New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-07-22
THE HOMESTEAD BILL.

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THE HOMESTEAD BILL
The homestead bill was then taken up.
The question pending was on Mr. Chase's mo-
tien to amend the sixth section, by extending
the benefits of the bill to aliens hereafter arriv
ing in the United States
Mr.. Stuart said he would vote against it, and
also against Mr.. Clayton's motion to strike out
the sixth section. He would, however, suggest,
that if these amendments we're voted down, he
would offer one, giving the homestead to foreign
ers in those States only, where by State laws,
aliens were allowed to hold real estate; thus
leaving it open so each State to have, or exclude
aliens, as it may think proper
Mr. Chase supported his amendment He
could see no ground for making any distinction
between those foreigners now here, and those
to come hereafter.
Mr.. Clay opposed the amendment, and it was
then rejected. Yeas ID, nays 36.
Mr. Dixon moved to amend the sixth section,
by striking out the words any individual
and inserting in lieu thereof the words, any
free white person"
Messrs. Jones, of Tennessee, Walker, Stuart,
Shields and others thought the bill as 1t now
stood confined the benefits of the section to white
persons Under the laws of the United States,
no one but white person could be natural1zed
Mr. Chase opposed the amendment because 1t
was unnecessary, and because 1t was UNJUST
NiAAt4SSooN
ferently by several Senator's and to gain friends
for the bill and make that plain, which the
friends of the bill said it now conceded, he would
vote for the amendment. za4s
| Mr. Dixon earnestly insisted that under the
section, as it now stood, any foreigners who
| were black could obtain the possession OF land
| even without naturalization.
Mr.. Bayard and Clayton both supported the
amendment, which was agreed to. Yeas 81,
nays l6. ..,.. >. 49,. :. il, ~
section by including the following
| provided that the benefits of this act shall
not extend to the CHI dren, heirs or devisees OF
| aliens born out of the United States, who are
twenty one years of age, until they shall have
| fled their declarations to become citizens OF
| the United States p
| This was debated at considerable length and
adopted Yeas 81, nays 20.
| Mr. Brown moved to add to the sixth section
! the following: E95 - -
"Provided further, that any foreign born
person who shall fail to become citizen OF the
| United States within six years after entering
upon the land, shall forfeit all rights under
! this act.'
| Adopted by vote of 81 yeas, 8 nays.
| Mr. Benjamin moved to add this clause to the
sixth section: =-..-5= eT
ANY native born person Of the age Of SIX
teen years and upwards, entering upon and
| eultiyating the same, shall be entitled to the
same benefits as other persons under the same
| act"
| Mr.. Jones, Of Tennessee, opposed this amend
ment as one intended to kill the bill. He
earnestly besought all its friends to vote down
all amendments if they desired to effect its pas
sage He was utterly opposed to taking the
amendments offered by the ayowed enemies Of
the bill, who could not be induced to vote for il
under any circumstances He asked where
was the Senator from Illinois in this contest
That Senator had not said one word yet in de-
fence of the bill, but left him to contend the
host of its enemies
Mr.. Douglas said he had not been unmindfu1
Of the tactics displayed by the enemies of the
bill, But he was satisfied that the bill was moi
to be carried by talking The way to pass il
was for its friends to keep silent and vote.
The amendment was agreed to-yeas 70
nays 20.
Mr. Clay moved an amendment to the ettec
that no foreigner but naturalized citizen coulc
enjoy the benefits of this act, unless he should
file at the land office within sixty days the eyi
dence Of his having declared his intentions o
becoming citizen.
Messrs Stuart and Wade opposed the amend
ment, and Messrs. Slidell, Clay and Pratt sup
ported it.
Pending the question, the Senate at o'clock
by vote of yeas 33, nays IS, adjourned.
HousE.-Mr Cumming, on leave, introduces
bill authorizing the Postmaster General t
enter into a contract with Christian Hanson, O
Brooklyn, for the transportation of the Unite
States mails from Brooklyn, in steamers Of no
less than 1000 tons, to the continent of Europe
via Plymouth, England, Antwerp, Rotterdam
!, Bremerhayen, Gluckstadt, or the River Elbe
near Hamburger, in Holstein; and in steamer
of not less than 400 tons, from Gluckstadt vii
: / noffa ph,,rr IN, SwaAan. (yhrISfinnQ Nor
| way, on the North Sea and Gattegat; ant
from Kiel, on the Baltic, via Calmar, in swe
den, to st. Petersburg, Russia. Referred t
the Committee on Post offices.
Mr. Cumming not wishing to consume tn
time of the House, asked, and obtained leave t
. print his remarks on the above subject.
. Various private bills were reported and re
, ferred.
Mr.. Mace, from the select Committee on Mai