Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-21
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 81, Is4i

reign, and sworn fidelity TO our country, and cannon
and will not-and was utterly amazed to hear the ger
tleman from n Y. express different oplnlon-nok upon
him as Incorporated in our society, ana authozed' ny
the exercise of the elective franchise tn exert an IN
fuence in unsetting or changing our entire political
policy, whilst, as subject of a foreign Power, he lies
under all his original and native obligations II the
contrary doctrine be admitted TO be sonnd one, then
as has been shown by calculation winch nave seen
the Emperor of Russia by proper Distribution oil oo'
Of his serfs among the States OF tins Union Vt me
States would have permitted them to vote) might have
changed the glorious the triumphant result of the vote
of November last, and have continued those III po"e
who, by the FULL decided and manly expression OF INC
public will, have been declared unworthy TO be the dc
positaries of it any longer
But it is with another subject that have risen no"
to dealthe fearful extension now proposed to be sveI
to the pre- cmption system. We have now had lane
system in operation for upwards OF forty years is there
any thing in the practical effect Of this old and long
tried system which should induce us TO repudale y 10
la new, uKficd aud wild experiment. What have be
It's esu5+It coinnf reed, ooout forty years nso or
little more in nhe Of the great Western members Of th
Confedcracy Qhe State Oho) the settlement OF wcl
took place much twenty years later than III the cast
Of her sister and neighhnr Kentucky. And what is nc
population now: From the returns OF the census it
found to amolnt TO million and halt OF snuis-ncariJ
double that Of my State, although Kentucky haf
preceded her BY such great length otime And II wt
family of States, shall find that she exhibits porn
ation of between SIX and seven hundred thousand
nearly equal TO uiat Of Stale which was her predcce5
snr i'll the establishment of independent State sove
rpign'y by thirty years viii not 90 through The Inst
All The members Gf the Senate doubtless anIiia
with the returns % the late census. All these grea
and astonishing results have taken place under that sys
TEN which are now asked to change. Is 1t wise
is it pruden-is il s,iesmanke, 10 cct plan from
which have proceeded such glorious fruits, for an m
tried, and, believe, mos, hazardous experiment:
What is the history az these pre.cuption laws: lhcy
arose. think, in The first instance in the case of what
il called Symmes's Gran. John Cleves Symmes pur.
chased from the Government large tract ri land be-
the Great and Little Miami rivers in Ohio, nc!u-
dng the spot where Circsnai now stands. lie was
unable pay for il, but finally made compromise with
the Government aud took Il less amount OF land lie
had IN the mean time sold numerous sub-pnrcha.
sr who being innocent third parties, and having rnr'
chased good faith were supposed 10 have iaf 'itie
10 presumption for The improvements they bad made ana
thu farms they bad opened 10 cult vitIon Congress- ac
cordlngly granted 10 them right 10 purchase from
the Government tie lands they !ed a, the minimum
Price prescribed by law Then cane the ccSson Of
Louisiana, MANY Of the occupants Of w!ich had set
tied on their farms while tha Territory belonged 10
the Spanish and thr French Governments, under
T-an;s freely made while others had entered on i'irir
Ia nds with confidence that. according 20 tie establish
I'd rsores and customs Of The country, d"nntnns Of
land would be obtained, totally unaware OF Tie change
Ut sovereignty which had passed upon tie country
without consulting them. The question then arose
u hat ought, III equity, 10 BE- done III tnelf case =
A nd the American Government came 10 the con-
clusinn that all Who had thus cone mi" possession
of their land were cquitaoy entitled to the NIGHT Of
presumption, which accoding extended 70 them
Next cane 4 third clse-tiiat Of The hnhoAii,
Kaskaska, and SAINT Vincent settlers IN ILLINOIS
and Indiana. These inhabited French villages were
settled in some cases more than century ago,
Tho a..:tp nj
TEN TIL about City years since. These people, having
settled under Ike crcEin,iarces Ia these III LOUISIANA,
were held II have n clam equally equitable, and pre-
rirpt.nn was granted 10 them also. Thus the system
stood TIL 1850 under Gen Jacason's Administration
7 hen, tnr ilc first time, was introduced an entirely
ne principle and il is that which is contained N The
substitute for this bill proposed By The Senator from
Vermont. There is, however, wide difference hr-
tween wia, this bill proposes aud the practice INTRO
duced under General Jacksnn's Administration
The pre- enption laws, altered IN 1880, allowed
rrlt Of prescription all settlers on the public lands
from sn,cied day who should their rights br-
fore the expiration Of the law the operation OF when
,yas limited TO two wears. This principle con-
timed 10 be periodically reenaced TIL some seven or
enht years ago, when II encountered gallant resist
ance from friend who regret IS not now by my
side but who has passed from this place. and, according
to nublc rumor is destined to useful ifnot high
or spbcre than even that ola seat in this body august
!, may be Great frauds and abuses were detected III
the execution Of tho pre- cnpion laws Specuatnrs'f'e
" used them Floats especially were found TO hr iIangh
with nquity. With the efficient AID ol my frichd, ('r
EWING we succeeded in arcsrg, for time, these pre-
emp,ion laws We succeeded in putting an end 10
special and unlawful privileges. We succeeded IN re.
