Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-04-28
- THE PRE-EMpT1oN B1II.

~ ME- MFllON BILL.
lhe bill to grant pre~emp,on rights to actu.
al settlers on the public lands being on its pas.
sage In the Senate on Monday las,---
M. WEBSTER rose and said, that whatever
} opposition might be made to this bill, in his
opinion some provision of this nature was ne.
cessary and proper, and therefore he had sup
ported 1t, and he should now vote for its final
passage.
} Although entirely indisposed <said Mr.. w.
10 adopt any measure which may prejudice the
public interest, or ,rifle with this grea, subject,
and opposed at all times to all new schemes
and projects, l still think the time has come
when we must, from necessity. propriety, and
Justice, make some provision for the cxis,iuu
ease. We are not now at the moment when
resumption rights are first 10 be granted; nor
can we recall the past. The state OF things
now actually existing must be regarded. 10
tins our serious attention is summoned. There
are now known 10 be many thousands of SET
Tiers on public lands, either not yet SURVEYED,
or the Surveys not yet returned, or, if survey
cd. not yet brought into market for sale.
The first question naturally is, how came
they there! How did this great number of
persons get on to the public lands! And TO
ms question 1t may be truly answered, that
'hey have gone on TO the lands under previous
acts of Congress. They have settled and built
houses, and made improvements, in the per.
suasIon that Congress would deal with them
IN The same manner as it has, in repeated in
stances, dealt with others. This has been the
universal sentiment and expectation. Others
have settled on the public lands certain with
less encouragementfrom acts Of Congress that
these settlers have had, and have yet been al
lowed presumption right. These settlers,
therefore, have confidently looked for the same
privilege.
Another crcnmstanc is fit TO be mentioned.
Very large purchases Of the pubic lands are
known 10 have been made in 1885 and 1886.
These purchases exceeded the quantity neces-
sary for actual settlement; an. .hev Were made,
in many cases, in large tracts, by companies
or by large single propreors, who purchased
for purposes of investment, and with view TO
retain the lands until their value should be en-
HANGED by the general settlement and improve
ment of the country. These purchases would
be, Of course, of the best and freshest lands in
the market; that is, they would be in the mos.
recent surveys, or in other words, in the sur
veyed districts most advanced in the interior.
Now have understood from good authority,
that it has often happened in the Northwest,
land Of the Southwest know liltle,) that per-
sons disposed TO purchase and settle on the
frontier have, in many instances, found them
selves unable TO buy to their satisfaction eth
er Of the Government or individuals. Govern
ment had sold the best lands TO companies or
to individual proprietors, and these last were
proposed to keep, not 10 sell,--Or they or their
agents were unknown, or We're living in distant
parts Of the country, SO that application TO pur-
chase could not readily be made TO them.
These circumstances, there can be no doubt,
created a new incentive to pass beyond the
surveys, set down on the public domain, and
trust TO Congress for pre-emp,ion right, such
as had been granted in previous instances -
The result of these causes is, that settlements
have become quite extensive. and the number
OF people very large. In that part Of Wiscon-
sin which lies west Of the Mississippi. there
are supposed to be from thirty 10 fifty thousand
inhabitants. Over this region Congress has
extended civil government, established courts
of law, and encouraged the building Of villa
ges and towns, and yet the country has not
been brought into the market for sale, except
it may be small quantities for the sites of viii
lagos aud towns. II ether parts Of Wiscon-
sin similar state Of things exists, especially
on and near the border Of Lake Michigan,
where numerous settlements have been made
and commercial towns erected. some of them
already of considerable importance. but where
the title to the Land still remains in The Gov
Similar cases exist in Indiana, Hi
nois, and Michigan, and probably. also. in the
southwestern states.
Now, said Mr.. w , the practica! question
is, what is TO be done in these cases? " hat
are we to do with those settlers their inpiove71'
ments, and the lands on which they live? Is
there any one who would propose or desire .
that these lands should be putup at public auc-
ton, improvements and all. and sold 10 the
highest bidder, wiIo.t any regard whatever
to The interest or protection Of the sctilers7 For
my part, l could propose no such thing, noby
any means consent To any such thing.
Nor do suppose that there could he such
an auction, and that otlrer persons could attend
and bid at it freely, and over-bid the actual SET
Tiers for their own settlements and improve
mcn,s, without disturbance and violation ofthe ,
public peace Nor would dollar of money
in my Judgment, be realized by the treasury Z
by such course of proceeding, beyond what
would be received for the same lands under d
this law. As 10 the general justice of the bills, !
lis policy, or the degree Of indulgence which
il holds out TO those who have become settlers,
il ought to be remembered
]. Tha. i. applies only to those who are now |,
settled on the public lands. And am quite
willing 10 concur with others in carrying out 2
he recommendations of The Presidents mes !
sage, by adopting such measures as may be .
bought wise and reasonable for the future, as
shall prevent the recurrence hereafter Of any :
necessity for laws like this.
9. The bill makes no donation or gratulty.
/. grants only presumption right-.-a right Of
previous purchase, at the price for which the
.reater part of the public lands has been, and
low is, actually sold.
3. It gives this right only TO the extent OF Il
me quarter section---not more than reasonable y
Iuan,ity for farm, in The estimation Of the 4