The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-05-19
HON. BERNHART HDNN.

The Globe Of the 30th ult , contains a long
and able speech from MIR. Hem of the House,
on the Homestead Bill and Iowa Land Bill, in
which he INDUCES in some pertinent remarks
touching the subject Of justice to the west
For he most part Mr.. II. has gone over the
ofthe importance Of. great
contemplated roads, and the incalculable blcs.
sings that must How from them, as well to the
eastern and central States, as to the infant
west.
The style and spirit of the speakers opening
remarks on the Homestead Bill, strike US
une xceptionable, that we cannot but think that,
a portion Of them, will be read with interest by
all our readers.
Mr.. Hem. Let us look for a moment, Mr..
Chairman upon the moral effect that this propo
sition will have upon our citizens IT 1t becomes
law. That it would induce hundreds and
thousands to become independent and happy
freemen, who now toiIing day and night to
earn sufficient 10 maintain a mere physical ex
istence that it would take many from the
crowded cities and densely populated districts,
who are now dragging out miserable existence
in poverty and idleness, and place them where
ambition would stimulate them to labor and
worth that it would open up vast field in
which could labor the human intellect of thou
sands, who now find employment only as some
new nducement is held out to satisfy the in
creasing de sire of the animal passions that it
would erase from the dockets of our courts a
greater portion Of those endless lists of criminal
cases that stain the pages of our national hiso-
ry, and in the trial OF which 50 much of the val
liable time of our citizens is consumed; are
| obn,, oh I tbaro ha M
eavl
Although dwelling in is tendency ,itis not agi
rian. Ii will only eicrate the condition ofthe
masses to a common platform that VII have a
| solid foundation, and on which all may enjoy
''lfe, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
| What, Mr.. Chairman, is the line OF distinc-
| ton between a savage aud civilized life or in
other words, why is it that the Anglo Saxon
race have wrought 80 great change in the
physical appearai C, OF the Nor h American.
continent, and that too, in so short time, Will.
the s1vage and barborous tr b.s that have pc
ceeded them have left no permanent physical
| impress of their existence The history of ra
ces shows that civilization and its concomtants
are sequents 10 permanency ofresidence. Tha
song Of songs, "Home, Sweet Home," is in
debted for its popularity entirely TO the sympa
| thetic cord which alone exists in the bosoms O.
a civilized and enlightened people. 1t is no
the beautiful, soft, and picturesque scenery o.
the prairies of the far West-it is not the
wild and frowning appearance oftIie cataract
it is not the lonely silence of the dense fores
i still less the common attachments Of civilset
man-that binds the savage 20 particular 10
cality. Although nature has implanted "lovs
Of country" in the heart Of every human being
the movements ofthe savage are almost entireI.
governed by the demands of animal appetite
| nd ,Eorou fndt ho afoot fac IN
satisfy ing these demands, there the "Poor Indi
an loves to make i. his abiding place In civ
ilized life, the greatest inducements should b.
offered to man to adorn and beautify his home
for, so much as you add to the attractions tina
home, so much do you add to the contentnen
and progress of the nation.
Our people have, to great extent, become mi
gratory in their character; and although it
doubtless in the bold spirit OF adventure implant
ed in the bosom American people, that exists tn
greatness ofour Republic, yet cannot but believ
that even this spirit may grow too rapidly, an
become in its progress an evil. 1t was the gerr
Of this spirit that effected the landing at Plym
outh rock it is the growth of this spirit tina
has led onward our population in its varou
steps, to the entire occupancy ofthe Eastern an
Western slopes Of this continent; to the film
up of the great central valley Of the world t
the surmounting of all the physical obstacle
and difficulties that presented themselves in til
occupancy of the whole continent While
was another spirit-a spirit produced by the eff
sion Of bloo6-a spirit possessed in common b
man and the wild beasts of the forrest-that en-
abled Napoleon to pass over the apparent
insurmountable Al2s-it was the spirit fir
alluded 10, that prompted those who headed tn
, great expeditions tina. first crossed the Alleghs
MES, and the more recent ones that climed tn
perpendicular walls, and stemmed the swift cu
rents that flow in the canons Of the Rocky Mour
Trims.
1t is that spirit which prompts each individ
ual of our nation to seek the comforts Of pecu
mary independence; that fills his mind wit
visions of better days; that whispers in his ca
the prospective enjoyments Of home. H
looks forward to the day when, within the wal
of some stately mansion, or, perhaps, beneat
the roof of some lovely cot, free from car,
) with no wants to supply, he can enjoy the fam
lily circle that will surround his fresde, c
drink the sweet enjoyment which turks ami
the flowers and groves that surround
"Simple, happy home.