sixth
of the House of Representatives
of the Uniled Stales.
Thus have been formed a body
of free and independent landhold
ers, with a rapidity unequalled in
the history of mankind; and this
great result has been produced
without leaving any ihing for fu
ture adjustment between ihe Go
vernment and its ci'izens. The
system under which so much has
been accomplished cannot be in
trinsically bad, and with occasion
al modifications, lo correct abuses
and adapt it to changes of circum
stances, may, I think, be safely
trusted for ihe future. There is,
in ihe management of such exten
sive interests, much virtue in sta
bility, and although great and ob
vious improvements should not be
decliued, changes should never be
made without the fullest examina
tion, and the clearest demonstra
tion of their practical utility- In
the history of ihe past, we have
an assurance that this safe rule of
action will not be departed from
in relation to the public lands; nor
is it believed lhat any necessity
exists for interfering with ihe fun
damental principles of the system,
or that the public mind, even in
ihe new States, is desirous of any
radical alterations.- Oil the con
trary, the general disposition ap
pears to be, to make such modifi
cations and additions only as will
the more effectually carry out the
original policy of filling our new
Slates and Territories with an in
dustrious and independent popu
lation. The modification most perseve
ringly pressed upon Congress,
whichjias occupied so much of its
time for years past, and will pro
bably do so for a long lime to
come, if not sooner satisfactorily;
adjusted, is a reduction in the coii
of such portions of the public
lands as are ascertained lo be un
saleable at the rale now establish
ed by law, and a graduation, ac
cording to their relative value, of
the prices at which they may here
after be sold. It is worthy of
consideration whether justice may
not be done to every interest in
this matter, and a vexed question
set at rest, perhaps for ever, by a
reasonable compromise of con
flicting opinions. Hitherto, after
being offered at public sale, lands
have been disposed of at one uui-
form price, whatever difference
there might be in their intrinsic
value. The leading considera
tions urged in favor of ihemea-:
sure referred to, are, lhat in al
most all the land districts, and
particularly in those in which the
lands have been long surveyed and
exposed to sale, there are still re
maining numerous and large tracts
of every gradation of value, from
the Government price downwards;
that these lands will not be pur
chased at the Government price,
so long as better can be conveni
ently obtained for ihe same a
mount; that there are large tracts
which even the improvements of
ihe adjacent lands will never raise
to that price; and that ihe present
uniform price, combined with their
irregular value, operates lo pre
vent a desirable compactness of
settlement in the new States, and
lo retard ihe full development of
lhat wise policy on which our land
j system is founded, lo the injury
j not only of the several States
: where the lands lie, but of ihe U
.niied Slates as a whole.
y The remedy proposed has been
a reduction ol prices according to
the length of time the lands have
been in market, without reference
to any other circumstances. The
certainty that the cfHux of lime
would not' always in such cases,
and perhaps not even generally,
furnish a true criterion of value;
and the probability that persons
residing in ihe vicinily, as ihe pe
riod for the reduction of prices
approached, would postpone pur
chases they would otherwise make,
for the ptirpose of availing them
selves of the lower price, w ith olh
er considerations of a similar cha
racter, have hitherto been success
fully urged lo defeat the gradua
tion upon lime.
May not all reasonable desires
upon this subject be satisfied with
out encountering any of these ob
jections? All will concede the
abstract principle, thai the price
of the public lands should be pro
portioned to their relative value,
so far as that can be accomplished
without depariing'from the rule
heretofore observed, requiring
fixed prices in cases of priv ate en
tries. The difficulty of the sub-
i. . i .i .. . r
jeel seems lo lie in ine moue 01
ascertaining what lhat value is.
Would noi the safest plan be that
which has been adopted by many
of ihe States as the basis of taxa
tion an actual valuation of lands,
and classification of them into dif
ferent .rate? Would it not be
practicable and expedient to cause
the relative value of the public
lands in-the old districts, which
have been for a certain length of
lime in -market, to be appraised,
and classed into two or more rales
below the present mimimum price,
by the officers now employed in
this branch of the public service,
or in any other mode deemed pre
ferable, and to make those prices
permanent, if upon the coming in
of the report they shall prove sat
isfactory lo Congress? Cannot
all the objects of graduation be
accomplished in this way, and the
objections which have hitherto
beeu urged against it avoided? It
would seem to me that Such a step,
with a restriction of the sales lo
limited quantities, and for actual
improvement, would be free from
all just exception.
N By the full exposition of the
value of the lands thus furnished
and extensively promulgated, per
sons living at a distance would
be informed of their true condi
tion, and enabled lo enter into
competition with those residing in
the vicinity; the means of acquir
ing an independent home would
be brought within the reach of
many who are unable lo purchase
at present prices; ihe population
of the new Slates would be made
more compact, and large tracts
would be sold which would oth
erwise remain on hand; not only
would the land be brought within
the means of a larger number of
purchasers, bul many persons pos
sessed of greater means would be
content to settle on a larger quan
tity of better lauds. Such a mea
sure would also seem lo be more
consistent with ihe policy of the
existing laws lhal of converting
the public domain into cultivated
farms owned by their occupants.
