The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-14

succeeded
the disposal Of the public lands But those Interests
speculative and others, which are always awaAo,
always watchful, always on the alert 70 90 "
presumption laws under the convenient a"a i,
sibIe guise Of benefting the poor, mace Iai,y -
1888 We were then told that not less than thiny
thousand settlers had entered the Territory Of Iowa
The Senate was assured that these persons could not
be removed from the public domain that an 'hs mn
tary force Of the Union would be insuihcient 70 re-
move Them and thus under species OF moral uuiesse,
YOU were induced TO pass the law OF 1888 and u mas
now been IN operation for two years But, not con-
tented with all the victories heretofore achieved not sat
sed with pre-emption laws restricted IN point OF time
and limited the theatre which they were TO oper
ate, gentlemen come forward with new ana poid-
er, and more extensive demand. They have suddenly
become converts to log cabin doctrine, laugh, and,
under log cabin profession they demand the passage
of new law boundless in the space on which 1t IS TO
operate or restricted only by the limits OF The pubic
lands themselves, and illmitabe as to Tune NOW
with regard to the sincerity of these gentlemen IN her
profession Of log cabin principles, Enough am very
glad that they have proted by the very sautary
lesson afforded them within two or three months past
like to test their profession by their votes W men
my colleague Mr.. Cntenden) offered an amendment,
the effect Of which would be TO confne the operation OF
their bill 10 real log cabin men, 10 the verilape poor
who could make oath that their entire property was
not worth more than $500, where did we find these
proselytes to log cabin doctrine laugh.
Were they ready 20 with in thus restricting the
bill Were they prepared, by adopting TINS amend
ment, to shut out from the privileges OF the MI inc
rich mcn--the +" baronsn-the owners Of manors-the
greedy Spectator and restrict it to the hardy settler
who sought a home for himself and his children. No,
sir, no every of them voted It down.
Let us now pause moment, and look little al the
distinctive provisions of this bill Heretofore pre-
empon bills have been retrospective only this Is IN
its operation both retrospective and prospective Here
toore presumption bills have been limited to time
this is unlimited in point OF time 30 long as there re-
mains foot of land for il TO operate on Heretofore
presumption bills operative practically only with
reference 10 land, recently surveyed and
brought into the market this bill Is proclamation TO
the whole universe, native foreign, nauraized or
unnaturalized, that the moment the Indian title Is ex-
tinguished to any portion of the land held by the
United States, they may all rush in and take just as
much of it as they please, without even waiting Tor
survey and that all the other surveyed public lands oil
the u nited States amounting to about one hundred
and twenty millions of acres matter how long they
have been in market, and although they may be pur-
chased at the moderate price of dollar and quar-
ter per acre. to be subject 10 the right OF pre-emp
ton. This it is obvious involves complete change
in our whole land system; thorough RADICAL entire
change. II opens at all the public lands, sur
veyed and unsuyeyed, to the operation of pre-emp
ton law.
And here let me stop and look for instant at
what said be the sole advantages granted to the
pre-emptor by this bill point which there exists
Of other gentlemen or myself The whole practical
difference which this bill is to work in our receipts
from the public domain is said to be some two or three
cents per acre. Here is message of the President
of the United States, sent by him to Congress in De-
cember, 1887 II Is in many respects, discreet and
sensible paper so far the subject of the
public lands The President here praises the old land
system as deserves He describes those who enter
on the public domain without title pretence ofttle,
as trespassers, intruders, and he recommends
| the passage of one more pre-emption law, and one
only, and aerthat the adoption Of stronger measures
for the purpose Gin his own anguage) OF preventing
these intrusons" The Senator from Missouri MI.
Benton) spoke yesterday of the President be-
ing capital pre- einptoner noic, although when ne
was here as Senator he was decidedly opposed TO
the whole system, and although when he came into
Office he talked about frespassers" and intruders
on the public lands, and recommended us to adopt
measures to put stop to these ntrusioH IN future
1t would that the President is an attentive listen
to the advice ohs friends and always open to con-
viction must admit that he has exhibited mel lit
tie fexibiy in yielding the suggestions Of some Of
those who have his will make my position
more general think that both the Secretary OF the
Treasury and the President have shown remarkable
in opening their to the counsels OF gentle
men who are strong advocates for presumption laws
and for the practical appropriation of the public do
main to the benefit of few. The Secretary has
brought down the receipts from the public lands to
three millions Of dollars. They were three millions
in 1888, and the very next year they rose TO seven
millions The receipts from this source have been
subject to great uctuaon the past year little above
three millions. They sinking, and it seems
that the they sink the he calls out for pre-
emption laws pre-emption laws graduation laws
to save him from that impending ruin in the admins
traton of the public domain which his system is about
to infct. What, sir, is it possible that any man
what shall say 2that any man in his senses can be
supremely ridiculous TO suppose that by reduc-
ing the price of the public lands from dollar and a
quarter to twenty five cents, or in some instances, to
50 cents you will get more money for them Yet
that the principle assumed by the Secretary of the
Treasury and it shows the opinion which operates in
his mind and in the minds of the friends of gradua-
ton and presumption laws will not attempt to des-
crbe the whole Of the consequences of this law One
OF its effects is to convert the existing cash system
into CREDIT system. Do you not see it What is
the fact as to the emptlon laws heretofore grantedl
They gave the pre-emptioner credit of two years.
The gentleman from Alabama Mr.. Clay) now limits
his credit to year but, whether the be one,
two, three years, it changes land system from
sale for cash to sale for credit. And thus the whole
20 millions OF acres Of the public domain will all pass
under this newly revived CREDIT system.
And who are they who propose this change The
very men who decry all credit who clamor for hard
money, who nvegh against banks and denounce the
credit system the source of all woes and yet
here, under the name of pre-. emption law they
propose to revive the whole credit system Can it be
doubted that such will be the result Of the bill Will
any man. who get his land credit of one or
two years, buy it for cash especially when he can
dispose Of his cash rate Of per cent interest
prevails in Illinois and some other new States
This is grave feature in this new experiment, and
deserves the serious consideration of the Senate. To
what will such system lead Have we had no ex-
pericnce on this subject When you have parted
with your land from year TO year thus credit you
will at length have accumulated mass of debtors on
whose behalf petition after petition will be presented
here, and their inability to pay will be most pathe-
cally set forth, till at last your compassion will be
ed. and you will forgive these poor debtors the amount
their land in other form of advantage to the pub
lie service.
1t not correct, though it has been said and re-
peated by gentlemen here that the sole differ