The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-16

success OF new one, You have had all these traps
for the popular favor for period Of ~ years. and
what have you got by them About as much as you
likely get hereafter you have got four OF the
nine land States The more traps you set the fewer
States you will catch And now, In conclusion, ii I
might be allowed TO give 10 the gentleman and his
friends my sincere and hope unobirusive advice,
would remind them all that in the long run and on
great scale in politics and in private life, HONESTY is
the best POLICY
Mr. WRIGHT made brief and somewhat play
full reply, the first part which the Reporter lost owing
To an Interruption near him. In closing his remarks,
Mr. w. admitted that in the addresses he had made TO
the people Of his State he had raised an issue on
the Sub Treasury bill, but he had been able 10 find
but few of the other side who would concede that that
was the true issue This, he said, had been his chief
difficulty.
As TO the argument on the constitutional question
he was willing IL should rest il stood He must
protest, however against the Senator'S position that
the noii-user by Congress of power vested in them
by the Constitution inures 10 grant OF power
the States. That was doctrine entirely, and
one which he must dissent from.
Mr. PRENTISS, of Vermont, submitted the fol-
lowing remarks in relation TO the main purpose of the
above BILL when il was under consideration on Mon
day, the 9Th inst
Mr.. PRENTlSS said he did not intend to enter at
all into the general policy of presumption laws He
deemed It altogether unnecessary 10 do so, because
that question had been discussed at great length and
very fully, on former occasions, and every member
must have made up his mind decsively upon it. His
object was merely to state and bring distinctly the
notice OF the Senate, the main particulars which dis
tlnguished this bill from all other laws which had
been passed upon the subject, and which, in his OPT
MON, rendered il singuary and exceedingly objec-
tionable
II was well known that he had not looked upon
preemption laws with much favor; that he had been
opposed to the whole system and had uniformly voted
against every bill of the kind believing he did that
the system wrong in principle, unsound in policy,
and incompatible with the public interest as welfas
with every consideration Of justice But If he had
entertained different opinion, and had given his
sent to the laws which had been previously passed. he
could not be prevailed upon TO yield hs support TO
measure of SO extraordinary character the present
one.
| The first and most essential particular (said Mp
which distinguished this bill from all former laws was
that prospective and permanent holding out an
invitation persons from all quarters Of the world to
settle upon the public lands and TO endure for all time
o come. The laws heretofore enacted had been
tirely retrospective in their operation confined to
of past settlement, and had professedy held out no
encouragement to future ntrusions upon the public
domain. Mr. p. wished to know whether the Senate
prepared to depart from the policy hitherto nya
raby acted upon and to carry to the extraordinary
extent contemplated by this bill. For one, he must
say that he was unwilling to make the public lands
object of scramble and plumber not only by own
citizens, but by aliens and foreigners.
Former laws had been framed in such way to
intention of the laws. The act of 1888 defined what
should constitute settlement. 1t required posses
sion by personal residence the land the time of
passing the act and for four months preceding
The present bill gave the right of empton gene
rally, TO all persons who should inhab and improre
The land, and raise log cabin thereon, without spc
cifying what should amount TO an inhdbifancy i'm
prooement, containing any limitation as to the
tent of the improvement or the duration of the nhab-
fancy. The bill, in this respect extremely vague
and indefinite: and N diffirut In perce wi
there was to prevent any who should erect tenn
porary cabin, plant perhaps rod or two Of ground
and camp upon it week So from securing to him
self title to the exclusion of all others 1t was OBJ
yious that the facilities to fraud would be great and
il required discernment to see that spe-
cuators and obbers rather than bona fdc actual set
tiers, would receive the principal benefits of such very
liberal legislation Slight acts of settlement would
answer the purpose and nothing would be easier than
for capitalists, OF wealth. plant hordes squat
tiers upon the public lands here and another there
and in that way monopoze to themselves the choicest
and most valuable tracts in the whole extent of the
public domain. The last presumption law which had
been passed carefully guarded in this particular
II required from every person claiming the benefit of
the law affidavit that he entered upon the land ex-
cusively for his and benefit and not for the
use or benefit any other person. and that he had
agreed cont acted directly indirectly to convey
or transfer it to any other person. The present bill
contained no provision of that sort or indeed any
cury whatever against abuses but left the way open
and unobsructed to the practice Of the extended
fraud and speculation II was further 10 be observed
that there was no limitation TO the time of paymen,
for the land and the settler might hold and enjoy his
right to it not only for many years under a credit
without interest, but it might be for indefinite pc
riod of time Tho interests of the United States
not properly sufficiently secured in several other
respects which might be mentioned but it was hardly
worth while TO 90 further into details.
The bill (Mr p. said) was measure in his view
of new and very extraordinary character 1t was
not only prospective and permanent but extern
sive in its operation. II covered the whole public do
main. ltextended to lands surveyed and unsurveyed
II exposed the richest portions of any and all to be
picked and selected, TO be seized upon and taken up,
at the inconsiderable price of dollar and quarter an
acre well to crafty the avaIcc and cupidity of
greedy rapacious Spectators satisfy the wants of
the needy but hard aboring and mertorous culiiva-
tor. 1t would supersede and put end to the whole
land syseem system almost coeval with the Govern
ment, which had been in successful operation nearly
half century, had been tested and approved by long
experience, and the beneficial effects Of which had
been and felt by all To measure of such tre-
mendous import, involving consequences so much at
variance with public policy, seriously affecting
of the great interests of the country, Mr. p. would
repeat, he could not give his assent.