Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1837-01-31

!. Mr.. Walker now moved a further Amendment ~ INT
bill, which had been suggested to him by lie 0hJeciIoh
urred On Il former day by MIR. Ewing. Tie objection
was, That an individual, after having entered the ldhu,
: and lrtore any patent should issue, might encu'hoer IL
by mortgage or otherwise. To meet This, he moved 10
insert alter The word contract, the words I" with Il view
to evedc The provisions Of this act and after The wora
mortgage. the words {" or otherwise encunIGrr,' so that
the Individual entering tie land should he disabled 'r"'n
iiaudu!enlly conveying it away. The amendment was
agree. 10
Mr.. Morris observed that, on further examining the
tlird section Of The bIl! as NOW amended, he found II as
objectionable rs ever, and h. Should therefore rene" HIS
luuliou To strike il uut, but would first suffer IL 10 De
made as perfect as The chairman Of the committee could
make 1t. lie had further objections also 10 other sections
Of the hill.
Alter same ~LcSultory coEv 'rsation-
AIr. White moved 10 amend the bill in the third sec.
ton by striking out he clause which provides that, II Il
settler, after having entered The ;ahd, shall TAIL to COMP:
with the Conditions rr ccssary to a patent, lr shall re-
cr;re no patent, bat his purchase money shat! 6c rrld"d'
cd 10 h!n without inlr:cst.
Mr.. W. represented in a strong light The injustice and
iuipollcy of tlll3 feature OF the bill, and the Migrant abu.
SEES 10 wlic!I it would open i door. a man Was allowed
full pnssrssiol OF the land Tor five years: during %!i'ci
time he might waste II al pleasure, cut oil anu s:!i Inc
timber, and leave the lard III such 4 CONDITION Il'at 40
one would buy il, and yet that lie should AaY1 the wh"!'
of his money back lie had in fact i I"asr ui III" land
for five years, how valuable sUerer it might In, Li The
consideration simply vi The interest VI the purchase IlD-
nry at 81 - per acre.
Nr. Waller had not inserted the clause from choice,
but merely 10 avoid the danger Of such an uppuslLI"n as
would defeat the bill. The bill. is first rrpurtcd by han,
provided i"r 4 !oItriture uf The purchase money. lie Gio
not however believe That The Case supposed wVu!I ever
happen. 1t would be most extraordinary lhlta mAn
should pay down his money for The lauG II hc intended /"
forfeit il: tor he would lose the opP"rlGnity,O Pufclas-
ing the land and forfeit the Interest Tor i've years, be-
sides all the taxes he had paid Oh the land for tive ears;
fur the Legislatures uf til. States are allowed by the
bill 10 tax The land Iro;I The day of entry. lie would
also forfeit all The Improvements lie had made Oh lie
land.
AIR. White replied, and further supported his ohjec'
ton.
Mr.. Gtrndy took the same ground, and referred, in
support Of the ubjrctiDu, 10 the land on The Mississippi
river, where The timber was immensely valuable. A
man, under this bill, might enter $50 acres ot iand,
strip it OF all tht timber, sell The w""d 10 The steamboats,,
and al Tie end cllI2 aud demand hlci the money lie !Iaa
paid for Ii. lie did not know i rruG!cr way To Lake Il
iurtuEt.
Mr.. Linn sill further illustrated the pc!nic;ous opera
ton IF this provision III the bill ia It's PRACTICAL aprlIca-
ton To Missouri. a large portion Of The Lands III thai
Stale were valnabr ciir!lr lur the !sId they cuElainrG.
\ maa nigh eater Il tract, dig M and sell The mineral,
render The land totally valurless, aad then receive back
the purchase money.
Mr.. Walker sald that he did not believe that there re-
maurd Il sln.!r tract on the Mississippi yet 10 lr enter
ed, but that the annrnGlHcn! should receive bis clrrr!u!
support, as Ii would but restore this part OF The bill II
the snap in which he had reported 1t.
Mr.. Clay suggested a financial difficulty. ii Tie par
chaselS werc entitled 10 receive buck LiirIT money III i've
years, ii they failed 10 fulfil the conditions OF il patent.
I"w could He Treasury Department ever know whit
was The actual STAT. ni That branch Ol the revenue -
What proportion If the money could tc cuLmird on as
available, and who could TIL how much Of it was t" be
rrlIuqulSiird !: Brsdrs, not only timber and nii!rrai land
mlgI.s be wasted and ruined, bat The lighter c"tIYn lands
also we're !idtlt to be greatly injured, It not entirely eX-
hausts d, by . five yeois succession Of crops. The pur.
cirasrr ought certainly To- forfeit not only the land, but
tic money, /! he faxed 10 comply with the cunduions oi
SHE.
