Washington sentinel., 1854-04-25
HOMESTEAD BILL.
SPEECH OF HON. JOHN PETIT
OF INDIANA,
IN Me Senate, Apr1z Is, 1854.

/ OF INDIANA,
IN Me Senate, AprI Is, 1854
On motion Of Mr.. WALKER, the Senate, as
In Committee of the Whole, proceeded to con-
slider the bill from the House of Representa-
tives, granting homestead of one hundred
and sixty acres Of the public lands to actual
settlers.
Mr.. PETIT said:
Mr. PRESIDENT: To the details of the bill
now under consideration | have given no at
tentlon, but its principles meet the full appro-
baton OF my head and my heart: of my head,
because, in my judgment, it will give to the
country strength and defence, which will serve
IN the place of Notifications and standing ar
mics; of my heart, because it is an act Of
Justice-of my head, because it does that
wisest of all things in q country, it couples pa
trlotism with an interest, and makes it more
ardent available, and enduring; of my heart
because it will give house to the houseless
and home to the homeless.
i The people of the country form its institu-
tions, and its institutions, in turn, form the
character of the people. People, institutions,
and country are so nearly allied that they must
mutually mould and sustain each other, for
separately they will fall and decay.
Institutions should create and encourage
love OF country, and willingness to suffer in its
detence for, without this, institutions will fall
into weakness, disrepute, and degeneracy, from
4 which tyranny cannot rescue nor severity save.
Mr.. President in all ages of the world there
has been longing, aching, and earnest desire
in men to own and individualize the ownership
of the soil; and for the promise, possession, and
enjoyment of this, they have and will endure
patiently more hardships, more fatigue, more
suffering, and show more patriotism, than for
all other earthly things put together.
In undertaking so wide and radical q change
of our past policy, and adopting new one
with us, that is to affect so materially large
portion of our fellow-ctizens, it is both prudent
and proper to pause, and inquire whether other
countries have adopted this or similar policy,
| and what its results have been. This is a le-
gitimate inquiry. From the past, under like
circumstances, we may safely reason what the
future will be. The first instance of the adop-
ton of similar policy was in Egypt, long an
terror to the Mosaic period, given by Diodorus
Siculus, in book l. chapter 6, in which he says
that anciently, the lands were divided into three
parts, the first to the priests, the second to the
king, and the third to the soldiers or people.
disapprove of the first and second divisions,
but the third commends itself to my approba
ton as well as for its wisdom as its justice.
Hear what the historian says as to the last
division:
The last portion belongs 10 the soldiers, who
at word are ready at the kings commands for
every expedition; that they who venture their
lives IN the wars, being endeared 10 their country
/ by that plentiful share and proportion allotted
them, may more cheerfully undergo the hazards
OF war For ii would be an irrational thing 10 in
trust the safety and preservation of the whole
with them who have nothing in their country that
is dear or valuable to them 10 fight for. And the
Il n n
| them is, that they might more readily marry, and
by that means make the nation more populous,
and so there might be no need of foreign aids and
| assistanceS."
A wise policy in nutshell, and well ex-
pressed. To the soldiers were given one-third
of all the lands of Egypt, that they might at
all times be ready and willing to defend the
country, and might the more readily marry and
take the responsibility of family, and thereby
increase the population and strength of the
country, so that !" there might be no need of
foreign aids and assistance"
| This was in the country where civilization
and science were first known, and where regu.
| lar government was first established among
men; and all these continued to prosper and
flourish until this wholesome policy was aban-
doned.
The next instance in which / find this
4
Jews. Moses, that wisest of secular law-givers,
fourteen hundred and ninety years before
Christ, led the children of Israel out of that
bondage in which they and their ancestors had
been for four hundred years, and starting them
on their weary and perilous journey of forty
years through wilderness, it became necessary
to hold out to them some inducement or
promise OF reward to act, as q Stimulant of the
highest order, to buoy them up, and sustain
them against the depressing consequences of
such q journey, will all its trials, fatigues,
dangers, disappointments, and wretchedness.
Moses had made known to the Jews all the
moral law and will of God and had held Him
up amidst his attributes, in all his perfection
and beauty of holiness. He had promised
them Gods enduring favor and protection on
earth, and their final reward of happiness in
Heaven. Yet there was mutiny in the camp.
They murmured, complained, repented that
they had started on their journey, and loudly
clamored to return to the bondage and flesh
pots of Egypt" Something yet remained to
be done to restore order and give confidence.
Amidst the thunders of Sinai another revela-
tion was made, and another law was given.
What was that revelation? What was that
law? That the land of Canaan should be
divided among the Israelites, that they should
indiridually own it, and that "the land should
not be sold foever.'- [Leviticus, chapter 25,
verse %.
| This produced the desired effect. Discon-
tent, murmurings, and longings after the "Hesh-
pots of Egypt" ceased, and in their stead they
had patience, fortitude, and endurance to the
end of their journey; thus proving, Mr.. Presi-
dent, that men will do more and suffer more
for the promise and possession of land than
for the love or the fear of God. 1t may well be
doubted whether anything could have induced
that people to perform that journey, under
going its fatigues, privations, and wretched
ness, but this promise that they should own
the land, and that it should not be sold forever
Thirty-eight years after that promise was
made and that law was giyen--that is, one
thousand four hundred and ffty.two years be-
fore Christ--when Moses was about to take
leave Of and bid his followers farewell he called
them all together, and having set down all the
names and heads Of families, he said: sUnto
| these the land shall be divided for an inheri-
tance according to the number of Names"