Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-04-11


bama; and was opposed by Messrs.
7rim5ie, Lanman, and King OF New
York; not because opposed TO alfording
the relief contemplated, but from an
unwillingness to connect 1t with the
present bill, sc.
The question being taken on the
amendment, it was decided by yeas and
nays, as follows Yeas 8--Nays %.
Mr.. Edwards observed that, though
he was decidedly opposed to the bill
and the change it contemplated, yet, if it
passed, it was absolutely necessary to
make provision for securing the actual
settlers from becoming the prey of
monied spectators, and the monopoly
which the change was calculated to
throw into the hands of monied capital
lists; and Mr.. +. argued at some length
in illustration of these opinions, and in
favor of the amendment he rose to offer,
and which was the following:
! Be it enacted, sc. That every person., or
the legal representatives of every person, who
has actually inhabited and cultivated, and who
now resides upon any tract of land lying in any
QSlTlCt eSC;lDliSncu IOT tllc Sale Vi puDHC ialo,
which tract is not rightfully claimed by any
other person., such person, so residingas atore-
said, Or his legal representative, shall be ell
titled to a preference in becoming the pur
chaser from the United States Of such tract Of
land, at private sale, upon the same terms and
conditions, in every respect, as have hereto
fore been provided by law, for the sale of
other lands sold at private sale: Provided,
that no more than one quarter section of land
shall be sold to any one individual in virtue of
this act, and the same shall be bounded by the
sectional and divisional lines run, or to be run,
according to law: P,ouided, also, That no
lands reserved from sale by former acts, or
lands which have been directed TO be sold, in
town lots, shall be sold under this act
| Be it further enacted, That every person
claiming preference in becoming the pur-
chaser of tract of land i'll virtue of this act,
shall make known his claim by delivering
notice, in writing, to the Register of the land
Office for the district in which the land may
be, wherein he shall particularly designate the
quarter section he claims, which notice the
Register shall file in his office on receiving
twenty-five cents from the person delivering
the same. And, in every case where it shall
appear to the satisfaction of the Register and
Receivers Of public moneys Of the land office,
that any person, who has delivered his noace
of claim, is entitled, according to the pro-
visions ofthis act, to preference in becoming
the purchaser of quarter section of land, such
person, so entitled, shall have right to enter
| the said quarter section, or half thereof, with
| the Register of the land Office, on producing
| his receipt fromthe Receverof public moneys
for at least one twentieth part Of the purchase
money, as in case of other lands sold at private
| sale: Provided That all lands to be sold I'M
| Hpp fh.c oct which Shon bnya haop
viously exposed to public sale, shall be enter
ed with the Register at least two weeks before
the time which may be appointed for the COM
| mencement of the public sale thereof. And
every person, having right Of preference in
becoming the purchaser ola tract of land, who
shall fail so to make his entry with the Register
within the time prescribed, his right shall be
forfeited, and the land, by him claimed, shall
be offered at public sale with the other public
lands in the district to which it belongs.
Mr.. King, of New-York, observed
that, if the change of system were favor
able to spectators, he should be found
in the negative. But, SO far from this
being the fact, he considered the change
as highly favorable to the poor man
and he argued at some length, that it was
calculated to plant in the new country
population Of independent, unembarrass-
ed frccholders; that by offering the lands
in 80 acre lots, it would place it in the
power of almost every man to purchase
a freehold, the price of which could be
cleared in three years; that it would
cut up speculation and monopoly; that
the money paid for the lands would be
carried from the state or country from
which the purchaser should remove;
that it would prevent the accumulation
of an alarming debt which experience
proved never would and never could be
paid, sc.
Mr.. Johnson, of Louisiana, was de-
cidedly opposed to the bill, because he
conceived it would be Injurious to the
interests of Louisiana, and of the nation
at large. He argued that the present
system had been in existence twenty
years that the people were satisfied with
it; that the country had thriven and pros
pered under it; that the change would
operate opprcssively on large class of
actual settlers in Louisiana and else
where, who ought to be secured by some
provision, SC.
Mr.. Rugglea had no objection to the
amendment; but he spoke to shew that,
if the change took place at all, it ought
to be total; that he should oppose the
change unless the price was reduced,
and the land offered in half quarter Sec
tons, sc. ..l
Mr.. johnson, of KY. despaired Of de-
feating the bill here, but expressed his