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REPORTS AND PUBLIC LETTERS.

this impression, I introduced a bill some years since for thepurpose of effecting this object, which among other thingsprovided that the price of public lands which had been offer-ed for sale without being entered, within a fixed period, shouldbe gradually reduced from one dollar and a quarter to onedollar, and then to seventy-five, and then to fifty, and last-ly to twenty-five cents, and all that was not sold within ashort period at twenty-five cents, to he surrendered to theStates in which they were situated.

I have now given you my views briefly, as to the resour-ces of the South and West; how they could be best developed,and how far the aid of the General Government might be in-voked to assist in their development. And now let me add,in conclusion, you occupy a region possessing advantagesabove all others on the globe, of the same extent, not onlyfor its fertility, its diversity of climate and production, butin its geographical position ; lying midway between the Pa-cific and Atlantic Oceans , in less than one generation, shouldthe Union continue, and I hope it may be perpetual, youwill be engaged in deliberations to extend your connectionwith the Pacific, as you now are with the Atlantic ; andwill ultimately be almost as intimately connected with theone as the other. In the end, you will command the com-merce of both, and this great valley become the centre ofthe commerce of the world, as well as that of our greatUnion, if we shall preserve our liberty and free popular in-stitutions. We are about to give the first great impulse,and you will, gentlemen, I trust, set an example of modera-tion, harmony and unanimity, which will be followed hereaf-ter. May the result of your deliberations be such as to ac-complish not only the objects for which you have convened,but to strengthen the bonds of our Union, and to render usthe greatest and most prosperous community the world everbeheld.