Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-16

tn aliens citizens there shoulo not be eSende.
an invitation to aliens TO and purchase land
and vet such would be the effect of this bill. 1t was
question of sound policy whether they would hold o
10 all. without or within this country, these pecula
privileges Of pre.emptoners He (slr. Clay shaue
conform his vote to that which he had given this QUE,
ton three years ago.
MIR. BUCHANAN said, that like the Senator fron
Kentucky (Mr Clay) he would most cordially adher.
to the vote which lie had given OH tliis question the
wears ago lie agreed with the Senator, that mt! .
foreigner became citizen, he ought not to b. permit.
ted to exercise the elective franchise But the praoa.
case was far different. What, after all, was this p.7.
ege of presumption about which we had heard much.
Was il a gift of the land No. Was it sale Of m.
land below the ordinary price fixed upon It b. the c..
vernment' Certainly not. What then was It:
We had ascertaned by long experience that the PIT.
lie lands, from some other, do not commart
at public sale average more than two or tire.
cents per more than the minimum price. The re,
son of this may easily conjecture: The bands 9:
SPECTATORS who attend these sales combine for the pQ
pose of keeping down the price to the minimum sanc
ard They are thus enabled to obtain the choice tra,
ut but one or two cents above dollar and - CEN.
per acre Now what is the great privilege which =.
confer by this bill? 1t is nothing than thst..
the who goes into the wilderness-selec,s quar-
err section of land-erects his log cabin upon H. an:
brings it into state of cultivation, shall not be trne
out house and home by any greedy who
have cast his longing eyes upon IT, ms spot al as:
is not offered at public sale, but reserved for the
tua settler, pro1ided hsp0ys for in cash Al e saf
one dollar and tpcntyre cents per acre The Cover
ment may thus, by possibility, lose one, two thu,
cents each acre. in securing TO this poor h..s
lected home. This is the sum total OF the bench, +,
him and the loss to the Treasury; without bringr,
into the the advantage which the country a.,
rivcs from having It's vacant lands settled and cu!ya
ted BY brave and hardy population
| Now, in regard TO aliens. The Senator has atmit,t
that, from the origin of the Government, until Tie n.
sent day, they have been permitted 10 purchase II
public lands Of the West, either AT public sale q d
private entry This fact il incontrover,ible Ill,
why make odious distinction against foreirne 4
this particular case If you permit them 10 purch,,
in every other FORM why deny to them the privilege
purchasing pre-emptioners. The alien who ir.
from oppression at home, and makes his way into til
far West, and there fixes his habitalon, al The sar
time places his body barrier against the attacks d:
the savage foe which your policy has collected n
that frontier Such aliens thus furnish slroHor,
evidence of their fidelity to the country, and d.
their intention to become citizens, than they cont
do by mere declaration 10 this effect, under tie
naturalization laws, though he presumed, such
declaration was made by them in almost every
\ man who merely does this, may change his iner5s
before lie becomes citizen; but the man VINO makes
settlement on the public land and purchases ilom,
Government, thus Identifies his fate and tia, d
| family, for veal for wo, with Government
From such men we have nothing to apprehend Al.
shall suffer the alien Spectator, who has 10
intention of ever becoming citzen TO purchase Il.
humble dwelling of this poor man. and drive han oli
Of possession Such mg hl often be the case, iwe'
not for your presumption laws. For my own part
shall always most cheerfully, long as shall te u.
nored with seat in the Seuate grant this trlins p.
vege the actual settler, whether he has emgr4,!
from the old TO the States, to improve his
tion or has fed from oppression in the old world 70
live under the protection Of our Republican ns,g.
tons.
Mr. BENTON said there restrictions ii Ms
souri, upon the acquisition Of lands by alIenstha,~
the policy of the State 10 encourage emigration and
she had therefore placed foreigners on a level wac.
tizens in what relates 10 the rights Of property.
