The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-03-20

lleVe IN Wltchcr1it. was 1t credible,
to any man Of common sense, that a
Settler who had pre-emption right
would give more for his lane, than he
would ii he was competitor with 9th.
er bidders at public sale? 1t was
contrary to reason.
Mr.. M. SAID that all his wish in op.
posing this bill was to keep these rich
land valuable lands from falling prey.
to Spectators; but he saw the thing
was determined on; yet he must do,
This duty.
/ .tsNlr. M. adverted to the strong oppo-,
I.sition some of the very gentlemen had
Emade, who were now the friends OF
this bill, to the provisions in another
bill, which Mr.. NJ. had advocated some
time since, in regard TO the lands in the
Wvandot Reservation in Ohio. How
exceedingly afraid they were then of
those valuable lands getting into the
clutches Of SPECTATORS! Oh, yes; they
saw SPECTATORS behind every bush,
ready to pounce upon the land Of the
poor Indians! What had now become
Of all that pious dread?
Mr.. McCLELLAND here asked Mr..
7 Norris if he had not been in favor Of
letting settlers have the Wyandot lands
on the same terms as were proposed
by this bill, yetnow he 6ercely opposed
them! s .& ~ .....g t4I sa
Mr.. MoRRls said he had been in fa-.
vor of the Wyandot bill; and SO he
would be in favor OF this, if these lessees-
were to pay the Government So so per
acre, and the value of all the improve
ments upon the lands. Those were
the terms he had advocated in the other.
bill; and with those terms he would
support this bill as warmly as he had
that. But he was against this bill,
though he feared his opposition to it
would be of little avail. He had seen
demonstrations here at the close Of the
last session, when this bill was brought
up, which convinced him that it was.
destined to pass;s indeed, its friends
were very near getting two-thirds of
the House TO consent to take it up out
of It's order at that time. He saw the
same indications now. The bill was
got up for the benefit OF a few large
speculators in Boston, who had their
agents here to push the bill. Sales of
stocks in these mining companies had
been going on for some time in this city;
and some members of the Committee
on Public Lands were,nto his certain
knowledge, personally interested in
those stocks. 1t was quite natural that
such gentlemen should go in favor
of their own, interest. >i 30
Mr.. RELFE here (though laboring un-
der so severe cold that his voice could
scarce be heard) demanded to know
whether the gentleman. in what he had
just said, alluded to hint e.1
Mr.. MoRRls. Does the gentleman
disclaim all interest in these ands? i
Mr.. RELFE. / do most explicitly,
and but for the state of my health 1
should have taken the floor in defence
of the bill, which | consider far and
proper, and one that ought to pass.
Mr.. MoRRls said that. was enough
Tor that gentleman. gb
Voices: Tell who they are. Whom
do you mean? Names! Nameswl K
Mr. Nj. said he should notamention
names: he did not think that be wasre-
quired to do so. 1t was enough that
he here publicly took on himself 10 state
that such was the fact. He did not
hear it denied. ''2g'
The House were here called on to
abandon the well settled and uniform
policy of the Government, in the dis
pcsal of the public domain, and 10 let a
gang of speculators, who had acquired
a permit for these lands without right
of law, who had got no title to them,
but merely because they had got an il
legal claim, have pre-emption right in
preference to their irfeow-citizens, who
ought tolhave as fair chance to pur-
chase as they. Yes, this House was
invoked 10 do this foran association of
men who would have no breath or be-
ing, but would be mere inert matter,
we've it not for the basest passion OF the
human heart-avarice. To a gang of
harpies like this, Congress was asked
to give away mineral region worth
more TO this Government, in its actual
cash proceeds, than the whole of the
public lands put together.
| Yet gentlemen got up and represent
ed the lands as worth little or nothing,
and insisted that the Government would
realize more by selling them on pre-
emption for 50 so, than by holding
them UP TO public competition. He
had been closely watching the move
ments here: He would see a gentle.
man here rise and say q few words in
favor Of the bill, and then another there