The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-26

who wilt occupy IT, But II that pfincipe n worm |
anyhing--f it has the importance which gentle |
men suppose who, both here and elsewhere, urge its |
consideration with much zeal upon the govcrnmentii
i is an inalienabe right pertaining 70 man a man. The
Its required by II that all who are without land shall be
supplied The natural right 10 live, and the consequent
men according these doctrines the duty OF providing
by law the bill before us. for gratuous grant oil
100 acres Of land to every individual
Ii is not enough TO make Tree the transfer OF such
property 10 abolish classes and exclusive privileges 10
throw wide open the door TO enterprise economy and Ia
bor 10 enable every to provide for himself by his
own moderate exerions government mus, 20 further.
and offer every this kind OF property free OF cost
II this doctrine be correct in It's full extent. to
me that The bill have under consideration falls
very far short OF securing the rights OF those persons in
terested in this matter.
What do propose BY it to do, in order to carry out
the great principle of human righis' We propose to
make distribution OF the public domain among persons
who not the owners OF one hundred and sixty acres
OF land This distribution is to be continued Tor the
period during which the may be possessed OF
the public domain But, SIR that period must inevitably
be short And is the principle to die when the public
to be thrown away and abandoned Is this right TO be
urged for the present generation and denied for the next
or the remote lsaman to retain his right to live and
be deprived of his right 10 place In which TO live or It's
sequence, the grant of land when that time shall have
EXPIRED II i be natural right OF man, il belongs to
future generations as well as to the present will not
when we shall have nothing to distribute Looking al
the subject in this light cannot but think that all the
far short of accomplishing the object which is intended
to be secured, and which il is alleged will be Sc
cured, by this bill Some of these propositions, have
looked little further into this matter; and though
they have not provided for future generations yet with
more gaantry than the author OF this measure their
have embraced the genter sex within their
After all the speculation which has been had upon the
right of all to the gratuous occupation OF land the
territory has in ali civilized governments been regarded
exclusive, carrying with il the power OF dlsposlng in
OF the property TO another under the same
guarantee OF exclusive and indefeasble enjoyment This
Bill proposes the same thing in principle; but although
provides for the first Distribution yet secures nothing
beyond the partition OF the land OF which we are
When this first distribution shall be made, the poor
and the landless will be left at the presen. time
There are no PROVISIONS here TO transmit the psopssry Or
homestead They must be purchasers, or they cannot
possess None but the landless be buy
the land but the poor and the andess are not to be sup
piled with they possess unless they can obtain
the means buy. In this respect, after the first dis
trbuton. the present state Of things will return. with
this derence-that the title obtained by purchase,
and which is absolute. will then be conditional.
The plan before us is, them mere temporary arrange,
gra'uous distribution OF the land now possessed
by the United Staes-and not the establishment OF a
great system commensurate with the wants OF the class
Intended to be benefited The great principle OF alleged
is nsher carried Ha ou applied 6y the
after the first distribution, the principle abandoned and
under it's operation the landless will be much ex-
cuded from the possession OF land as al the present
time.
Mr. President have already alluded for few moments
to the provision contained in this bill which proposes to
connect influence upon the legislation OF the States,
through sonditiOns with the grant OF the lands lying
within their borders, wish, however, TO make one Or
two general remarks further upon the subject OF the
power and duty of the general government In dsposing
Of the domain within the States AT the last session OF
Congress, discussion was had in this body III which
my friend from illinois Mr. DoUGLAs] and the then
senator from Massachusetts (hr EBsTER,l trans
erred another branch OF the government took part IN
debate involving some OF the principles which are now
under consideration. was discussion, must be per-
mitted to saw which afforded much information upon the
important subject of the public lands
Mr.. WEBSTER in the course of4S argument made the
following remark:
The government of the United States holds the land
only great putposethar u.s. to sell IL holds u in
the United States and acre, as soon as sold, falls
under the dominion oil the municipal sovereign and is sub
ject to all the rules aad regulations prescribed by Tue local
government ss r54-e
Now SIR this power to sell necessarily implies duty
the part OF the government regard to the manner oi
disposinx Of the public domain The early cessons Of land
from the original States TO the general government, clearly
contemplated the settlement OF the territory coded, and It's
growth into independent organizations States, The
a ae o. no q s aed b" The States
formed should be distinct republican States, and adj
mitled members OF the federal Union. having the same
rights Of sovereignty freedom and independence as the
other States" II foreseen that emigration would
seek the rich soil OF the coded country, and that large
communities would people ils territories In accepting
the cession OF both the soil and jursdcton, with the
express declaration of this Duty the government vir-
tually pledged itself to that kind OF action which would
not only tend to build up and people that wilderness
country but would best promote the interest OF the m
habans, and lay the brosdesl foundation Tor Their IN
dependence and prosperity
Ii assumed the important duty OF experimenting the
growth OF the republics, aud preparing them 10 be-
come worthy members Of this great confederacy these
objects could be accomplished without adopting
course oil action towards them which should srike on
every shackle aud make them safe in the enjoyment OF
their property and their personal freedom. and mould
their institutions in the spnt of true liberty
Every must have observed the great influence oil
the land system OF country on lis welfare takes deep
hold of every interest and every relation oil society
forms the institutions and character OF the people, and
sometimes modihes the government itself memorable
OF this influence found IN the history OF the
federal system. Let any trace il from its ogln IN
the obscury Of ey history. in its growth and IN It's prog
different nations Of Europe let him observe
it's efec: this nation and in that upon individuals, upon
communities and upon governments, and he Will admit
that there connected with the tenure OF real estate an
influence which, beyond almost everything else, moulds
and forms the characteristics OF people, and makes or
mars their happiness Where its progress did this system
ever pass that il did crush civil liberty and establish
yassaage Where did il fail 10 elevate the powerful lew,
and humble in the dust the great masses To check or
subdue it's claims, 10 break its oppressive bonds, and to
recover the free enjoyment and Independence OF unen-
numbered real property has been the great labor OF mod
ern mes tttt
The duty OF the government, in my humble opinion in
the disposal of the public domain is clearly marked out
II REQUIRES sales to be made Unfortunately 70 all and
the granting Of the most perfect title to the purchaser
rejects all endorsements, services, and conditions. II
requires the purchaser to be endowed with the most per-
feet freedom from all restraint connected with his title or