The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-27

MIR. HUBBARD inquired whether he could now


| The SPEAKER replied in the negative.
| Mr.. MORSE moved to reconsider the vote JUS
taken and he desired 10 make a few remarks, moi
having been fortunate catch the eye of the
Speaker before the question was taken lie consider
ed this one OF the most important measures in
troduced into Congress; and while there had been
some three or four speeches in favor OF the policy
| oi appropriating the public lands OF this Govern
nent for the purpose of making pensioners vo-
tiers, not one speech had been made ON the opposite
side lie desired 10 the cogent argument of the
| committee, as well TO review the opinions oil
| some OF the gentlemen in favor of this monstrous
system OF corruption, the purpose of which is to
| lend the power of the Government to make voters
| to support the Government for giving them the
| lands. lie was yet to learn on what constitutional
authority it was advocated by those gentlemen
who will not allow dollar to pay just debts. The
| scheme Will do very well long the acres
last When these are exhausted, people will be
wanting to run their lands into the treasury, and
instead OF one hundred and sixty acres OF land, they
| VIII get one hundred and sixty dollars. Some gen
! tlemen complain that God Almighty has bestowed
| good gifts unequaly, and, according to OF
| them, who addressed the House yesterday (Mr
JOHNSON, OF Tennessee the land should be free
| as the air and water. He would make il point,
| and try to oppose this system of humbug. Much
| had been said about the dear people, as though
every thing depends on the admiration and love the
dear people. When opportunity occurred he would
show his love for the dear people. This system was
growing into the greatest abuses seen. Sena-
tors who, in the Better days of the republic would
| have thought 1t unworthy to play the demagogue,
are for giving away the public lands. The scheme
IS to take money out of the treasury of the United
States, and to give 1t to men without any conside-
| ration whatever. He willing to reduce and
graduate the price of the public lands. but not to
| take away the incentives TO settle, and pick up the
worthless, low bred vag bonds to be found in the
| purlieus, and force them to take lands, whether
| they will or not 1t was palpaby violation of the
| Constitution. The plan was iniquitous monstrous,
odious He wished to postpone the further consd-
| Grafton of the sub ject until March, 1851.
| MIR. III UBBARD (Mr, MolsE having WELDED the
floor to him "for explanatory spoke few words
IN favor OF graduating the price of the public lands
according to their value; and said that the gentle
| man who had just spoken could get into a scuiile
| for votes as well as any other man. good gov
eminent Is the only way to get votes. He proposed
that, if the bill could be put in situation to enable
| him to do 80, to discuss the public land system
He would show how this bill, instead of encourage
| ing Fourersm, will go to put it down, because it
| will enlarge the number OF free holders He pro-
posed, as the best mode of raising revenue, have
| the public lands located, that the products may
be exchanged for dutiable articles. He trusted that
there would be full and fair investigation into this
| question.
| Mr.. MORSE resumed the floor
MIR. FOWLER asked him to yield it to him
| MIR. MORSE put it to the conscience of the House
to say whether he ought to do after three four
speeches had been made by the oldest and abest
| advocates of the bill, while only one gentleman
himself, had made only three four desultory re-
| marks If he could possibly strangle this niqui
| tous monster now he would do so, and expressed
the hope that the House would lay the whole matter
| Mr. BROWN, of Mississippi, asked the gentle
man to suspend, until he could utter a few words
| in explanation.
| MIR. MORSE acquiesced.
| MIR. BROWN, OF Mississippi, said he understood
| the gentleman from louisiana in the course of his
| remarks TO assai the proposition unconstitu-
| tlonal. He would ask the gentleman whether this
Government has not given TO that State four hun
dred thousand acres of land, and whether that
| absolutely just, and not unconstitutional And
whether other large grants TO her were unconstitu-
tlonak You can give lands TO sovereign States,
and pamper the rich TO make the lords more lordly;
you can give lands to interpretations; you give
| 10 every thing, except the brave hearted soldier
who fights the battles of his country. This class
has been denounced by the gentleman as low bred,
worthless vagabonds, not worthy of his protection.
He Mr.. B. was here the friend of the toiling
| millions. He should like to hear the gentleman
| making the speech delivered this morning in one
Of the parishes of his Misunderstanding that these
squatters on the public lands
MIR. FOWLER to point of order.
The SPEAKER, in reply, informed him that the
gentleman had spoken on the reference; but the
motion now was 10 reconsider the vote.
Mr.. BROWN resumed. He repeated he SHOULD
like TO hear the gentleman from Louisiana address
his parish, aud tell them they miserable, low
| bred set of fellows. He holds there humble
| and respectful language than this. He tells them
| that they ought to be protected Those who are
! not ABOVE going into their cabins and begging
their votes, ought not here hesitate to defend
at home, matter how he may be stigmatizcd as
demagogue. II he domagogue here he
| was consistent. The gentleman might be dema-
gogue at home, bal N this act holds different Ian
| guage. No member from tue wosteFn or south
western States dare make such speech; he would
not be elected again if he did. He (Mr. b. J. was
| for shielding the poor laborer against the hard
| hearted oppressor. He had seen the laborer with
his weeping wife and little ones turned out of home.
The gentleman could not say he had not the heart
| to feel for them. II a man be worthless is that
reason yoC should not care for him? Give to the
drunkard's wife home; che will adorn IT, and
cause her children TO love the soil If you want to
make good citzenS of these loafng yagabonds, you
must not stand up and denounce them despiscd
and disgraced. lie thanked the gentleman, not
for his speech, but for his courtesy in yielding the
floor.
Mr.. STANTON, Of Tennessee, moved TO lay the
motion 10 reconsider on the table; but Withdrew the
motion, TO enable
Dir. MoMULLEN TO address the House He de.
sired to say few words in reply to the gentleman
from louisiana, who was unjust in his reflections
on the Committee on agriculture, when he spoke of
the corrupt aad degrading character of the bill
which they reported. If the gentleman had waited
until the committee had explained the bill, he
would not have conceived the necessity of arraign
Jog the committee as demagogues. If this is
demagogicai policy, the committee are dcma-
roQues lie submitted 10 The House and the coun-
try 70 say who, oday had played the character of
a dema gogue. He thanked the gentleman from
mississippi (NTr. BRowS) for having obtained the
fioor and replied 70 the gentleman from Louisiana,
who, clothed with Congressional authority, had
denounced the poor man, who moods protection at
the hands Of the Government, because he uas not,
like the gentleman, born with silver spoon in his
mouth
lie (Hr. McM.) represented district as free
from paupcrs any other. The gentleman re-
ceived bounty for his State That war, of course,
all constitutional and right And he would ask
whether Louisiana did not receive her share Of the
distribution of the pro ceds Of the sales Of the pub
lie lands The State he represented (yirgnia)
scorned the proercd bride, aud has not received it
yet, and will not receive H. When the poor or UNI
fortunate Of Virginia go TO the western States and
settle ON the government lands, he should like 10
see them have the rights az those born in the
western States The substitute Of the gentleman
from Mssissippi1or the bill before the House will
have he direct effect of protecting the poor against
, NE hnd- iobber and land-pirate. He dared say
| thri were such characters in Louisiana, who had
become rich by pouncing on the squattcrs and rob
bing them of their homes, under the old Spanish
| claims.
| The Committee on Agriculture reported but the
skeleton of a measure. They knew the character
Of this House. and the vigilance with which the bill
would be scanned. The gentleman from Misss-
sippi has brought forward proposition, proposing
| to extend the occupant laws TO the poor man. II
will be for the House to determine which 10 entitled
to their consideration He would ask the gentle