The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-07-26

this government cannot protect the property of the
Ipeople of the United States? Can these settlers
hold possession against the aohole force of This gor-
enment, THE REGULAR ARMY, the militia,
under the command of the President? If the case
is so with the public domain, how soon will it be
the same with all the public property' Sir, ! hope
it is not true! trust the people will be able to
protect their property"
Win not the People of the Western States gen.
orally agree with Senator Linn, that "no man
WORTHY to be President would be TYRANT
enough to order the CIRCULAR ARMY" into
the new settlements to dspossess the occupants OF
the land AT THE POINT OF THE BAYo-
METZ Say, Pre-emptioners, SHALL such
TYRANT be President! If SO, give your votes
for HENRY CLAY.
But this man would have you believe that he
only concurred with Mr. Van Buren on this points
Hear what the equivocatng candidate for the Pres
idency said on the 9th January 1888, as reported
in his favorite Intelligencer: viz.
"Sir," said Mr.. Clay, "when had gone thus
far lin reading Mr.. Van Buren's Message] thought
our Chief Magistrate would take care of the prop
erty of the people ofthe Union. But when had
followed him little further and perceived that he
had adopted all the WILD INTENTIONS Of
pre-empt on and graduation, and all the NEW.
TANGLED NOTIONS of tchich zoe hare heard
so much in gears past, IalmoSt despaired cfhim"
His attack upon Mr.. Van Buren for being in
favor of the pre-empGon law, was much more vio-
lent than is here reported; but here is enough TO
show, that so far from concuring on this point
they were directly at issue.
But Mr.. Clay says, he was not opposed to the
grant ofpre emptions upon final settlement ofthe
land question, and as evidence, points to his vote
for proposition offered by Mr.. Crittenden in 1910,
uniting pre-emption system with scheme for
giving to the States the moneys arising from the
sales of public lands, and to his distribution Act OF
the Extra Session in 1S4I. What HENRY CLAY
sanctioning what he had SO long and SO vehement
ly denounced as a scheme of plunder, piracy, and
robbery Henry clay approving of the seizure of
the public 0senals, the public ships, and of the
money in Tie 1reaSuyN 1t is even so-if he is
to be believed.
But let us see uhen Mr.. Clay became willing to
join the there's, robbers and pirates, he substan
tally called the settlers on the public lands
These denunciations fthe "squatterS" and of the
whole principle of prescriptions, were at the De-
cember session of Congress in lS37-3s. Prior to
that time, Mr.. Clay had FIVE TIMES reported
in the Senate his plan for giving away the proceeds
ofthe public lands, viz, on the llth December
1892, December 18th 1888, December 10th 1884,
December 29th 1885, and December 10Th 1886
IN NOT ONE OF THESE BILLS WAS
THERE A PRE-EMPTION CLAUSE, or any
prouiSion for the protection Of actual settlerS'-
He then considered them but robbers and pirates,
unworthy ofprotechon. But Mr.. Clay had been
for years vainly striving to SEIZE ON THE
MONEY IN THE TREASURY HIMSELF, to
aid in making him president through plan to
throw it into the hands of little aristocracy in
each State; and in the hope of getting the aid of the
frontier people in his scheme ofpluader, he turns
round and attempts TO BUY UP the settlers acith
promise Of pre-emptionsH Yes, the man who
in 1888 denounced them as "laooless ,abJle,"
no better than ieues, robbers and pirates, in 1870
A. is gracously pleased to sanction all their laD-
less acts ofth.tt robbery and piracy, if they will
only aid in actually "seizing the money in the
treasury" and MAKING HIM PRESIDENT.
SETTLERS, PEOPLE OF THE NEW
STATES! will ye be thus bought Will ye take
of Mr.. Clay as BRIBE, what Mr.. Van Buren
yielded as just concession? Will you acknowl-
edge Mr.. Clay's ISLANDERS to be JUST, by taking
the sla,aderertor your President
NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!!!
Yes, NEVER aciH echo around our raSt from
tier, uatiithe sound shall reach the ocean, and be
ttro,cn back in one continuous NEVER, NEV-
Err, NEVER!