Its average fertility far exceeds that of
Europe, as does also the extent of its mines, especially gold, silver,
coal, and iron, with every variety of soil, climate, mineral and
agricultural products.
These lands are surveyed at the expense of the Government into townships
of six miles square, subdivided into sections, and these into quarter
sections (160) acres, set apart for homesteads. Our system of public
surveys into squares, by lines running due north and south, east and
west, is so simple as to have precluded all disputes as to boundary or
title. This domain reaches from the 24th to the 49th parallel, from the
lakes to the gulf, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Its isothermes
(the lines of equal mean annual temperatures) strike on the north the
coast of Norway midway, touch St. Petersburg in Russia, and pass through
Manchooria on the coast of Asia, about three degrees south of the mouth
of the Amour river. On the south, these isothermes run through Northern
Africa, and nearly the centre of Egypt near Thebes, cross Northern
Arabia, Persia, Northern Hindostan, and Southern China near Canton.
Of this vast domain, less than two per cent. is cursed by slavery, which
is prohibited by law in eleven of these land States, and in all the
Territories.
Now, however, within our present vast domain, not only the poor, but our
own industrious classes and those of Europe, may not only find a home,
but a farm for each settler, substantially as a free gift by the
Government.
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