Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-09-27
From the Ohio Stat q Democrat.
Land Rcf0rm-Tte Position Of
I he Democracy and OF Whiggery.'--Of
Medill and Rarrere.

on the bill introduced by MT. JOHNSON
since elected the Democratic Governor o
.Tenness oc-ernnling 10 every man, and
every woman, the head Of family, q
homestead Of one hundred and sixty
crcs oreovernmcnt land, on condition
occupying and cultivaling the same fol
the period Of five years. Every Demo.
crat in the delegation voted for the mea.
sure,-as did every Free Soilcr, while
NELSON BARRERE, (,he Wing can.
didatc for Governer,) Hiram Bell, o.
Darkc, Alexander Harper, of Muskin.
gum, John L. Taylor of Ross, and John
Wclch Of Athens, all leading Wigs,
VOTED AGAINST II.
In commenting upon that vote, we no.
,iccd the fact that Mr.. Barrere had been
nominated after the vote had been given,
and from tha, fact, and from the votes
of the Wing members of the Ohio dclcga.
ton in Congress, VIC argued that Wing.
gerry was opposed to the principle. This
argument of ours had additional force
from the fact that Samuel F. Nnton, the
former candidate of the whig party, was
most detcrminedly opposed TO the prin.
cipIe Of land reform, and had carried
his rejudices so far,as to vote and speak
while member, of Congress, against
granting bounty lands to the soldiers
who had pcrilled life in defence Of their
country.
The Chlicothe Gazette, and the Ohio
State Journal each sought to break the
force of those arts and these votes by rid.
icule and by attempting to create false
issue. As a sample, see the following
from the JoUrnal:
HUMBUG PRETENcE EXPosED-Thc O.
State Democrat has been smelling around
after something to get up little small
beer political capital against our cand.
date for Governor. After two months
research among the musty records Of
Congress, the editor has at last found
what he thinks a veritable mares nest.
1t is said that Mr.. Barrcrc does not be-
long to the "vote yourself farm" party
and that, while in Congress, he once vo.
ted against that measure. the State
Democrat has the impudence TO claim
that policy as Democratic policy. The
Sciofo Gazette has disposed of this pre-.
tence most eilectually, and we quote a
few lines of the reply Of that paper:
"When and how did your candidate,
Mr.. Mcdill, ever commit himself in ia.
vor of 'land reform?' Did he ever vote
in favor of land for the landless?-would
he cote for it now, if he were in Con.
gress? or course he wouldn't. He is TOO
good platform man. He knows that
land reform is no part of the Locoloco
creed. When did the party commit its.
elf TO the doctrine of land for the land.
less? Never. Look at your platform,
adopted by the Baltimore Convention
which nominated Pierce. Any endorse.
ment Of 'land for the landless' there?-
Not syllable. The twelfth plank OF
resolution, is in these words:
"Resolved, That the proceeds of the
public lands ought to be sacredly applied
TO the national objects specified in the
Constitution; and that we are opposed to
any law for the distribution of such pro.
ceods among tho States, as alike inexpe.
dent in policy and repugnant to the Con.
:"
Any giring array Of land in that res.
olutIon? Not whisper. But selling the
'ana is recognized. for it disposes of the
proceeds. Why don't you dcnounce the
platform as spawn of federalism" MIR.
Oemocrot?-Verily, verify, our friend
Charley is entitled to first rate pre-.
MUM as getter up Of original IDEAS"
We will endeavor to reply to the Ga.
:ette in the same order in which its OBJ.
ections to our article are raised:
And first. as TO Gov. Medill and his
position on this queetion:
While member of Congress, Cover.
Tor Medill was a strong friend of the
settler on the public lands, and voted,
IN every occasion when the subject was
presented or it's merits, in favor of pre-.
mp'ion laws. He opposed, by his vote
n Congress and by his speeches out of
t, the distribution of the proceeds of the
'ublic lands among the States, as fed |
raj measure whose tendency would be 10
erpetuate the present land system,
whereby the government speculated off
he poor seltlers-selling thcm land at
ne dollar and twenty. five cents per acre,
'hch really cost the government but
cry few cents.
While canvassing the State for Lieut..
Governor, he spoke on the subject of
nnd Reform mora than nDon ony otbar|