sorinu the principle of fair equality in The disposal OF
the public lands Bnt those interests speculative ana
others, which are always awake, always wa'chi"i, a.
WAYS on tie alert to get up presumption laws, uhaer
The convenient and plausible gusc OF henehttng the
- r.ll,, IN We then told that
moi less than thirty thousand settlers had entered the
Territory of Iowa. The Senate was assured thrt these
persons could not be removed from ihe pnblic DOMAIN
that al The military force ct the Union would be ihsui
Gcent 10 remove them and thus, under species OF
dur.sse YOU were induced to pass the law 81 1855
ard il has now been in operation for two years But,
po conlcn,ed with all the vctories heretofore achieved,
not satisfied with prc-cmpon laws restricted IN point
of time and limited to the theatre on which they
were TO operate, gentlemen now Gene forward WIN
new and holder, ard more extensive ue"'"nu ~
have suddenly become converts 10 log cabin docrne,
n laupb and under a log cabin profession, they
do mand lie passage of new law, bounaicss III the
snacc on which il is to operate or restricted only
limits OF the public lands themselves and lllihabie us
In ,;me My with regard 10 the sincerity oil tEese
en,ismeo in their profession Of log cabin principles,
7bourh am very nad that they have proh'ted ny
Tho rcrv sautary lesson afforded them WITHIN TWO or
three months pas) like 10 test their profession ~
their votes When my colleague (Alr. Cfticndenj OIL
iered an amendment the effect oil "hcn "on'u oe "
cnnine the operation of their bill 10 real log cabin mem
% The verabe who could make oath a, lnes G Gd
,;re nropcrtv was not worth than Sauo, where du
we find these new rroselytcs to log cabin doctrine
"a lauqh Were they ready TO 90 with US IN i"us re-
strictinr the b Were they prepared, by adopting
Tins amendment 10 shut out from The privileges 81 Inc
BILL llr rich men-the "Bnrons'-the o:Ensrs OF ma
nors--e greedy Spectator, and restrict 1t to ,c ia,
Jv settler who sought home ior himself and MS Gnu
drcn? No, SIR no; every of them voted It down.
Let us now pause il moment, and look hue at Tue
distinctive provisions of this bill. Heretofore pe-emp
lion bills ha &c been retrospective only this IN It's ope
ration both retrospective and prospective Heretofore
p-e.emp,ion bills have been limited MS to time; tiS IS
unlimited in point of time so long as there remains
foo, Of public land for TO operate on Heretofore pre-
nmp,ion bills were operative practically only WIN re,
ference TO some new land, recently surveyeo anu
through, into the market: this bill is proclamation 10
the whole universe native or foreign naturazra' OF
,ha. tie moment the ndan t'lle IS =
10 any portion of the land h'lu D.. :'e ="
the NAV all rush and lake Just as much oil y ~ WY
nlrase without even Whiting far survey; ana mat al
the other surveyed public lands of The u amounting
to abou, one hundred and twenty millions OF acres no
mater how long they have been III MARKET ana a.