Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-07-25


vision for the sale of public land"
The LIST of which amendments pro-
posed to graduate the price according to
the supposed ability of the different de-
scription of purchasers by reducing 1t to
fifty cents an acre to the purchasers OF
not more than 80 acres-seventy-tive
cents an acre for any quantity not ex-
ceeding a quarter section, and one. dol
lar an acre for any quantity not exceed
ing one section, sc.
The End proposed particular indul-
gencies to actual settlers.
The 3rd proposed to reduce the price
to one dollar in all cases-and that fall
ing
The 4th proposed to reduce the price
to one dollar and twenty-five cents.
AT the last session OF Congress it was
my ardent wish that the minimum price
should in no case exceed one dollar an
acre, and my best talents were jealous
ly exerted on different occasions, to pro-
cure such indulgencies for actual set
tiers, as would have accommodated the
poorest of them, and thereby have in
yited emigration to the state, and pro-
NOTED the settlement and improvement
thereof.
These objects falling, l wished the
credit system to remain, and to reduce
the price to one dollar an acre IN CASH
believing that while spectators would
have had no inducements to purchase on
credit, that system might have afforded
some accommodation to portion of our
fellow citizens who owing TO the present
unparalleled scarcity of money, might be
unable to purchase upon any other
terms.
This minion, therefore, who has char
ged me with being opposed to the reduc-
ton of the price of public land, from
sordid motives, " is foul defamer 1t
will be for him to prove what ne has
said to be true-if he does not, he stands
convicted of villainous attempt to I'M
pose upon the public what he well knows
to be to every intent wanton lie! The
juggler behind the scene who calculates
by raising prejudices against me, to
cover his own disgrace, is more vulnera-
bic than ne imagines. He may rest as
sured that the public know him, and will
hold him responsible for every such
trick, that is attempted to be played of
upon them"
NINIAN EDWARDS.
Edvardsviie, July "a, 1920.
The extracts of the journal are as fol-
lows:
The Senate resumed, as in committee of the
whole, the consideration of the bill making
further provision for the sale of the public
lands.
On motion by Mr.. Edwards,
To strike out of section 3, after the word
"oGce," in line IA, the following: " at one dol
lar and fy cents an acre, to be paid at the time
Of making Such entry as aforesaid" and to IN
sert in lieu thereof, the following "upon the
following terms, viz: To the purchaser of not
more than eighty acres, at fifty cents an acre
to the purchaser of not more than one quarter
section, at seventy-fve cents an acre; to the
purchaser of not more than one section,
at one dollar an acre {; and to purchasers
of any amount exceeding one section, at -
an acre: Provided however, That no tract,
less than one section, purchased as aforesaid,
shall be transferable in any manner whatever,
any time within FIVE years from the time of
purchase thereof
On motion by Mr.. Edwards,
To insert new section after the Sd, as fol-
lows: sand be it further enacted, That where
any person shall be actually settled on any guar
ter section of land which shall have been pre-
vously offered at public sale, and remain I'M
sold, such person shall, upon application to
the register of the land Office in the district in
which the land may lie, be entitled, upon salts
factory proof thereof, to receive from said re-
gister, aiicense foreman on the said land forthe
term of FIVE years, during which time, provided
the said settler shall continue to reside there
on, the said land shall not be liable to be sold
to any other person; but if the said settler
shall at any time within the said five years, and
during his actual residence on said land, tender
payment for the same at the rate of - an
acre, with legal interest thereon from the date
of his license, and actually pay the same to the
receiver, and produce his receipt as in other
cases, the land shall be sold to the said settler,
upon his making cath before the register, that
he has not purchased any other tract of land
subsequent to the date Of his licepse."
Mr. Edwards moved to strike out of section
8, line 4, " a,,dfAy cents"
On motion by Mr.. Edwards,
To strike out of section 8, line 4, ".ffy," and
to insert in lieu thereof tsvemy,fue."
FOR THE SPECTATOR.
The followiup are extracts of letters