The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-01-31

enced by the various combined movements OF gentlemen
and brought TO bear upon the public sentiment throughout
the country Thus public opinion sinks down in perfect
quescence The public lands given away and Is all
smooth and proper but the session, when you
make your appropriations, the funds are deficient and
they must be raised from some other source Hence the
tarh be augmented and thus another object is attain
cd al the same ume These frequent elecons and these
enormous aspirations or high place calculated to sap
ne oandaon OF our system. and Of our political exist
ence as Union oil States Do any section any
party In the country that is forming on any systematic
plan to carry this country her career OF goryl Sir
IN my oplnion, everything in the country is rapidly
tending to disorder and dsunion; and vet we are
spending our time and strength upon paltry struggles
for individual ascendency and forgetting to 20 down 10
the case OF injustice pepetrated BY one section Of the
cosnry upon the other. We overlook the dangers that
lie hid in this tremendous issue and trampe upon
would ample upon the fire which is just beginning TO
burn, disregardng it, until the full blaze bursts upon us
in its fury have looked al these things, sir, and
nd u IN them abundant , cause q alarm and ys. profess
more conservative than am /; man more desirous
OF the pepeuity OF this Union, and OF all its glorious
"reminiscences than am. But, sir, look upon the
present state Of affairs with deep, melancholy, and painful
forebodngs. see no broad patriotism founded upon
tona grounds see instead sectional combinations and
personal ngnes Why is ii, sir, that the great minds
OF the country are engaged in struggle for personal
ends and seeming ready TO take advantage OF the excite
ment which agilaes the land, and OF every mi.
question, 10 advance individual views at crisis in
the affairs OF the government like this
Mr. President, had no idea that anything could have
induced me to enter much at large upon this subject
But SUCH sir, my feelings and such my views upon
the present condition OF the country such, too, my
apprehensions and when look around inc, everything,
in humble Judgment, IS poenous and feli that the
present occasion was httng time to express briefly
views which entertained in reference to condition
Ii results in this that relation 10 the matter under
consideration, the great interests of people to be
entirely disregarded and the taxpayer and the payer for
the lands purchased from the Indians and from foreign
countries TO be taxed for the benefit Of foreign
ers-the Legislation here, as in most other cases,
being for exuemes-.while the great central point
is entirely disregarded The native citizen--the
spectacle native inhabtan who is the pillar Of the
aeis overlooked in the excessive zeal winch senators
feel to provide for those to whom we owe nothing,
and it is proclaimed that the millions which should be
derived from the sale OF the public lands shall not 90
into the public treasury, to relieve our own population
from the burden of taxation, but is to be made
special fund for charitable and other purposes; in other
words. to form just such fund as Congress choose to
make of it, and to be applied TO Just such purposes as
Congress choose to apply to- Now, call upon Con-
gess for their constitutional right to DO any such thing
nes ise the public amone Of the nation, and proposes
dispose of the whole OF the public domain for such and
similar purposes. Our government is government Of
delegated powers, and such power is delegated.
We have right to dispose OF any part OF the pro-
ceeds of the public domain or the public property,
any time Or in any ~ way s esc ssnas, 70
which act And yet we are called upon here to vote
that the proceeds Of the public domain shall not 60 into
your treasury but that they shall be diverted to special
objects, for which have no such authority amin
the language of gentleman who spoke yesterday-op
posed to these things and at the proper time shall pro-
claim it. look upon il as the beginning OF course
which, like many other beginnings will prove an evil
which will at last become insuferable;
| MIR. DOUGLAS. Mr.. President, the remarks OF the
gentleman from Georgia do not apply TO my bill, and
Mr.. DAWSON, unlerposing.) spoke of the resolu-
ton, and not Of the bill. have not read your bill
SENATOR made this time and in connexon with the sew
era propositions before the Senate will go to the country
aS no sad ny I Il he had read IL he would no,
have made the remarks he did
Mr. DAWSON. i have said that did not speak
fhah fprs
OF the resolutions before the Seaaie have not read his
bill. did not refer TO his bill. WI,
Mr. DOUGLAS. | understand perfectly. What l !
was remarking was that the several and various propo
stons being spoken OF as being SO and so would lead
the public and the country TO infer that the bill was
ton Of the senator from New York In the first place
them he makes the assumption that this policy policy
for rewarding the patriots OF the various countries OF Eu
rope, instead OF American citizens. Is It not proper Tor
me TO state that there such proposition embraced in
my bi Nor is there any such proposition to be found
in the resolution OF the distinguished senator from Mas
sachuses or in that OF the distinguished senator from
Texas Each of these propositions provides that there
be granted one hundred and sixty acres OF the public
land to the actual settler, whether foreigner or native,
including every man in America, who shall come to
make his home in the land. But the gentleman goes
further, and ntimaies that these things are Intended
merely to catch votes, because none but voters are pro-
vlded for in the bill. ttl l#oa tasaY,ryf "a IL
Mr.. DAWSON submit that this is not necessary. I
have not read your bill, and have not spoken OF your
bill ye, you will reply as if had sg Hs -
Mr.. DOUGLAS. | understand that the senator from
Georgia did not intend his remarks specifically for my
bill but when he spoke OF "those various resolutions,
calculated TO lead the country TO understand that
my bill contained the same proposition ~ ~.
Mr DAWSON. Not your bill. have not read your
bill, and have not commented on IT. 81 siN
Mr. DOUGLAS Well, then, the resolution Of the
from Massachusetts and that of the senator IRON
Texas do provide the widow; and the bill TO which
refer provides Tor the widow and also Tor the female
eighteen years OF age, who shall settle upon the
land and apply for title to the same Hence therefore,
the objections that the widow is not provided for,
aud that the female is not provided for, and that the
actual American citizen has not been provided for,
all Ia to ground wish this policy to be distinctly
understood wish TO be understood that we propose no
Did to foreigners but propose comprehensive scheme
of policy Tor the American government 70 adopt--tnat
that system Of policy shall be the giant OF lands TO TIE
actual settler who resides upon and cuiuva'es tue ano'
/ no matter where the man born
And this brings answer the argument OF tne sem
ator from Georgia, far as 1t relates TO ne posuon
that The benecaries of this policy pay no taxes why,
sir the American who settles on the land. or ,ne iot-
ecner who comes here and settles there, certainly pays
taxes and the foreigner by the very act OIL setiement
becomes tax-payer This policy, thersIo'e muupnes
the number OF taxpayers, and relieves te ouuen upon
the balance OF the citizens by toe increase o ne rev
enue ID fills the new portions OF Tie country with har-
DIV and industrious men, withou. urc'lhnsuon vi on
rin or discrimination in any other respect
sir am equally opposed gthe cocnne OF the sepa-
or from Georgia who would discriminate against for
eioners and that Of the senator from New York, who
wishes TO discriminate in certain instances against the