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Debate_ 001-050.indd 15 5/4/12 3:02 PM SPEECH OF MR. WEBSTER, OF MASSACHUSETTS {january 20, I8Jo} The following resolution, moved by Mr. Foot, of Connecticut, being under consideration: ''Resolved, That the Committee on Public Lands be instructed to inquire and report the quantity ofthe public lands remaining unsold within each State and Territory, and whether it be expedient to limit,for a certain period, the safes ofthe public lands to such lands only as have heretofore been o.ffiredfor safe, and are now subject to entry at the minimum price. And, also, whether the o.!Jice ofSurveyor General, and some ofthe Land Offices, may not be abolished without detriment to the public interest; or whether it be expedient to adopt measures to hasten the safes, and extend more rapidly the surveys ofthe public lands." M R. WEBSTER SAID, ON RISING, that nothing had been further from his intention than to take any part in the discussion of this resolution . It proposed only an inquiry, on a subject of much importance, and one in regard to which it might strike the mind ofthe mover, and ofother gentlemen, that inquiry and investigation would be useful. Although [said Mr. W.] I am one ofthose who do not perceive any particular utility in instituting the inquiry, I have, nevertheless, not seen that harm would be likely to result from adopting the resolution. Indeed, it gives no new powers , and hardly imposes any new duty on the Committee. All that the resolution proposes should be done, the Committee is quite competent, without the resolution, to do, by virtue of its ordinary powers. But, sir, although I have felt quite indifferent about the passing ofthe resolution, yet Debate_ 001-050.indd 16 5/4/12 3:02 PM THE WEBSTER-HAYNE DEBATE ON THE NATURE OF THE UNION opinions were expressed yesterday on the general subject of the public lands, and on some other subjects, by the gentleman from South Carolina, so widely different from my own, that I am not willing to let the occasion pass without some reply. If I deemed the resolution, as originally proposed , hardly necessary, still less do I think it either necessary or expedient to adopt it, since a second branch has been added to it to-day. By this second branch, the Committee is to be instructed to inquire whether it be expedient to adopt measures to hasten the sales, and extend more rapidly the surveys of the public lands. Now, it appears that, in forty years, we have sold no more than about twenty millions of acres ofpublic lands. The annual sales do not now exceed, and never have exceeded, one million of acres. A million a year is, according to our experience, as much as the increase of population can bring into settlement. And it appears also, that we have, at this moment, sir, surveyed and in the market, ready for sale, two hundred and ten millions of acres, or thereabouts. All this vast mass, at this moment, lies on our hands, for mere want of purchasers. Can any man, looking to the real interests of the country and the people, seriously think of inquiring whether we ought not still faster to hasten the public surveys, and to bring, still more and more rapidly, other vast quantities into the market? The truth is, that, rapidly as population has increased, the surveys have, nevertheless, outran our wants. There are more lands than purchasers. They are now sold at low prices, and taken up as fast as the increase ofpeople furnishes hands to take them up. It is obvious, that no artificial regulation, no forcing ofsales, no giving away ofthe lands even, can produce any great and sudden augmentation of population. The ratio of increase, though great, has yet its bounds. Hands for labor are multiplied only at a certain rate. The lands cannot be settled but by settlers; nor faster than settlers can be found. A system, if now adopted, of forcing sales at whatever prices, may have the effect of throwing large quantities into the hands of individuals, who would, in this way, in time, become themselves competitors with the Government in the sale ofland. My own opinion has uniformly been, that the public lands should be offered freely, and at low prices; so as to encourage settlement and cultivation as rapidly as the increasing population ofthe country is competent to extend settlement and cultivation. Every actual settler should be able to buy...

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