The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-01-21

Dy 'ne senator from Massachusetts,, MI DAVIsl ana
put them together, you will find that they involve most
singular and astonishing iaacy. The senator from
henlueky says that The proposition propose 10 amend
and which he rather claims 10 be the father Of one 10
give mere gratulty TO those who have fought the battles
OF our country Why sir that graluiy given BY the
bill which il is thus proposed 10 explain TO amend and
i turns Out that that Eaiuy was one that those to whom
II was extended did not want-that s we have provided
grant OF land for that class OF people who fought our
battles, and now they do not want that grant Ad the
senator makes il matter OF great merit when he has
given them what they do not want and what they do not
thank him foI-lhus 10 enable them to do serious in
jury TO the country and those who want homes bypacsg
in their hands circulating medium in the shape OF war
rants for land that they do not want TO live upon, and by
selling which 10 deprecaie il that land be obtained
by Spectators for oneha onethrd OF what the gov
eminent is willing TO sell il for That is the amount OF
the arguments he gave them the grauiy II is not want
ed il is failure; and he must do the actual set
tier and the country an injury IN order that The Speculation
may be benefited And there is much merit IN that ar
guInent in the estimation of the senator from Massachu
sets, lMr DAVIS that must be held prominently before
the Senate and above everything else. and we must con-
slider TO the exclusion OF all other classes OF grants OF
land and all other classes OF persons, and not suffer any
other to be nerposed between its consideration
and the object il has in view.
Now, think there is more merit in the amendment
propose than there is in the proposition ITSELF or the
measure 1t is proposed by this proposition to amend
to have place 10 settle upon II there be the aged and
the wealthy who have their homes already, who are
living in the old States, and will not break up their
present residences 10 get homes, that is
why those who have no homes should not be permitted
to get them-that is no reason why new home should
be offered TO those who have homes now, and exclude
those who have none Now, this grant OF land has
been offered TO the old soldier the senator him.
and he does not want il he refuses to benefit by it. He
now proposes to give him what will be worth to HIM
perhaps $50 that is the privilege OF assigning his land
warrant You asked to give the soldier the privilege
OF selling one hundred and sixty acre land warrant for
$50 10 person who will get land from the government
for i worth at least 5000 and in this way, by giving the
soldier $780, you wrong the government out OF $780,
which goes TO benefit the specuator who buys the land
warrant at rate infinitely less than the land could be
procured in any other way
There argument submitted yesterday, which
was that this assignment OF land warrants will operate
benefciay to the settler And the senator from Louis
lana [Mr DowNs asked me this question if the settler
wants TO buy his land, and can pay for il with a
land warrant which he has purchased for instance
Tor 800, will not that tend TO reduce the price OF
the public lands TO the actual settler | will say
that if he could do so, unquesonably the price would
be reduced do not know how it has been in other
sections OF the country; but that result not OBJ
tanned in Wisconsin. Land warrants bought up at
agencies IN our principal ctiesn New York, Washing
ton, Buffalo, and other paces-and are sent in large num-
bers to agents in Milwaukee and other towns in Wiscon
sin. Now, settler. whose presumption is about 10
plre, and he finds specuao standing ready to buy his
home from over his head and profit by his labor goes
one OF these agencies for the purpose Of buying land
warrant with which 10 secure his pre- -empon But the
agent will not sell it TO him not time in hundred
can he 60 and buy land warrant from the agent He
says to him, what do you want with it The settler
tells him he wants TO secure his pre- .emption. The
agent says, will tell you what TO do; will locate
you yout my OWL nduey Ut name OF
the company FOR which the agent is employed. and will
give you an instrument of writing, oblgang myself TO
convey the farm to you H. at the expiration OF one or two
years, you will pay me $500, with IL per cent interest
from this time. And in vast number of instances,
where the settlers do not buy land warrant any rate,
and were forced to let the agent locate their
land In his own name, the year or two yeas would
pre- and they would be unable TO pay the price OF the
and-the $500, with the Sl2 1924 OF interest top Of
hatthey woHld be unable to raise any of it, and the
one who located il would not only get the land but the
labor that the settler for years had bestowed upon it,
That is the operation of this system in the western coun-
try in most instances II is not the fact that these war
rants give any facility in the country at all for
the location Of lands 1t is very that these land
warrants operate otherwise than inurously when they
get among us. person at distance may get these
warrants or a person may 60 TO New York and other
places and purchase single warrant at reduced price,
seek to make them facility for the purchase of public
lands they will fail and the result in most instances.
will be that the settler will not only lose his land bn his
labor and improvements upon il And it will be so in
spite Of anything you may do This is the why
western men should make the most strenuous opposition
TO the assignment OF these land warrants.
The gatuily 10 the old soldier in the first instance is
not wanted; and them substitute for that gratuy,
you propose TO give him the privilege OF assignment, The
land warrants, Of course. go into The hands OF some
persons who want 10 buy them but who buy them at
reduced price. They locate them, and hold them dead
hand IT may be called and out OF the State, locate
upon the Improvements Of others and hold out to them
the aering prospect OF being able, in year two, TO
pay for the land thus located The settler will not be
able 10 do and the Speculation gets the land, and,
consequence, the improvements also. NOW, deem inns
TO be pejudical TO the western country and, Of
the representatives OF western State feel called upon
10 protest against It
Mr. UNDERWOOD. When was up before did not
intend to utter single expression which could elicit de-
bate. | merely remarked that this measure which the
committee has reported intended to perfect the boun
ties which The government has already granted for mill
tary services Now do not intend to be driven into dis
cussion upon this occasion. Time is valuable, and think
that voting would be much better than anything that
could say II were, however, willing 10 consume time
in debate think could demonstr beyond the posi-
biy OF doubt that the policy Of my friend from Wis
consin, Mr. WALKER. in refusing TO make these land
warrants assignabe, itself helps 10 benefit the specua
tor, and enables him double and treble his profits and
to make the whole OF them OF the pocket OF the old
soldier His system reduces the prices OF land warrants
and does prevent their sale in behalf OF the specula
tor because be take pledges of the old soldier who
will stand up to his word and make the conveyance, and
make the very pretex OF the want OF assignabty the
for paying him for it, and reducing the price
down TO nothing could demonstrate that the system
which the gentleman advocates, while il ruins the old
soldier far his profits concerned does not bene
fit the country ota The gentleman is the specula
tors friend upon this floor and is for giving him profit
daily and hourly and the only way prevent this is TO
make the land warrants assignabe.
But, as have said before. will not be driven into
discussion upon this subject ] merely rise TO say that
dsclam what the gentleman has imputed But will
thing else.
Mr. DAWSON. Mr. President
Mr.. WALKER. ] am not the Spectators friend
The PRESIDENT. The senator from Georgia [Mr.
DAwsos1 has the floor
Mr. DAWSON. | merely wish to make one state
ment. What IS the proposition here Here is bill TO
give from 100 down TO 10 acres of land 10 the various
Ia, - L.ts Al.