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


rich and the speculator.
.I voted at the Extra session of lS4l, for the
Distribution Bill, in which provision is incorpo-
rated for pre-emptions."
The third Letter was dated 25th September, loas
and addressed to Mr.. J. H. clay JN''dd OF Iowa.
It is of similar tenor with bis letter to Arkansas.
There are sundry points on which these Letters
are worthy Of consideration:
1. Mr.. Clay says, son general settlement oi inc
land question, was willing to allow pre-empuons
properly guarded" and he audes to his votes'o
connect pre-emptions with distribution In io4o ano
ls4I. But it was IN January, 1888, f'co or h'ree
years before these rotes, that he voted against the
pre-emption law, denounced the system as aoom-
inably corrupt and the Settlers on the puo'ic 'ahas
as lawless rabbe and plunderers OF the PuDhc
property. Moreover, he had before that time
brought before the Senate no less than nve bls 10
distribute the proceeds of the public lands among
the States, in not one of iohich tcas there dypr'
piston 10 grant presumption rights.
TWAS not until after 1888, therefore, that Mr..
CLAY was willing to grant pre-empton righis 0"
any terms.
2. Mr. Clay denies using the expressions in re-
lat,ou to pre-emptioners which he says, had been
grossly msrepresented by the reports in the Globe.
He admits, however, that he was reported correct
" in the National Intelligencer.
Well, passing over the report of the Globe lei
us take that Of the Intelligencer where he adm'ts
that what passed is .sco,reetiy published" inthat
paper OF the 10th January, 1888, the proceedings
of the 10Th of that month, are reported, ana tnere
we find the following: viz.
"Mr CLAY of Kentucky said, that IN no shape
,phich could be gioen TO this Bill could ne g'ue
his rote. In any aspect twas to be considereda az
bounty or grant of the property OF the "ho'e
people to small part of the people, often the spec
ulator, and Mr.. C. would like to know oy tchd'
authority such a bill could bepassedf lie eregard-
ed il as ye,oadfor the VIOLATION OF THE
LAW as direct encouragement to intrudirg t0tc-
essly on the lands of the United Staes and Tor Sc
lecting and taking what the TRESPASSEh pleas
ed of the property of the whole peopIe and ne was
not to be deferred from the most strenuous oPpo-
sition to such measures by any denunciation come
from what quarter it might, let these measures DO
asserted by whom they might
"Tbe Document was 2ll ofthe Session OF 1885.
The whole oft was well worthy of deliberate peru.
sal, and il was replete with fraud, ABoMNlA-
BLE EXECRABLE FRAUD, scanddious to
the country, scandalous to the government, and
scandalous to the perpetrators. In saying this
MIR. C. would not denounce any whole class; but
he would say, that the pre-empfio" system scds
SCHEME OF HEARTLESS AND BOUND
| cntNrrT ATInN
SIN this way, LAwLEss MEN had often COM
bined not only without but against the positive
authority Of law; and here while vindicating the
rights and guarding the property of the whole peo-
ple. Mr.. C. would not be awed nor deferred from
performing his duty by any personal considerations
"Mr. c. did not intend at present to 60 SO tar
into the subject as he had done, hoping for another
occasion on which he designed, should God spare
his life and health, to speak fully on the sub
iect, and endeavor to expose this SYSTEM OF
INIQUITY."
In the National Intelligencer of the 9Th February
1888, the proceedings of the 9th January are pub
lished, and in them we find the following: viz.
"Mr TIpToN. will repeat as nearly as can
what was said yesterday, and if 60 wrong he
(Mr Clay) can correct me- l understand that ne
denounced the settlers on the lands as iawiess
bapditti of land robbers, unjusty grasping at the
public treasure.
faHere Mr. CLAY rose snd said that he would
repeat what he did say on the occasion referred to
! by the Honorable Senator from Indiana. CHE
did say that the SQUATTERS on the public
lands mere LAWLESS RABBLE; that they
might as ,veu SEIZE UPON OUR FORTS,
OUR ARsENALs, OR ON THE PUBLIC
, TREASURE, as to rush out and seize on the pub
Tic lands.
".Mr. Upton resumed. The Senator admits
that the expressions used by him amounted to what
have repeated"
By Mr.. Clay's own witness, therefore, Is prov
ed that he called the Settlers on the Public Lands
without discrimination, "SQUATTERS," "a
lLAWLESS RABBLE;" and said 'they might a
well seize upon Our forts, our asenais, or on the
r oubhe treasure" What is that but to call them
PUBLIC ROBBERSi
I, The report in the Globe varies very little from
S that in the Intelgencer. 1t Itincludes the "pubic
Ships" in Mr. Clay's comparison, and represents
him as saying that "the tohole preenpfion system
!, purified and corrupted all it touched"
d Mr.. Claws abuse of the settlers created agreas
sensation, and was severely commented on BY the
n friends Of the Bill
0 Mr.. CLAY Of alabama, said che did notknow
to whom the Senator from Kentucky alluded; but,
if that Senator escaped the denunciations OF the
hardy pioneers of the West, whom he had charged
as violators of the law trespassers who had seized
r upon the public property, and whom he had stg.
: matized as perpetrators of the most disgraceiul
frauds. in terms so injurious to their characters and
e feelings, he would be fortunate indeed"
d See Cong. Globe, 1878 Page las.
!, .sh Senate Ja,mary27. lssS-Mr NoRvELL
: said, the Senator from Maryland seemed to sup
pose that this bill proposed to give bounty to the