, 1854-04-01
Remarks Of Mr.. ChenOWeth.

asking change in some of the features Of
the land law for the Territory of Washing
ton. The amendment reads as follows
"That all persohs bona ide settlers of this Terto
ry who may not choose to avail themselves Of the d
nation law, be permitted to purchase, at Congres.
price, the same amount that he might take hy settle
ment and cultivation" .ll Ait
Mr., CHENowETH spoke as follows:
Mr.. SPEAKER The experience Of fonr
years has demonstrated some of the bad. as
well as good, effects Of the donation law
A very slight knowledge Of human nature
might have satisfied the frances Of this law,
of the utter folly Of attempting to compel ali
classes of men to become farmers. The
bounty OF the government has induced 4
certain class TO emigrale 10 this country
namely, The farmer. Other classes are here,
and many of all classes. were here, befoEe
the passage of that law, that know no,lli6R
about farming, and cannot make living in
that way; whose trades would be useful 10
he community and lucrative 10 themselves:
but the temptation 10 get LAND, desire i'm
planted in the heart Of every man, and tho
fact that land can only be bad by settlement
and oUitirati0a, Induces them to abandon a
trade 10 which they were bred and are well
qualified, and for want OF which the comma,
nifty suffers most intensely. This class Of
tradesmen are compelled to launch out upon
an unknown sea, 10 serve out their pioba.
ton, and make that experiment that does
no one good, but themselves much harm.--
The neighborhood is deprived oftheiftrade;
mechanical labor is made ruinously high, IN
fact, so high as 10 put an effeciual stop 10
improvements and the tradesman, unsc.
quainted with farming, and unable 10 make
IL profitable, becomes perfectly disgusted
with The country and if he is pcrseyering
enough 10 perfect his title, by residence, he
returns TO his trade, after loosing four years
of valuable time, thoroughly unsettled, in
his habits Of industry and devotion to, bis
trade. '.A i- .o< '"' '',oh
Again, sir, is il the interest Of The farmrcGr
that every body else, in The enlifr country,
should be farmers To whom would &c
sell his produce He raises potatoes or
wheat, and must sell them 10 his nrighboF,,
who would be glad 10 sell the same thing
lis tendency is to destroy villages and drive
every one either out Of The country of to2
farm. aai ' 10 f1 ssg ~ s1H'l
The great niotire that brings people "a
new country, is TO acquire iidt to Iand.4
In all parts Of the western states men aise
permitted to buy land al 81 % per acre
but in this country iheycaunut buy at dI.--H-n
This will determine thousands moi 70 come
here. Men Of families may desire 10 follow
their trades, and secure, at The same iinie,
portion OF land for their children. Cold
they do so, il would bind Them, BY The lies
Of interest, to The country but because they
cannot DO il, they will go where they can
gel land, .' .N". 81 .7h'is. .s'.
But, Il is said, if men ale co,npeif,f,o
live on land, OF not own II, this Iwill secure
their aid 10 schools in the country. This,
surely, is not sound reaso1jhg, Men who
locate land just to acquire 4 title, wifi not
make permanent improvements; will bot
consent to build good school houses - They
arc here only temporarily, and have bui 'joDthSe one
object 10 accomplish ~ to drag out their timne
and return TO their trade. u ,i,,'AlYsH5 ~,
This narrow policy musi kesp out, and
drive from, 10 some extent, every class Of
men except farmers. II Is utterly inconsiat-
ent with our free and liberal institutions ID
compel men to follow pursuit against .beir
inclinations The more free and unIram.
meled men can be left 10 pursue jusl what
occupation, and in what alanhet The v choose,
the better. All these tramuels deaden the
energies, anil cripple the daring enterprise
of man. The wider scope That can ts
thrown open to the free aud unfetlefed g.
MUS of men, the more energy is impaFiedto
their enterprise. Men who have not csfe-
fully studied the history Of goVerDnenis,
may easily overlook The Surprising effects %
legislation Why Is il tisome portions %
the world, blessed with al thai q mdni6-
cent providence can shower upon them, fhs
verdure Of spring, and flowers of, perpetual
summer arethere but the buds Of grnias,
the aspirations of an ambitious enterprise,
are wi'hered and dead fciters forged By ythe
hand Of tyrany are there; men are mol ltf
free and unirammeled in the pursuit of
wealth and happiness. Make men frer,
and there is no sterilily Of soil, sever
ity of climate, or dangers Of a wild md On
explored. ocean, that their nnconduefablc De-
termination will not overcome winter IS
converted into summer, the ocean whiiened
with sails. and the barfen wilderness smiles
will. the variegaled productions of art I9
Can any man assign sensible reason
why we should deny TO any class Of meh
home among us, or the means Of acquiring
that home, in any proper way he may
choose Id " uI.U.l1Uf aiiiH1 ais
Facts are stubborn things. II is vel
ascertaihed fact that many persons who were
here before the passage of the law, who
came just to get land, but who bavp not TAX
en- claims, and because they cannot, have
left the country. Ancient Rome banished
her best men, England aims 10 bsnish her
rorst, and we banish all except FARMEHs.