The question being now put. the amendment was
prr,.lt Ia, and .ln hull a1.,rrI ~ S.tr.r. pthsr uJSS1tr
81 rs 10 cort,spoud with this change.
MIR. Morris proposed that the bill, having undergone
several notifications. should be printed as IL ..uw staid.
anA, that his might be done: moved that the further con-
side ration Of il Gr post puu'cd until ~ morrow, bat with.
drew his motion At the request Vi
Mr.. Moore, whU moved again Tie amendment former.
Is proposed b. MIR. Upton, Dul lie also Withdrew his mo
ton.
And the question being about to be put on agreeing To
the cOIn:uIllrrs amendment DIS amended by all the sue
cvssivr alterations which had been made III The bill, IL
ar!rr that the whole should be reported 10 the Scnase-
Air. buchanan offered an auirId.nrn! in the form 81 Il
separate section tn the bill, providing That a father
should he permitted Ia enter Il quarter section oil lana ~
the name Of each Of his c!:!ldirn Lrt%:ccn the ages Vi
Twelve aud twenty .uur. The patrut ~ Issue III The
nauir vi The child, aud not uitll such Child should be-
Cole Of age.
MIR. Is. briefly supported the amendment by referring
10 The habits ol tHr icopIe ut his own STATE. where no.
thing was mole common than Tor 4 parent who had got
SONIC " hat ahead in The world, to MAKE 4 provision Tor
lis suns by purchasing for them i piece Of land IN The
uew States. lie scarce ever desired nluir tiiin & quar-
ter sert!un. The land was purchased. and PAID for, aud,
as son as tho young man becan;c twrnty."nr, having
received from his father i wagon and hurst. and Tie
means OF purchasing farming utensils, he took vi his
journey !" The West, aud, settling there, became one Of
The best citizens OF the Country. The arrangement was
advantageous both 10 The uHd States and 10 Tie new: and
lie could not conceive how 1t would lead 10 any ABUSE.
MIR. Clay highly approved Of the amendment, hut s"g
gsslrd Tie ~prupIicty Of extending 1t To grandchildren
also.
Mr. LV,Ik.r ref rod ,o ila snccch Of Mr.. Eyinr. i'm
which 1t had Eerm urged as AL objection 10 tie bill tial
it allowed not only The man himself, but eac! Ol his chill.
dren over eighteen 10 enter Il qIIGler section. II TIA!
was Il valid objection, it surely applied with greater force
10 TIC amendment now lIUpGsrd. He should, however,
be ~ favor of IL If the mover would So IIpLIiy 1t aa to
contine the limits ir":n twelve to eight en- ycats OF age,
as, otherwise, Il young man Of rigIiucn would have an
opp! tumily OF entering Il tract under each Vi the two
provisions Of the bill.
MIR. Ewing explained. he Objection had not been
that 4 father was allowed - en.c. land for his chlldlen,
but that no children could get their land but snch as wcf"
able 10 attend III person aud make affidavit At Tie land
offices, which amounted 10 i virtual exclusion Of all FAM.
lies from this privilege who resided at Il distance, or the
ucnihrrs ol which were i'll feeble health. lie objected
10 having a ralrn At issue before the patentrc WIS oi aye,
as il separated families too early, and had al injurious
Il-cl On The character of the population.
Mr.. Buchanan expressed soinr hesitation wheihe! 10
accept Of the modification Or moi; but as at present I'D
yIscd, he should decline.
Mr.. Linn was opposed to the amendment, lnaSmuch
as il went directly counter To The very end and object vi
The bill. That object was 10 c"nine thu sale "t The pub
lie lands 10 such persons as would immediately become
residents UPON them; but the effect OF this amendment
would bc to lock up great quantities Of The land III Tie
hands Of non. resident proprIelors-a ding most rcrnt-
ciuus 10 the interests OF Il new country.
Mr.. Nlcrris took the same view. lie was rs deSironS
as the gentleman from Pennsylvania that parents should
make provision for their children in the Western coun.
Try, LGl The way 10 ~ that would b. 10 give their sons
money TO bay :aisns as they came Ut age. Inc amend;
rncnt would open The flood gates oil speculation still
wider tHun at present: 1t went 10 dcleat the BIZ;
and II IL WIS inserted. MIR. NJ. would be ~compr!lcd to
vote against the whole. lie demanded the Yeas and
nays upon The amendment, which were ordered.
Mr.. Buchanan should regret very much If the fate
CT the bill would turn OH The amendment he had offered;