Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-06-01
For the Enquirer.
Tor NC Enquirer.
THE HOMESTEAD BlLL-lTS UNCONSTlTUTlON
Atty AND INJUSTICE.

Tfis bill which passed the House of Representatives
lately and is row before the Senate has not attracted that
,,,rn;jnn witch deserves and which moments nves
CATION Of main features will show it 10 be entitled to-
The sum and substance OF the bill is that il gives one hun
cd nd tixty acres the public lands every head of
family who his land and who will settle and reside upon
the same for five years Il will thus be perceived that this is
measure vast Importance for in act Is bat dona
ton u Tie whole immense public domain OF the country
and the consequences which must necessarily ioi0" ths
fact are important than the tact ltse NO one can
fail 10 see that the whole scheme is unwaanied by the Con-
slilu,on if il be not direct and papabe violation of its
express PROVISIONS Congress has no power by Inc Con
stituun TO dispose of the public lands except ior public
purpo.es-as general principle they should be sold at req
souae aud The proceeds used for revenue thereby
diminishing the taxation OF the people 10 tha' amount
If Congress has the right TO donate the lands 10 lnd
yidu,s in principle and in fact it may just as Well take
frou the public treasury the value OF one hundred
and SIXTY Of land in money nnd give II 10 each OF
the favored class, TO give lhe iano ise Inc result
an FIR the rca.uy and the pecunlay elect upon the peo-
pe is the same part Of these lands were ceded TO the
Union By certain Of the Old States on the express condition.
that they ITO be disposed Of Tor Inc use ana pSneh OF
the States and for other purpose ratsoerer This bill
makes no such disposition Of the lands the cid States,
those which gave them the United States derive no 6e-
nef whatever from them, # this bill passes On the CON
tray the burdens of government the people, VIII be IN
creased, for this measure will deprive The Uneu states TO-
vcrnne Of all the from these lands-whc II en-
tails ruon the government all the expenses attendant upon
the ca re- OF the ands extineuishmont OF indan titles, &C.
1t will thus the necessity for Increased taxation
fare rived hy United States from the sales oil the pupc
lands more thar three millions of dollars per annun
This deficiency In the Federal Treasury must be supplied
The question arises in what way, ana rom Wno u1s .,es
.di,r,, ,hrc: millions OF dollars 10 be obtained 10 there
Southern man who cun fail that ii is but another OF
the many schemes lately esGrled to to increase Inc ar
and bld uu the manufacturers and tho commercial interests
of Northern citizens the OF the whole southern
counryl The deficit in the public revenues must be made
up by additional taxation upon the people, IN he shape oil
duties UPON imports But 10 get Tins sum Into Inc treasury,
The ncnpe must pay the shape OF additional taxes about
four and half millions Of dollars, as il costs third OF
Tho duty 10 collect it, Now of this OF four and hall
Il, lilo iha nj
AZ least three millions. And what return, what benefit are
hev ID receive for this additional ax-hiee millions o dol
tax which will bear The hardest upon the poorer class
Of our renpo7 Why few of them will get l6O acres Of
nnl worth about $500, bul which this bill will reduce to
one halls Of That value.
The measure is partial and unjust in lis operations il,
in fact worse than the redistribution scheme OF The Harrl
son while its effect upon the revenue and
the tariff question is the gives 10 part OF the peo
pI The amount thus taken from the pockets oi the WHOLE
stead u giving It 10 the whole people as the famous disou
ton scheme did,
INC measure is unjust the who have received boun
" lands for service war; well all who have bought
land, Of tho government. Ii will lessen the value of their
aads-a all the lands mus depreciate in value Inc poor
soldier or his widow who has warrant for portion oil land
ana csirous OF selling it, vii! lind purchaser bur the
Standardization no will purchase farm when he can get
from Tho government i2r nothing And SO WIN lhoSe
who haze bought and paid Tor lands and ultimately tho
whole pEhc domain will &c taken up under this measure,
and none will he left for the holders of bounty land warrants
which hr poverty, may NJ prcsen; prevent them from
locating.
Tho whole n,ea9ufo IS only Socialist" scheme
which recognises tho duty OF government TO furnish means
OF surot those who 100 lazy 10 work. or too shift
les. an mpov cnt take thought for the future It's
tain tendency increase the acnaon already too frcva
lent 10 lock To the government instead of depending upon
individual excrun and enterprise FOR the means Of su6ss
encr This is most vicious and immoral tendency, which
grove with lis qualification.
This is not ary measure for largo majority Of both
pAcs N The House Of Representatives voted for the BILL
But 10 my mind II il in direct conflict with important prin-
ci OF -Dc;nncic creed, and totally inconsistent with
tho the democratic party upon measures nyoiV-
ing tic principles which have been b1iore The country
in past years ready any one TO admit lis lmpor-
lance OF making iseeGdtfs Of many OF our citizens as
possfl aud am much tc friend OF the poor az any
advocate Of ibis measure; but the justice Of
taxing the pic Of The South three millions OF dollars Tor
the benefit % few and TO carry out the popularity
schemes OF political nspirants
IT il Il measure which many honest men support from the
best of nutives hobby which demagogues ore riding
with reckless indifference 10 everything except lel own
sefsh purposes If il becomes law, we arc Confident
thai the former will rvou-y disappointed in its elects
tina, tho latter will ultimately find very different nag from
what hcy now il, and ha 'liSe all attempts OF
Government 10 interfere with the private concerns OF lis
citizens Beyond ils Constitutional aad proper limits II VIII
ind in dsas.r and finally sink into appropriately and disrc
putc." " ,I,: ,r
ho;.c some rapabo will show up the 6edulles Oh
this ".-a nd distribution scheme" in is true coIors
AN EYE ON THE METROPOLIS.