The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-07-18

| Bul do not stop here-l contend that high moral
obgaticnnow rests upon the Government TO continue
course OF policy which, IL not brought into exist
ence by express legislative enactment, in the first
instance has been, from time TO lime, legalized by
the passage Of presumption laws, protecting the SET
Tier IN The purchase OF home, made more valuable
than the other portions Of the public lands by his Ia
Dor and industry alone.
Sir VIC have heard much up. this floor Of the adj
vantage derived by the new States from the passage
| of presumption laws and exception has even been
made to the appointment Of the Committee On Pub
| lie Lands because a majority of that committee Is
| composed Of members from the new States lcannot
imagine that in the appointment Of that committee,
any injustice was contemplated TO be done The old
States, but that il was chiefly composed OF members
from the States In which the public lands are sitna-
cd because II believed that the representatives
from these States were more eonyersant with the
land laws than the representatives OF the old States
whose attention was not supposed TO have been par
ticularly called TO that part OF our legislation We
of the West might, with the same propriety, com
plain OF disregard OF our interests In The appoint
men ofih committees on Commerce, on Naval AT
fairs, and OF Ways and Means there being very few
il any, members from the new States placed on those
com ai,lees But, sir, l should be gratfed, II the
gentleman from Massachusetts, (Mr Lincoln,) who
seems 10 think that this bill Is to result advantage
ously TO the West. would point out some OF IFS Inn
portant benefits. contend that The State OF Illinois
will derive no more benefit from the passage of pre-
emption laws than any other State in this Union,
except in this particular that the title OF the United
States 10 the public lands lying within her limits,
will by the operation OF such laws, be more speedily
extinguished and these lands will be yielding re-
venue TO the State. This is the only advantage that
the Stale Of Illinois can derive from the passage Of
presumption laws beyond that which Is enjoyed by
every other State. And who, lei me ask, are these
settlers upon the public lands, not unfrequently de-
nominated squaiters land pirates and robbers? Sir,
thank the gentleman, Mr.. Lincoln,) in behalf Of
the people for the high encomiun he has passed
upon them. He has said that many Of them were
formerly OF his own Staie--some OF them were his
neighbors and that all Of them were respectable and
worthy cilizens. In this he has done them no more
than justice, and will add, that the whole popufa
tion OF my district may justly claim an equality in
point of intelligence enterprise, and moral worth,
with that portion Of Its citizens who have emigraied
from the gentleman's own State.
Had the gentleman however, stopped here, l
should have been much better satisfied, but he has
not done SO. He has charged The people OF the new
States with forming illegal combinations for the pur
public sales The people Of Illinois are incapable of
forming such combinations as the gentleman suppo-
to exist they are not, so far as my knowledge
extends, nor never have been disposed to resist the
operation Of the laws Of setting them at defiance.
Ii has rarely happened that the settler has found any
competition at The land sales in the purchase OF his
land; but this is the result of high tone of moral
feeling, rather The apprehension Of punishment from
the code Of laws enacted by Judge Lynch.
No, sir repeat that the people Of my State are
offer any serions resistance to the laws. But the
gentleman Mr.. Lincoln, has expressed his appre-
tensions that the people Of the new States when
they shall become strong enough to succeed in the
measure, will claim all the public lands lying within
their limits.
What the States may hereafter do, Icannot under
take TO say, bu as they not asserting urg
ing their right to all the public domain within their
limits am at loss to perceive the application of
the argument to the bill now under discussion.
There is not, will venture TO say a single repre-
sentative on this floor from the North of the Po,o-
mac, who would not find, were he to visit Illinois,
many OF his former acquaintance and neigEbors--
men, who for intelligence integrity of principle and
hardy enterprise, are not inferior to any portion of
the population Of the Union. These are the men,
who encouraged by The standing policy OF this Co
vern nent for great many years are now knocking
al your doors and asking you to protect them against
the cupidi,y of the hcartless Spectator. Many of
them have expended their all in the Improvement OF
their farms, and not few OF them have defended
from Indian aggression, the very soil, in the pur-
chase of which they now desire 10 be secured. Will
you turn deaf ear 10 their petitions and deny TO
them this paltry privileged Who, let me inquire is
TO be benefited by your refusal The government
MOTOR BY the reports ofthe Treasury Department,
ii has been shown that but fraction over the mini
mum price only has been realized from the sales OF
the public lands. In pecuniary int Of view the
Government cannot be benefited BY your refusal to
pass this bill and il II enures to the benefit of any
body, il will be TO the benefit of the Spectators upon
the Ol the Glasses. In most OF
old States, there is large class of merorious and
industrious citizens who are unable 10 become free
holders, and who seek in vain for honorable employ
men2 why not then encourage emigration 10 the
new and uncutivated regions of the West and
Southwest, by the enactment OF liberal pre-emption
laws The policy, far from injuring the old States,
will be found highly advantageous, for every man
who settles upon the public domain becomes at once,
producer and consumer.
His industry, with the extraordinary fertility of
the SOIL enables him to add to the aggregate amount
of national wealth, by producing the most ndiSpcn-
sable articles of lfe for the consumption of those
who live in regions less favored, and at greatly
duced prices while al the same time he becomes
consumer Of articles no less indispensable to the
comfort of man, which manufactured at the
East-thuS mutual benefit is secured to the agrcul-
turiSt of the West, and 10 the manufacturer of the
East, in the interchange of their respective commo-
dties rendering them more dependent upon each
other, and cementing more firmly our national COM
pact by the strongest Of all ties the ties Of interest
will now notice. Mr.. Chairman, that portion of
the message of the President which relates TO pre-
emptipn and TO which, in the outset Of my remarks
made some auSion
To avoid the imputaon Of having made garbled
extracts from the message, shall give all that part
which has any relation TO the pre-emption policy
entire. The President says that,
"A modification Of the existing laws in respect to
the prices Of the public lands, might also have favora
BILE influence on the legislation Of Congress in relation
to another branch Of the subject Many who have not
the ability to buy at present prices settle those lands
with the hope Of acquiring from their cultivation the
Of purchasing under the presumption laws from
time to time, passed by Congress- For this encroach
tho rights OF the United States, they excuse
themselves under the plea Of their necessities the
fact that they dspossess nobody, and only upon
the waste domain: that they give additional value to
the public lands in their vicinity and their intention
ultimately to pay the Government price SO much
weight has, from time to time, been attached to the Sc
considerations that Congress have passed laws giving
actual settlers the public lands right of pre- enpion
TO the tracts occupied by them the minimum price
These laws have in all instances been retrospective in
their operation but, few years after their passage