Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-07-10
5rTIr HICHMON1D E:1NllUIhE1Lz.

III, w
Western county than We had 10 1851, LOT al
they had 10 co was TO fad out some landhoioef
claim, and 60 and find another man o. the same
name, and get deed from him, and nave II &C.
and so round in the country 10
which the land lies, sell it to them, anu roo
them of their labor and every thing else ,nes
have; 80 they would go on all through The "es',
ern country with this system oil piiiage anu
robbery | have known some VINO nave pu'
chased two or three times, and had no tue, uii
iii |. as one in the Legislature Of lS42, pieau
very hard before the House for the Common,
woslth> protection on the younger titles 20 noi,
the land. The gentleman from Greenorier u'u
say that such law as his orght TO DC III io'c.,
and he also says if such law had been pass1 g.
forty years ago il would have been just. ~
those times The Legislature was comlos :.
wiser heads than some here now, LOT u We.
had passed such law at that time,
Virginia would be now wilderness, a'u .uo
Indians and wild beasts would DC stu toa"i'ne
over the land. IL seems that some persons a,o
more friendly 10 foreigners than they aie -
their own countrymcn We have traitors :" ou'
country as well us in others; Tor the poor nun
who fights for his country and works an .he
roads, and makes all the improvements iof 'ne
B. nett Of the landholde-, and pays more YAK, Is
4ss prolected and when he wants 10 ehtes
niece Of land, he must 60 and swear .lus NC
knows no owners Of such lond anu " 'ne
Commonwealth has given no patent. shouiu
like TO know how man would hnu Out VINO 'he
owner is, when such a man as swan sold mil
liors of acres in France TO settle his debs, 10
thousands OF Frenchmcn unknown IN this coun-
try; or such man as Hector, who made chin
new corner surveys and plats, and sold them IN
England TO British Lords. How could man
under such circumstances swear VINO the owner
was. or know whether there was any owner or
not The gentleman from Lee tells us that IN
his section of country the people are laying
land warrants on land, the owners or agents OF
which are residing among them. Sir, cannot
see how this can be done by honest men, or
men Of ordinary sense, for il is evident that they
can cayeai II first, and then he cannot hold II
oy law Now, Sir, unless these land claims are
shortly settled, You will drive out more settlers
than will come in, for il these titles had been
settled long ago, The population OF Virginia
would now be sufficient TO send from thirty 10
thirty five representatives 10 Congress from this
State. Then there would have been no Difficult.
ty arising from Wimot Proviso; yes. Sir, our
poor children would have been educated; but all
the money which the poor men have been able
to raise has gone into the hands If lawyers, 10
seli land claims; but instead OF such happy re-
suit, We have more ignoramuses in Virginia than
in any other State in the Union II IS very hard
thai man should labor all his lie, and then
he driven BY strangers from house and home, aud
he and M wife and children cast on the world.
Sir, ask nothing but equa justice. do not want
his land ioi nothing. am willing ne should r..
ceve tor that wha. il was worth in lis raw stale;
or, lei him pay me tor my labor according 10 he
estimate Of taeivc sworn men. This would be
right In thirty wears, | am confident that Inc
counties OF Cabell and Wayne have paid into
Your Treasury, Tor land warrants, something
ike thirty thousand doar,-and what the whole
Stale has done has certainly enriched it much
II all the vacant lands were taken up and i'm
proved, what an immense amount Of wealth
would b. in your Treasury, and The emigration
10 Virginia would be as great as il IS 10 oiher
States IN which their land titles are settled. II
Inc House will agree 10 strike out the objection
able section under consideration, shall conclude
2 good deed has been done Tor one day, that wonli
jusiiy IN adjournment
Mr. COLLINS further illustrated his objec.
lions 10 the section, by the case u Lewis Max
we'll, who had sold more than 100000 worth Of
land in Richie county, and las. year en- cred il
again, over The heads Of poor occupants.
Mr.. FAULkNER'S amendment was lost
Mr. GOODSON said that the West was mos
deeply Interested in this question, and he appeal
Ell To the House 70 lei the Law stand as il was
and not, by making man swear, 10 legslaie the
Yves, out Of the Courts by such section as
this. The junior patents had ne more tnan all
other legislation 10 settle the land titles, and The
law authorizing them had been prepared By The
Senator Ircn his district and himself. Mr. Good
sen cited The history o. Dumas case, and appeal
et 10 gentlemen mol 10 Iegi>laie the West out 0.
ne Courts.
The motion 10 strike out the 18th section was
lost, 4 / 10 49,
On motion OF Mr. DORMAN the committee
OF the Whole rose and asked leave to sill again
Mr.. CONWAY hoped the House would refuse
to allow the House again to go into COMMITTEES
of the Whole. All the day bad been devoted to the
discussion If one subject, and II was not right
that the same debate should occur again in the
House. The experience OF to-day should show
Inc impuljcy OF the Committee of the Whole.
Mr.. DOR NAN opposed the motion.
Nj. COOK moved an ad ournment, which was
lost.
Mr.. WHITTLE called the previous question
(Which was sustained) on the motion 10 grant
leave TO the Committee of the Whole 10 sit again,
which vas by vote, granted.
The House then. on motion Of Mr.. DORMAN,
adjourned.
We had learned and able debate 10 DAY in
Committee Of the Whole, but scarcely any pro.
gress was made, and we presume that we shall
have > second edition Of the same in the House,
now that they have regret, determined again
TO go back to the Committee o. the Whole
10 day is the 9Th o. July, and an immense work
is still before the Legislature. would not ask
the Legislature TO slur over any question, hut TO
recollect what torrents Of words we have had and
how little work Those VINO discuss the suhjec,
matters, should take il for granted that The
House, with their printed books before them,
something of The subject, and, instead
Of long and elaborate arguments from a. to L,
they should confne themselves TO brief, to the
purpose explanations, which are really more
effective than extended speeches speak from
what have seen and observed here. recur to
this subject because | am more than ever salts
fed that change in this respect would facilitate
business and secure more mature and perfect
work
The Wing makes q terrible hobblc in attempt.
ing to evade the killing rebound of the vindica-
lon Of Collector Nelson By the Committee Of
Investigation, composed of as respectable and
Wings as can be found in the State.
! may perhaps touch the subject again.
w. Z. X.
GENERAL FOOTE'S LETTER
70 Hon Hemy.7. Wise, .7ecomac County, Va.
(cOHCLupED.)
10 nol wish 10 be tedious; BAT as there is
vefy curious coincidence connected with lie
Toint under consideration, shalt lake leave 10
suggest il. Il may be amusing, q cas, il not in
sructve. Mr.. Benton net only presumed, II
his ate Jefferson Cry speech, 10 denounce he
sisncrS .; The Southern Address diSuniOnisfs
he no, only reai part Of Washineion's Farewell
Address asains: NJ. Calhoun, in order 10 bring
Cdium upon him, but actually read the selt-sane
extract which, nineteen .ears ago, had been read
against himself The case i sill stronger one:
lie actually stole the gery iieas Of his former i'm.
peacheI, and almost his worts. | will exhibit
this curious affair in parallel columns, thus:
Extract from Mr.. Bartons ES,roet fran Mr.. Benton.
spseck FoofeI rt,ou- J.fsrson ei.g Jpeeea Gell
fIa1s ~ y,Dll IA rered .ngy %. 1919