Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-08-14

speculator, who is able to buy home where
homes are scarce and costly--but it is es-
tablshed solely for the good of the poor
and enterprlsing pioneer, who needs and
merits the protection and favor of the gen.
eral government. 1t is in fine the best sys-
tenn, look at it as you may, that has ever
been devised, and it is most emphatcally
that which none before it has ever been in
reality but which all have been in the loud
and groundless encomiums of their adj
vocates--a bill to protect the poor SETTLER
against the encroachments of the rich MA
BOB, and bill, therefore, that will enliven
the hopes and brighten the prospects of the
brave and hardy men, at whose approach
the forests fall and the woodlands blossom.
Let us briefly examine its wise pro-
visions, and see how fully and how faithful
" we are borne out by them in our remarks.
The 9th section of the Bill, and the LIST of the
Presumption portion, makes it permanent
and prospective. 1t provides: "That from
and after the passage of this act, every per-
or single man over the age of 81 years, and
, being a citizen Of the United States, or hav-
ing filed his declaration of intention to be-
come citizen, as required by the natural
ization law. who, since the lst day of June,
A. ID. 1910, has made or shall hereafter make
a settlement in person on the public lands"
sis authorized to enter with the Regis
ter" * any number of acres, not exceeding
100 by paying the minimum price (3l,25)
Of such land.
1t will be observed that this section, is
careful to avoid one of the evils Of former
systems:--it does not require, as they did,
that the settler (whether he be able or not
whether he live near the Land Office, or
at great distance from iD 60 to the trouble
and expense of bringing with him before
the Register some half dozen of his neigh
bOrs to p,Occ that he had lived on his land
the time required by law, cut so many tim
Der trees, enclosed so many acres Of land
and, they had as well added raised so many
pumpkins and potatoes.
This annoyance is avoided. And we
now ask our readers TO observe, in the fol-
lowing wise and benehcent feature, how
admirably and efficiently has provision been
made, not only to protect the pioneer from
the rab;d vengeance of the Spectator, but
also to protect the government from those
IL UuUS anu IIllpuSitlOllS upOil r.,
which have hitherto marked the operation
of former systems:-"No person who has
| heretofore had the benefit Of a right of pre-
emption under any other law of Congress,
shall have such privilege under this act;
nor shall any person be entitled to more
than one pre-emptive right by virtue of the
same; no person who is the proprietor of
three hundred and twenty acres of land in
any State or Territory in the United States,
and no person who shall quit or abandon
his residence on his own land, to reside on
public land, in the same State or Territory,
shall acquire any right Of pre-emption un-
der this act"
These are the main, distinguishing fea-
lures of the Bill. Examine them. Direct
investigation to that which must necessarily
be their practical operation; and then tell us
what Justification you will hear, from your
Representatives in Congress, for their back
SHdWg-for their open and inexcusabIe
abandonment Of this measure and those vi
tai public interests connected with its adop-
ton! What excuse will you hear! With
what plea Of confession and avoidance"
will they be able to secure the palliation, or
the pardon Of a contiding people! Recur
to past practices and call to mind past pro-
LESSONS. During the late Presidential can
yass, the whole land was flooded with doc
uments, bearing to every corner of the
union their long and loud professions of love
for the people and promised support TO this
measure. These very men who have now
openly iorsaken it We're, SO far as their own
empty promises could make them, its only
Irea! and devoted friends. Indeed, so strong
was the support and so enthusiastic was the
devotion which Messrs Benton, Linn, Mil
Ter and jameson promised this measure,
that in the pentltude of their zeal, they
would allow no one elSe-no other party but
their own--to share any sincerity in pro-
LESSONS Of favor towards it Every one
Of our readers will reccolcct that during the
last summer they even took the trouble TO
issue a Joint circular to their constituents
from Washington, in which they pulled the
people and praised Pre-emptons-and de-
nounced the Wing party, for what they
termed, with excessive acrimony, their pre-
tended and hypocritical advocacy of this
systeml They told you that the zeal of the
Wings, was "new born" was "pretended'
and not "real." They told you that the
Wings, in their solctude on this subject
in their devotion to Log Cabin Candi-
dates" and Log Cabin" interests, intended
TO practice "a cheat and fraud on the PEG,
pie They told youaI this and they told you
much morc--that thcy--yea they were the
simon purcs-they were the true friends OF
the pioneer and the only advocates of Pre-.
cmption! All advocacy beside. was mere
pretence-tor political capital" But time:
have changed.