The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-31


Gomez The necessity Cor higher rate Of duties and
thus r. agitated the question of the tari-scarcey
less exciting than the subject Of slavery.
In viewing that subject and the various measures
Of kindred character, constantly introduced into
the halls Of Legislation, he nothing calculated
TO produce harmony and good feeling. He saw
things portcntous ofdestructon to every thing dear
to the patriot and the lover Of his country.
Why should the public lands be given 10 foreign
erss Were there none here who had foughtin de-
fence OF their country! Wcrethere no widows and
orphans. made such by the very war in which you
gained these lands who would like to have this land9
II it is desired to give il away, why not give il to
them Ii this inducement was held out to all who
had fought in Europe, to come here and take our
land as q free gift, why should the American cti.
The American citizen certainly was as much enti-
tied TO this land the foreigner who had run away
from, and abandoned, his country. If you invite
dom, TO come here and take this land, is not the
progress and the offree principles checked,
If not forever stopped in Europe9
Mr.. DOUGLAS replied. If the Senator from
Georgia had examined the provisions of the bill in
trodured by him, two-third of the Senator's
marks would have been unnecessary. u
| MIR. DAWSON said the Senator's bill was not
under discussion. He had never read the bill he
was speaking Of different resolutions.
MIR. DOUGLAS admitted the bill was not under
discussion. But the Senator'S remarks being made
In reference 10 the several propositions5 they
would have a bearing on the BILL
Mr.. DAWSON reminded the Senator that the
| bill was not before the Senate and II would not
| have been in order to debate IL ~
| Mr.. DOUGLAS said the Senator was correct in
stating that the bill was not before the Senate and
that twould not have been in order to debate it.
But the Senator must also know that the resoltons
Of the Senator from Massach usets and Of the SEN
ator from New York were neither of them before
the Senate, and vet the Scna tor had discussed the
| The Senator from Georgia had found fault with
this measure because it favored the foreigner His
bill did not as the proposition Of the Senator from
New York, propose TO discriminate in favor of the
foreigner, but to place him on an equal footing.
The proposition Of the Senator from Massachusetts
was the same. Both also provided for widows and
orphans, and for females of the age Of eighteen
| years. granting to them all whether native Or for
eign BORN an equal privilege to settle the public
| lands. &t
| The Senator from Georgia had deemed this as
a measure to catch foreign votes as a measure
tending to pander to foreign influence in the !
elections. He was opposed to any thing of the
kind. He was much opposed TO hattery and
pandering to foreigners as he was TO the opposite
feeling Of fattering and pandcring to the preju-
dices Of some portions Of the people agaust forci9n
ers. He would remind the Senator that there were
| ter the foreigner and the other "a denounce him.
and that each was very reprchensible, though quite
common in different sections Of the country.
Mr. HUNTER moved to postpone the resolution
till to- morrow, with view take up the resolu-
ton Of the Senator from Michigan to suspend diplo-
matte relations with Austria. .i33 - \
! Mr.. HOUSTON asked that the motion be with
drawn, to enable him to make few remarks.
And the motion withdrawn $
| Mr.. H. then defended his resolution II did pro-
| vide for women and children as well as for men,
1t limited the time for foreigners to take advantage
of ito those who in the country before the
4th of March next.
| In conclusion, he moved that the resolution be
laid on the table and printed but withdrew the mo-
| ton at the request of Nt
| Mr.. SEWARD, who said that ii was true that he
was opposed to the application of the proceeds Of the
public lands to the payment of the expenses Of the
nation. He had approved and advocated the inca.
sure introduced by the statesman from Kentucky
some years ago, to distribute those proceeds among
the several States.
| In the State of New York that measure had pro-
duccd incalculable benefits. !
| That State had received four and half millions
Of dollars as her share. That sum was the founda-
ton of her great system of public schools With
the interest Of that sum New York had been ena-
bled to establish common schools all over the State
and to endow institutions to educate persons for
! higher branches. Throughout the whole State at
this time there were schoo-houscs everywhere;
every mile and a half you found one. In New
York the schoomastcr was al home. Not only was
all this done, but the blind taught to read and
the deaf and the mute taught how to convey their
Ideas
And ut this time there were in New York
children who had not the means Of being taught to
read and write. All this had been done with the
interest ON the share Of New York in the proceeds
OF the sales of public lands.
Nor were the colorcd people forgotten: thew too
had received benefits from this fund. There were
now over 5000 colored children being educated in
that state
nc had been charged with notbringing in mea-