The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-06-02
Urtkly CrYrrss.
WEDNESDAY MoRNrNG, -. JUNE, 2.
A Question of some Moment.

1t is argued by some, who are opposed Il
granting lands for he improvement Of The West
that the passage of the Homestead Bill viii
have tendency to defeat all grants for railroad
and othe, improvements. We cannot view the
subject in this light. If the government should
decide to exact no compensation for the lands,
bu. sratuitously bestow them upon all who are
landless, What object could the government
have in interposng an obstacle to great and sal
uary Improvements, which are calculated to
develop the hidden resources of the new and
sparcely populated States, and confer au incal-
culable benefit upon the country?
| Instead Of losing by such course of lcgisla-
,ion, it would be decided gamer. For, every
foot OF land which is settled and brought under
cultivation, adds It's natural proportion to the
that land passes into the hands Of tler of The
SOL, or into that OF the Safe, for making an
| important public improvement, which is to hen
eft alike the individual, the State and the Cow
change the effect produced upon the govern
ment The government is acting in the capac-
ity Of the proprietor Of estate, the head Of
a fanily. The proprietor adopts such a course
in the settlement and conduct of his estate, as
will confer the highest value upon the whole
estate, and not moiety of it (; the parent such
a course as will conferlhe highest benefit upon
his entire family, and not part it. Precise
ly so with the parent government 1t lis for the
interest Of the government, that the waste lands
should be settled and improved. This should
be paramount object with the govern
ment, as it is a paramount interest for the
country. Whatever legislation will produce
tt.is result, if not Incompatible with the rights
Of the States, or oppressive to any particular
class Of community, it seems to US should be
adopted
We cannot perceive that liberal grants to the
new Sta.es, to aid them in extricating them
selves from their present crippled condition,
and advancing to an equality with their older
sisters Of the cnnf.deracy, even under the be-
ngn operation of Homestead Law, would
conflict with the rights Of the older States, or
"oAN A"JuS''Se W any CiaSS VI ConHluutty. Anu
certainly no two schemes, in our humble opin
ion, could be devised, which would confer
higher beneht upon the West. A vast and fer
tile territory, rich in mineral and other resourc-
ps, is open to settlement and improvement, and
invites the stranger to come and quarter him
self upoa its bounty. Thousands are anxious to
do so, who have not the means to purchase an
estate; bur who would gladly put 70 th an ef
fort to reach the West, il any inducement was
held out by the government, by which they
could reasonably hope to better their condition.
The poor are becoming so large proportion Of
the popuiaiion Of the land, and wealth is be-
coming rigid in its exacti ms, and tyran cal
in the exercise of its power over poverty, that il
becomes the solemn duty Of the legislator to
make legislation conform in some measure to
its require mcnts and necessities. In offering
this protection to the poor, protects the West,
while it guarantees increased prosperity and
wealth TO the country, and happiness to the peo-
pie. We say, then. give us wholesome and be-
niiicent laws for the poor individral and the
poor State, which can work no injustice to other
classes and other portions Of the country, and
the benefit will be general one, pervading all
branches of industry, and every portion OF the
land