Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-02-14

6 months previous TO Dec. next, in order TO be
entitled TO prcempion rights-adoptcd, 80 to
II.
MIR. Brown moved 10 strike OFT "thc term
Of six months"
Mr.. Ewing wished tho term of six months
to be retained.
MIR. Walker snid that ir the fourteen months
was retained, il wonld be the came az if the
amendment Just adopted had been the LIST
day of June, instead OF The Isl day OF Deem
Der, and added that if these words were re-
tanned, he should abandon the bill altogether
as worthless.
MIR. Clay said he should not consider the
opposition of the Senator from Mississippi 10
The Bill as a calamity.
MIR. Calhoun expressed his astonsl.ncnl at
the declaration Of the Senator from Mississip.
pi, that if the words were not stricken out, he
would vote against the bill. II now came out
thGt numbers had gone out in advance to set
tic on the lands, relying on the privileges con-
lerred by this bill. At every step the iniqnity
Of this bill became more apparent. There was
TO be no occupation or cultivation; the requ-
sition of six months is TO be stricken out, and
the registers and receivers are 10 determine
what is occupation and cultivation. lie wish
cd that even the word c.up," should be in
roduced after the word cultivation, and that
The cIcclion Of dwelling house should be ac-
companicd by a provision that the individual
shall reside in it.
The term OF six months was finally struck
out, and three inserted, and after much further
discussion the Senate at late hour adjourned.
In the House, Mr. Horace Everett reported
bill to provide FOR the security and protection
of Indians west Of tho Mississippi, which was
twice read and committed.
FREEDOM OF ELECTIONS.
The motion, heretofore made by Mr.. Bell,
for leave to bring in Bill TO secure the free
dom Of Elections, coming up as the unfinished
business -
Mr.. Graves of KY, addressed the House at
length in favor of the Bill. he said that he
had not until yesterday, determined to address
tho House on the subject, and that what he
would say must therefore be on the impulse Of
the moment. He had not gone very infinitely
into the details Of the bill he did not, there
fore, assert that it was perfect; and he was
ready to give his sanction TO any amendment
which might appear desirable.
The subject was very important oac. Let
us then inquire for a moment whether the evils
complained Of did exist if so, what was then
tendency, and how were they 10 be rcmcdied.
I hat they did exist, he thought was demon
strated beyond the possibility fdoubt. Look
10 any portion Of the Union, and il would be
seen that the interference Of The officers Of the
Federal Government in elections was undeni-
able, and something should be done promptly
TO remedy the evil. Mr.. G. then alluded 10
the Convention held in Ohio two years ago, for
the purpose Of nominating Delegates 10 the
n. Ia. nl.a HAT
groat.proporion Of the members thereof were
office holders. The remark, TO a considerable
extent, was applicable 10 the great Convention
al Baltimore.
He looked on this interference in elections,
as lying at the root Of all the evils which exis.
ted in the Government. Let this principle
once he sanctioned s. we were never to see the
elective franchise guarded, as Gen. Jackson,
at the time he was candidate FOR the Prcsi-
dcncy, said it ought TO be guarded, nor unless
the Chief Executive oil the United states were
deprived OF the power 10 exercise his Influence
on them, we could never expect 10 see Office
holders act as freemen. Could a Govern
ment, which had a hundred thousand Office.
holders, long remain free, while such an inter-
fereccc was allowed ? Ii must be deprecated
by every honest man, and he hoped every hon
est man would vote to put it down. The null
expenses Of the Government, were enormous
agencies Of power which could not be resist
ed, as the history Of the present ndmnisra-
ton had shown, and unless the attention Of
the nation were drawn 10 ihe evil, it would
sooner or later work the overthrow Of The
Government.
MIR. c., then went into some details as 10 the
result of the last Presidential election in the
State Of Rhode Island, Mississippi, Louisia-
ma and Conn, TO show that the votes Of the
office holders, in these four states, would have
changed the result Of the election. He con-
tended that the influence Of the Office holders
was not confined 10 their own votes, but that
all Of them who held offices Of any consldcra-
ton, had friends and relatives whose votes
they could secure in favor OF that candidate
who would be most likely to retain him in
office.
Mr.. G.. contrssted the number Of Office ho|-
ders who had been turned out Of Office in the
forty years which had elapsed from the tern
of Washln eton to the first term Of Andrew
Jackson, and Showed that, in those forty years,
only about seventy had been removed-whst
during General Jackson's terms of service,
nine hundred had been removed, mostly all
for opinions sake. He denied the statements
which gentlemen had made, that majority of
the Office holders were opposed 10 the admin
ist,aton, and entered into a dttuil oil facts
within his own knowledge showing the mac
curncy Of that statement. He denied that the
Wings had ever acted on the principle OF pro-
scriplion, and uvowed Il at il, in some instan-
ccs, they had resorted to that measure, it was
only wher they had been goadsd 10 do so by
the conduct Of the opposite panty. Asa prin-
ciple, the Wings repudinted any such doc
trne, as that Of dcnouncing men for opinions
sake.
The House proceeded to tho orders of the
day, Mr.. G. still holding the floor for to-mor
row.
THURspA, Feb. ..
In the Senate, Hon. VIM. A. Mouton OF
Lou. took his seat Mr.. Clay presented me-