Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-30
TWENrY-sIXTH CONGRESS---2d SESSION.
PROSPECTIVE PRE- EMPTIoN BILL.
LIS CONTINUATION.
IN SENATE Tuesday, January ~, 1s4l.

who shall inhabt and cultivate the same and raise
log cabin thereon, being the special order OF Inc day.
was taken up, the question being the proposition o.
Mr.. Crittenden recommit the bill, with instructions
report bill 10 distribute The proceeds Of the sales oil
the public lands among the States, which Mr. Calhoun
offered 10 amend, by substituting bill 10 cede the pup
lie lands to the States in which they lie, upon certain
conditions.
When Mr.. CALHOUN had concluded his remarks,
as given in paper of Thursday last
MIR. HUBBARD called for the yeas and noes on the
adoption Of the substitute of the Senator from South
Carolina.
After few words between Messrs CRITTEND-S
CLAY of Alabama, and MERRICK-
The PRESIDENT again stated the question, and
The Clerk commenced calling the list hut he I'D =.
proceeded further than the name of Mr.. AileE 81. nd
voted for the substitute ofthe Senator from South Caro-
lima, when
Mr.. CRITTENDEN rose and observed that he had
hardly felt surprised than in listening 10 the
amendment proposed by the Senator from South Caro-
lima. In offering the amendment which he himself had
proposed his simple and unobtrusve purpose had been
merely TO put record the views he entertained, and
what he was willing TO do this subject Of pre-enp
ton. He had been DESTROYS that his views should not
be misunderstood perverted, and he had drawn
up and offered his amendment for the purpose OF
showing that he willing to go for prc-emption If
II was combined with the just distribution among the
States of the proceeds of the sales of tie public lands
For these two measures if united, he was willing To
vote He had been DESTROYS Of putting this on record,
and that his whole purpose in offering his amend
ment. For the audacity of making such proposal he
continued, mo, not but my proposition itself has
been denounced in all the variety Of ep,het who the
elnauence of the honorable Senator could supply. 1t
has been pronounced 10 be side, unjust foolish.
This was the scnentious condemnation passed upon
py the Senator from S. Carolina Mr.. Calhoun The
Senator from Missouri mir. Bentonl had directed
against it storm Of eplthes yet more ponterous &C.
cnrding to the thunder of that grnemans elncnton,
the proposition ''eaormons'' 'monstroHs'' So mon
strous and enormous IL that shark from all
attempt defending it, and the honorable Senator dId
not wonder Now, these argumcnatiyc epllcts Of the
Senate; WILL rather imagine, make no very great I'M
preston the understanding Of the countri the
Senate II j. not by epithes that either OF tosc gentle
men, high as they may believe themselves q stand can
put down in this body. Great may be their
power of animGdversion, IL is not that power that
the fate of this is 10 depend The gentleman
may suppose shrink from the very thought oi defend
ing my amendment because | do not choose 10 occupy
an hour two in debate-on what On / measure
TO the Senate Not al all. The bill before is
grant prospective presumption the public lands
Did the honorable Senator expect about 10 take
up the time Of this body in unfolding the advantages
and Disadvantages Of measure OF this kind To HIM.
at least all such discussion be, in eminent de-
gree, flat, stale, and Improbable. Prescription and
graduation have been abundanily argued Lo now and
heretofore there remains but ~ position 70
ne considered, which ia distribution. i that TO b.
debated now Does the gentleman suppose that
AM going 10 debate that question with the vain
hope of carrying It nov; Surely not AID yet, be.
cause | have abstaned from this, | mn accused q
shrinking from the defence of my amendment.
thought that ii would be abusing the patence o
the Senate II ! should attempt such thing. Ann
though, from the Of The honorable Senator from
Missouri my frankness must have surprised Inc Senate
he has multiplied repetition OF his thanks 'r my pro /
posa Of measure perfectly stale Of repetition The
nrOD have hpen rrppJCu far V hat :
there about them "monstrous: Is il pre- empticn:
is tha airocous Is it distributions is hat ''idic,
unjust or foolish If it hc, let Congress take the
burden Of these denunciations On themselves. Pre-.
empion laws we have passed again and agan, and
bill or distribution passed both Tie Senate aud House
of Representatives, br trlnmphnn malortrs md would
have been The law Of the land long ago, but or most
extraordinary and unparalleled instance Of executive
intcrrositon. Was this the measure that ''mon.
strou,, SO "enormous, 50 courageous a. 10 deter
any gentleman from even an attempt al lis defence;
But the honorable gentleman from Missouri seems
to consider this proposition mnnstrons ard out
rageous, as a measure scanning, that will now
say word or two on that point IS, iny part, no
cunning proposal have very httle Of TINT quality in
my compositions it is thing know not in NY public ,
cours,; work by cunning thing leave 10 Older |
and more prac,scd politicians than myself II was
my purpose design to do any thing cunning when
offered the amendment 10 tie present bill! wished rs
have :asd TO put ing exact position record, thai al!
might see ii. do not ste any thing so very cunning
in this knew, before had said word, hat all who
will yield their unqnestonlng assent 10 expectations
on the public lands may calculate being denounced
here as enemies of those hardy and adventurous men
who are our precursors in subdunr the Wilderness
never vas their enemy am the ola prc.cnp,ioncr
and was myself born pre.cmption; and il have |
been restrained from going the full length with gentle
men on this subject, is from enmity towards the
pre.emptoners, but from Of duty To the Union
one of the trustees 10 whom has been confded The
management of their common property. ! rejoice to
find that there is way in which | may nj once
CRAFTY my sympathies with the industrious and hardy
et,ler, and at the time do my public duty 10
all the States; that can make compromise between
The rights of the settler and the rights OF the Union
/ am now ready and willing 10 give presumption
right If 800 of the public land to every real
bona fdc settler who is not worth thousand
doars | am prepared TO protect him in his pos
esson against the host Of rich and grasping specu
la,ors who, under the preeyt of your pre.emption
law, and under the deceptive mask OF m intention
to settle ind improve your lands, are seeking TO get
the public domain into their possession, that they
may convict it into engine to enrich themselves
is there any thing in this proposition very I'M
reasonable "monstrous so senormous so scum
ningo" IL We 10 have a presumption at all, for
whose benefit is it TO be granted: Gentlemen, very
moving tones, demand our sympathies and demand our
bounties for the poor and needy. This proposition
meets their tympaihes and complies with their de-
uands it hois out bounty to the poor and The ncedy
"A larger bounty than the gentlemen themselves pro-
pose 10 give; md all it asks is guard that this bounty
shall not be gwen TO the rcl Is TINT '.monsrous'
What do gentlemen desire: What would they have:
Do they want give prescriptions TO the rich' To
make the ichrcher? If not, why do they reject my
proposition? aline has the very essence of preemp
lion law; and is the only sort of pre.emplion law
that be hohestly vindicated Few men worth over
thousand dolrs seek for themselves home amongst
the distant wds of the public lands. Very small indeed
is the number whom such restriction will excludes bu
il will shut out lie men who make their wealth out of
the public punde: Do gentlemen resist it on that
count
woud not oc'upy moment of the senate's time,
were not bound show that am not ashamed of the
measure | have roposed, and have thought of
'sshrinking from is defence What objection be
urged against thatpart of my amendment which pro-
poses to unite with pre- empon the principle of distr
button. 1t would e idle at this time to repeat the his
tory of the cessol 10 the Union Of the public domain
on which cesson lists the right of the States to par
cipaton in its pro4rds These lands coded, be it
remembered, in lie at time when the old confedera
~ f,.a hal