That policy is noi best promoted
by sending emigration up ihe al
most interminable streams of the
West, to occupy in groups the best
spots of laud, leaving immense
wastes behind them, and enlarging
the frontier behind the means of
ihe Government to afford it ade
quate protection; bul in encoura
ging it lo occupy, wiih reasonable
denseness, the territory over which
it advances, and find its best de
fence in the compact front which
it presents to the Indian tribes.
Many of you will bring lo the
consideration of the subject the
advantages of local knowledge
and greater experience, and all
will be desirous of making an
early and final disposition of ev
ery disturbing question iti regard
to this important inteiest. If these
suggestions shall in any degree
contribute to the accomplishment
of so important a result, il will af
ford me sincere satisfaction.
In some sections of the country
mot of the public lands have beeu
sold, and the registers and receiv
ers have very lillle to do. It is a
subject worthy of inquiry wheth
er, in many cases, two or more
districts may not be consolidated,
and the number of persons em
ployed in this business considera
bly reduced. Indeed the lime
will come when it will be the true
policy of ihe General Government,
as to some of the Slates, to trans
fer to them, for a reasonable equi
valent, all the reftise and unsold
lands, and to withdraw the machi
nery of the federal land offices al
together. All who take a com
prehensive view of our federal sys
tem, and believe lhal one of.its
greatest excellencies consists in in
terfering as little as possible with
the internal concerns of the Slates,
look forward witji great interest to
this result.
A modification of the existing
laws in respect to ihe prices ol
the public lands, might also have
a favorable influence on ihe legis
lation of Congress, in relation to
another branch of the subject.
Many who have not the ability to
buy at present prices, settle on
those lands, with ihe hope of ac
quiring from their cultivation ihe
means of purchasing under pre
emption laws, from lime lo time
ri . i
passed by Uongress. r or irns
encroachment on the rights of
ihe United States, they excuse
themselves under the plea of their
own necessities; the fact lhat they
dispossess nobody, and only enter
upon the w aste domain; that they
give additional value lo the public
lands .in iheir vicinily, and iheir
intention ultimately to pny the
Government price. So much
weight from lime to lime has been
attached to these consideration,
that' Congress have passed laws
giving actual settlers on the. pub
lic lauds a right of pre-emption lo
the tracts occupied by them al the
minimum price. These laws have
in all instances been retrospective
in iheir operation; but in a few
years after their passage, crowds
of new settlers have been fouil
on the public lands, t for similar
reasons, ami under like expecla
lioiu, who have been indulged
with the same privilege. This
course of legislation tends 'to im
pair public respect for the laws of
the country. Either the. laws lo
prevent intrusion upon ihe public
lands should be executed, or, if
lhal should be impracticable or in
expedient, they should be 'modifi
ed or repealed. If the public
lands are to be considered as open
10 be occupied by any, ihey
should, by lau.be thrown open lo
all. That which is intended, in
all instances, to be legalized,
should at once be made legal, lhat
those who are disposed to conform
to the laws may enjoy at least e
qual privileges with lliose who arc
not. But it is not believed lo be
the disposition of Congress lo open
ihe public lands to occupancy
without regular entries and pay
ment of the Government price, as
such a course must tend to worse
evils than the credit system, which
11 was found necessary to abolish.
It would seem, therefore, lo be the
part of wii.dom and sound policy
lo remove, as far as practicable,
the causes which produce intru
sions upon the public lauds, and
then take efficient steps to prevent
them in future. Would any sin
gle measure be so effective in re
moving all plausible grounds for
these intrusions as the graduation y
of price already suggested? A
short period of industry and eco
nomy in any part of our country
would enable the poorest citizen to
accumulate the means lo buy him
a home at ihe lower prices, and
leave him without apology for sa
iling on lands not his o;u. If he
did not, tinder such ' t ircumstan
ces, he would enlist no sympathy
in his favor; and the laws would
be readily executed, without doing
violence lo public opinion.
A large portion of our citizens
have seated themselves on the pub
lic lands, without authority, since
the passcge of the last pre-emption
law, and now ask theenactmeui of
another, to enable them lo retain
ihe lands occupied, upon the pay
ment of the minimum Government
price. They ask that which has
been repeatedly granted before.
If ihe future may be judged of by
the past, little harm can be done
to thn interests of ihe treasury by
yielding to iheir request. Upon
a critical examination, il'is found
lhat the lands sold al the public
sales since ihe introduction of cash
payments in 1 820, have produced,
on an average, the nett revenue of
only six cents an acre more than
the minimum Government price.
There is no reason to suppose that
future sales wjll be more produc
tive. The Government, there
fore has no adequate petuniary
interest to induce it lo drive these
people from the lands ihey occu
py, for ihe purpose of selling them
to others.
Entertaining these views, I re
commend Ihe passage of a pre
emption law for their benefit, in
connection wiih the preparatory
steps towards the graduation of the
public lands, and further and more
effectual provisions to prevenpin
trusions hereafter. Indulgence to
those who have settled on these
lands wiih expectations lhat past
legislation would be made a rule
for the future, and at the same
.1
c