The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-08-17
The Whig Candidate for Governor
and Land Reform,

The Whig Candidate for Governor
and Land Reform.
There is. we are happy in saying, and
for years past has been, strong DISPOSE
ton to do away with the government mo-
nopoly in land-to give it in limited guam
titles to those who have no homes The
patriot views such an arrangement with
pleasure, for the owner of little home
stead, around which the best affections OF
the heart cling, must from the very nature
of things, be better patriot than the man
who has no spot TO call his own. The
statesman views it as the building up of an
independent yeomanry, the pride OF the
country in peace, its bulwark in war
while the philanthropist cannot but dwell
with delight upon that noblest of all sights,
a Father under the shelter of his own vine
and his 6g-tree, so educating his children
as to make them useful members of socie-
ty.
As party, the wings have not came in
to this movement in favor of land reform.
Eminentlv conservative of all the exploded
notions and policies of past age, they
strive TO keep up the present land system,
whereby the general government wrings
from the poor settler his last dollar to pay
for refuse land in land district where the
choice tracts cost not one.half the price
paid. As party they have been as con.
servative in opposition to land reform. as
in opposition to any other OF series which
60 to show the progressive spirit Of the age
Mr.. Vinton, their can didate for Govern.
or, two years ago, while member OF Con.
gress. was bitter in his opposition to any
change in the system. Their present can
didate for Governor, Nelson Barrere, oi
Highland county, is of the same lag be.
hind, conservative school, and of course
opposes any man having forty acre lol
Of land, unless he has fifty dollars in cash
to pay for it. He has so voted in Con-
gress, and after that vote was given. he was
chosen as the standard bearer of whiggerv
the embodiment Of whig principles-the
present campaign.
To show that Mr.. Barrere stands not a.
lone in this matter, we give the vote of the
Ohio delegation in Congress on the pas.
sage ofthe bill introauced by Andrew John.
son, Of Tenn, during the first session o.
the last Congress, "granting to every man
and every woman, the head Of family, a
homestead of one hundred and sixty acres
OF government land. on condition Of occu.
pying and cultivating the same for the pc.
Rod Of five years" The question being
on the passage OF the bill, the Democratic
members from Ohio who voted for it were
Messrs. Busby, Cable, Carter, Disney
Gaylord, Green. Johnson and Olds-8.
'INhn Eroo Soilarc ,uho yoxol g. -
Messrs. Giddings and Townshend-2
The wings who voted for it were:
Messrs. Newton and Stanton-2.
The Democrats who voted against it wer.
NONE.
The Free Sellers who voted against i
were-none.
The wings who voted against it were:
Messrs. 0JBARRERE,-r0 Bell, Har
per. Taylor and Welch-5.
Thus, then, the vote stood on granting
homes to the homeless. Every Democra
voted for it-every Free Soiler voted for it
while but two out OF the seven wings coult
so far burst party shackles as to answe
yea, when their names were called on tn
question, and both have since that tim
been sent into retirement
Against it, every whig save two voted
The name of NELSON BARRERE was frs
called, and he voted with his party-h
voted his federal principles when he vote,
no, and Bell, Of Darke, Harper, of Mus
kingum, Taylor, of Ross, and Welch, o
Athens. followed the lead of Barrere, as
flock Of sheep follows the bell weather, an,
| all voted for conservative whiggery, whel
they voted against homes for the homeless
lands for the landless, and farms for tn
farmless. e ~ n s
Mr.. Barrere has now to test that vot
with the other principles OF his party befor
the people. After the October election, h
will wake up from his Rip Van Winkl
sleep, and find to his great surprise, as MI
Vinton did, that the world has so progress
ed that mans inherent right to the soil i
no longer mooted question, save by fe,
legal sleepy heads like himself. and tina
the right Of Congress to held large quaint
ties of land and to speculate off the neces
sites of the people, is grievance no lon
ger to be borne. Before, however. his eye
are fairly opened to these facts, Mr. Bar
rere will find himself the worst beaten can
didate for Governor, whiggery ever had
So mote it be.-Ohio State Democrat.