The Arkansas banner., 1844-07-03
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From 1fgct ya. :. HENRY CLAY A6AINST THE FRONTIER
 

Der Uf the Kentucky leglslaturey the new settlers in the southern part of that State, asked indulgence in the payments for lands which they had purchased of the State and then occupied. 8Ir. Clay opposed the indul- gence with such bitterness that he excited against him the unGompfomising hostility of the people in that region So high did the feeling rise, that when Gen. Green Clay, some time afterwards, travelled through the Green River country, as it was called, electioneering for the office of Governor, he found il expe- dient to disayow all relationship with Henry Clay.
 This hostility 10 the frontier settlers has been frequently aud decisiyely manifested by Mr. Clay both in votes and speeches while he was member of Congress. We shall give few proofs which, if necessary, could be multiplied without number.
 At the commencement of the session of Congress in December, 1887, Mir Van Buren recommended the passage of pre-emplion law 10 enable the settlers on the public lands to secure their homes by paying the minimum price for the land, and also a law reducing and graduating the price, so that emigrants might purchase the second and third rate land at less than $5l p per acre.
 4 bill ''to grapt pre-emption rights to set tlers on the public lands," was accordingly introduced, of which the following was the leading provisions, viz:
 s' Be | enacted 5y fbe Senate and House of Representations of tte United Sfate8 Of ,4merica i31 Congress asSembied, That every actual settler on the public lands. being the head of a family, or over twenty-one years of age, who was in possession, and house. keeper by personal residence thereon, on or before the first day of December, eighteen hundred and thirty-seYen, shall be entitled to all the benefits and privileges of an act enti- lied '' An act to grant pre-emption rights to setters on the public Iands,n approved May twenty-ninth, eighteen hundred and thirty and the said act Is hereby revived and con tinued in force two years D
 While this bill was under consideration on the 27th January, 1888, ,Wr. Merick, a Whig Senator from Maryland, proposed the follow ing amendment, viz:
 '' Provided, That the right of pre-emption granted by this act, or the act hereby revived. shall not accrue to any other persons than those who were, on the Isl day of December, 1887, citizens of the United States and such citizenship shall i'll all cases be established by legal and competent testimony, to the satis- faction of the Register and Receiver of the land district in which the lands may be, prior to any entry thereof by virtue of the proyi- sions of this aeto
 The amendment was rejected, yeas l5, nays 28. Among the yeas stands the name of HENRY CLAY. See Senate Journal l837 -8 page I81.
 ~ On the same page the following record viz;
 :. On motion of MR. CLAY OF KEN TUCkY, to amend the bill by adding thereto the following section, viz:
 " SEc. 2. lind De U fitrL5er eaactcd, TAat al settlements on tke public tands subsequent 10 tbe .frSt dag Qf December, 1887, shall De, and hte Saase are strictly prohibited; aHd he President shaiI be dltd Is herebg authorised aHd REQUIRED to cause alI persons asho uaay settie on tte public lands suJseqnent 10 tbe day aforeaaid 10 be remoeed Here from. ,
 This amendment was also rejected 2l to g, HENRY CLAY, of course, voting in the affirmative.
 Page l83, AIr. Prentiss moved the follow ing amendment, viz
 s Nor shall any person have any right, or be entitled to a patent, under or by virtue of this act, without paying, in addition to fte 8a{Hlnt12a price, at least one half of the real value of the land above that price, not inclu- ding Improvements, to be ascertained by three judicious and disinterested appraisers, under oath, to be appointed by the Register of the land office ill the district where the land is situate''
 Rejected, yeas 10, nays 27; the name of HENRY CLAY being at the head of the yeas.
 Page l9l, the bill passed the Senate, yeas 30, nays IS, the name of HENRY CLAY being among the nays.
 The bill passed-boih Houses, was approved by Mir VAN BUREN, and became a law.
 Thus, Henry Clay voted to exclude all men born out of the United States from pri- vilege proposed to be extended 10 the naive born.
 He voted in favor of requiring the settlers to pay more than the minimum government price for the land improved by them.
 Not satisfied 10 authorize Mir. Van Buren, then President, he Offered an amendment to require him 10 renloUe aU settlers aeho might haee located Aenssehes on he public funds prior 10 lst December, 1887.
 Finally, he voted against the passage of the bill, thus denying pre-empfoa rights aIto- getber, to natires as well as foreigners.
 4 bill reducing the price of such public lands as had been long in the market also passed the Senate at that session, HENRY CLAY uoting against t.
 Atthe session of 1839-40, a bill providing for graduation and reduction of price was again introduced, as also bill to continue pre-emption rights.
 Page 3l6 of the journal of that session, .Hr. .NorutH moved all amendment to extend the act of 1858 10 the 22d day of June, l842, which was adopted, yeas D, nays H. Among the nays was HENRY CLAY.
 Al the third reading of the bill, page 329, the following proceedings stand recorded viz.
 "On motion of Mir. CLAY OF KEN TUCKY. to commit the bill with instructions:
 1" fst To restrict the riqht of pre-elDnlion