The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-02-12
THE PRE-EMrTiON DEBATE.

The discussion on the important subject Of the
presumption rights to settlers on the public lands,
is one which will be read with profound attention,
not merely by the inhabitants of the new States and
Territories, but by the people of the United States
generally. 1t has been truly and literally de-
bate between FEDERALISM and DEMOCRACY;
the principles brough, into discussion being entirely
such as discriminate and identify the two parties
This appears throughout the whole debate, and
more especially in that part of it which relates to
the exclusion of foreigners from the rights of pre-
empion in the public land. The federal gentlemen
see the greatest danger to the public liberties from
permitting foreigner to have the privilege of set
Element and purchase Of lG0 acres Of land in the
remote settlements of the West but they see no
danger in permitting foreign bankers and capitalists
to hold millions Of stocks and personal estates, and
to WELD vas, power over the commerce, the mon
ey market, the politics, the elections, and the cgis
ln,ion of the L. States These federasts, who are
for preventing German emigranl from owning 100
acres of laad in Illinois or Missouri, for fear Of his
!
favor of the nriscaed Bank Of the L. States, two
thirds Of which is owned by foreigners, and which
Bank is a great political aud moneyed power in the
hands of the federasls themselves, and at the bot
tom of all the frauds and corrup'ions in the cleo
tions and all the suspensions and non-resumpions
of the banks, and all the commissions in the money
market, and all the arrangements Of business which
have distressed this country for many years past
They are not afraid Of this foreign bank, welding
IS millions of capital, and holding on its ledger
many as 60 members Of Congress at time, and
its long list of editors, and its tuin-band Ilessians
10 invade neghboring states with their false votes
at elections they afraid Of nothing Of all this ;
but solitary foreigner, clearing little field in the
depth Of the Western wilderness, is to them most
alarming and dangerous objec, The debate to
which we refer, has illustrated this feature Of fed
eraisu', and we invite the entire democracy Of the
Union to read it atientively. We beseech them to
consider this debate as not small question of To-
cal interest to the west, but as great question Of
grinciples-as showing the difference between de-
WOCTuCV anu ICIeTUttSW-ds sUONIHp IHe restored
federalism Of 1910 to be exactly what the old alien
law federalism was in 1885, This is the great
point of view IN which this debate should be view
ed and we therefore recommend the perusal Of il
to the democracy Of the Union.
The old federal feeling against aliens which char
acierized the administration Of the first Adams. is
sprou,ing up among the new dominant--we might
say donineering-dynasiy, that comes in under
General Harrsons black cockadc, with astonishing
vigor. The old root, dormant so many years.
which, in the beginning, would have excluded
"odions" emigrants, as alien enemies, from foot
hold on our soil, shoots up prodigious growth Of
overwhelming Upas 10 poison our very air and
earth to every thing eroiic. The attack has been
made on the RICH, Of the emigrant from abroad 10
acquire, by purchase, title to the land settled, i'm