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

MILO nave HquTeu AT all INTO THIS SUD-
ject, said he, it will be found that there
are between seven and eight thousand
soldiers who have not received their
land bounty; and, according to the pre-
sent mode of paying thems it will con-
sumo about one million one hundred
thousand acres of land. If any measure
can be adopted which will render this
bounty more valuable to the soldiers who
have fought your battles, conquered your
enemies, and given lustre to your ma
tional character, without injury to the
public interest, think it is worthy of
the consideration of the government, and
deserves to be adopted. In offering this
bounty to the soldiers of your army, L
conceive it was to induce the soldier to-
enlist under your banners and after per-
forming his duty, to have home, rest
ing place for himself and his family
but, sir, from the manner in which this
bounty has been given, it must be mani
test to all who know any thing about it,
that it has fallen short of that object in q
most unfortunate extent Owing to the
remoteness of these lands from the set
tied parts of the country, and the conse-
quent absence of the conveniences of So
ciety and neighborhood, the soldiers have
been unable to improve their lands, and
from their general poverty, have been
compelled to sell them to the specula-
tors to obtain the means of supplying
their immediate wants, and those too at
so reduced price as to be of but little
service. Indeed, sir, the management
of the spectators has been such as to
keep down the price of those lands to the
lowest possible amount, and they will
| continue SO to do, at least until the poor,
but meritorious soldiers have been rified
| of their property--until it shall all be in
| their hands,
My object, then, Mr.. Speaker, is to
allow those soldiers who, from the tardi-
ness Of the government, have not re-
ceived their bounty, who may choose to
| do SO, to obtain in lieu of such bounty
certificate for such amount as congress
may think Just, and make such certih-
Gates recoverable only in payment for
public lands. Sir, believe, if the gov
ment would give to the soldier his choice
either to take his bounty where the gov
eminent may choose to assign it to him,
or to take certificate which would ena-
BILE him to enter eighty acres (the one
half Of his present bounty within the
limits of the settlements, after the pub
lie sales are over---for / would be un-
willing to give them right of pre-
emption for that quantity--that some
| thousands of them, who are now, without
homes, living in wretchedness, would
gladly receive such certificates, and Sc
cure themselves in comfortable homes.
And in this way there would be mutual
saving, both to the government and the
soldier. The government would save
one half of the land, and yet give to the
soldier more value to him than the value
of the present bounty. In doing this,
Mr.. Speaker, the soldier who is living
now both in vice and poverty, would find
an asylum where comfort would smile
around him, and where his vicious habits,
contracted in the camp, would be cor
rected by the influence of those around
him, who have fostered the virtues Of
civilized life. Itwould also, Mr.. Speak
| er, prevent an extension Of that princi-
pie which has converted SO much of the
state of Illinois at least into temporary
wilderness that delightful body of land
lying between the Illinois and MISSISSIPPI
pi rivers, embracing more than five mil
lions of acres, has TO such an extent fallen
into the hands of spectators, who have
bought it for mere trihe, that it will lie
uninhabited for many years-a section,
above all others, which it is desirable to
have settled. The bounty of the gov
eminent, owing to the manner of con-
ferring it, has thus done but little good
to the soldier, and established nuisance
in that hourishing state.
Sir, | have seen the poor soldier who
has come from the almost extreme east
of our country TO Illinois, who has heard
fine and just description of that state,
with Joy III his countenance, to see his
land, that land which was rendered dear
to him, because he had fought and con-
quered the enemies of your country to
obtain it. But when he learned that it
was so remote from neighbors, and from
these indispensable advantages of society.
his Joy was turned into modification, and
he was driven to the shop of the specu-
lator, to procure in exchange for it, such
bounty as his generosity might advance.
do think, Mr.. Speaker, that the me-
Iteration of the condition of such mum.
Der Of those deserving men, is worthy