Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-05-13
PUBLIC QUESTIONS.
Excerpts from Democratic Pd,e'

Excerpts from Democratic Pdof''
ga MIscHIEvoUs MEAsuRE.-We hse expressed tne
opinion that of a the befe congress lor tne
confscation of the public lands the homestead Dill
far the most niquitous in principle ana 'ne inos' ms
chcvous in tendency.
uItmsv bs yer- rrue that share In the soil of the
,unv eya,ts patriotism of the people when the pro-
dz,tv "a -lvilege and distinction By their
er Ind enterprise; and therefore wise policy would
o3demn Of which the inevitable tendency is to
destroy the value and distinction Of the possession and to
degrade 1t into the cheap and ndiscrimnnte brbe Of
selEsh and corrupt demagogsm the people are taught
to regard the public domain fund Of corruption, and
field open to indiscrimnate invasion and pilage neither
their Of the sanotty of property their estimate
Of the dignity Of freehold will be enhanced The home
stead BILL far from consolidating the strength Of
county, thus dmnishes ut the security of property
and the stability of order 1t engenders and propagates
spirit Of agraranism the disease fatal to the supre-
macy cfaw and the peace Of society Richmond Eng.
"THn HOMESTEAD BILL of all the land schemes which
have besn brought before Congress think that which
is embodied in the homestead bill is the most objection
able. At the first glance there is some appearance Of
pausbty in the proposition to divide the public domain
among the States To the casual observer bill ds;ri
bung the proceeds of the sales of the public lands has
appearance of justice But we must confess our ina
bity to understand how any who is guided by the
Constitution, the deeds Of cesson or mere policy ever
urge the proprety Of giving away the public domain
without CONSIDERATION Dene
fits to the tirtyone States, which the joint
of it, and which have right to demand that it be held
and disposed Of for the benefit of each and all of them
[Sentiael.
"No dispatches regards the Black Warrior have
yet been received from Mr. Souls but it is nevertheless
believed that that matter is entirely settled to the salts
faction of ofourGoyernment The truth is there
any thing in the Black Warrior affair that need have
alarmed child and hence it easy to forcsee that
there was chance of rupture with Spain, and
queny chance for llibustersm 1t is not seriously
pretended by any body that have right to demand
Of Spain What sort of municipal regulations she shall es
tabsh the Island Of Cuba if she would live in peace
with the United States although IL Spain wise she
would meet wishes way at least and be amply
warded for her spirit of accommodation BY sort of tac
understanding the journals of the Administration and its
friends giving tone to artificial sentiment in
favor Of Russia France and England represented as
sggressors and having plans in view which would ult
atey crcumscroe the power and influence OF this coun
try."-obserUcr, is the Ledger.
'The'remedy proposed by Mr. Slidell in suggesting
the suspension Of the of 1918 and 1885, the neura
ty laws does to be the proper course Firstly, if
any action is found necessary be taken by the Govern
mcnt it should be done, not in side way but in the
most direct And the suspension OF these laws
would give buccaneerng character to the procedure
would revive into modern warfare what has been long
laid aside Nor would this change be for interest BY
MES under Brake and others She has not suspended her
neutrality laws since 1920 Whilst the suggested
is Objectionable many grounds, it might besides not
prove efectual for its objects
Assuming that things are fast reaching crisis
when must interfere in this Cuban matter-that zoe
cannot permit the emancipation Of the slapes there, the
Afrcanizaton Of the island its possession by any
other Puwer-it be deemed most proper should
Spain still obstinatey refuse to sell US the island that
Congress should declare the world the necessity Of its
possession to and put into the hands of the Govern
ent the means to take it and pay for it the price il
may be worth "-Correspondea Of Richmond Enquirer.
1t is great mistake to suppose that the South, as
unit is for the annexation of our islands, that the
North as a unit is opposed to it. When the question
shall before the Senate in tangible FORM there
will be found conservative Southern Democrats enough
who in the first place. will accept of any islands ex-
cept they come to in honorable way, justified by
the laws of nntious and second who will first look and
inquire whether the annexation is really desirable just at
this period
On the other hand you win find Northern men
more camorous for annexation than the yest fbusters
who at heart any thing but the friends Of the South
and Of Southern progress
"0ne Of the grave questions Of the day which begins
to be agtated in both Houses is the mode Of diminishing
the revenue not to exceed the expenditures This
the propositions to increase army and navy and TO
advance their pay carried is question which Will
take care Of ITSELF especially il neutrality laws are to
be repealed From that day forward We shall have no
need Of taking Of the surplus Of diminishing the
from legitimate commerce. IL will be an evil