(2) Or, the Territory frames its constitution
without waiting for the enabling act; with this in its hand the
Territory then applies to Congress for admission. In either case,
before giving its approval to the admission of a State, Congress must
see that the constitution submitted contains nothing that is
inconsistent with a republican form of government.
Our Public Land Policy.--In the Territories which lay between the
Allegheny Mountains and the Mississippi River, and in all the
acquisitions that have since been made, the unoccupied[60] lands became
the property of the United States. So the National government became the
possessor of many millions of acres of land, and it still holds immense
tracts in the Western States and in its distant possessions. Upon the
admission of a Territory as a State, the ownership of its public lands
does not pass to the new State, but remains with the National
government. The latter has followed a most liberal policy in dealing
with its lands, (1) It has granted great amounts to the States.
Pages:
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273