The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-09-08

tracts upon reasonable terms. A presumption
law was passed, but the graduation dill failed.
The execution of the farmer acL proved to be
eaiEently successful, and was attended with the
hapriest consequences, IN quoting titles, and in
securing to Industrious settlers their improve
ment 1t wac also, to a.Gery gratifying extent,
free from the frauds which had Dcen practised
unde- former laws. Thousands of hard working
men. coming from all quarters of the Union, ac-
CURED under it home fox themselves and their
families which most of theIa could not ott erwise
have obtained, whilst large sums of money were
received into the public treasury from this source.
These results, which were communicated to Con-
gress en my last annual message, have had
powe4 nj tendency in removing in some quarters,
and Qualifying in others, objections to this spe-
cies Of legislation, and doubtless contributed
mainylto the passs &c of another presumption bill
at the last session
Seldom indeed, If ever, has she Legislation, of
any country produced measure for the enccur-
agement and advancement of bonest industry,
which has been mons benefcent and useful in It's
operation than have Ihe pre-empton laws of the
United States for TIE last two years. Their
provisions doubtless susceptible of still grea-
ter Improvement. Whether they shall be pass
cd periodically hereafter, will depend in grea-'
ter degree Upon the use which is made of the
privileges they secure The reasons in favor OF
such a course, or, at Least, an equally liberal
policy towards that entesprising, hardy, and too
often depressed class of men, who partale most
largely Of the benefit they confer, are, indeed, of
a very imposing character. 1t cannot be dis
gui5ed that the almost iavariable tendency Of
all Legislation. which looks to the advancement
of special interest, is to aggrandize those who
stand least in need of its assistance. This re-
Suits net, in general, to be traced to any settled
predeterminatioR to foster the interests of the
richer in preference to those the poorer classes,
but to the greater activity of the former Impress
ing their objects upon the representatives Of the
people, and still more to the materials of which
our Legislative bodies are usually composed
Through a want Of confidence in themselves,
and in each other, there is not, generally, due
proportion of the producing classes elected to the
State legislatures, or TO Congress While there
is little direct legislation for the benefit of the
farmer and mechanic, and scarcely any for their
special benefit, statute books, particularly
those of the States, are slled with laws design
ed to secure special advantages to some other
classes. To tax the people, and to enrich partic-
ular individuals by giving them the amount of
the tax, would be deemed outrage; but the
same thing, in substance, is often accomplished
unobserved, by grants Of corporate, and other
special privileges. In the exercise OF these
privileges, great number Of people become de-
| pendent on few, and that number increases as
these privileges increased, and as population
advances. The final consequence is a reduction
of the price of labor until as in other countries
the greater portion of the labOring class, only
able to procure the bare means of subsistence,
are doomed to hopeless poverty and perpetual
| dependence. Presumption laws not only serve
TO check this tendency of the many special privi-
leges already existing in our country, but afford
also relief against the evils which are thus pro-
duced. If wages become so low as to afford no
| profit to the laborer beyond bare subsistence,
L Il Il. xl4
| from condition SO dIspiriting, but become an
independent farmer by settling on the vacant
lands of the West. A few years of industry
| and economy will enable him to pay for small
tract, and acquire the means of living comiorta-
! bly,, educating his children, and establishing
them respectfully in the world.
| In counteractIng, therefore, the effects of mon
opolles, as they operate ulfavorably upon the
working classes, look upon presumption laws as
a valuable expedient. But it is not in this point
of view alone, that laws of this character deserve
to be favorably regarded The pre-emI TONER,
after having occupied, for a short period, the
| land on which he enters, and made it productive
| by his labor, pays for it the Government price OF
.9ae dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. The
| results of manv years experience show that TINS
| is equal, or nearly so, to the average amount
actually received by the Government for all its
lands, however sold, excluding, perhaps from the
calculation, the sales of brief seasons Of great
inhations Of the currency and extravagant spec
ulation, like those OF 1919 and 1896 These
moneys are paid into the National Treasury, and
exonerate the people of all the States from taxes
! to an amount greater by two three per cent
than that received for the lands, being the differ
ence in the expenses of collection. Whilst the
people of the old States thus receive fair equiv
aJent for their interest in these lands, the States
iB whichthey situated receive also additional
advantages, without prejudice to the former.
Presenting, as the new States are thus enabled
to do a place of refuge and a comfortable home
to the laborious and unfortunate of every State
and country, their numbers increase with aston
ishing rapidly, and constitute the chief element
OF a States prosperity-an Industrious, indepen-
dent, and yirtuous population The regret which
some in the old States might otherwise feel on
account of tire withdrawal of many of their in
habitants, will be assuaged bv the reflection that
the emigrantS ,1re generally, bone Of their bone,
and flesh of their flesh, bound TO them by innu-
merable and indisseluble ties, and that, as com
munities, they can Bever have higher political
interest than to assist us In raising our common
country to that elevated position in the family of
nations, which she is, we trust, under the proyi-
dence of God, destined TO occupy The justif-
cation of this anticipation depends, in no incon-
siderable degree, upon the manner in which the
public domain is disposed of by Congress. 1t
may, unfortunately, pursue such policy as shall
tend to vest large tracts of public lands in the
hands of a few, and proven; that distribution OF
them among the many, whiea is most congenial
with Republican institutions.
Your third, fourth, and fifth questions, relate
to my course in regard to the night of suffrage in
the N. York State Convention. Although your
inquiries are made to refer to few specific points
only, do you the justice to believe that it will
be more agreeable, as it certainly must be more
useful, to be informed of the ground occupied by
me, with the reasons for it, upon every material
question that arose in that body upon the vitality
important subject of the elective franchise. 1t
was my intention to prepare statement con-
tanning such information for you, and have for
some time been waiting for the requisite inter
mission in my unavoidable official duties to en-
friends at Albaiy sensible Of the injustice which
has been done to me upon the subject, in various
and remote quarters of the Union, and having