Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-01-25
OUTLINE OF TUE SPEECH OF HENRY
CLAY

a substitute for the whole bill
Strike out all after the enacting clause, and in
sert the following: "That every actual settler on
any of the public lands, to which the Indian title
has been extinguished, except such ms are herein
after reserved, being the head of family, or over
twenty one years ofage,who was III possession and
n housekeeper, by personal residence thereon, at
the time of the pa ssing Of this act, and for four
months mex. preceding, shall be entitled to pre-
empon in the purchase the land so settled upon,
not exceeding one quarter section, at the minimum
price now established by law
Mr.. Clay of Ky. defended the amendment Of Tie
Senator from Vermont. lie commenced by al
luding to the remarks of the Senator from New
York, en- PEASANT. lie could not allow the doc
trne that uunauraized foreigners had right to
vote in our elections. lie thought the President
had receive d the votes of one of the seven Suites
by the exercise of that doc;vne. | differ, toto
coeio, from the Senator from New York in regard
10 the opinion he has advanced, and wish merely
10 put my opinions against those of the Senator
from New York. If the doctrine of the Senator
from New York must hold good, the Emperor of
Russia, by calculation he had seen, could have
placed 10000 ofhis serts in States, and chang
ed the glorious result accomplished IN November
last.
The settlement of Ohio began forty years ago
twenty years after, she was admitted into the Un-
ion. She was now sovereie On Stale, with pop
uation Of 10000 souls. Kentucky had been in
the Union twenty years longer and yet in popu
lation was far behind. SO with Indiana. The
population and growth Of those States showed
that no such system was necessary to the success
full settlement of The States.
What is the origin of this system? asked Mr..
Clay. 1t began with Mr.. SHINES many years
gone by. The right OF pre- emption taken
advantage of when the price of land at its mimi
Irun was - Per acre. SO it continued until the
cession of Louisiana, when n peculiar privilege
,tnI and ,r ,,,lin III.
trcts. A third class of persons who enjoyed the
presumption right were also alluded to by Mr.
Clay. These were class of persons who had
never been upon their lands for century or more
This was the extent of the law until the admins
traton oil Gen. jackson, when new system was
introduced in $780, The presumption bill of that
year was of new character and changed the sys-
TEN altogether.
But we have passed OH for many years, said Mr..
c., and new system is now proposed. system
eternal in its duration is proposed, or system TO
endure as long the Government shall endure.
We see, said Mr.. c., here new converts to Log
Cabns,-yes new converts to log cabins, for the
recent election has worked conversion in favor OF
log cabins and particularly after they had voted
down the amendment submitted by his colleague
yesterday.
The Senator from Kentucky, Mr. Crtenden,
proposed yesterday that no man worth more than
$500 should have the benefit of the pre-emption
system. The Administration Senators voted a.
gainst this amendment, and thus as Mr.. Clay con-
tends, gave their OPINION in favor of admitting
the bnrons and mionaires and nabobs upon
equality with the poor men.
BY voting us Senators did, said Mr.. Clay, upon
this amendment, they manifested no particular
friendship for poor men of log cabins.
Mr. Clay proceeded to large upon his objec-
lions 70 the prescription system. He began his
opposition eight years ago. in conjunction with q
Senator (EVin0 nf (lhinl WIN iIrumOr smoke
truly about to be elevated to a high station in the
country. For eight years he had resisted it, and
for the reason that he considered it un just, wrong
in all its operations. He had not with the Presi-
dent of the United States quoted by the Senator
from Missouri (Nlr. Benton) changed his opinion
voted against it, opposed it by word and deed, anc
then become suddenly converted to n new and to-
tally new distinct principle Mr.. Clay define,
many objections to the bill-the novelty of the sys
TENTS inequality-its general iujustce-.lh,
fact that we had not had the census of the new
States for the past ten years, and could not ac
wisely SC. &c.
The time was not proper for the passage Of IN
bill, for reasons as stated by Mr.. Clay connecte
with the bill itself, and the party who proposed il
That party by a decree of the people were 10 6
out OF Office OH the 9TH ofMarch next. 1t was no
usual with the expelled ministry the time of thei
expulsion to introduce new measures of policy
1t was not fair that il should do so, and Mr. Cla
thought that this reason should operate upon tn
minds of Senators, so soon 10 cease to speak b
authority.
In England, when Ministry was defeated, the
left the policy OF the Government TO be admins
tered by their successors, and chose not to adj
vance a new policy. This is right, said MIR. Clay
At least it the feeling which governed me i
like circumstances. If / were one of the con
demned, and upon the of going out of offic,
would do no more than provide the means oil COY
ernment-keep the government in motion unt
Ills SUCCESSORS should come into office.
Mr. Clay made some ulluson 10 the successor
ship, and to the disposition Of General llarriso
in reference to public duties. He assured ii
friends ofthe existing administration that Gener
Harrison would he President President of III
People, lie would nominate his own officers an
act Tor himself.
When, (said Mr. Cay,) Mr. Adams was defeate
as a candidate for re election, the Senate refuse
10 pass OH any of his nominations for four monll
before the expiration his term. He did ask tn
it should be DONE But he warned gentleml
who had pursued this constitutional privilege
appointment too far. They were making appoin
ments in every direction, and il General larrso
was the man he took him to be- lie would not sl
fer his admin stration TO he thus Topped over
meant 10 be President. and to have suitable mt
in all the Executive offices. If when he can
into the presidency, he should find among Il
incumbents any honest and capable men, wi
had not mlerlered IN ELECTIONS, kue feared That
would find few such,) these Mr. Clay hoped
would spare as solitary monuments of the mere
justice, and patriotic principles of the Wing a
ministration Loud laughter from every side Il
lowed this sally.
Mr. Clay made an eloquent peroraton to |
briet speech, exhorting Senators to pause befo
they gave their sanction to the bill under cons
Grafton to wait for the coming of the Census
TO reflect ere they sanction new aud importa
principle, before unknown.
Mr.. WRIGHT followed Mr. Clay for the p,
pose of explaining his views in reference to allie
and Their rights alluded to by MIR Clay in the OF
aliens had right to take part in State organi.
tons-to aid in the adoption of State consi
TONS &c. In conclusion he complained of
Clays appeal to the friends of the present adm
iStration, and considered it ungenerous TO ask
pnrlY In nnAver 10 nhandnn their nrinciules In n