The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-25

aud battlefield But | proclaim that, in this
homestead bill, you offer an iRsnlt 10 every col.
der who holds a land warrant, and to every poos
widow, the bones of whose husband now lie
buried in the low lands near Norfolk, or bone ath
the SHOWS of Canada, or on the nights or in the
plains Of Mexico. You offer an insult TO every
soldier who holds forty, or eighty, or one hun.
dred and sixty acre land warrant, given him as
reward for serving his country, in the camp OF
battlefield when, by this bill, you give one hun
dred and sixty acres of land 10 the foreign pau
per for nothing but simply because he has none.
This is the fact and there is no way to get over
it. warn you that every one of the two hun
dred thousand land warrant holders, for services
rendered in the Mexican war, and 10 the war OF
1919, will repel the insult you thus offer them,
at the polls.
Mr. Chairman, repeat that the public lands
belong ~ the people of the United States. Our
functions in regard to them are fducary. We
act as trustees for the people of the United
States, to whom the lands belong-as trustees
bound to conform to our power of attorney
the Constitution. We must look back to that
power of attorney. We must regard the lm-
tations upon the powers of this government
contained in the Constitution. Sir, it is fact,
that Patrick Henry and many of Virginias ablest
sons, were so distrustful of the powers ex
pressly granted in the Constitution, that Vir
ginia, in the convention which ratified that Con-
stituton, reserved to herself the right to resume
her original sovereignty, not only in case of
usurpation, but whenever the powers actually
granted in that Constitution should be perverted
to her injury or oppression. Am [ wrong ia
that? 1t isno p srt of my purpose to assert the
doctrines of secession here. | deny the right
of secession by act of Congress, or at the Volt
ton Of Congressman. deny the right of mem
bers of Congress to dissolve this Union. am
that far Union man, certainly. | therefore
consider all debate here upon that doctrine as
out of place and out of order. But beg leave
to state to the gentlemen who stand upon the
Georgia platform, that after having denounced
their own Southern brethren as traitors for de-
batting the right of secession, for the surrender
of their equal rights in golden empire, it i'll be
comes them to declare for n " disruption Of the
Union" for the sake Of runaway negro.
would humbly ask, whether those in Virginia,
who were 80 distrustful of the powers granted
in the Constitution, that even the magic infu.
ence of Washington could not induce them to
ratfy it unless it was expressly stipulated, that
if they were to be perverted to our injury, we
should have power to resume our original SOW
ereignty, are now to be publicly denounced "a
traitors!
This measure now before US Processes to have
for its object to give lands to the landless Now,
sir, from the bottom of my heart, do deprecate
all class legislation especially by this govern
ment, whether under tho control of Wings or
Democrats. What right have we to classify
our people? Is il not one of our fundamental
doctrines that no exclusive privileges, or emolu.
ments, or mmunites, shall be granted except in
f,f puhIic eoryico2 I mill .,,, to
my friend from Mississippi, T Mr. BRowN,l who
do not now see, but who is an advocate Of this
homestead system, that if he will look into the
constitution of his own State, he will find il
there provided, that exclusive privileges and
elnoluments shall not be granted except in con-
sideration of public service. Now, what public
service is it that entities the beneficaies, under
this bill, to one hundred and sixty acres Of land
None whatsoever. Its benefits are denied to me
and my children--to you, sir, and your children
Ito all who will not quit their homes, and
swear they Lave sold no lands to obtain it's
benefits.
Mr.. JOHNSON, of Tennessee wish to set
the gentleman right. He says that this bill is
for the benefit of the poorer class of citizens
only, and that it denies the same benefits to him
and to his children. Ii the gentleman will turn
his attention to the first section of the bill, and
then read the section offered in lieu of il by nv
self, he will find that no such principle is en-
braced in it.
Mr. AVERETT 1t is not worth while TO
try TO dodge the questions and principles really
at issue. The gentleman's own bill, as origin
ally presented, expressly provided, if recollect
right, that in order to obtain its benefits, you
must swear that you have no lands, and that
you have sold no lands for that purpose They
may dodge until doomsday, but the practical
result will be the same to wit: to take tina. be-
longing to the whole, and give to favored class
of the community
Mr.. JOHNSON, Gnterrupting) The bill was
introduced, and referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, without any such provision in it.
The committee reported it back, with an amend
ment of that sort, and there is an amendment
pending, in lieu of the whole section, embracing
no such provision. And if the gentleman will
permit me to ask him question, to which
wish an answer. it seems to me that it will set
this whole constitutional point right. | ask the
gentleman how it is, that under the solemn
sanction of an oath, he can vote to grant twenty
millions of acres of land to separate States, ex-
Guiding others, worth $25,00O,C00, and at the
same time cannot vote one hundred and sixty
acres Of land to an individual
know whether the friends of this bill are going
to convict me of usurpation or not, in voting
for the swamp land bill of the last Congress
Be that as it may, have my friend Mr. JOHN
SON upon the stool of repentance. He has
backed out from his original bill, in favor of
which he spoke so earnestly. He now backs
out from the swearing clause. Well, so far so
good. sincerely hope that further reflection
will bring him, as "the poor mans friend" to
the conclusion that it is best for all to back out
from the whole cheme
Mr.. JOHNSON, Gnterrupting) l under
stand
Mr.. AVERETT. Hearmy argument before
you put construction upon it. find you are
taking the same latitude as my friend from
Ohio, Mr.. SwEETsKR.l laughter 1t is
much easier to repeat terms than TO understand
unpalatable truths. Laughter.
Mr.. Johnson made some remarks in refer.
ence to swamp lands, which were not under
stood by the reporter, his back being turned
towards the reporter
Mr.. AVERETT ! answer with the utmost
frankness in regard to the giving of the swamp
lands to the States on the Mississippi. The
gentleman says that !, having voted for, or APP