single State a novel system of distribution of the national domain. Now, there is a place and a time for all things; and nothing seems to me more important in legislation than to keep all things in their proper place, and to treat them at their proper time. The distribution of the public lands, is worthy of attention; and I am ready to meet this great question whenever it arises legitimately for our consideration; but I object to considering it merely as a rider to the Iowa land bill.

The amendment would be less objectionable, if proposed as a rider to a general system of railroad grants, as, for instance to a bill embracing grants to all the Land States; but it is specially objectionable as a graft upon a single bill. The Senator who introduced

it doubtless assumed that other bills, already introduced, would pass; but, if his amendment be founded on this assumption, it should await the action of Congress on all these bills.

3. If adopted, the amendment would endanger, if it did not occasion the defeat of, the Iowa land bill. This seems certain. Having this measure at heart, believing it founded in essential justice, I am unwilling to place it in this jeopardy.

4. It prepares the way for States of this Union to become landholders in other States, subject, of course, to the legislation of those States- an expedient which, though not strictly objectionable on grounds of law, or under the Constitution, is not agreeable to our national policy. It should not be promoted without strong and special reasons therefor. In the bill introduced by the Senator from Illinois [Mr. Shields], bestowing lands for the benefit of the insane in different States, this

objection has been partially obviated, by providing that the States in which there were no public lands should select their portion in the Territories of the United States, and not in other States. But, since in a short time these very Territories may become States, this objection is rather adjourned than entirely removed.

5. But the lands held under this amendment, though in the hands of States, will be liable to taxation, as the lands of other non-resident proprietors, and on this account will be comparatively valueless. For this reason, I said that the amendment held out the attraction of seeming, though unsubstantial, self-interest. That the lands will be liable to taxation, cannot be doubted. The amendment does not propose in any way to relieve them from this burden; nor am I aware that they can be relieved from it. The existing immunity is only so long as they belong to the United States. Now, there is reason to believe that, from lack of agencies and other means familiar to the United States, the lands distributed by this amendment would not find as prompt a market as those still in the hands of the Great Landholder. But howsoever this may be, it is entirely clear, from the recorded experience of the national domain, that these lands, if sold at the minimum price of the public lands, and only as rapidly as those of the United States, and if meanwhile they are subject to the same burdens as the lands of other non-residents, will, before the sales are closed, be eaten up by the taxes. The taxes will amount to more than the entire receipts from the sales of the lands; and thus the grant, while unjust to the Land States, will be worthless to the old States, the pretended beneficiaries. In

the Roman law, an insolvent inheritance was known by an expressive phrase as damnosa hereditas. A grant under this amendment would be damnosa donatio.

For such good and sufficient reasons, I am opposed to this amendment.

CHEAP OCEAN POSTAGE.

SPEECH IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES ON HIS RESOLUTION IN RELATION TO CHEAP OCEAN POSTAGE, 8TH MARCH, 1852.

[This proposition Mr. Sumner has renewed at each session of Congress.]

MR. SUMNER.

I submit the following resolution. As it is one of inquiry, merely, I ask that it may be. considered at this time:

Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs, while considering the nature and extent of aid proper to be granted to the Ocean Steamers, be directed to inquire whether the present charges for letters carried by these steamers are not unnecessarily large and burdensome to foreign correspondence, and whether something may not be done, and, if so, what, to secure the great boon of Cheap Ocean Postage.

There being no objection, the question was stated to be on the adoption of the resolution.

MR. SUMNER. The Committee on Naval Affairs have the responsibility of shaping some measure by which the relations of our Government with the ocean steamers will be defined. And since one special inducement to these relations, involving the bounty now enjoyed

and further solicited, is the carrying of the mails, I trust this Committee will be willing to inquire whether there cannot be a reduction on the postage of foreign correspondence. Under the postage act of 1851, the postmaster, by and with the advice of the President, has power to reduce, from time to time, the rates of postage on all mailable matter conveyed between the United States and any foreign country. But the existence of this power in the postmaster will not render it improper for the Committee, now drawn into connection with this question, to take it into careful consideration, with a view to some practical action, or, at least, recommendation thereon. The subject is of peculiar interest; nor do I know any measure so easily accomplished, which promises to be so beneficent as cheap ocean postage. The argument in its favor seems to me at once brief and unanswerable.

A letter can be sent three thousand miles in the United States for three cents, and the reasons for cheap postage on the land are equally applicable to

the ocean.

In point of fact, the conveyance of letters can be effected in sailing or steam packets at less cost than by railway.

Besides, cheap ocean postage will tend to supersede the clandestine or illicit conveyance of letters, and to bring into the mails all mailable matter, which, under the present system, is carried in the pockets of passengers, or in the bales and boxes of merchants.

All new facilities for correspondence naturally give new expansion to human intercourse; and there is reason to believe that, through an increased number of letters, cheap ocean postage will be self-supporting.