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

in The purchase All this was duly made known 10
the American public during the canvass, ana no "ne.
gave rise TO any objection to HIM. 1t did not Plesenc
him from receiving great majority OF the vo'es %
the people and of the States 1t was ialr lneh, ~
conclude. that the people of the w. b are sat'shea
with the presumption and The graduation policy ana
that in passing the two bills now before The senate
the rare felicity would be experienced OF cnni0,is ~
the sentiments of the actual President OF me
elect, of the people OF the new Slates, u'iu - III Pf
of the old States.
He (Ar Bentonl had referred to lie woes OF ,
President elect on the graduation and pre'empu1" D'
of lS2S, in no invidious or unir'enGly spirit ~
done it for the precise purpose winch ne iau
for the purpose of showing that the new
gone infinitely further in support of such bills IMAM Tue
present propositions go and that, for this, he had re-
ceved the greatest applause in the new States, w.hou
losing particle of popularity in the old ones u was
for this purpose that he had quoted the votes OF zen
Harrison; and he conceived that the argument which
he drew from these votes, and the public satisfaction
with the gentlemen who gave them, was perfectly far
and parliamentary.
He would conclude what he had to say this sub
ect, with recalling to the recollection Of the Senate
the fact that both the presumption and the graduation
bills now presented revenue measures-tiiat
both the President and the Secretary OF the Treasury
presented them suci-presented them as bills which
would accelerate the sales of the public lands and m
crease the income from that branch Of the revenue
while adding tn the strength, wealth, cultivation and
which the public lands lie. That was a most material
feature in the character Of those bills at present 1t
should recommend them to all sides of that chamber
particularly 10 the anti Democrat side, who call
ing out for taxes to defray the current expenses OF
the Government, and 10 pay national debt which they
allege TO exist To that party, these two bills must
come as welcome vsiters-as fountains Of supply-as
the exact thing which they want-as means of aug.
mentng the revenue without disturbing any branch OF
commercials most happily combining the interests of
individuals with the supply o.. the Treasury, and the
accommodation of the public.
Mr.. PRENTISS spoke, as was understood, in oppo-
sition to the BILL but in so low tone Of voice as TO be
nandble at the Reporters desk.
Mr. MANGUM rose 10 make some inquiry respect
inv certain provisions of the bill. He said there
provision that from and after the passage of this act
every head of family, etc, should he entitled 10 GER
tain privileges therein mentloned and he wished to
know whether it intended that there should be a
Limitation TO color, whether blacks intended to
be included, rs well as white persons.
What the precise object of the clause was, to which
the Senator REFERRED did reach the Reporters desk
and the Reporters not permitted 10 have the use
Of any Congressional BILL document, it is nccessari-
~ left in obscurily.
He also inquired whether the bill intended 10
comprehend aliens we'll as free citizens. 1t appear
ed TO him, some of the terms used in the bill
cceding comprehensive, and yet indefinite. lie wish
ed further 10 know how long person would be requlr
ed TO occupy the public land before he would be emit
tied to the privileges proposed by this bill and he was
DESTROYS OF being informed what guard security there
vas that person would not settle ten twelve
successive sections of land in the same year
lie saw provision respecting the length Of occu-
nancy, any TO prevent settler entering half do.
sections at the same tIne and he would be
glad if the friends Of the bill would give him the n!or
nation which he desired before he voted on the BILL
lie further observed that it appeared to him. if this bill
passed il would revoutonizc the whole land system Of
the country and confer the power the register and
cever Of the district, and the Commissioner of the Land
Ofice-hisher Judicial power than YVES known to be
bestowed to any officers in this country; in truth the
whole land would be subject TO centrca SYSTEM and
the existing land system might be dispensed with. He
further complained that the bill would be unequal in its
operation, and consequently unjust towards por
ton of citizens who could not By possibility derive
the slightest advantage from this law. lie insinuated
that those eboys' OF eighteen years of age who BY
this act, would be entitled TO presumption, would be
twenty four years hence and after stating that he
did not propose 20 into discussion of this BILL con-
cluded by observing that he opposed TO its whole
pulley.
He afterwards again rose, and moved the amendment
Of section to winch he had REFEREED by introducing
the word swhitc before spersons, thereby limiting
The right to presumption, 10 exclude persons oil
colcr.
Mr. CLAY of Kentucky called for the ayes and noes
thereon which ordered, and the question being Ia
ken, it decided in the airmativc-aycs 81, nny l.,
as follows:
Ytas-Mcssrs Allen, Anderson, Benton, Buchanan,
Calhoun, Clay Of Ala, Clay Of Kentucky, Clayton,
Crttenden, Dixon, Fulton Graham, Henderson, King,
Knight, Linn, Lumpkin, Mangum, Merrick Moutou,
Nicholas, Norve, Pierce, Preston, Roane, Robinson,
Rugges, Seyer, Smith of Connecticut, Smith Of Ind-
ana Sturgeon, Tallmadge, Tappan, Walker, Wall,
Williams, and foung-31.
.My-Mr. Por.er-l.
Mr.. MANGuM then moved the insertion of the
words "bcing citizen of the United States after the
words asinglc man." so exclude aliens from the
right of redemption.
Mr. BENTON, Mr.. ALLEN, Mr.. WALKER, and
several others simultaneously called for the ayes and
noes thereon.
Mr. CALHOUN inquired whether, in point of fact,
any but citizen could hold land and he was informed
that aliens could hold land in Ohio.
Mr.. CLAY of Alabama was also understood TO say
that aliens could hold land in many Of the States.
Mr.. CALHOUN remarked that the law in this parl-
cuar conforms 10 the laws Of the respective States.
MIR. CLAY of Alabama said this new ques-
ton; but bill of this description did contain
provision like that proposed TO be nsered and yet
no evil was known to grow out of them. This ought
to be satisfactory to the Senator from South Carolina
Mr.. CALHOUN said this with him question Of
principles and he had merely made the inquiry, that he
might have knowledge Of the fact.
Mr.. SMITH of Indiana SAID this bill Of great
importance; ard he Of opinion that il would re-
auirc many amendments, he would suggest, as it was
past three o'clock, the usual hour OF adjournment that
the bill should be passed over
Mr.. BUCHANAN said that we ourselves soon for
got what had passed in this body 1t is not yet three
years since this very question argued at consdera
BILE length and solcmnly decided by the Senate. When
the last pre- cmption bill under consideration,
January, lc3S, the Senator from Maryland MIR. Mer-
rick had moved TO exclude foreigners from the be-
neiit of its provisions; and after much debate his
ton negatived. From the investigation which
then took place. The fact established, that from the
very beginning of our land sales, foreigners had al
ways been permitted to purchase the public lands III the
rs ii they our own citizens. No IN
convenience had ever, 10 his knowledge, resulted from
this practice. No person even now proposed to change
it. This the established policy of the country
The attempt now made not to prevent foreigners
from purchasing the public lands, but from acquiring
the right Of presumption For his part he thought
that the alien who TO this country, trayersed the
Atlantic States, and made settlement with his family
the wilderness of the far West ought not TO be
cluded from the privilege Of purchasing the mini
price, in preference to all other PERSONS the small
tract of land which he had improved, merely because
l,IJ br,, lar IL 4