Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-21

He describes those who enter on the public dnmain
without the preence of title, "cspasscrS, "inru
ders, and he recommends the passage OF one more pre-
empton law, and one only and after that the adoption
of stronger measures for the purpose lin his own Ian
gupge) "of preventing these iatrnsions" The Sena
Tor from Missouri mir Ben,on) spoke to US yesierda,
OF the PRESIDENT as being capital pre-emptoner noir
although when he was here Senator he was decid
edly opposed to the whole system, and although wher
he came into Office he talked about respasscrs ant
"mtr"ders' on the public lands, and recommends
US 10 adopt measures to put stop To these "lntru
SONS IN future. II would seem that the Presiden
Is an attentive listener the advice of his friends
and always open 10 conviction. ! must admit tha
/ lie has exhibited not little hf xibility in yeldin
to the suggestions OF some of those who have hi
ears ! will make my position more general.
think that both the Secretary Of the Treasury and tn
President have shown remarkable ease in opening thci
ears to the counses of gentlemen who are strong ad
vocaes for presumption laws and for the practical ap
preparation Of the public domain to the bcne. Of few
The Secretary has brought down the receipts from III
public lands to three millions of dollars. They wcr
three millions in S3S and the very next year they
to seven millions. The receipts from this hav
been subject TO great huctua,ion; the past year it'll
above three millions. They are now sinking, and
seems that the more they sink the he calls out 70
presumption laws! presumption laws. graduation laws
to him from that impending ruin in the administra
ton of the public domain which his system is about 1
naict. What, sir, is it possible that any man--wha
shall say?-tha any man III his senses can be so su
premey ridiculous TO suppose that, by reducing TN
price Of the public lands from dollar and quarter L
twenty-five cents, or, in some instances, 10 % cents
you will get money Cor thrm' Yet that is III
principle assumed by the Secretary Of the Treasury
and il shows the opinion which operates in his mind
and in the minds of the friends Of graduation and pre-
empton laws Will not attempt to describe lie Who'll,
of the consequences Of this law One of lis effects II
to CONVEX, the existing cash system into CREDIT sys
tcnu. Do yom not il; What is the fact 10 tn,
rccmptIon laws heretofore granted? They gave tile
prr-emp,ioner credit of two years. The gentleman
from !abana (Nlr Cay) limits his credit to one
year; but whether the be one, two, three years
Il changes land system from sale for cash to sale
for credit And thus the whole 40 millions of acre.
Of the public domain will all pass under his new
vivcd CREDIT system.
And who are they who propose THU change: The
vory men who decrv all credit who clamor for hard mo-
ncy who iuveirh against banks, and denounce the
dit system rs the source OF all woes and yet here
now under the name Of pre- cmpon law, they propose
10 revive the whole credit system! Can It he doubted
that snch viii BE- the result Of the bill: Will any man
who can &c: his land credit If two years,
buy for cnsil:-especiay when he dispose Of his
cash At rate Of i per cent Interest," as prevails in IL,
linois and some other States:
This is grave feature in this experiment, and
deserves the serious consideration Of the Senate. L"
what will such system lrld' Have We had expe-
renee on ths subject: When you have pared with
your land from year 10 year thus on credit, you WI!
At length have accumulated mass of debtors on
whose behalf petition after petition will be presented
here and their inability 10 pay will be more paih"'i
cay set forth TIL al last your compassion will b..
moved and YOU will forgive these poor debtors tie en-
tire amount Of their debt and consent TO take rc,nnnc
ration for their land in other form oil advantage
to the public service.
is not correct though it has been said and repeat
I'd y gentlemen here, that the sole difference ci
rccd nv the prc-empion law in the price you receive
.,rt Ia, hltr nd nc
FIRST there is the difference Of SIX cents winch the
Prreiden. states: and how is this made out: The pub
lac land sold either by auction al private sale but
owing 10 coercion, TO violence, TO combinations. ana
the open contempt Of law IA state OF things which has
grown with the multiplication of prescription laws, the
proceeds of the auction sales much less than
formerly | cannot believe with the Senator from Mis-
souri,, (r. Limp that the people OF the u > are m
competent 10 protect their own property believe
that II can be- done, BY steady, firm and upright ad-
miuis,ration of the Government. ! believe that the
people Of the IT, 5. capable ofprniectn@ their rights
nua,nst all who assail them, whether from within or
from without. Assuredy, if the Government cannot
protect what lis own II must he very ncompeen. y
protect and But ask how Is the six cents ex-
cess of sales the minimum price, referred to by
the President made up; Il is got by running an aver
are over the total amount Of Sales both by auction and
by private entry. Now, The amount sold at auc
ton is not one fourth, no. believe, not oneenth part
Of the whole. The Secretary takes the auction sales
spreads that amount of over the whole remain
ina nne-tcnths of the total amount sold by private en-
try and then he makes average and draws the Ier
cnce that the whole gain in selling the public lands in
the established and customary method over what they
bring under presumption laws amounts to but six cents
an acre Is this fair But even this amount OF six
cents under proper administration OF the system
would caycr the whole expense of survey and sale Bu
is that all: You are 10 add two years interest On the
minimum price, which, credit of two years,
amounts to fifteen cents If one years credit only Is
oiven Il will be seven and half CENTS which, added
e. The 81. cents makes thirteen and half cents OH
every mere OF the public domain, which would be gam
ed By the continuance of the old system
Iut moro. This bill amounts TO virtual repeal Of
the auction system That system applies only to new
lands recently brought into market. But OF what ava
IS an auction If you proclaim 10 The whole world that
,hcv may ret the lard al the minimum price II they
will only come and settle il, and that before survey
The entire existing system is superseded by tIe INTRO
duct;on Of this wooden horse with all the means Of
injury with which it is traught
have now described, but not with all that force in
which the circumstances oihe case would warrant me
the difference between the old and established land
system of this country and the new and fearful expert
ment now proposed. You must have seen that Inc
change is TO be thorough and radical Now put II 10
The Administration Senators in tins body-to their can
dor-to their patolsm-to their sense OF Jnsilce-'s
rioh, on the close Of the Administration Ola dismissed
Ministry TO introduce new and Totally different policy
in regard to Of the greatest interests OF The country
il !, rirh is it fair that the policy OF the existing Ad-
mnslration passing out o! power SHAH lie maze 10
ian over on the Administration without consulting
them or paying the least regard 10 their Judgment IN The
matter, The progress the administration OF the Amer
c.n Government has developed the practical operation
-four system feature, and one Of the most pro-
found importance. different political phenomenon
takes place here from any Thing which exists Europe
In European constitutional governments, when MINIS
trv is dismissed gncs out Of oice the King or the
Queen as tie case may yields 10 tue change o. sem
,iment and comes round with the nation But here
an Administration may be dismissed and still remain
four months in pocer What, in such case IS It their
dutv to do, will tell gentlemen what would do in
t!,e like circumstances. | would institute 10 new
measures Of policy. would simply keep the petit
cal machine in motion. | would grease The wheels
and repair and preserve all lis parts III state oil pre-
marathon for the performance Of those high duties for
which the whole was constructed; bu. would at
tempt nothing new in the policy OF the coun-
try foreign or domestic By such a moderate course
alone can the evils Of the anomaly to which have ad-
ver,ed be prevented | would not ask gentlemen L"
DENY themselves fair exercise of the Executive pa