The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-23
I,ndx r. III new countries. lctit bc by aoenep

hence snail not consume The Time of Tie Scil-
at,. in going into an argument against il. But
liz Is obvious to my mind that there are good
reasons for giving larger bounty 10 the settler
in Oregon than 10 those of any other Territory
of the United States In the first place sir the
extreme distance from the inhabited portion OF
the United States-the great expeace, the greet
outfit necessary TO reach th,t remote region
over and above what Is necessary with respect
~ the remaining portions OF the United States
which have been heretofore setted---is suili-
cirnt reason We hive been in the habit of giving
to actual settlers ] 60 acres of lind in Territories
contiguous MS it were, to the States. In this
ease the lands are at a dist nce gilmore than 1900
miles away. ANY man who goes that distance
TO find home, is certainly entitled. Saying moth
ing about family, to 100 acres of land We
now propose to give 800 acres Ia the citizen
who goes there with his f'mily, and becomes an
actu 4 settler and inhabant of that county,
r As | have 3D. the actual outfit necessary to
reach the point in order To enjoy this privilege
will cost more than that quantity OF liIId may
be bought for in several of the States of this
i Union Instead of 800 acres being an eytraor-
dinary advantage under such circumstances,
consider il really less thln the actual settler is
entited to. WAS under the impression, null
\ Rad the section this morning. IN t the bill gave
"A section to the actual settler with family, and
huff a section to the unmarried man; and ii
were to vote for any modification of the section
it would be for giving full section, instead Of
. reducing the quantity. The cases cited by the
honorable senator from Florida are not anaog-
Gus The Territories of the United States have
been peopled heretofore il very different mrn-
! ner The advantages and disadvantages in the
{ c ,srS are not to b" compared The quantity of
| land proposed to be given il, under the crcuEl-
! Stances extremely small.
1 Mr. BENTON ! regret, Mr.. President that
: the previous section was no. proposition for
donation OF 6 10 acres ia the early settlers. IL olv
} proposes To give them go acres. 6lO acres---a
) mile sqllrp--would ben sn Il donatonfira fam
iiy so Far oil in the wilderness as these Lands are.
!. As 10 HE seciioa nov uader consideration,
!. MN with family gets only h'lfa section and
(. i, single man only quarter OF = section hope
. willows are included among single men so as TO
o get at least the smaller qnittity.
n think, Mr. President that these alc small
!. amounts, under the circumstances, To bcstow
e aud the Unt,.d States, in making donation of
d them under sncl circumstances, will be selling
them 1T the highest ice that i k,loWn--;l
ii higher price than, can be estimated by gold aud
9 silver paii ito tie treasury. They get in re-
4 tnr, for it settlers who improve the country who
IT. will defend the country, aud who III Hl time 10
: come will lc raising up defenders Of the country
. who in the service OF the Unit d States, will
y help to defend the whole country--w.to will
. give rise . commerce through their products ::
e which commerce will bring money into tho
Treasury olthe United States throu q, thccuson-
houses They will pay great price in the SER
vice they will render the caurtry they are piv-
: ing another great price in the privatns and
! hardship. which they must themselves endure.
am, therefore, for great beraty with re-
spect to settlers in new country; and, of al,
( the settlers in new countries, none are So much
5 entitled to il rs the peopl, of Oregon.
I, When these people who are now in Oregon
began to 30 there, we were contrasting with
powerful foreign nation for the title OF that
country. 1t was their occupancy that forced the
settlement of the question from which the dpo-
matists and statesmen had been shrinking. For
more than Il quarter of century dip'onritists
hid been eudeayoring merely to stave of the
II question from day to day. Meantime these
!, settlers took possession of tine country, and
forced 4 decision of the question. They COZ
=, .nrrcd il lhev conquered it from the savages.
They Conquered il from Great Britain; and they
|, 60 Gnerrd it from the supineness and negligence
+ ofl,ei-a,o and dirlomatists. Theycouquercd
nj il in every sense of the word, and they are en-
e titled To II great deal on the part Of the United
# States on account Of it, What say in regard
4 To Oregon applies to her. and not to any other
u section Of the country. When wecone to Cali
forna shall be ready to isldcr here use, under
; the p rticulur circumstances which may dl,tin-
5 guis,, it, Ike Oregoa Us it is presenting,
it do -, the very highcs claims to the consdera-
) ton and counteaa,ce Of the American Cangress.
. will vote for the largest grant that any gentle.
i nun will vote for
= Mr.. DICKINSON. Mr. President | concur
t fully with the two senators last up III regard to
!. this matter The grcatcst objection have IS,
y that do not b licve the Donation is enough.
r Orcpon is now an organized Terri. DRY: but
c when most of these persons went there, it was
e literally III the language of the old Psalmody
! place
sWhere nothing dwclt but beasts Of prey,
/, And men as fierce and wild rs they
They went and reclaimed it-brought it under
the laws of civilization and of the United St ties.
They bravcd all the dangers of the border: and
; if there are any people entitled to the con idrr
alton and the liberal reward of the Government
of the United States it is the people of that
Territory The eases cited b. the senator ftom
Florida fMr. iULEE] are not applicable to the
people of Oregon, VINO have sed the Rocky
mountains, aud run the hazards of the border
life, S wage dcpredations, and the thous md de-
prvations of that distant region. They have
well earned al that we now propose to give
them
;. Mr.. BELL Mr.. Prcsidrn', | do not wish
\ TO deiain the Senate BY discussing this ques
ton; but really, sir, think We are running wild
in career which has heretofore b,'en wild
to soue extent. | have generally voted for deal
ing literally with the actual settlers of our new
! Territories, by giving them donations OF the
public lands but understand that this bill! not
only proposes the donation of a section OF Land
to the settlers and pioneers in that country-
those who are there alrer dy--but that it pro-
poses also II donation of half section To all
who shall 90 there up TO a certain time. Now.
/ sir cunot perceive the w>iom of that. The
rel pioneers the settlers wlIu have undergone
SO many difficulties, and trials, and deprivatons
are entitled to some consideration at our
, hands | shonld even have no objections to
| making lib,ral donation TO all that are there
now but thi',k TINT j. going TO the very fur
thcst extent of Gberaty
Il Now sir | understand that ti,i, bill is based