With respect 10 the present motion TO exclude lefs
from the benefit of the presumption laws, he said
the repetition OF motion which had been made two Yeas
ago, and which mad been then rejected: and he
reason for bringing it forward now. Ii was n l
opinion, an mpoc and an unwse motion, aud taerta
sons given for il were uniounded and untenabe. What
were those reasons' Why, that ii gives 4 right
soil to emgrants from foreign countries, before iher
have abured allegiance to their native country.
encourage the refuse of the European population 10
come our country. Now this bill could offer induce.
mcnts 10 come but such meant 10 1--we by
their labor and by the most useful and hoEcuFat.e q
all pursuilsthat Of agriculture. TO snch only cold
the pre-emptive privilege DC indncament 10 lease
their country and remove 10 the u. s.; and MI
must be most welcome accessons 10 our population.
To receive the benefit of the bill, the emigrant
and settle the public land-he must clear IL ant
cultivate it, build log cabin upon il, and nhabii L
This real pledge Of fidelity to the country,-a bet
ter than oath of abjuralion of foreign acgagc:
could give. The settler, under such circumstances,
became at merItorlous inlabitan he attachr:
himself 10 the soil; lie began to add 10 the Of s
national wealth, By adding TO the mass OF the nations
productions he took his place among the farmers, ar
from the first moment felt his attachment 10 the county
IN which he instantly elevated to the class ii ir,,
holders; and his feelings communicated to his chs
drcn, and love OF America grew up i'll their hearts, ar
prcdom.nated in their affections For himself he vi
Benon) could say that his own experience was cn:'r,
in favor of the measure. lie had the effect al tx
pre-. cmpion privilege IN Missouri in favor of ioTcg
emigranis; it drew vast many Of them to the Stat.
and instantly converted them into meritorious cul,t
tors of the soil Germans, especially, in yss
numbers, and continuing 10 arrive, and The coGE
try deeply felt the benefit of their abors. They wer
forming large settlements, and towns, and villages, e.
were incorporating with the population and bccomlD.
part of its The passage Of this BILL and It's is;
brother, the graduation bill, by which the neFia
lands will be reduced in price, will greatly augmeE
this emigration and he (Alr Benlon) should r.
joicc TO see it. Emigrants who came here 10 DC:
III money, found no restrictions upon their acquisitions
alien merchants or bankers may acquire millions, AZ.
carry them away. To this Of the gentlemen =
jected. Then why should they object TO the acfas
ton Of few hundred dollars worth of land rs al
for the general good well for his indiyidu
benefit, for lie could not carry il away from the coCf
Try: This absurd and lie (Mr. Benton) :.
tonished TO the difference which was made briwt
the acquisition Of real and personal estate. The alto
banker merchant may acquire unlimited millions
and exercise vast influence the policy and ctt
tons of the country, the solitary culva,or who won
work his little field in the woods, having no power
influence any body, is objected TO dangerous cl
racter- This was preposierous and the objection GU
not hold. The motion 10 exclude aliens had been Z.
jectcd heretofore by decided vote Of the Senate .
ne trusted it would be rejected again
The question on adopting the amendment pTopo'
BY Mr. Mangum being taken, i was decided N tie a'
gative-Ayes II, Nays 20, as follows:
Yens-S lcssrs Clay of Kentucky, Clayton, Ct'e,
den, Dixon, Graham, Huntington, Knight, Mango.
Merr'ck, Prentiss, Preston and Rugges-l..
.Nays-NIessrs. Allen, Anderson, Benton, Buchlra 1
Calhoun, Clay Of Alabama, Fulton, Henderson, IT,.
bard, King, Linn, LumPkin, Mouton Nicholas, J
veil, Pierce, Porter, Roane Robinson, Sever, Smiih
Connecticut, Smith Of Indiana, Sturgeon, Tasn2cr'
Tappan, Walker, Wall, Williams, Wright and ie.'.
30.
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