President Buchanan wanted to make certain that the older States should not be deprived of their rights in the heritage of the public lands. He said: But to give this common inheritance away would deprive the old States of their just proportion of this revenue without holding out to any the least corresponding advantage. Whilst it is our common glory that the new States have become so prosperous and populous. there is no good reason why the old States should offer premiums to their own citizens to emigrate from them to the West. That land of promise presents in itself sufficient allurements to our young and enterprising citizens without any adventitious aid. Theoffer of free farms would probably have a powerful effect in encouraging emigration. especially from States like Illinois. Tennessee. and Kentucky. to the wes of the Mississippi. and could not fail to reduce the price of property within their limits. An individual in States thus situated would not pay its fair value for land when by crossing the Mississippi he could go upon the public lands and obtain a farm almost without money and without price.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration