Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-07-02
HORSE OF REPRESENTATIVES


The bill from the Senate granting town.
ship ofland to two hundred and thirty-ive emf
grant Poles, having been amended by the
House. was returned by the Senate with their
non concurrence in the amendment.
TThe amendment provides, that the land IT,
ties shall be granted after ten years. settlement
thereon, upon payment of the minimum price,
Mr.. CLAY, ofAlabama, said, he must move that
the House do adhere to its amendment ana
went into an explanation to show that the
bill, as it came from the Senate, was depar-
ture from the Constitution, being donation,
for which there was not any precedent that ne
was aware of to authorize their making, OF the
public domains One donation of the public
lands had been given by Congress to certain
emgrants from France, but that grant had
some public ground to recommend it; those per-
sons being required to plant the vine and the
olive. He could not agree IN opinion with those
who thought that Congress had the power TO
grant land to these or any other foreigners,
which they could not do to their own citizens,
unless where commensurate Dement'S, facllltatng
sales thereof &C.. would be accomplished by it.
The amendment proposed by the House gave
to these individuals advantages which were not
given to the people of the United States, name
": ifthey went on the lands, after tenyears they
would only be called on to pay therefor the
lowest price, viz: 81, rs per acre; and this was
sufficient, in this estimation for Congress to
grant.
MIR. BARRlNaER concurred generally in the
views of the member from Alabama, but sug-
gested to him to vary his motion.
Mr.. CAMBRELENG held that Congress had the
power to make grants of the public domain
with a view TO their actual settlement; and
said he did not believe the people OF he Unit
ed States generally would refuse Their aSsent to
the grant for men circumstanced as these Poles
were known to be: men who had been nravey
fighting the battles of liberty in the Old World,
and in resistance to the march OF desponsm'-
He considered this an offering in the cause OF
liberty, to which it was the duty OF the House
to respond.
Mr.. ]. @. ADAMS expressed his hope that TINS
nation would not act on niggardly prlnci,
ple towards these unfortunate men, he ola
think that we we're imposing too many condi-
tons with the grant.
Mr. burgess would, in reply to the constltu-
tional doubts of the member from Alabama, m
uuire, from every son offreedom throughout the
land, if the public domain could be better dis
posed of than it was by this grant given as en-
coma cement to those who had so bravey bat
tied in its sacred cause? The eyes OF the world,
he said were upon them; and no man in the
United States no free man, would or ought TO
say it was unconstitutional to pass this BILL
Mr. HARDIN hoped the amendment proposed
by the member from Alabama would prevail,
and maintained that if the bill was passed in the
shape now reported from the Senate, it would
be impossible for Congress hereafter to draw the
line, and refuse similar grants to the Irish, the
Dutch, the German, or other emigrants who
came to this country, who were all equally SUI
ferng, or had suffered in the cause of liberty at
home. All were, he thought, equally struggling
for freedom He could not see what particular
ground upon which this was to be maintained.
If it was, that aid had been offered by the Po-
lish nation to this country in its Revolutionary
struggle; then so did the people of the other TO
reign countries whom he had named assist He
would rather extend the time for the payment
100 years, than establish any such precedent as
donation under such circumstances.
Mr.. CARR, in order to close the discussion
which seemed to be interminable, moved to lay
the bill on the table, but withdrew the motion
at the request of
Mr.. CLAY, who wished to have the question
taken upon insisting or adhering to the amend
ment made by the House.
MIR. PINcKNEY, however, renewed the motion
to lay the bill on the table; which motion being
negatived, yeas AZ, nays 10Y
Mr.. Clay rose, and insisted that, by the act of
cession (which he cited) from the several States
to the United States of these public lands, Con-
gress was not authorized to grant away or dis