Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-02-24
PUBLIC LANDS.
TO THE FDIross OF rHE GIL

The las, twenty years of my life
have passed in the wilas and rrairies
Il our northwestern territories. | have
seen an uninhabitca wilderness, ofhun-
drsds Of miles in extent, changed, as
if by magic, into a popn'ous country,
beauiifiel b; fields, cottages, and villa
ges. / have sought the causes Of this
change and have found them. They
are to be foaai in the encouragement,
which the hardy pioneer has received
from our free and well ad ninis.ere,
goyernmcnt-in the prescription laws
which have from time to time been
passed by our national Leg sla,ure
the complete disre.,rd of that old and
nuliified statute, which declared every
citizen irespasscr who should possess
sufficient courage. enterprise, and har-
dihood TO push b-yond The verge OF
civilization. and make his home IN the
solitary wilds Of or distant posses
sions-thus forming rallyins point
to the more tinid, and an index 70
those who came after him in search OF
good lands. I had thought, gentlemen.
that politicians had ceased 10 question
the benefits Of our presumption laws:
that their justice and propriety were
acknowledged on all hands; and enter
tanning these impressions. you may
imagine with what surprise this day
listened 10 the opposition Of SINE of
our oldest Senators 10 further extern
sion, to our hardy settlers, OF the p-i-
vileges conferred by those laws. And,
gentlemen, was not more surprised
at the opposition 10 cur pre-emption
laws, than | was al the apparent want
of information, as 10 their effect, which
the Senators who opposed them mani
tested. The distin suished Scaatorirom
Kentucky, 1.-THE honorable H. Clay,
declared, in broad terms, that the pre-
emption laws were improper. unjust
to the whole people, and iniquitous;
that they were the cause Of countless
frauds, boundless corruption, and nu-
merons wicked combinations and con-
spiracies TO buy up the public land at
a price less than its value. The hon.
orable Senator, however, did not at
tempt TO show hoac the prescription
laws had produced these results. That
there have been a few cases, in which
claimant, under the prescription
laws, has improperly or fraudulcntIy
obtained quarter section will not be
denied. Bali is a great error to sup
pose that these cases are numerous. In
the land district where | reside, and in
which the lands have been in market
since the month Of Octnber,. i s34, there
have been but two entries under the
pre-e,nption laws in which fraud is al
lodged. Indeed, it would be easy,
think, to convince the Senator from
Kentucky, that tho tendency of the
pre-empiion laws, is to prevent comb.
nations and conspirac;es Of very daa.
gerous nature. Where is the use OF
the necessity Of combinations among
the settlers who claim and purchase
their quarter sections under the pre-
cnption laws? Having the privilege
Of purchasing before the public sales
the pre-empiioncr fears no combina-
ton against his claim, and require.
none for its protection. Refuse to pur
hardy settlers the privileges heretofore
granted and you create necessity fol
combinations among them. They will
combine TO protect their fields and
their homes! But, (sa;d an honorable
Senator) by these presumption laws we
hold ont an inlncement to those DIES
peratc s4not'ers to penetrate FAR into
our extensive posssssions, and select
the best lands for themselves, whilst
the honest man who respects the pub.
lie propcrty, is kept back by the sta
tutc against trcspassers, and obliged &c
take the inferior portions. At this day
such an argument is ridiculous, for no
man will acknowledge that he has be IN
kept back by such considerations. -
These chest lands" and "advantagcou.
positions to which the honorable
Senator alluded, would never have been
discovered and occupied but for the
enterprise, the toll and suHerings Of the
hardy settler. ! say to those Senator'S
who oppose the further extension Of
our presumption laws, that they are
mistaken, both as to the character ol
the claims Of the settlers on our pablo
lands, and, the effect Of the laws. LIE,
them visit our wilderness possessions
and look at the labors and suffcrings Of
the settlers s0uuflers, il that term
sounds better 10 tllcm-in trayersinl