Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-12-23

teeth, from which would spring up q fresh
set OF harpies, worse shan those of which
we now complain. The value Of the land
was daily better understood and apprcci-
ated by the soldier as well as the public.
and the danger of his being imposed on.
Mr.. ,. suggested, would every day be les
sened. Hecould not well imagine. hes said,
under what right of legislation The right
OF the paiemice 10 The land corld, after a
specified time, be barred, as proposed in
the amendment which had been read by
the Speaker; or how his vested right 10
the lee simple of the land could be taken
from him by any subsequent act Of Con-
gress. MIR. :. made sundry oller obieo-
tons OF detail 10 Tie measure of coalinu-
iatIon, all which combined assured him
II would be IA measure worse than useless
10 the soldier, ahd not beneficial To the
government.
Mr. HARRISON, Of Ohio, advocated the
bill, and replied 10 the main objections
winch bad been proposed To It's proposed
details. lie considered the measure high
~ important 10 Tie government, and TO
lie soldiers, andcqualy beneiiciSto both,
and deprecated its being defeated by ar
gumeniS against details susceptible of a.
'aendnent IN such manner as 10 obyiatc
the objections. The claimants, he be-
lleved, woaid be at no cost as suggested
by Mr.. Storrs, i'll procuring their commu-
tation. lie would answer for ali the Vest
ern country, that their Representatives in
Congress would, with pleasure perform
the duty gratuiously for them, aud he
hoped he might, in like manner, answer
for those from New York. lie believed
the passage OF such a law would have the
valuable effect 10 take the soldier out of
the hands OF the Spectator Without the
goFeinment being called upon 10 purchase
bit very small proportion of these lands.
AS to the idea OF specuations IN good or
IN bad lands, Mr.. II. said the laws of the
country provided that the soldier should
have good land for his bounty; and. if.
among the land set apart for satisfying
the soldiers claims, there was any bad
laud,l, ought &c be thrown back on the go-r
veTnment. A part of the land survey ed
had been reserved as bad, and If more of
the indifferent land should revert TO the
government, by this measure, it would
be measure ofiustice, and no more than
we had Solemny promised 10 the soldier.
MIR. III. made some remarks TO shew that
the proceeds of the sales of public lands
would be greater than soRe gentlemen
had supposed, and amply snfiicientto CO.
yer the Immediate expense of this mea-
sure, if adopted.
Mr.. HOLMES, OF Massachusetts. in con-
sequence of the cali made ON him 10
Withdraw his motion TO strike ont the
hrst section of the bill rose 10 defend
the position he had taken. lie avowed
that he was the last man who would be
disposed TO urge any thing against tie SOL
der: he would not merely say the sos
der was already paid, and for that reason
refuse TO give him more aid: he would
not insist upon the pound of flesh as stat
ed i'll the bond, but if The soldier needed
the aid of government, altho' once paid,
the government ought to extend lis char
lty TO him. Our soldiers, he said, had
indeed been paid, and well paid some
of them so well, that they had received
l24 dollars of bounty, in money, and 100
acres Ofland, and'never served lhe gov
eminent at all. Did the government mean
who had served itt Alr. H. asked. And,
ii it did, were these soldiers The class
most deserving its bounty! lie believed
not; but that it would be more properly
applied TO iiIe disbanded officers, and par
ticularly 10 the grade from captain Down
wards. The private soldier had been we'll
paid, and clothes and arms found him:
the officer, clothing and arning himself
upon the pittance allowed him, had sous ut
for glory for his rcward-bmt, before he
obtained it, he had been disbandcd and
cast upon The world. Mr.. II. slid, he
should be for relieving this nieriiorious
class OF men but not so much for add
ing TO the rewards already bestowed on
the soldier. Bnt, he proceeded TO argue,
II the measure was expedient, on tIls
ground, it would not in practice answer
the expectations of lis advocates. lie re-
terred TO the arguments originally urged
In support oflbe bounty law, 10 Show Thar
one OF the objects Of the land bounty had
bren aYowed to be the settlement Of our
frontiers, by military men, i'll order to de-
fend the country from invasion by the sa-
wages. That object, he intimaled ap-
peared 10 be casI aside by the advocates
Of this bill, who were now anxious lhat
the land should revert TO tive u. $. Mr.,
ii. proceeded to examine the details Of
ibc amendment suggested, 10 show That,
III every shape, spectators wOnld derive
the principal advantage fsGm this bill
Notwithstanding Warrantswere moi trans
terable, there were means, lie said by
wiIich the property Of these soldiers MINT
be alienated by them for instance, by
power OF attorney, authorizing a person
TO transfer all lands that belonged 10 ihe
constituent, aud all which he sfsn ac-
| qulre and that power rendered WrevO-
cable, with a covenant Of further assur-
ance, &c. But, Mr II. asked. are we not
doing worse than aiding the spectators Z
lsnot the government becoming the gIsnd
Spectator! Is 1t not going to speculate
on the soldier The minimum price Of
our land, lie said, vas f,cO dollars per -
ere, and we are going TO buy it from tie
soldier 1T half that price This would not
! only be hNinm the nrice for nnrsnlnns Int