Southern marksman. [volume] (Clinton, Miss.) 1838-1839, 1839-02-13
CONGRESS.
Debate ia TIC Senate on the Graduation
Bnl.
THURSDAY, Jan. 3 !, 1897.

Diil.
THURSDAY, Jan. 3, 1899.
Tho Senate proceeded to he considers
alton Of the bin TO provide for the retiuc-
ton and graduation OF the price OF the
public lands as the unfinished business of
Yesterday; the question being on the mos
ton OF Mr.. Clay Of Kentucky, to recon-.
nit it to the Committee on Public Lands,
with instructions to amend it so as TO linn,
it the sales at the reduced prices, to actual
settlers only. agtes
Mr.. Clay of Alabama observed that the
proposition of the Senator from Kentucky
was the first that he had ever made in ia
vor oil actual settlers on the public lands.
II came unfortunately, however, at the
i present moment, as the existing laws gave
the pre- emption right 10 the actual settlers
till the 22d June, l840 This fact would
be ascertained by looking at the act
itself, which was approached June, 1888,
declaring in the very first clause, ''That
every actual settler of the public lands,
being the head of family. or over TWEEN.
ty-one years of age, who was in possession
and housekeeper, by personal residence
thereon, at the time of the passage of the
act, and for four months next preceding,
shall be entitled to all the benefits and
privileges of an act entitled ian ACT to
grant pre-emption rights to settlers on the
public lands, approved 10Th May, lS3o'
But, as he said yesterday, where was
the necessity for recommitting this bill,
when it was open for amendment! Would
this recommittal have any other effect than
that of defeating the bill by day? The
gentleman had spoken of the immense
Quantities of public land subject to the
operations of this hill. But the gentle
man omitted to mention the length of time
that vast portion of them had been In
market without finding purchasers.
Mr.. c. thought the provisions OF the
bill in all its bearings, were well under
stood, and, therefore, it would be much
better to amend in the senate than TO send
it back to the committee. As, he presu-
med, the question on the gentleman's mo-
ton was divisihle, he moved that the ques-
tions on the several branches of recommlt'
ment, and of insructing the committee,
be taken separately, and that they be taken
by yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were accordingly or
dered
Mr.. Clay of KentAcky asked if the Sc
nator from Alabama intended 10 say that
the pre- -emption law OF last session gave
the actual settler the right TO entry at one
dollar, or at seventy.five cents per acre,
as his remarks would bear that construc.
ton. If so, the Senator was certainly
mistaken. Mr.. G.. said he thought IT much
better 10 recommit the bill with instruc
tions, as the committee room was much
the best place for ramoddellirS 1t SO as Il
make its details conform to the principle
contained in the instructions.
Mr.. Clay of Alabama did not wish Il
be misunderstood. He certainly agreed
with the Senator from Kentucky that thu
presumption act did not, without turthe
provision, give to the settlers the right II
purchase at the reduced prices; but wha
he meant to be understood as saying wa
this: the law of the last session did Civ
the right of pre.emption to every settle
on the public lands, whether the lands oc
cupied by him had been offered at pnbli
auction or not: and if, said he. we reduc
the price of the public lands by this bill
the individual occupant would have tn
right to purchase at such reduced price,
This law, then, would operate to give tn
settler not only the right of pre-emptior
but that right at the reduced price. I'll
had no objection to limit the right of pre-
emption at periods after the reduction. Bu
he wished that, for certain number {
months after the reduction, the occupan
should have the right of pre.enpiIon =
His object was TO protect the occupants
blu. not to limit the right of purchasin
these inferior lands to occupants alone
His object was 10 let all the lands embra
ced by the bill be subject to sale at the re
duced prices, whether occupied or moi
always, however, giving the right OF pre-
emption to the occupant for time.
Mr.. Williams OF Mississippi said ths
he did not rise 10 enter at large into tn
discussion of this subject, already so abb
elucidated by Senators in favor of the pa
sage of the bill, but merely TO reply 10 tia
portion of the speech Of the honorabl
Senator of Kentucky, based ON the rePo
of the Secretary of the Treasury, exhll
inc the sales of land under treaty mad
with the Chickasaw Indians iE l83:
which treaty contains provision tor Il
graduation of the price of the land, o
principles precisely similar TO the prov
sions of the bill now under discussion, bl
much more rapidly than the provisions I
the present bill. Sir, said Mr.. W. tn
provisions of that treaty are, that all lane
offered for sale, and not sold, shall be sui
iect to private entry for one year hereafte
at 81 25 per acre. after which time tt
balance remaining unsod shall be subje'
tosaIe or entry AT SI per acre for the spae