Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-07-11
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FROM THE ILLINOIS INTELLIaENcER.


Without any wish to take part in the
approaching election for Representa-
tive TO Congress, we deem it due to Mr..
Cook, whose exertions for the public
interest all can attest, to place the ma
ture of his vote on the subject OF the pub
lie lands, which we understand has been
variously represented, fairly before the
public.
When that subject was before Con.
gross, Mr. Cook offered the following
amendment to the bill:
"Mr. Cook, then moved to amend the said
bill by striking out the second section Of the
bill; and inserting in lieu thereof the follow
ing:
Sec. 2. Ind be it further enacted, That from
and after the first day Of July next, credit
shall not be allowed for the purchase money
on the sale of any Of the Public Lands, sold ut
public sale, but every purchaser of land which
may be sold thereafter at public sale, shall or
the day of purchase, make complete payment
thereof, and if any person, being the highest
bidder at public sale for tract of land, shall
fail to make payment therefor on the day on
which the same was purchased, the tract shall
be again offered at public sale on the next
day of sale, and such person shall not be
capable of becoming the purchaser of that or
any other tract of land at such public sale.
And from and after the period aforesaid,
whenever the purchaser, of any of the public
land at private sale SHALL at the time of making,
such purchase, make complete payment there
FOR, the price shall BE ONE DOLLAR AND TWEEN
TY-FIvE CENTS FER ACRE Provided hozueuet,
That this provision shall not be construed as
to prevent the purchase upon credit as here
tofore, at PRIVATE SALE"
The insertion of this amendment. will
at one show, that he was in favor of fix
ing the price at s Is an acre; and also
of dividing all the lands into half-quarter
sections. But as money was SO uni
versally scarce, he believed that unless
there were some credit allowed for a
part Of the purchase money, that many
poor men would be unable to obtain any
of the public land, and therefore, wished
to secure to them the right of entering
In headquarters, and also upon the usual
credit, if they could not raise money to
pay down. He knew that many men
possessed industry, but little or no
money, and could not therefore enjoy
the bounty of the western lands without
credit. BY the plan he proposed the
poor man might enter half-quartcr Sec
ton Tor $40, and have five years TO pay
the remainder in, while under the plan
as it is now adopted, to get possession Of
half quarter, the purchaser must pay
down 500, making difference of $50;
SUM that is no easy matter for poor
man to raise. In this vote, MIR. Cook
agreed with both of our senator's, and in
accordance with the sentiments of Mr..
Clay.
To destroy the credit system entirely,
Mr.. Cook thought calculated to iniurc
the west, by checking the current of
emigration. He saw that Ohio, and In
diana, as we'll as this state, had gained a
great population in consequence of the
facility with which they could obtain =
settlement.
Instead therefore, of condening his
vote, we think the motives which pro-
duced it, are such as ought to be ap.
proved.