The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-03-20

5. said that the third section of the proposed
bill was an exact copy of an act passed 10
relation TO the Territory Of Wisconsin,
which was as follows:
AN ACT concerning Seminary Of Learn.
ing in the Territory Of Wisconsin
Be 1T enacted, Sc, Tbst the Secretary ol
the Treasury be-, and he is hereby, author
zed TO set apart and reserve from sale, Oul
Of The public lands within the Territory OF
Wisconsin, to which the Indian title has
been extinguished, and not otherwise ap-
propriated, quantity Of land not exceeding
two entire townships, for the use AMI sup
port of University within the said Terri
tory, and for no other use or purpose what
soever; located i'm tracts of land of not less
than an entire section, corresponding with
any of the legal divisions into which the
public lands are authorized to he sur
yeyed.
June l2, 1888.
Mr.. S. then continued. He had shown
that the first and last sections of the pro-
posed bill were identical with laws that
have already been passed in relation to
Territories. The section, it appeared TO
him, be (Mr. S. had shown equally to
the satisfaction OF any impartial person,
that these people, who happened acclden-
tally to have settled upon The sixteenth Sec
ton, nor knowing that the lands that they
thus occupied were TO be INCLUDED IN that
section, were certainly entitled to the full
benefit of their labor, and of the improve
ineni that the had effected in the land.
He (Mr. 5. had but few more words
to say, aud they were in reference to what
the gentleman from Missouri Mr.. Bowlin]
had yesterday said. That gentleman had
made this statement, which he MIR. S. did
not hear at the time, or it would have been
answered at once:
al know that all the land that Missouri
possesses she has shonestIy;ob,ained. Nilsson
RI is an observer of the laws, and she " Quill
not legislate in favor of men who would We
oia,e those laws. Ii would be a bad princ-
pie to introduce there, any way; it would
open the door at once to pre-einp,iOn IN adj
vance of public survey. and be contrary to
the whole spirit OF The pre-enption system,
II il were TO he allowed, individuals might
go over and trespass upon the Indian terrific
RES"
He (Mr. S. did not know what the gen.
teman might intend TO convey by such re-
marks, but it would appear that he MIR.
Bowlin) was totally ignorant Of what mate
rial the population of the Territory Of Min
nesota was composed. The hostility that
the gentleman had shown throughout TO ev-
cry measure that had been proposed for the
benefit of the Territory of Minnesota, was
not very characteristic of that megnanimity
which he has the reputation of manItes,ing
when the interests OF bis own section are at
stake.
Minnesota did not xequire or ask for
more than she was strictly entitled 10, and
he (Mr. s. hoped, that what she had a
right to, would not be withheld from her.
The territory did not expect TO receive any
more benefits or privileges than other por-
tons of the Union; but she expected equal
justice. He (Mr. S. Was NOT conscious of
having made any statement that could have
rendered the tcrreitory Of Minnesota liable
TO any such charge as that which seemed to
be implied by the gentleman from Missouri.
He hoped that that genllen,an would he
able TO explain this matter in a way which,
did not carry with it any such inputa,ion as
that which might be inferred.
Mr.. BowDn Gn,erposing) said that be
bad not read his remarks as reported in the
Giode, to hIch the gentleman from Mime
sofa had referred; but what be had said was
that the people of Missouri would not con-
template or tolerate legislation with view
to the violation of law. He (Mr. B. had
said that IN reply to remark that the gen
ile,nan from Minnesota bad used, or that be
had understood him TO make, that there
was in Minnesota q higher law than the
laws of Congress, in relation TO the right oil
pre-emptiOn on unsurveyed land.
Mr.. Siblry said he believed that the gem
tlcnan from Missouri knew very we'll what
he MIR. s. referred TO in the remark tha
he made in regard to "higher law" He
referred to a usage that was Of no more
common occurrence in Minnesota than ~
any other western State or Territory. And
that usage was, that the man who had frs
gone forward and settled unoccupied lands
who had been. as It were, the pioneer o.
civilization, should be protected from being
turned off the soil that he had settled ant
reclaimed. There was no other "higheI
law'' IN Minnesota tha u that. ii was un
fair in the gentleman from Missouri to use
such arguments, in the face Of the fact Iha
his own State, in coInmon with all th'
States in the West, had made, or endeav
ored to make, provision for the protection
of the settlers upon utisurveyed land. liz
| mir. S. ! would not add anything more a
present, but when the debate had closed
and j, was in order so to DO, he would offe
an amendment to The second section.
! The second section of the bill proposed
to he stricken out was then read, as fol
/ lows:
/ SEc.2 lind be 1t further enacted, Tba
whenever it shall be made to appear TO ih'
satisfaction Of the Commissioner of tn
General Land Office that bona fide settle
mcnt has been made on sections numbered i
and 36 Of said lands so reserved as afore
said, before said lands were or may hereaf
ter he surveyed, upon the application OF tn
owner of such settlement to the officers o
the land office in which said lands are, o
. may hereafter be situated, there shall b.
and is hereby granted to such bona file set
tier the right TO enter portion OF SAID re
served lands, upon which said settlement j
or may lie located, by legal subdivisions
not exceed one hundred aud sixty acres, a
the minimum price of the public lands, an
in lieu thereof there shall be and there
hereby grarted to the territories of Orego
and Minnesota, quantity equal in acre
and in value to the amount so entered a
aforesaid, TO he selected by the authorize
agents of said territories, under tbs direc
tion Of the commissioner of the Genera