The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-06

cannot sustain the apprehensions of eastern
men of either party. But we are unable
to understand, or to appreciate, or to respect
the Indifference or hostility Of that large
class who are in no way hampered by east
ern predictions, whose conscienccs are not
scared by the ghost OF a defunct Democracy
and who, while protesting special zeal in
the service of the younger States, yet shrink
from course that will do more than any other
to facilitate their settlement and hasten the de-
velopment Of their immense resources. Con
sidering the amount Of eloquence that has been
expended on what is termed the Homestead
bill, the tactics of these politicians are incom-
prehensible. They are eager to give away one
hundred and sixty millions Of acres to the mil
lion of settlers that are expected to avail them
selves of the provisions Of the cheap farm bil but
they are not at all anxious to appropriate the
thirty, thirty five, or forty millions that may
be required-at the largest computation-to
enable the younger members of the Confedera-
cy to attain the position to which they are
entitled.
1t is not our purpose now to discuss the
Homestead bill, or the arguments that have
been advanced in its BEHALF but we may. with
out unfairness, ask on what ground the ma
jority who have arrayed themselves in its ia
vor evince so small regard for the other mea-
sures relating to the public lands. The former
may be as sound in principle, and as polite in
its details, as it is represented to be. We ex-
press no opinion concerning it, but are willing,
for the moment, to receive it with the character
attributed to it by its friends. Still we cannot
avoid the fact, that Of the million farms that
will be opened under its operation, fully three
fourths will be owned by foreign emigrants-
eEigrants not yet in the country, and to whom
the bill will operate as direct bounty We do
not regard this as an objection, nor do We make
the remark with any desire to see the tide of i'm
migration diverted from our shores. We hail
every ship-load of bone and muscle as an addi-
ton to the stock Of national wealth, and trust
that the ratio of increase from this direction
will be augmented, not lessened. Still, we can
not conceive that the obligation to offer boun-
ties to people resident in other countries is in
any respect stronger than the obligation to do
justice to native or adopted citizens already en-
gagged in the work Of retaining the praries
and woodlands of the West. five are kindly
to one, let US be at least just to the other. Let
us not permit desire to deal literally with
those who may hereafter march toward the set
ting sun, to obliterate or weigh down con-
seriousness OF what is due TO the hardy enter
prisng settlers whose tolls have already added
vastly to our wealth and power. Let US not,
in the hurry to give farms, overlook the
claims of those who have bought farms, and
country would one day discharge the debt due
to them. Representatives may rest assured
that any ecLat gained by the advocacy of grants
to individuals yet unseen and unknown, will
be more than counterbalanced by the opprobrium
that will be earned by further neglect Of the
States now pettioning for help. tbs not I'M
reasonable to assume that some Of the members
who have been loudest in their advocacy Of
mans right to the soil, have been influenced by
what are vulgarly called clap-trap considera-
tons. Bunkum as well as patriotism has been
at work in the matter Bearing this in view,
we would recommend gentlemen to strike a
debtor and creditor account before they go fur
Their. II they will not listen to the rightful de-
mands Of the Northwest and Southwest, let them
not altogether disregard the considerations Of po-
litical expediency which may possibly be con-
nected with the claims advanced from those
quarters. Above all, let them remember that
neither Northwest nor Southwest should be
treated with contempt. The measures they
urge are right or wrong, and let the House deal
with them according to its udgment-passing
or finally rejecting them without more delay
than may be necessary to the calculation and
discussion of their respective merits.