Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-05-27
THE PUBLIC LANDS"


"The disposal tf the public lands of the coun-
try seems to be the great trouble with which our
law makers are afflicted. Plans without number
are Ibid before Congress, TO get rid Of these trou
blesome acres, but it seems they cannot be squnn-
dercd fast enough. One way seems TO be very
grant Of lands for railroad purposes.
There are q thousand and one of these projects
before Congress, and are TO he carried through
not upon their merits, but upon the princips OF
you help me and I'll help you Some member
has q proect-be wants q few sections to base q
credit upon-hc laws his maps his pro,
ilcs his paper towns, etc., before he louse, and
by the hclp of crowd Of hungry leeches like
HIMSELF he intends 60 carry it, paying for the
favor by voting for every project his helpers may
have in the mill. In this way we fear the present
session is to be spent, and but little hope can be
entertained that anything really beneficial VIII DO
done. 49,.
"The friends Of the homestead bill are sanguine
that they will be able to carry it through the
House, but the iutormn0ble fog in which all such
measures have been lost In the Senate Il is feared
will swamp it,
"Thc great working millions Of this republic
have long enough been yictimized ly patriotism.
and il is time they had something substantial front
those they have enriched with places of trust,
profit and honor. There is no real hope for the
worker, until his rights to the soil are recognized
rs clearly and as fully as his political rights,
Land air, and water, are the three great elements
of life, and mans right is just ccar to the one
as to the other Land monopoly is the life Of the
power of capital-divcst it Of this and the great
element of labor at once assumes Its proper sphere
the head of the social organization.
",rhe first great step in land reform, was made
by our fathers when they cut of the laws OF pri-
mogeniture and entailment Of estates, and the
work by them so nobly commenced, should be conf
peted, by limitation as to quantity.
"The immense strides made ly cniigrfitor With
in few years, and the lines Of railway penetrating
all parts of the mighty west, have given n new
spirit of speculation Every soldier-projcct which
has ever been before Congress, has met with favotS
from the fact that the warrants were admirable
speculation stock. The country was gorged With
parioti, speeches in favor OF the poor soldier.
Politicians burning with ardor in the OF thei
country's defenders with one hand held up the
ballot that was to give the poor soldies homo.
and while the tears of pity coursed down his pat
riotic cheeks, with the other he was buying up tho
poor soldiers warrant at discount of thirty and
fifty per cent; and this is about the amount Of all
such spanglbd banner spasms: ts
"Now, however, when the poor citizen wants a
home, and is willing to till his land, and devote it
to the purpose God intended il 10 be appropriated
he is rudely thrust aside, and his property given
to railroad companies--real iancisd, and prospec.
tive who sell it 10 him at advance of from three
to five dollars per acre, or drive him beyond the
reach Of markets or settlements, before lac can se,
cure homo for himsolf and children. .,t
"This is the present posture Of affairs, and We
SEQ little hope Of remedy. Money Is the great
god at Washington, and it is only here and there
where can DO found man Of true impulkes and
right views, TO stem the tide Of corruption whiSt
runs riot at the national CAPITOL uhionisG