Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-08-01
uENIER'S LAND BILL.

We take great pleasure in calling the attention OF
or rc,,.rs the Land 'irnduarion B;li which t.>ci
tn, Senate few days since. We rc-:" tins GS decl,
,Icdlv the most important measure which has engaged
the attention o Congress during the present scssipn
Should i. also pass the House, s we sincerely trust
it WILL it will ricciuai!y check the reckless spirit :"
.Guarderm. the public domain which unfortunately
L,r the interests country, has been hut too pre-
yul,nt for the last few years; spirit which, II uh
checked, would snnn ciicct radical change III tht
practical WORKING uf "iif government, indeed di'
not tran, Ter the ulitc; power from the hands "i "u
own citizens To those ut the mighty hord,S oi oiciGL
Immigrant, annually pouring III upon uS.
The Homestead bill, ~ originally introduced
had direct tcudeucyto incr"nr.' the -Iniic" ana pre-
cipitaic the ultimate control ul III" Foreign puilht'ni
n. our country 10y process =" RAPID - I" preclude
in. probation NECESSARY 20 cnuJly .cn 10 understand
the iru" character OF government, and the pro-
per mode, at lis operations. For however sincere the
friends Of tlint bin may b. in the belief that II woi!'.
operate the benefit %: the poorer ciascs of our own
citizrn- yet cannot resist the c"nvlciIo that Tor
every one american citizen who would avail himself
ui the benefits ui the BILL there w",tG bC at least Tel
Foreigners To do For il without such inducements
they now come IL; Tie rate ii nearly one mnon 4
v.nr, what would DC the iIumUcrs il Il tree farm u
one hundred and sixty Of land were ollcicC
them for the mere acceptance!
Let us nu; be misunderstood. We are not oppo-cd
10 Eurr.nrrB Many, indeed most ot ihcni after re-
maiuinr here lunr ruUu- IN Ia hcrnuc identified with
Ms in interests. feeling Md habits. compare :avora
v with u;hrr citizens, Gd for such We entertain al
u.opcr respect; but what We u cc IL II, III" glN!!i2
Ul political power 70 them bc.urc they know how IL
USE and while they arr still! swaych by the iMhu
rnccs nf /; roliti;n system wholly unlike our OWL
The bi!l under consideration, whilst it presents To tho
industrious and hardy pioneer II sufficient induce
m;nt 10 settle and cultivate the public lands III .hC
low price 1T which they may br purchased for that
Iilrlu.c, nj the same tim" impose, wholesome re-
-:r3.n; upon The system %: appropriation hr Foreign
els, which would necessarily have sprung up undo!
the unqualified free farm policy oI the bill from the
House OF Representatives.
Bu, there nrc Other provision. OF this bill which III
our ;u,l .inent are of still higher inp"rtaucc shall
bnr.iv uudc To them. Bvtranstcrring, as il propo-
., tu u the whole sui rc; "t appropriations OF public
ias for III" purposr, r internal improvement! TO the
States il TAX, irU the Halls ol Congress the On
subject of real danger the integrity "f the Dciao
cru;lc parry. Upon Nil other questions OF national
po!icv that party has been unit, very ncur
30; but on this question great has been the power
ni nc: and sectional interests more than once Il
have cntlam!:,r red lis continued harmony.
Again this bill will put III "cs! The contest between
the old and the States in regard 10 the public
land. which for wears lave occupied - larsca portion
o. the time of Congress the NEGLECT OF other npDr
;unt matters. and the time i: will create bond
of frnicr!lal feelings between the Southern ami Wcs-
tern States which may IaU h to srnrn !c NAL rawlings
of Northern irnariciSn, and bid ,lranc" to all their
wicked attempts TO destroy the pence and arr,s; the
growing pros pcrty Of our hc!"vc'! coun'ry.-F"'fS-
yyL