Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-23

very sight OF our own shores. lie saw their pa
tcnce their mcekness their orbearance; but what
at the bottom Of it all: The dollars and cents What
contrast did this exhibit TO that prominent and adj
mirabe feature of the British system of policy which
10 protect The man, the British subject wherever
he might be Without this, she could have stood
long the enormties of her system lie thought that,
rs American citizens, we ought tn feel proud while wit
Messing the march of the Anglo, Saxon race in It's on
ward progress for the benefit of the human species
lie would rejoice to it sumount The rugged tops oil
the Rocky Mountains, and, pouring over INTO The Ter
tile valleys beyond FORM by its presence and rs brave
~, an impenetrabe barrier against Great Britain on
the North. Let the free race Of American pioneers
90 onward West, carrying their love of liberty aud all
their free and benefcent institutions with them and lie
would be the man TO encourage their progress by every
means within the compass of his ability, even to the Ut
most verge of the continent When the bill IN regard
to the Oregon Territory should up, Mr. j.. hoped
the Senator from Kentucky, (Alr. CrttendenD might
take the view of the subject which he did, and
that he should then enjoy all the benefit Of his powern.
aid. 1t was the State from which that Senator came,
and his native State, that first settled its lands I'M
der the system Of free occupation of the public lands
They came first into the great wilderness; their Ia
theirs had had the brunt TO bear and Mr. L. hoped one
day to noble monument erected If not to these
bold and enterprizng men, at least TO the noble souled
WOMEN, who had followed their husbands into the
Wilderness and shared their tolls and dangers Cheat
ed they had been, and wronged in every practicable
way by the petty county court lawyers and other rep
tiles who were ever found haunting the precincts OF
court; and now TO this hour they pursued by the
same class Of Observation-Disclosures spccuators-who
every where providing along our frontier, but who
were not permitted by public opinion to wrong them
These advancing pioneers were made OF stun winch
presented tremendous battery for the protection OF The
secondary class which iollaGed in their footsteps
They hcwcd down the timber; they subdued and exter-
minated the beasts of prey; they discovered and de-
vcloped the natural resources of the country; they
compelled The rowing Indian to rccede and seek more
wealth; and would gentlemen forego advantages like
these for the sake Of making some five or SIX cents
more lor the public lands: Why should not
preempon bill be prospective as well as retrospective:
II! such Law fit and right to cure wound alter
had been made, why not adopt measure which should
cause there to be wound: Illegal combinations OF
citizens for mutual support against prescription Tcslrc-
lions which they deemed oppressive there would al
ways be on the frontier. An army Of 10000 wonld be
vain 10 suppress them. Why not supcrccde the cause
and the temptations
As distribution Of the proceeds Of the public do
main among the States, he would give Il here IS ms
opinion that if should such measure ever prevail
lie inevitable result would BE- that the lands would
he held mp from sale from year to year until las he had
heard suggested by honorable Senator once on that
h,cr) their value reached $50 He greatly re-
grcted BY that any unwse and mistake legislation, me
should be- strongly ress,lby tempted nay, compelled
to eyade the law and still the attempt to enforce
such law by the armed troops Of The L. ,. Should
contest Of that miserable character ever take place, no
man who knew the people Of the West could doubt Tor
moment how il must terminate
The bill having been ordered 10 be printed, together
with all the amendments hitherto adopted the Senate
adjourned.