The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1852-08-21

let II lay over. 49,
A bill to carry out the measure fully,
passed the House Of Representatives
some two months since. The hopes of
Land Reformers in all parts of the coun-
try were clated. They however, from
the start, "looked to the Senate" with
distrust, knowing that body, from the ma
ture Of its constitution, to be the last re-
treat of fogyism on all occasions, after the
people have driven it from every other
branch of the government. The Land
Reformers were warned by those presses
friendly to their movements that the Sem
ale needed watching and urging. Meet
ings were consequently held, and petitions
circulated. The tables of Senators were
flooded with them. But all to no purpose.
The committee on Public Lands, after
retaining the bill in their possession an
unreasonable length of time, recently re-
ported it with a recommendation THAT
1T DO NOT PASS 20
1t is not to be wondered at, that this
act should arouse feeling of indignation
in the breasts of those who have SO long
been claiming their just rights from tardy
public servants. The Senate is largely
Democratic " in the modern acceptation
Of the term; the committee on Lands is
OF course Democratic, and large pro-
portion of the people who have been
prominent in urging the reform have here
tofore voted with the Democratic party.
But they now begin to see they are stand
ing in false position. The men who
were most clamorous before election for
Land Reform, have, as in other instances
innumerable, "held the word of promise
10 the ear and broken it to the hope"
The party, in its national convention,
nominated men for President and Vice
President who had both voted, dead set, in
the Senate against granting favors to &C.
tual settlers upon the public lands. On
the other hand, the Wings, who, as a
party, have never made loud professions
in favor of this measure, nominated an
old and faithful servant Of the people
one who has added more to the renown
of his country, at home and abroad, than
any other ten men living-who promptly,
in his letter accepting the nomination,
espoused the cause of Land Reform.
With these facts before us, we are not
surprised that Land Reformers should be
turning to Gen. Scott as their great future
hope for the consummation of this mea-
sure. We find in the New York Trib-
une the proceedings of large meeting
recently held in that city. Strong reso-
lutions were unanimously adopted, repu-
dating Pierce and King, much against the
circumstances Of une Vi TWO party WIRE
pullers present, in whose professions the
Reformers have heretofore been accus-
toned to put faith. We make few ex-
tracts from the proceedings-comprising
a portion of the resolutions and remarks
made by gentlemen present-merely to
show the spirit Of the meeting:
/. That as the success or defeat of
the Free Homestead bill depends en-
tirely upon the action of The Democratic
members of the Senate of the United
States, Of which body they constitute a
decided majority, we will hold the Demo-
cratic party of the United States respon-
sible for its passage before the close of
the present session Of Congress and it
is further resolved;
2. That if the said bill should not be
passed at the present session of Congress
it will be because the rights and interests
of Humanity and of the great Democratic
Masses have been corruptly sold to pur-
chase support for the Democratic Presi-
dental ticket from aristocratic and spec
ulative cliques, or because the democracy
OF the leaders of the Democratic party is
not hearty but superficial, DEMocRAcY
OF WORDS AND PHRASES, DANGEROUSLY re-
iterated as passports to the public treasury.
And be it further resolved,
3. That confident of the truth, justice
and paramount Importance of our princi-
pie, having brought the subject Of Free
Homesteads TO actual settlers on the Pub
lie Lands before the tribunal of public
opinion, and having obtained in its behalf
the appreciation, and in many cases the
earnest advocacy of those men of all par
ties who in our country or It's councils
are most eminent for moral worth, splen-
did abilities and profound craftsmanship,
and having our bill already passed by
respectable majority in the House Of
Representatives, we demand of the U. S.
Senate favorable action on the Free Home
stead bill, the passage of which we will
gratefully receive as evidence of the de-
votiOn OF the Senate to Democratic prin-
ciples. But if it should be neglected or