Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-06-05

by the way from this State who did not repudate the bill
both the Of expedency and constitutonaity He
wished to tempt the laborng and industrious population
to quit the State in order to break down what he called
the swel-head aristocracy of Virginia. worthy motive
for patriotic virginan. We apprehend this motive
far from being appauded by the industrious people Of
Southwestern Virginia, will inspire them with becoming
disgust for demagogism and stimulate them deliver
the councils of the country forever of this profound
! statesman.
Our hopes that the Senate which represents the States
will arrest this Ubiquitous measure.
THE WILMINGTON (S c) JOURNAL.
We publish to-day the bill which passed the House of
Representatives last week under the title Of the Home
stead Bill" We nothing about what the party vote
on this bill may have been. When dsapprove Of any
thing, both upon principle and in practice mean to
say and heartily, thoroughly and utterly dis
approve of this affair, agraran socalistic and de-
strucve in its tendencies and have hesitation in
saying This granting of bonuses this voting away Of
the public property the public funds every body and
for every thing, ought be decried and execrated by
every who is willing work for what he gets and
turn pauper neither to Uncle Sam any body else.
The Herald Of this morning asks why the Democratic
members Of this State did not vote upon the bill Per-
haps they felt that it pass any rate and got dis
heartened knowing the useessness of their opposition
there may have been hundred other good and suH
Gent reasons for their absence which, known would
satisfy the editor Of the Herald But for ourselves
we can emphaticaly answer that would have voted
against the bill from until the day of judgment if
! only for the pleasure Of saying no.
Congress has been busy granting bounty lands to sol.
ders as for services how these can be re-
garded rewards where every body claim the same
unable The land warrants for hundred
and sixty worth, presume about 1880 Why
not give every body that chooses go the Western
States $3.50 at once?
If the object be to fill up the public lands with actual
settlers we think it very poor plan The bona de in
dustrious settler who is willing live five years upon
land and improve it. and who has the energy and charac
ter to be worth any thing to the community will hardly
be prevented by the payment of the legal price What
man pays for he values as his his earnings and
just dues and he feels pride Of character in the pos
session of it that no land stealing speculation invest
him with. AT any rate the great majority who at
raced by this bill to enter quarter section of land will
simply squat awhile, and then move off, Those who
will remain permanently and actually improve the land
would have done without the bride of hundred and
sixty being held out to them and without being
brought in contact with the squatter class
There is way of demorazng any class interest SO
certainly starting it with grauities Prosperity and
usefulness the growth of industry and selfdepend
ance not Of Government bountes and land plunderng
and If this system goes although its injustice will show
most strongly to the old States yet its runous effects
viii ultimately be felt severely by those new States
and Territories wherein the practical operations of land
stealing will be carried on.
FROM STANTON (vA.) SPECTATOR
THE HOMESTEAD BILL-After having been discussed in
the lower House of Congress- and used pretext for
all kinds of irrelevant specialization for many months
this bill passed by that body the 18th of May The
majority in its favor unusually arge-here being 107
ayes to Sc noes while, however seventy members we're
absent, or being present failed VOTE OF the Virginia
Representatives, Messrs THOMPSON and McMuLLES only
voted in the affirmative, and Mr.. MEADE was absent
The bill provides that any head of family who is
citizen of the United States resident Of the country
who shall declare his intention become a citizen shall
be entitled free of cost hundred and sixty
of Government land condition of occupancy for FIVE
years 1t excludes from its benefits parties already in
the possession of land who may sell land with in
tenton obtain free grant, and land acquired under
its regulations shall not be held liable for debts contract
ed prior to the issuance Of the patent.
No measure probably has passed Congress fraught
with more dangerous consequences than this bin Re-
sides s -;nry il nicts the old states as one OF
series Of for depryng them of all share in the
public lands and by its tending to drain of their popua
ton its agraran character is Objectionable if not
alarming The public lands belong the whole people,
but Congress undertakes by this give them away
certain individuals and the extent Of the donation
despo others of their rghtfu portion The argument
in favor Of the measure derived from the needy crcum
Of the proposed benefcnre is the only plausible
popular that be adduced and may hereafter be
urged with much force in behalf Of scheme for
taking away the private lands Of farmers with view to
an equal distribution Of property among the community
The whole affair is the legitimate offspring Of prolific
and pesterous demagogism which inests the country
FROM THE DETROIT DAILY ADVERTISER OF MAY "A.
THE HOMESTEAD BrLL.-The most important measure
pressing upon the attention OF Congress the Home
stead Land Bill This bill has passed the House by
large majority, when the House thiny attended.
However others may regard this BILL look upon II
involving many questions Of expediency
having extensive relation great and widely diversified
interests The most prominent Of these is its effect upon
the public lands n Of annual to the
Government. During the year Of 1847 the number Of
acres of public land sold was 1881 1906 producing
So 962 404, which probably fair average Of the pre-
sent annual receipts The passage Of this BILL
Of course, will cut of this source of revenue and
compel resort to corresponding increase Of the tariff
for revenue-an unmixed good result.
This bill will have important influence In promoting
immigration from Europe, for it will practically place in
the pocket Of every pauper, old enough become ci
ren the equivalent Of $780, which cannot be torn from
him. and Of which he be Invested neither by fraud
theft nor accident Its effect them will be to
migration but Of the eligible class and chiefly
IL is to be feared from countries in which facilities are
extended by local authorities to enable those to emf
crate who are burdens home, like large portion Of
the population Of Ireland.
The passage Of this bill will have tendency to impair
the present value Of unimproved land and in this
spect IL is to be regarded as evil. Land speculation
has been regarded and is now fashionable and popular
TO speak Of It, unmxed evil at war with the pro-
and the rapid of the Western States