The daily union., 1854-02-24

IL
who reported H. is entitled 10 the door iof one hour.
Mr. SMITH. OF course. should like more time 10
continue my remarks, II II be the pleasure OF the
mee TO grant H. am, however. entirely their dis
Mr. DAVIS. ol Rhode Island hope the gentleman
will be allowed ID ksoeeed.
Mr. COX hope not The House has decided that
all debate shall close at three O'clock aud trust that
its order will be strictly executed
Mr HUGHES, | would ask if the gentleman from
New York eanno, proceed BY unanimous consent.
MEMBER. | object.
Mr. EWING would suggest that we might have
the unanimous consent OF the House TO accomplish
than simply 70 give one gentleman an opportunity Of
speaking believe there are quite number of US who
would like 10 speak, and with view o extending the
lime allowed Tor debate upon this BILL would suggest
that we 90 into The House for thai purpose
The CHAIRMAN. The Chair must remind gentle
that debate ia closed, and that is IN the power
OF the committee 10 extend IL The Chair would also
suggest that il will be impossible accomplish such
purpose by going into the House A motion was made
to reconsider the vote by which the resolution closing
debate adopted, and The motion laid upon the table,
placing out OF The power OF the House 10 extend the de-
bale.
Mr. FLORENCE Is il not competent for The COM
mee lay aside this bill for the present. aad lake up
some otner bill upon the calendar, upon which the de-
The CHAIRMAN. II is not. The resolution OF the
House fixes the Time when the debate shall closes and
then prescbes that the committee shall then proceed to
vote upon such amendments as are pending, or may be
offered to the bill and shall report the same to the House
The order is positive, and the committee proceed to
the consideration OF no other BUSINESS until il has been
Mir. FLORENCE | was under the impression that
The committee had The power TO lay aside this bill and
take up another.
The CHAIRMAN II has not
MIR, COBB desired to obtain the floor
The CHAIRMAN. The Chair has already announced
10 the committee that the gentleman IRON Pennsylvania
is entitled 70 the floor.
Mr.. COBB. am aware Of that !; but II The gentle.
man does not wish 10 avail himself OF his privilege,
should be slad to occupy portion OF bis time
A MEMBER. You cannot do that
Mr.. DAWSON, lnn,ead of availing myselt Of my
privilege and right TO make another hour speech shall
conne myself exclusively 10 replying, as briefly as pos.
sbe, the objections which have been made 10 the bill
now under consideration.
In the first place, will notice the objections which
have been brought forward by the honorable gentleman
iro Virginia. Gov. SMITH He objects 10 the passage
OF this bill because he considers violation OF the
sIiluon OF the United States | had hoped that had
met that objection satisfactorily my opening speech
upon this suhect but whether succeeded in satisfying
the gentleman from Virginia moi, TO osyaie all d'ti-
Guilty touching any constitutional questoa which may be
involved will read in fui the provision contained in
The third section, fourth article OF the constitution, 10
which merely referred IN my opening speech The
lang uage Is as follows:
The Congress shall have power to dspost Of and make
all needlu rules aud regulations pecn The territory
oher properly osongns 70 he United States and no.nns
State"
think the power which this bill asserts there clear
y set forth in plain and positive language But Will
turn the attention Of the gentleman from Vglnia and
ot the committee to the exercise OF that power by the
Congress oil the United States, which may be found by
reference TO the act, (Unlted States Laws, volume
page $685. old editon) BY which tour hundred OF
land were granted by Congress 10 each OF the French
and Canadian Inhabitants VINO were settlers IN Illinois.
10 The act OF March g. 1891, by wBich tive thousand
four hundred acres were granted TO lie Inhabitants OF
Vincennes.
twenty -four thousand OF the public land were
granted 10 the French Inhabitants OF Gailiopos.
TO United States Statutes at Largc, volume /. page
257, by which one hundred thousand acres o land were
granted 10 the Onio Company OF Associates tor each
male not less lhan eighteen years OF age being
aetuGt settler.
will also refer the honorable gentleman to the recent
act Of Congress OF the 9Th OF February 1885, By which
donations o the public lands in the lerrtoiy Oregon
wefe made 10 acua! settlers varying ia quantity from one
bundted and sixty 10 hundred and tory TO each
person. never heard the consttatioBaliy OF that
called question. Virginia herself by liberal policy
made and extensive grants of her lands for
nominal consideration. with view TO settlement
and Improvement
But all doubt as TO the constitutional power OF Con-
gress make grants OF the public domain TO individuals
with 10 settlement and cultivation, yanlshes on
referring TO the fact that Congress, by acts.
has granted TO individuals, for military service ~ Sal
g79 acres, and for The OF canals, railroads
internal Improvements and the Improvement OF navga-
BILE streams, 1858 700 acres. Hence, think II very
late day Tor the gentleman from Virginia 10 lneTpose
constitutional objections.
Another objection which the gentleman makes 10 the
bill 49, that is confined, ls provisions 10 those
who no land. Why, am sufpfised that oblec-
ton Of that kind should be made For my part, tery
repudiae all restrictions anything thai may appoxl-
mate 10 agtaraBlsm IN the disposition oil The public
lands In all my speeches and remarks upon this ques
ton, have enaeayofed 10 "trip 1t OF every objection oil
such character One oil the great controlling consider-
auons with is TO make the public domain productive,
TO secnre It's settlement 10 increase the agricultural pro-
dueons oil the country, and consequently TO increase
the aggregate OF the national wealth. enlarge the basis
of commercial interests to add 10 the national
nue., TO build up cities, to extend our commercial
marine, that the shall be wbitened with the
sails OF our commences TO make prosperous at hone,
and TO people broad counlry from the Atlantic TO the
Pacific Hence, The language of this bill has been
fully selected thai lis provisions may be extended 10
all. would extend the privileges, which IT proposes 10
confer, TO every man, no matter bow much property be
may possess he is willing 10 abandon that property 10
make settlement ia the wilderness, TO reclaim the waste
and wet lands TO fell the Forest make roads, 10 build
towns, villages churches, and scbool-hou and 10
make IT productive and prosperous.
Another Objection which the gentleman opposes TO this
measure is that large portion OF the population OF this
country engaged mechanical puEsuls, and, there
lore, that they casaot avail themselves OF The privileges
OF this bill. Why, sir IT never contemplated that
this bill should force any from his natural pursuit
IL must be eit entirely To the judgment oil each man, and
TO the advantages II may promise him. Many OF the
mechanics oil the New Eng land States and o the States
situated the seab oard have already abandoned their
mechanical pursuits, and have settled IN the West. II
others wish 10 do the same they Will have The privilege
under this bill II, the other hand, they prefer 10
main in the land OF their BIRTH around those old court.
houses, where civilization is positively retrog aiding,
where population comparatively diminishing, where
energy ~ being exhausted, as weref they prefer to
remain there in that condition of things why. OF the
West will oiier objection. We, who take pride IN our