The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-02-11


operate, or restricted only by the limits OF
the public lands themselves, and lllmi,able 7
as to line. Now, with regard to the sin
cerity Of these gentlemen in their profession 4
Of log cabin principles, I.hough am very
glad to see that they have proited by the
very sa!otary lesson afforded them within ,
two or three months past, like TO test
their profession by their votes. When my |
colleague, Mr.. Crlitenden) offered Ell
amendment, the effect of which would be 10
confne the operation of their bill TO real
log cabin men, to the vertable poor, who
could make oath that their entire property
was not worth more than 500 dollars, where
did we hud these new proselyies to To- cab
in doctrine 4 laugh Were they
ready to so with Us IN thus restricting the
bill! We're they prepared, by adopting this
amendment, to shut cut from the privileges
Of The bill the rich men-the bdr9nS ~
the owners Of manors-ihe greedy specu!a
tors and resiric. il to the hardy settler who
sought a home for himself and children p
No, SIR, no every man Of them voted j!
down.
Let us now pause moment, and look
liIlie at the distinctive provisions Of this
bill. Heretofore pre- caption bills have
been retrospective and prospective. Here
'oiore prescription bills have been limited
sto time: this IS unlimited IN point of time
50 long as there remains a foot Of public
land for Il 10 operate on. Heretofore pre-
emphon bills were operative practically only
with reference 10 some new land recently
surveyed and brought into the market this
bin IS proclamation to The whole universe.
native or foreign, naiuralzed or unnatural.
lZed, that the moment the Indian title IS
extInguIshed 10 any portion OF the land held
by the United States, thew may all rush m
and take just as much of II as they please,
wiihou, even waiting for survey and that
all the other surveyed public lands of the
United States, amounting to about one hun
dred and twenty millions Of acres, no mat.
Ter how long they have been IN market,
and although they may be purchased al
the moderate price Of one dollar and quar-
ter per acre, are to be subject to the night
of redemption. This, It IS Obvious, IN
wolves complete change IN our whole
land system thorough, radical, entire
change. Ii opens at once all the public
lands, surveyed and unzgrveyed, to the
operation Of pre- empiion law.
And here Ie, me stop and look for on N.
slant, az what are SAID 10 he the sole adyan.
iages granted 10 The pre- enptor by this bill
~ ~, tfrh fca-a e ii
possible mlscoucepiion, either on the part
Of other gent,smen or myself Tie whole
practical difference winch this bill is 10
work &c Cur receipts from tie public DOMAIN
Is SAID TO be some two or three csuls per
acre ouly. Here Is Message x the Pres
iden, Of the United States, se,i By HIM 10
Congress, N December, 1851. |, is, in
mary respects, discreet and sensible pa
per, SO far IS Il treats % the subject Of The
public lands. The Pgesldeu, here praises
the old lane 81 stem IS II deserves. He de-
scribes those VIC enter the public DOMAIN,
without tito ot pTe.ence Of title, as Tres
p1ters, .lir1jers,h and he recommends
The pass &c Of one more pre- emp,ion law,
and one oaiy, aud after thu. the adoption oi
stronger measures for tie purpose, in his
own language Of preventing these iatru
aes." The Senator from Missouri, M
Bsn!on) spoke 70 IS yesterday Of the Pfesi.
knt as beng capita. pre- enP.ioner noe,
although shea he vas here as Senaior, be
was decidedly opposed 70 ,As whole system,
and although aaen he came into Office he
talked a5ou! ;resgasIsrs and "iatrg.
4ers on tie pubic lands, Old recomnen.
ded Us to adopt measures to Put q stop to
these "IEs,.usions In future. Ii would
seem that the President IS an attentive list
eaer 10 The advice Of bis friends, snd always
open to coaylctlln. | must ADM, that be has
exhibited rot a lItle fexibilay 10 yielding
10 The Suggestions Of some Of those who have
bis ear. vii make ny position more gen
eral. ,aill that both The Secretary ofihe
Treasury and tie President haze shown re.
maTka5le ease n opening their ears to The
cognse!s Of gentlemen who are strong adyo.
Gates Tor tie pre- empiIoE laws. and for the
PRACTICAL appropriations Of the public DO.
main 10 the benefit Of few. The Sccrela.
~ has brought down the receipts from the
PAOiC f1IOs 70 tDIee GllHiJls Oh GOIiaT5, -
They were three millions 10 1885, and the
very next year they rose to seven millions.
The receipts from this source have been
SUBJECT 10 great lUc:uation; the pas, year
luIle above three millions. They are
now sinking, and It seems that the more
they sunk the more he calls out for pre- emp
ton laws pre- erppion laws graduation
Laws 10 save hlm from that impending
rUin 10 the administration Of the pubic do
man WHICH his system IS abau! to iuhict
What, sir, IS il possible that any man
what shall say that any man 10 his
senses can be 50 supefbiy ridiculous as to
suppose that, by reducing the price Of the
public lands from a dollar aud quarter to
twenty five cents, or, 10 some instances, to .
so cents, you will get more money for
them Yet that IS the principle assumed
by The Secretary Of the Treasury, and il
shows the opn.on which operates in his
mino, aud 10 the minds of the friends Of the