572 THE IMPENDING REVOLUTION. 



public domain was given away to railway corporations. 

 The people of the country practically receiving no valua- 

 ble consideration for these grants. These grants were 

 made to the States and by them conveyed to the respective 

 railways. Congress conveyed to each of the applicants 

 u six alternate sections of public lands of 640 acres each, 

 (and equaling 3480 acres to the mile) to be taken by the 

 odd numbers, within six miles of the line of road proposed. 

 In case such a number of sections of odd numbers of 

 public lands could not be found within six miles of such 

 line (in consequence of previous sale) then the grant was 

 to be enlarged so as to apply to the odd sections within 

 fifteen miles of the line on either side, so as to make up 

 the full amount intended to be granted. Many of the 

 grants were subsequently further enlarged so as to apply to 

 sections of odd numbers within twenty miles of the line." 



"The trust or guardianship of these lands had been 

 confided in the Congress of the United States, and, while 

 the people at that time were not averse to the granting of 

 aid by the government to enterprises which are national in 

 their character, which are for the public good, and which 

 at some time would render an equivalent for the aid 

 thus extended; they are decidedly opposed to giving their 

 property away for the benefit of a private corporation, and 

 to such a use of it by Congress. While it can be truth- 

 fully said that Congress is aware of this, they appear to 

 entertain a lofty contempt for the will of the people, fancy- 

 ing that they are the masters rather than the servants of 

 the nation. Several years ago, a leading New York jour- 

 nal gave the following forcible statement of the popular 

 view of this question: 



4 ' Let us say that the property of the government of 

 the United States meaning thereby, of course, the 

 common property of the United States is worth 

 $4,000,000,000. In the management of this property by 



