New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-03-09

soraerhere and TO the Impoverished use OF hrs need
fol allotment Of the God created elements Of this
globe out Of which to procure and fashion hls own
subsistence. On the second or third day Of the
session gave notice OF and soon after introduced
bill ITO discourage Speculation IN the Pobhc
Lands. and 20 secure ZONES thereon TO Actual
Settlers and Cultiva,ors,' which ia the mildest
aud least offensive form asserted tins principle
with regard 70 the Public Lands Of the Unlted
States 1t forbade future purchases on speculation
at any price below g per acre, while inviting any
man b purchase for bis own improvement aud
use at 81 % per acre, and invited every andless
man u make choice OF one hundred and sixty
acres. on which he should be entitled by mere set
Element TO a seven years presumption. and there
after TO a Right Of Perpetual Occupancy % the
head Of family ~ one-hslf thereof without pay
ment buying the other half NJ the minimum price
or releasing il - be settled upon by some relative
or friend as be should see ft.-The House found no
time 10 act upon this BILL and refused me even the
Yeas and Nays on rejecting it. Had been more
tender to certain foibles this would probably have
been otherwise. / do not complain as OF per
sousl grievance for can far better await more
inst sppreciation Of this subject than can those
who need land, and must annually sacnhce nan
their scanty earnings for the want OF It,
I am puzzled By the apathy Of the directors OF
opinion around me on this subject Of L and Reform.
TIE spires Of our City Churches overshadow a
population Of Half Million, not one fifth OF whom
are owners of the roots that cover them-not one
tenth Of whom have legal access 20 the soil from
which their subsistence must be drawn. Nine
ten,bs depend for livelihood on the chance that
one or moro will at all times be ready to hire
them or buy of them. This expectation IS SUD
iect TO continual dissppointments hence vide
spread bankruptcy, restitution, beggary. In de-
fance Of tho notorious superabundance OF our
population, the tides of American and European
adventure here dash against each other, and thou
sands who are urged hther by sangune visions oil
sudden wealth soon awake to the bleak reality Of
a lack Of shelter for their he ads Here Vice and
Misery. Destitution and Crime, Prodigaity and
Want. react upon and stimulate each other Here
Rent. aud Pauperism are expanding with fearful
rapidity. And it seems TO me so plain that our
Land avs and the Monopoly they tend tocreate-
our current mode OF treating the God-created earh
as mere merchandise, like molasses or mackerel-
are among the direct occasions OF the immense and
deporable disparities OF fortune and deiciences
of subsistence witnessed around us, that ! cannot
sec how others who open their eyes fail to see 1t
too, aud to strive with me for It's correction Nor
can see how mercantile community Ike this
should fail 20 realize it's double interest IN every
measure tending to facilitate the rapid and com
pact settlement Of the Public Lands. Such settle
m ent, while it tends to diminish our paupers
tends likewise 20 increase our customers. Every
smoke that rises from q newly occupied quarter
section in the Great w est marks the accession oi
a new customer % the counting rooms and ware
houses of New-York and the less the tribute i'm
posed ON him by land speculation and monopoly
the greater III be his ability TO purchase the wares
and fabrics of which he is abundanty IN need On
the other hand every Thousand acres OF unim-
proved soil held up for speculative Prcesis blank
on the map Of our Citys area OF commercial inter
changes an impediment to the farther prosecu-
ton OF canals and railroads aregion OF " sste and
uselessness cannot believe that the Mercantile
influence OF our City Will much longer be hostile
or even indifferent TO comprehensive aud tho
rough measure OF Land Reform, but IT'S most Wig
| orous aud efficient advocate.
q. TUE TERRITORIES SLAVERY
Among the most important, obvious and pressing
Of the duties devoving on Congress at this ses
sion was that o. organizing the Territories Just &C
CURED from Mexico as to secure to their Ia
habtants the blessings OF Law and Order, OF lib
erty and Public Security. Nearly all admitted
this IN the abstract yet nothing was in TACT ac-
complished. The House perfected aud adopted
two separate propositions for the organization OF
California the Senate, rejecting both. presented
one counter-proposition of its own, which the
| House would not accept. Thus the matter goes
over to another Congress the sole substantial dit
ference between them being this the House in
sisted on such an organization as would IN elect
exclude Slavery thereirom, while the Senate
would consent to no such exclusion There the
matter rests.
| L. certainly. could not consent to such measure
AS the Senates though my grounds of objection
were not precisely set forth IN any OF the set
speeches against it. | could have ioregone the
express application OF the Wilmot Proyiso, SO
called IN the clear conviction that It's object would
otherwise be effected, had the Senatos amend.
ment provided fairly and fully for the organization
of the New Territories in every other respect. |
said openly to Southern Members who rallied
against the Proviso; for one will meet you fully
half way. Aid us to enact a law securing 70 New
| Mexico her ancient and righttul boundaries-aid
us to protect and defend her against the impu-
dent claim Of Texas to absorb and subugate
| 'her-secure to the real People of New Mexico
and California the right to decide oonclusively
whether they shall tolerate Slavery or not, and
| will vote to organize these Territories without q
'Proviso against Slavery made this offer with
some reluctance, but il accepted, | should have
faithfully complied with its supulatons. For OF
| the two perils W hch threaten these Territories
that of the planting Of Slavery beyond the Rio
Grande and that OF its naturalization on this side
throug the absorption OF New Mexiooby Texas
| deem the after far more imminent and formidable
To provide safeguard sgsins, this, was willing
the brave the lesser risk OF the other Bat the OPP
portunlty was not offered me.
Strongly committed by my convictions and my
past course 70 the cause of Free Soil, was yet
solicitous not to make that csuse source OF peri