The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-09

SECOND SESSION.
IN SENATE.
TUESDAY, Jan. 5, ls4I.

GENERAL PROSPECTIVE PRE-EMPToN SYSTEM.
The Senate proceeded to the consideration OF the
bill establishing permanent prospective Pre-empton
system.
Several amendments were offered and disposed Oh
Which will hereafter be noticed.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN, of Kentucky, moved the fol-
lowing amendments to the last section of the bill,
providing that person. being alien, shall be en-
titled to any privilege right of settlement of pre-
empton granted by that act except such shall have
previously made oath in due form of law, declaring
his intention according to the naturalization laws of
the United States to become citizen of the United
States.
And, that no person shall take any right or benefit
under this act who shall not make OATH before some
proper officer authorized to administer oaths that his
whole estate not at the time Of his settlement,
worth much as five hundred dollars
Mr.. CRITTENDEN said seemed to him that the gem
tlemen who are of the opinion that aliens shall be adj
mtted to this presumption privilege must still think it
proper to require of them that they shall have of
fered legal evidence of their intention to become ct
zens He did not see what possible objections there
could be to this if we did not adopt such
but if we proceeded on the principle of general and
universal philanthropy, these provisions might not be
necessary but if we proceed any idea of confn-
ing our benefits to those who are now or are to be-
come, citizens of this country this measure was high
ly necessary He wanted legal evidence Of their
intention to become citizens What other inducements
can we have to give them this land Z We have been
told that to those fleeing from the oppression of TO
reign land, we are to grant-what -FOUR lands
That we are somewhat indebted to foreigners who
will come without the intention of becoming citizens,
and enter our lands. That their breasts the bull
warks that are to defend US against hostile tribe of
savages Are the breasts of foreigners the bulwarks
of our country2 No. sir-no, sir, (said Mr.. CD He
trusted in God that stood in need Of such bull
warks. Our own breasts-the breasts of native and
naturazed citizens, will always be bulwark suffi-
cent, and we are not reduced to the necessity of pur
chasing from any quarter of the world foreigners to
offer us their breasts for protection. We want no
such foreign bulwarksnot but we require foreign
sistance-but he was opposed to holding out induce
ments to reigners to among us for this purpose.
As to the other amendment. This bill is sort Of
provision for poor want it to be SO in truth
and in fact-and his amendments were calculated not
to make the rich richer but to benefit those who
really seeking home and want to build on the land.
That it should afford to no man privileges, who would
worth five hundred dollars He wanted that there
should be some limit of this character That act,
nominal for the benefit and advantage of poor men,
shall not furnish opportunity for speculation. 1t
happened yesterday that while the honorable Senator
from Alabama, was urging us the proprety ofpass-
ing this bill he received letter from old consttu
ent, who some years ago moved from Kentucky to
Missouri, saying" Let me know Immediately whe-
Their presumption law will pass this year. There is
a story here that one will pass and men with good
houses rich men, quitting their settled homes and
houses and moving off and making other settlements,
with view to make purchases by this law. There is
very good piece of land not far from me, and will
break up and move to that TO it." And, (con-
tinued Mr.. O. am urged to give HIM information on
the subject for this purpose Many ronno~oo maxi
inggood houses, log cabins, and (or what he knew
brick houses left for the purpose of erecting log
cabins other lands 1t cannot be the purpose and
of the Senate to afford this opportunity to
settle men, who are in comfortable circumstances for
proper therefore, that in passing this law, we should
limit its benefits to those who stand in need.
Mr.. TAPPAN, of Ohio, offered an amendment to
be inserted at the end of the first section if the amend
ment of the Senator from KY, Mr. Crttenden) fail,
viz: "That no person who shall be the owner of land
and quit his residence to live the public lands,
shall acquire right to pre-emptiop on the public
lands.
Mr.. BUCHANAN had not supposed that the few
incidental remarks which he made yesterday on the
subject now before the Senate would have brough
out the Senator from Kentucky, or any other in
reply. He should proceed to make one or two very
brief observations in reply to the Senator from Ken
lucky he had not intended to say word on the
subject having often discussed it and entirely
tisfed with opportunity of giving in his vote. He
should not vote either for the first second amend
ment. He held it, that the very best indication
which foreigner can give of his intention of becom-
ing citizen was to 60 into the wilderness and settle
on and cultivate tracts of land there and his inten
ton could not be manifested by decisive act
He transfers his home from the native countrygoes
into the West---cuts down the tmber-erects dwell
ling Che would not say log cabin -because he was
not remarkably fond of that woodland makes manifest
his purpose to live and die on your soil Tha. was
perfectly sufficient for him (Mr B and he would not
debar him from it for not having gone, and declared
his intention to become citizen. He did not under
stand this violent opposition that was manifested in
some quarters of tho Senate to foreigners What has
been the history of this colntry? Wb achieved the
independence OF this countryq Was IL not feis.-ore4
Was there any jealousy felt in the time of the revolu
ton towards Irishmen, Frenchmen and foreigners
who stood side by side with your native citizens, and
assisted in achieving your independence The coun
try was grateful to them, and from sense of this
gratitude, she allowed them to take up her vacant
lands; and it the highest policy to induce then
to settle on the frontier of the West-wise policy
which he trusted would never be abandoned; but the
gentlemen seems to think it will be degrading TO an
American freeman to be protected and defended by Q
man. who has not declared his intention of becoming
citizen; and makes light of herds of savages which
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