The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1854-05-10

cf'H 80 -o@rs
Mr.. THoxPsoS said, the first seetion
Of the bill grants TO every man who Is
q citizen Of the United States. or who
shall hereafter brcome a citizen of the
United States. who is the head Of ia
mily. or twenty one years Of age. one
hundred aud sixty acres of land, with
out paying for il. after FIVE years resi-
dence and occupation. The sixth sec.
tion authorizes any resident Of State
or Territory, who is not now citizen
Of the United States, also to make
like application, and take one hundred
and sixty acres. lf understand the
amendment proposed by the Senator
from Ohio. IL is, that hereafter citizen
ship shall be no prerequisite 10 the ma
king Of a claim. nor shall residence in
a State or Territory be prerequisite I;
but that. on the actual filing Of de-
claration by foreigner from any por-
ton Of the world, when he comes here,
of his intention to become naturalized,
he shall also be enabled, without pay,
free of cost, to take and occupy one
hundred and sixty acres Of the public
land. Am | right in reference to my
understanding Of your amendments
Mr.. WADE. They must live fiye years
on il.
Mr.. THOMPSON. That is true. They
must live FIVE years ON il. Now, in
reference to the amendment as well as
to the bill, desire, although | am not
prepared as wished to be, to say some
few things.
A few days since, at the other end
of this Capitol. when it was proposed
to donate to the different States land
for the purpose Of taking care Of the
needy citizens Of this country. who
BY the visitation of heaven are insane,
and are incapable Of taking care Of
themselves. it was reported upon adj
versely, as being against the Constitu-
tion OF the United States. When it
was proposed that our own citizens.
the insane, the pauper, and the neces-
sitous, who need this aid, should have
such grant made for their benefit. we
we're told that it could not be done
under the Constitution of the United
States. Such a donation to States for
the purpose of taking care OF the in
sane, we were told was unconstitution-
al; but now the Senator from Ohio Of
fers proposition which, If il be adopt
ed and carried into effect, will enable
us to give to every criminal, every fu-
gitive from justice, every yagabond,
and every pauper from Europe, and
from every portion of the world, who
lands on our shores, that which we de-
ny to our own citizens who, under the
visitation Of God, need it, Of whom we
ought to take care, and to whom we
are bound by ties different from any
which unite us to foreigners.
Mr.. President, | had intended, when
| heard this measure spoken Of as one
Of justice and propriety, to move its
commitment to the Committee on the
Judiciary, that they might lick it into
shape before we were compelled to vote
upon it; for, in its operation, it should
be equal. equitable, right, and just.
There should be no class legislation
as is now proposed-no class legisla>
tion in favor of foreigners. In our
legislation we should begin with our
own people at home. But if you give
land to the landless, why not amend
the bill,and give money to the money
less One man needs land, but anoth>
err needs money. Amend the bill then,
and give 5000 to each Of those who
are out of change; to those who need
money. And in addition, Mr.. Presi-
dent, make some provision for mecha-
MICS, professional men, merchants, in
short for that large class Of people who
are not agriculturists. Ifit is intend'
ed as a donation, as a bonus, equity
and justice require that you should
likewise give to other vocations and
professions, to artisans, mechanics, and
merchants, the bonus, the donation,
the largess, the pauper's gift, or what.
ever you choose to tlenominate it. AS
in the one case you give land, in the
other you should give money, and make
no such discrimination as is proposed
by this bill.
Let there be equality. lf you claim
that, under the Constitution of the Uni
ted States, in making rules and regu.
lations in reference to the territory Of
the Union, doing no injustice to the
several States, you have a right SO tc
] donate the lands, donate them with NJ
invidious discrimination make no un
equal distinction donate to those VIII,
are not able to bear the toll, and bur,
den, and hardships Of frontier life
your old men, your cripples, your wi
dows. your workmen, your mechanics
and people Of that description, outsid
Of agricultural interests-.in money
what you donate in land to those wh
are agriculturists.
Ar proa,Ioot have said fhaf