Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-05-13
SPEECH OF Mr.. THOMPSON,
- OF KENTUCKY,
ON THE HOMESTEAD BTLL

. SPEECH OF Mr.. THOMPSON,
OF KENTUCKY,
ION THE HOMESTEA d BTLL.
In SENATE APnIL 10, 1854.
The Senate having under consideration the House bill
which proposes to grant homestead Of hundred and
sixty sof the pabEc lsnds'to actual settlors-
Mr. THOMPSON, Of Kentucky, said: The FIRST section
OF the bin grants to every man who is citizen of the
United States or who shall hereafter become citizen of
the United States who is the head of family twen
ty-one years Of age hundred and sixty Of land
without paying for it, after five years residence and
cupaon The sixth section authorizes any resident of
State Territory who is not citizen Of the United
States also to make like application, and take hum
dred and sixty acres II understand the amendment
proposed by the Senator from Ohio it is that hereafter
citizenship shall be prerequisite to the making of the
claim, nor shall residence in State Territory be e
prerequisite but that the actual fling of decara-
ton by foreigner from ary portion of the world, when
he here Of his intention to become naturazed he
shall also be enabled without pay free of COST to take
and occupy hundred and sixty Of the public
land. Am right in reference my understanding Of
your amendment?
Wr WADE. They must r i've years on iA
Mr.. THOMPSON. That They must live FIVE
years on it. Now In reference the amendment well
to the bill, desire, ali nug, I'm not prepared as
wished to be, to say some Thugs.
few days since, ct the other end of this Capitol
when proposed to donate to the terent States
land for the purpose Of taking Of the needy citizens
Of this country, who by the visitation Of Heaven, in
4
was reported upon adversely being against the Con-
sttution of the United States When it proposed
that citizens, the insane the pauper and the
cessitous, who need this aid should have such grant
made for their benefit told that it could not be
done under the Constitution Of the United States Such
donation to States for the purpose Of taking care of the
insane told was unconstitutional; bat now the
Senator from Ohio offers proposition which, if it be
adopted and carried into effect will enable give
every criminal every fugitive from justice every vaga
bond every Europe from every portion
of the world who lands shores that which deny
to own citizens who under the visitation Of God
need it, Of whom ought to take and to whom
are bound by ties different from any which unite us to
oreigners. @ Sl @
Mr. President, had intended, when heard this mea-
spoken Of of justice and propriety, to
its commitment to the Committee the Judiciary that
they might put it into shape before compelled to
vote upon it for in its operation it should be equal equ
table, right and just There should be no cass egsla-
tion, is proposed class legislation in favor Of
Foreigners. In our Legislation should begin with
people at home but if you give land to the land
less, why amend the bill and give money to the
Deyless9 man needs land but another moods money
Amend the BILL then, and give $500 to each Of those who
out Of change; to those who need money. And in
addition, Mr. President make provision for mecha
MICS professional men, merchants in short for that large
class Of people who not agricuturiss If 1t is in
tended donation, bonus, equity and justice re-
qure that you should likewise give to other vocatons and
professions, to artisans mechanics and merchants the
bonus the Donation the largess, the paupers gift, or
whatever you choose to denominate it. As in the one
IS
and make no such discrimination is proposed by this
BILL Let there be equality. If you claim that, under
the Constitution of the United States, in making rules
and regulations in reference to the territory of the Union
doing no injustice to the respective States You have
right donate the lands, donate them with invi
dious discrimination; make unequal distinction; do
nate to those who not able to bear the toll and bur-
den and hardshps Of frontier feyour old men, your
crippes your widows, your workmen, your mechanics,
and people of that description outside Of agricultural in
terestin money what you donate in land to those who
are sgrculturists.
Mr.. President, have said that thought this bill
should be committed to the Committee the Judiciary
think it should 90 there for several have
heard it said that far the public domain is
cd, at least much Of it owned anterior to the
Mexican war, had pledged it for money prosecute
that war. l ask, then legal question, can you
take this property which is thus under mortgage and
lien, and give it away? ask too as question of mo-
rails whether you should give away when it is bound
and pledged for the payment of your debts Are you
neglect this just claim and prior lien, and say to
strangers and foreigners, to aliens in blood and in Ian
guage, that they may have it, Ought it not to be held
as sacred treasure to redeem your plighted honor
to pay the debt which you incurred in the prosecution
of that war;
But further Mr. President this bill is offering bonus
and apremium to those men in Europe who are unwi-
ling remain there under the hazards Of the approach
ing war; to emgrate to this country 1t tells those men,
who, because they do not wish to stand by their king
country who from want of patriotism from deep
feeling of cowardce, will not stay there fight for
publican interests and stand by their country,
you become renegades from your country in trying to
escape the dangers of which threaten there and if
you will fec to the United States and make declaration
of intention viii set you up with nice little farm of
hundred and sixty Of land You settle on
it. and live there, whether you left your country for your
countys good escaped from it because you happened
to be LIBERAL although unwilling to fight for liberal
stitutions." Are you sir, to offer them this bonus
And what else do you hold out Why, you tell oil your
own citizens your lazy, trHing men, that have
made %2eO and would not work for it fellows of bad
stock, whose ancestors lazy and improvdent
themselves bad breed in the beginnng-"w will
shield you with sort of bankrupt law we will give you
you trfing lazy pauper rascals if you will 90 out there
one hundred and sixty Of land and neither consa
BILE sheriff shall take it for debt you are of 70 ac
count may keep it, you shall be bankrupts as to all
previous debts" Laughter. And that, sir you offer
premium to loaferism and laziness; and nice set
you will have when get them there with yapabonds
and vagrants from Europe to build up new State and
new community.
But, Mr.. President If you intend to give one hunjred
and sixty Of land to of this description Ask
you if it will not be act of great injustice oil who
have bought public lands heretofore and ought not the
Judiciary Committee to introduce provision pay back
to all those from whom you have wrung 81 % per acre
for the land which they have purchased Ought you not
refund what they have paidf They hardy
pioneers kth and kin to bone of bone breth
ren hardy men, and Indian fighters. They have paid
for their land and whipped the Indians; they have
possession in the oountry but if you going to send
out to these lands oil the oscourngs offoregn countries
in the name of justice and sense pay back to all
the men who have bought public lands their 81 rs an
acre. with interest upon it. 1t is just claim, and those
men are worthy ofit Introduce such provision, and
we shall very sweep away the twentyodd million Of
AtA.