The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-16

WARRINGTON, jan IL, lSOl
Fya FGms-Mr. Waiky's BM-Mr. Fsich's
Spssch-bfT. Walkers Repty--Progrsa of the
zhi~g-CheaY Postages.
For two days past Mr.. Walkers bill providing for
the parcelling out Of the public lands to actual set
tiers, In free farms, has been under consderaton in
the Senate The bill provides that the public lands
shall be ceded to the States which they lie-that
the said States shall parcel them out to actual set
TIERS not possessed Of other lands, free of cost,
except for survey, &c., in farms, to each family,
Of l60 acres--and thai the possession In family
OF farm thus acquired, shall be an inahenable
possession of the family, against forcibe seizure
voluntary transfer.
Mr.. Felch commenced yesterday, and finished
to-day, his very sensible and practical speech
against , The bill He was Opposed to giving away
require all resources OF revenue TO be carefully
fostered He argued from Q series OF tables of H.
cures, that the Mexican military land warrants,
and the new military bounty land law, had not ex-
hausted, and could exhaust, the public lands as
a source of revenue. He commended that the grants
to settlers, proposed, would disturb the relations
OF properly and domestic industry, and that the
scheme would lead to confusion and disorder, if
made law of the land-that il would be expensive
TO the government, and an expensive burden upon
the States-that u proposes to infringe upon State
powers and State legislation, In imposing conditions
upon the transfer to the States and that the mea-
sure would be wholly impolitc, impracticable, and
inexpedient.
Mr.. Walker has occupied an hour or so to-day in
general reply, and has the floor for tomorrow. He
bases his reas oning IN favor of free farms to settlers
as they may come, upon the principle that God AL
mighty ordains that man is entitled to food, shelter
and clothing-that man has an inherent right, by
ga higher law" than entails, or primogeniures, to
some share in the soil-and thar large landed es-
eates and landed monopolies have been the ruin
alike of the smallest and the greatest nations OF the
earth. This is undiluted agrananism The anti
renters have but faint idea of the validity of their
titles to the lands they occupy, compared with the
liberal views of Mr.. Walker.
OF course, the whole OF the debate upon the
scheme OF Mr.. Walker, at this session, is time
thrown away. II affords, however matter for agita-
tion and measure, for the popularity of which such
men as Webster, Benton, Douglas, Houston and
Others, have made their movements, Is not likely
to fall 10 the ground for lack of agitation II is,
believe, to be made distinct issue in the campaign
of '52-and if a candidate Is elected by the people,
he must either 90 for Cuba or free farms, or both
of them together. Free farms will become an i'm
pOrtant Recommendations in the cam
paign of so.
The House has FILTERED away another day upon
cheap postages Finding they could not come to
any underst anding upon the rates of reduction, the
committee rose, and the House adjourned We
have al least equal chance that the bill will be
defeated, and that cheap hostages, with immense
mass of other unfinished business, will 90 over to
the next Congress- We have very slim prospect
very slim-for cheap postages or tariffs, or any
thing OF that sort, this session. We still however,
count upon the branch mint.