Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-04-29
THE HOMESTEAD BILL.


Alta special meeting Of the Agricultural Society Of New
castle county State of Delaware convened at the house
Of John Foster, in Wilmington, April l. 1854 John C.
Clark ESQ., the President Of the Society," in the chair
and James Brndey Esq, Vice Presidents James Canby
was appointed Secretary.
On motion, resolved that Messrs c. p Holcomb n I.
Dupont, j. T. Bird s. Mcdaniel, and Bryan jackson be
appointed committee report business for the consde
ration of the society.
The committee reported the following resolutions,
which, after being read and considered unanimously
| adopted:
Whereas the public domain is sacred trust, held BY
the General Government for the common benefit Of all
the citizens and is valuable reliable source Of revs
nue. to the Government fund from which to advance
education or other objects of national concern; and
whereas system of pensions donations Of revenue
property by the Government to individuals opposed
the character OF our institutions unknown in our past
prosperous history, dangerous precedent wrong in
principle and practically uncalled for in land where
but the slothfu need want whore labor is well
warded and perseverng industry never fails to secure
comfortable home: Therefore,
ResOue That the proposition to give one hundred and
sixty acres Of land as proposed by the homestead bill
before Congress- to each male resident in the country at
the time Of the passage Of said bill who is years Of
majority is the establishment Of system of gratuities
pensions in the most exceptonable FORM since It ID
giving without the preext of claim the part those
who to receive it is volunteering the bounty Of tho
Government the supposon Of extended pauperism
freehold out Of the public domain which another starting
from the point has had to buy and pay for because
it is only those who seeking freehOlds for the first
time now the "landless Of 1854, or those who have
their residence in certain sectional locations that viii OK
can practically ava themselves Of the benefit Of this bill
The statistics Of emigration show that but million Of
had az asysd oo IN the coa. up g sao and
by the Government and paid for by citizens while
en- graon since that period has averaged nearly quar-
ter Of million annually; and for Government to give
and &oth
ing homes, who certainly had strong claims any
recently arrived, would be to act partially, and
equity would require the return of the many millions OF
dollars previously drawn by the Government from
citizens.
3D. That if this agrarian precedent is established by
Congress in the middle Of the nineteenth century, Of
giving to each male adult who may be in the country
hundred and sixty acres Of land petitions emanatng
from large commercial cities other sectional oca
tions what may be the demands from the quarter
before the close Of the century And if the public lands
nice distinction that refuses the applicants the
directly from the treasury ITSELF when the lands that for
so many years contributed to supply the treasury were
freely given.
Sd. That no argument can be found for the measure
in any policy Of settling rapidly the States,
since never during the past history Of the country was
their increase greater their prosperity gratifying,
while additional Inducements such the offer OF FREQ
farms to large class of citizens well engaged in the
trades in mechanical agricultural and other pursuits
would most seriously nure the old States by withdraw
4th That the measure is not necessary as means Of
encouraging still further emigration by conveying the
idea to the population Of Europe that their arrival
in the United States they will be provided by the Gov
ernment with homes and reehods and which Idea,
in furnishing precedent this bill does directly hold out
The arrivals Of this population such at present as to
overtax commercial marine crowdng the ships In 3
manner often resulting in great mortality.
9TH That in reference to the advantages to the pro-
posed benehcaries themselves Of this class the
is of more than doubtful expedency far as it contem
which the early pursuits and habits Of many would be
altogether unsuited and the idea Of making poor man
farmer by giving him home it is called, or giving
him hundred and sixty Of wild land in the
forest and compelling him to reside on II five years with
out the means or the knowledge Of improving the rss
of it. any practical farmer knows must result in
failure and in making the poor man still poorer for
would probably leave him discouraged and disheartened
as well as bankrupt
9Th That the effects and fruits Of this measure will
probably if successful to give, in the first place
lection and appropriation at Of all the best land to
the people in the States vicinity of where the lands
e and in the end under different pretexts, Congress-
be called modify the law in reference to actual resi-
dence and the result will be that the "freeholds" will
be transmitted into land scrip flooding the country
to the amount of two hundred million Of dollars, to be
"operated in by land warrant brokers and specuators
whose zeal for the Of this bill is already well
known.
7th That respectfully suggest that have not un
derstosd do We believe the people generally have un-
derstood that in voting for representatives
authorizing them to give away each his one million Of
dollars worth Of public land for the purpose aforesaid,
find in the constitution, though it may be
theraany authority for their gping land at all with
without the consent Of their constituents.
8th That the title Of the bill regard utterly de-
usve especially in setting FORTH among other things that
it is to encourage agriculture" and it agrcutu-
rsts members Of society for the promotion Of agr
culture We protest against i:-against the Government
coming forward to create three hundred thousand free
farms any number of free FARMS and diverng labor
well and better employed There are few of that
starting in life poor have not bought and paid for the
land we TILL and consider it hardship for any
to do the and if Government will leave our
people, Of both foreign and native BIRTH to the exercise Of
their energies without undertaking their beneficiary
support there is nothing necessary to their wants hap
piness they cannot obtain
The following additional resolution moved by James
Candy, Esq, seconded by Theodore Crawford ESQ.,:
RcsoDed That in the opinion of this society the prn
cpe of giving the public lands to the andess is demo-
raizng in its tendency doing away the inducement
to economy and industry and likely lead to habits any
thing but promotve Of the public good.
On motion of Mr.. MCDANIEL,
Resolved That the corresponding secretary communi-
cate copies of the proceedings of this meeting to Be-
nators and Representative in Congress- with request
that the bill pending before the honorable Senate
may receive the energetic opposition of the Senators Of
this State, and that copies of the proceedings bo also
furnished to the press Of this State and to the Naons
Ltelgencer and Daily Globe, with request that they
will publish the same.
JOHN G. CLARK, President
JAMES BRINDLEY, Vice President.
JAMES CAsBY Secretary.
VINO Is MRS PARTINGroN ?"-The inquiry Is freN
quently made, 'Who is Mrs. Partngton?" We first
read of the old lady in speech made by Sydney Smith