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

impressed il on the memories Of every
senator with whom had the honor,
that time, 10 serve; for in speaking rather
vehemently, on this very subject, fell
with something OF an apoplectic attack,
broke up the Senate, and remained en-
Jtirely senseless until al least two quarts
OF blood had been taken from my arm
Wanting time, however for further ex
plantations, beg leave to refer my fell
low citizens to the annexed extract from
the Journals of the Senate of the United
States, OF February l8, 1919, which ex-
hibit certain amendments proposed by
myself to 1.-THE bill making further pro-
vision for the sale Of public lands" which
bill proposed to abolish the credit sys-
tenn, and to sell the land a, one dollar
and fifty cents per acre.,
The FIRST of these amendments pro.
posed to graduate the price according
to the supposed ability of the different
description of purchasers, by reducing
it to fifty cents an acre to the purchasers
OF not more than SO acres-seventy- five
cents for any quantity not exceeding a
quarter-section, and one dollar an acre
for any quantity not exceeding one Sec
ton, &c.
The I'd proposed particular privile-
ges and indulgences TO actual settlers.
The Sd proposed to reduce the price
TO one dollar in all cases; and that fail
ing
The 4lh proposed to reduce the price
to one dollar and twenty-five cents.
1t was my ardent wish tina, the mini
mum price should in no case exceed one
dollar an acre, and my best talenis were
zealously exerted for this purpose, and
TO procure such indulgence for actual
settlers as would have accommodated
the poorest of them, and at the same
time promoted the settlement and i'm
provement OF the state.
These objects failing, | wished the
credit system 10 remain, and to reduce
the price 10 one dollar an acre in cash.
believing that while spectators would
have had no inducements opurchase on
credit, that system might have afforded
some accommodation to portion of our
iellow-cltlzens who, owing to the then
unparalleled scarcity of money, were
unable to purchase on any other terms.
But for further illustration of nv sem
timents on these subjects beg leave to
refer to a short speech | made in the
Senate, (as reported in the National In
telligencer,) which is hereto annexed.
! NINIAN EDWARDS,
BeAeDiHe, S0M June, 1926.
The Senate resumed as IN committee
OF The whole, the consideration OF The
bill making further provision tor the
sale OF the public lands,
On motion by Mr.. Edwards,
10 strike oui of section 8, after the
word Office, in line IA, the following
at one dollar and. hGy cents an acre 10 b.
Ha1d at The time Of making such entry as
aforesaid, and TO insert I'D lieu thereof
the following terms, VIZ. To the pur.
chaser of not more than 80 acres, at SO
cents an acre; to the purchaser OF not
more than one quarter-section, at rs
cents an acre; to the purchaser of not
more than one section, at one dollar all
acre; and to purchasers of any amount
exceeding one section, at ---- an acre,
provided, however, that no tract of less
than one section purchased as aforesaid
sh II be transferable in any manner what
ever, any time within five years from The
time of purchase thereof.
On motion by M. Edwards,
10 insert new section after The third,
as follows: And be it further enacted
that when any person shall be actu.
ally settled on any quarters section Of land
which shall have been previously offered
at public sale, and remain unsold, su III
person shall, upon application to the
register of the land office in the dis
trici in which the land may lie, be enti-
tied, upon satisfactory proof thereof, to
receive from said Register license to
remain on The said land for the term oil
five years, during which time, provided,
that the said settler shall continue to re.
side thereon, the said land shall not be
liable 10 be sold to any other person,
but if the said settler shall at any time,
whether in the said five years, and du.
ring his actual residence on said land,
tender payment for the same at the rate
of ----- an acre with legal interest there
on, from the date OF his license, and &C
tually pay the same 10 the Receiver, and
produce his receipt as in other cases, the
land shall be sold to the said settler, up
on his making oath before the Register,
that he has not purchased any othe tract
of land, subsequent to the date OF his H.
cenSe.