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

among the Nays.
The Bill passed both Houses was approved by
MR.. VAN BUREN, and became law.
Thus, Henry Clay voted to exclude all men
born out of the United States from privilege pro-
posed to be extended to the native 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 to authorize Mr. Van Buren,, then
President, he offered an amendment to require
him, to remope all settlers toho might haze located
Themselves on the public lands prior 10 Ist Deeem-
Der 1887.
Finally, he voted against the passage of the Bill
thus denying presumption rights altogether, TO ma
tiues as well as foreigners.
A Bill reducing the price of such public lands
as had been long in the market also passed the
Senate at that session, HENRY CLAY rottng
against it.
At the Session of 1880, Bill providing for
a graduation and reduction Of price was again in
troduced, as also bill to continue pre-emption
rights.
Page BIG ofthe Journal Of that Session, Mr..
.NorveH moved an amendment to extend theAct oi
1888 "to the 22d day Of June 1912" which was
adopted, Yeas 25, Nays IL. Among the Nays
was HENRY CLAY.
At the third reading of the Bill, page, s29, the
following proceedings stand recorded: viz.
On motion of Mr.. CLAY OF KENTUCKY
to commit the Bill with Instructions:
LIST. To restrict the right of pre-emption to citi-
zens of the United States, native or naturalized:
3D. To strike out the section, recognizing the
principle that the public lands, prior to the grant
of pre-empton or any other grant, can be the sub
ect of creating the relation of lessor and lessee
"3d. To strike out rhe section, reviving the
right to floats"
1t asrejected by Yeas 8, Nays rs, HENRY
CLAY being of course one of the Yeas.
The Bill was then passed, Yeas 26, Nays o,
HENRY CLAY being one efthe Nays
Page 334, HENRY CLAY voted in minority
of IL, against Bill providing for the reduction
and graduation ofthe price Of public lands.
At the Session of ls40-4l, bill was introduced
into the Senate 'sto establish permanent, pros
pective pre-emption system in favor of settlers
the public lands who shall inhabt and cultivate tht
same and raise log cabin thereon"
Page 7s, ofthe Senate Journal of that Session
it is thus recorded: viz .------4---.-----a
"On motion of Mr.. Mangum to amend the Bill
by inserting, section /, line A, after the word man,
the words being citizen ofthe United States"
1t was rejected, Yeas IL, NayssO.
Yeas, "Messrs. CLAY Of Kentucky, Clayton
Crittenden, Dixon, Graham, Huntington, Knight
Mangum, Merrick, Prentss, Preston, Ruggles,
euery man ,chig.
Many other amendments tending to render the
Bill less favorable to settlers were proposed, for al
of which Henry Clay voted.
Page 1856, the Bill was passed by vote Of Yea
81 to Nays 10.
NAYS, "Messrs. Bayard, Calhoun, CLAY
OF KENTUCKY, Clayton, Crittenden, Dixon
Graham, Huntington, Kerr, Knight, Mangum
Merrick, Phelps, Prentiss, Preston, Rives, Roam
Ruggles, Southard," all Wings but t,co,
These extracts show what Henry Clay DID
Let us now see what he SAID.
We heve before US copies of three letters writ
ten by Henry Clay, explaining his course upo
the pre-emption laws, and denying the harsh ex
pressions in reference to the settlers, which ha
been imputed to him.
The first is dated 1st June, 1889, and is addres
ed to Aston B. Estes, of Tennessee. In this lei
ter he says:
"The extracts from the Globe are entire perveI
sions of whatpassed in the Senate on the occasion
to which it refers-perversion which are habitua
with that print whenever am concerned.
"Inerer used the expressions against pre-emI
TONERS, which were attributed to me, although
was opposed to the passage OF presumption laws
At the last session of the Senate, an explanatio
was made of what really did say at the previor
session; on which occasion Senator from lllino
acknowledged that he had inferred the exception
able expressions from the tenor of my speech, an
that Ihad not used them. What passed was CO..
rectly published in the National Intelligencer, b'
regret that have not a copy oft by me to tran
NIT to you"
In this letter there is not word excusing hin
self for his uotes or pretending that he was IN fave
of pre-empton rights in any shape.
condleter was dated 9th September lS4:
addressed to some persons in Arkansas In tn
Letter he says:
'My speeches on the pre-emptlon system wei
never regularly reported. They were delivere'
from time to time, in sort of running debate, an
I was shockingly caricatured in the Globe. Whe
it was stated think by Mr.. Young Of Indiana,
the Senate, that had applied degrading epithets
the Pre-emptoners, denied it positively, and N
; correction was published in the Intelligencer, b'
regret that have no copy by me.
"I was opposed to the pre-empton by ITSELF
thought it unequal to the public; was an irregul
mode Of acquiring the public lands, and led to di
putes and controversies among the settlers. Whe
public land was taken possession of, without Il
authority of law, ! considered it a trespass, ar
charac cterised it as SUCH So did Mr.. Van Bure
who used that identical word in one Of his me
sages Tin 1887 or 81 to Congress.