, 1844-09-07


GOVERNOR Polk AND THE PRE-xMrIoN-
Frs AND OtcUPANrs-MR CLAWS
COURSE.
Oae of the earliest acts of Gov.
Polk, after becoming a member OF the
General Assembly Of Tennessee. in
1923, now more than twenty years
ago. was 10 take the side of the rights
of Occupants and Pre-emtioners who
had settled on the public lands. He
took this stand. in favor Of securing
them in them rightS-the fruits of
their toll, labor and enterprIse-In a
decided. open and active course OF
conduct. & adhered To it in his whole
subsequent time of Legislative SER
vice in the State Legislature first. and
afterwards for fourteen years in Con-
gress, As is abundantIy proved by the
Journals of both bodies. The Jnun-
al of the House of representatives
Of tie Tennessee Legislature vii! show.
at page 395. that on the 9Th day OF
November, 1928, is Chairman "f Il
Committee. appointed 20 mem"rinIize
Congress on the subject Of the Yves,
tern lands of this State. Gov. Polk
made an able and Ia5ored Report to
the House, accompanied by Il resolu-
ton. iHstructlng II Senators and
Representatives in Congress to pro-
cure the passage Of Il law. the main
object of which was to SccEr3 the
0ccHpaHtS Sedted on ~ racdHt fdR6s.
IN the right of pr empHion IN dcqu.r,
ing and completing their mites. The
same policy. in regard To the frontier
settlers or the public lands. IN ali the
States and Territories ot The Union,
met with his approval and support
during his whole Legislative rarrer
How un!Ike-hOw totally different
has been the course OF Mr.. Cav!-
While Gov. Polk Wa for the trns
most fHrarrjir 10 the settlers. Mr..
CLAW was tar ojSciisg hoDI frlm al
r.gbtS. TIE f,.lonn.g article from
TIN lndiana Stare Sentinel. quoting
the Journal OF the Senate ot the l.
States. truly. givcs u vivid AMI rue
account Of NJ. CT vs. course. How.
under such circumstances. Mr.. CLAW
- l. -.i--- w -
: ,whwesreru. and Northwestern set
tlers. is To- Us strange and i1CXpiici-
biz. The article referred 20 IL the
following
THE%aUArTERSIN II WHIrG House..
We make the following humorous
extract from the debate N the pre-
empriru til! in 1888.
In Sentte. January so, 1888. Mr..
Clay. If Kentucky, said:
..ifow was it with that White
House. now SO amply furnished
with that famous East room. and the
little man who occupies so small d
part of it! Suppose IA pre-emPtloner
was 10 20 there and say. Mr.. PreSI-
dent, tins house is too large for you.
am an industrious cultiva,or. n ot
the bune-and slneW men, and claim 4
pre-emptIon 10 a part of this House.
Would he not have rs much right to
squat down there as to squat down
upon the public lands! When and
where were these encroachments To
cease? Would this bill be the end of
the system, or would they not tc
called on year after year until the
best of the public domain passed from
their pn>seSs.on?'
Mr.. Walker replied, and concluded
by saving:
The Senator from Kentucky,
(NIr. Clay has told US. that Ii this
system OF squattng is encouraged,
some tresSpa>sers may squat even IN
the White House. and claim a pre-
cmption for it. This is not the first
time this session tie Senator fro II
Kentucky has referred to the White
House. 1t seems 10 haunt his lmagI-
nation, until he has become fearful
that some squatier will claim it by
pre- emption. Sir. said Mr.. Walker,
never knew Of but ONE SQUAT
TER IN THE WHITE HOUSE,
who could be truly called an intruder
there, and that was one who was
placed there in 1925, with the aid OF
the Senator from Kentucky. against
the will of the people, [Congres,
sional Globe and Appendix, January
1888. page l43.
Six years have rolled by since Mr..
CLAY was 81 fearful some "squatter'
would "squat down IN the White
House, 1t now appears that he
wants TO squat there himself. Is he
IA pre-emptioner? We know he once
declared himself to be in the line OF
safe rr'ccdcatS. but the people did not
raulv the bargain! Upon what does
he found Z claim Of p~re-emption &c