Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-02-27
For the Rnrlinrtnn Hawk Eve.

arrival was the 26h Feb.-this year on the 20 h.
The river is now in first rate navigable order.
For the burlington Hawk Eye.
There is one subject, which, is beginning to
awaken considerable interest among all classes OF
the people Of our country, and which will continue
to increase until its Importance shall have been
fully recognized and appreciated. Imean the sub
ject Of Land Reform. And in this age Of progress
and experiment there is none that demands in
higher degree the consider alton and action of the
people and their representatives, than the subject
of the public domain.
The question arises, what disposition shall be
made of the immense fertile lands OF the govern
ment, whereby they may be rendered most benef-
cal both to the people and the government Mr..
Walker Of Wisconsin in his able and lucid speech
upon the subject in the Senate, has given facts and
figures, principles and arguments, amounting to a
mands that they should be sold to the actual settler
in limited quantities, at the prime cost OF Sssur-
vey, transfer and title muniments."
To be satisfied that there is vast amount Of
what Mr. Walker calls Class Legislation it is only
necessary to consult the records Of Congress.
And while are of that numbe r w no maintain the
doctrine that it is the duty of Congress so to egis-
late as to give equal and ample projections, so far
practicable to all the great departments of agri
culture, commerce and manufactures, yet we be.
lieve there is another kind of protection demanded
by the honest, the energetic and iniusrioust though
poor man, whose highest ambition is to secure for
himself and his family home upon the soil of his
nativity or adoption, which he may be able to call
his own, and which shall give him interest in
the institutions of his country as real and as solid
as the earth upon which his domicil is erected.
That there are thousands Of such persons, par
ticuarly in our Eastern States and cities, fact
which no one, that knows anything cfthe condition
and character o! our people will deny. And that
they would gladly avail themselves of an opportu-
nifty to acquire home upon such terms it is only
necessary for Congress TO afford them the oppor-
tunity TO see them fockng in thousands to take
advantage oft. There are thousands OF tenants
living upon farms in our Eastern and Middle States,
who at the end of the year, after their reLt has
been paid, have barely subsistence for their fam
lies, and thus they live and toll on Fl ON year to
year, mere tenants at sufferance will to their
land lords (high sounding ttle) without the shadow
OF hope Of ever being able to sssit down beneath
their ownvine and fig tree, with none to modest
or make them AFRAID Ask that class Of persons
the reason why they do not emigrate to the West
and purchase for themselves home, and almost
invariably the answer will be that it would exhaust
all their means in getting there and paying for
piece of land at government price, and that they
would have nothing left, with which to COM
mence improve And thus they are deferred
from making the effort, thinking it better to
s.suiier the ills they have than fly to others they
know not OFF,
Bat let Congress say to that class semigrate to
the "far West' and your government will secure
to you tract of fertile land at q mere nominal
price. Settle upon it and improve it and it shall
be yours, - and they would no longer remain the
dependents Of those who happen to be lolds TO the
manor horn.''
And there is an other numerous class, still lower
in the scale of life than the tenant, they the
day laborers. Let them understand that with the
savings Of few years they may find themselves
upon the broad praires ofthe West, the proprietor
Of trac. of lanl though small yet as productive as
any the sun ever shone upon, and their hard earn
ings would no longer be spent in TITLES or dissipa
tion, as they now too often are, because they see
before them prospect OF accumulation sufficient
to purchase land FOR a home, and discouraged and
dishcartened, they often "take no though. for the
morrow thinking ssuficient for the day is the
evil thereof" And in all of our Atlantic and otker
cities there are thousands chained down in hope
less and remediless poverty, who would gladly de-
vote all their energies to the cultivation of the soil
could they but have a small tract Of their upon
which to bestow their labor. That there is a re-
dundancy of population in all large cities the re-
cords of pauperism, too plainly indicate. There is
rotb IF
to procure subsistence for them, and in such a
case, when he is removed by death, nothing but
want and misery stare his widow and orphan chill
dren in the face. Give such man the opportuni-
ty Of acquiring home upon a few of the millions
Of acres of land that lying waste and I'M
productive, and you open the door to that family,
topeace, happiness and prosperity.
But it may be contended that there are thou
sands too indoient and too degraded to accept the
offer if it were made them, that they would sooner
live on in their wretchedness and poverty than to
encounter the hardships aud privstions of a new
country To this we reply, let them remain as they
are. Rut do not on their account deprive those
who are willing and anxious to better their condi-
ton from doing SO.
We think it can be shown beyond doubt that il
such system of land reform could be adopted as
is contemplated, that it would result in benefit not
only to those who might settle upon the lands, but
to Manufactures, Commerce and Agriculture gen.
orally that the east would reap incalcuable bene-
fits from the system well as the west, and that
the government itself, while profcssedly giving
away her fertile lands would be the gamer thereof.
We think 1t can be further shown that the princi-
pies of justice and equality in legislation dema nd Of
government radical reform upon this important
subject. WHIG
Burlington and Peoria Rail Il Dad.
GA BILL for an act TO amend act entitled can
act to incorporate the Peoria and Oquawka Rail