The daily union., 1854-02-16


treat wh respect for they have been urged with mastery
ability and perseverance in both wings OF this Capitol
Justly distinguished the gentlemen who oppose this
measure they only emsd by their course OF those ear
y navigaiors who forever midy hung around the
OF The Mediterranean and the west oil Europe, afraid To
launch boldly upon the broad which, Ia return for
then vsanes, ready TO bear them 10 the shores OF
new world. With similar apprehensions these dlaecc
maflnes see no lands beyond Lake Efie the Msss-
supp, or-wrapped up like Rasselas in the Happy Val,
leythey cannot ft their gances beyond The Alsgbanies
the waters OF the Ohio so closely do these politicians
steer TO .he old system OF managing the public lands
against the opinions and practice OF the most conserva
live ahd yet democratic oil our staesmen-of Jackson
OF Benton. OF Cass OF Douglas, OF Walker, and OF An
drew Johnson. Like intellectual gladlaors they waste
in enc1uners OF skill the strength and afoitness which
would honoraby distinguish hem in the service OF the
State In spirit too conservative tor the times, they
seem unwilling 10 realize that the great valley east OF
the Mississippi, aud far beyond It's angry waters, towards
the bass Of the great mountain the sun is shining high
~ the heavens and that man. IN his mission OF subdung
and czns TIE earth, IL haslenins 10 and fro IN all d
rectons with the hurried tramp OF armies marching TO
battle.
But lei us glance at the positive considerations in Ia
vor OF this measure think il may be assumed as con-
elusive that by multiplying Individual interests this bill
will furnish us the surest and strongest guarantee against
agraranlsn A1raranism, IN the bad sense IN which 1t
has been charged, il il mean anything, means taking
property from those who have ii and distributing it
among those who have none Bat do not the obecors
see tbat The more you multiply individual interests, how
ever small the more enecually you increase the number
Of those who are opposed 10 measures OF leyeng dlsb
butioni
IT was the conviction OF Mr. Jefferson, from his obser
yai'ons in Europe, that the laws OF pmogenure and en-
tail tended 10 an accumulation in few hands of all the
landed property OF the Kingdom and 10 an entire separa
ton OF the tenant IRON the soil, which consequently de-
stroyed the bond OF attachment, to The government
Hence his policy OF repudiaing all snch partial provls-
ions and in every production which subsequently fell
from his penfrom the charter OF liberties through
all his messages and correspondenceh for equal
y OF rights shines conspicuous. strong government
not less his care than that OF his federal comparios
but he sought Tor that strength, not in investing Frv
legged few with force 10 control the Masses bu, BY sys.
founded upon principles OF justice and equality, and
resting firmly in the affections OF the people
So Tar, them from being evelins in its tendency, il s
the best calculated possible 10 create great con-
servative interest of everything valuable in nsu
ons social and political BY this bill, you pass IT,
you call into existence great comnnny OF freehoders
each sovereign within the limits of his domain, and,
regards the security OF his political and civil rights as
the Chief Magistrate of the country. Tho s interested
in upboding the government and institutions OF the
country il they, the holders OF the SOIL be not! III you
wish increase the safeguards of the nationals ability
10 ree external aggression as well as preserve nterna!
order-You must increase the number OF freehold homes
What the exhofta,on go common IN The mouths OF
the Roman generals when addressing their countrymen
on the eve OF battle against an invading Toe! 1t was
/" Fight for your affairs and your hfesldes" This meas
uIe therefore, best regards the deences OF the couD
uy for unlike the seagrt ises OF the British realm, the
deences o this magnificent land are not so much IN her
4" woodea walls" her Notifications. These are, in
Decd great and important but insign cani in compari
son with that which is furnished by the living ramparls
OF our hardy yeonanry and laborins population. They
il is which the lie blood OF the nationwide twice
resisted successfully the disciplined armies OF England,
who recently planted The flag Of their country in triumph
upon the walls OF the far distant and ancient renowned
city OF the Mo0ezunas and who ever ready to pre-
sent fnpfegnaole front 10 every foreign assault
Bat sir the measure has been proven best regards
the revenue OF the country will take occasion TO
mind my auditors that IN speech which had The hon
10 make from this place nj the last session, II was
sho wn lnatthe of agricultural production
sequeBt upon the settlement under this bill OF one mil
lion OF eeholders and the consequent extension OF our
commerce, will add annually 10 the national revenue
seven times the annual average receipts OF the government
from The public lands since the hTs acre was sold. 1t
also shown in The course OF the discussion OF this
measure that IL would be the best policy towards the
twelve States which have public lands within their
limits, BY converting them into private property-sub-
ecting them to taxation, and thus securing from them
legitimate contribution TO the burdens OF State govern
meni.
But the distribution of the public lands which the
measure proposes strikes me IN the highest degree
equitable towards the old Sales for by il we provide
for all the States exactly IN proportion TO The number of
the needy and enetprisng within their limits AS this
population is the most numerous IN the old States they
in this point OF vew the greatest particpaors IN lis
bounty aad ia II any objection TO this view that the i'm
mediate bene e6ciaries OF the should be that
large, yet in many respects meorous, class OF our el-
low czeDs who borne down by the ever-lncreasing
distance between wealth and poverty in our old commu
mites Ia class who, without much hope of elevatng
their condition, struggle hepessy and hopeessly there
and who, though numerous IN all the States, stand IN
special need OF the liberal aid OF pa,erna government
10 those crowded communities where population presses
upon subsistence
Ia this objected 10 as partial and class legislation And
have we had none such htbeTloi Has there been
measure adopted by Congress- by which money be
distributed among the communltybe II Tor internal i'm
provemens, for erecting light houses coast defences or
public structures it did not inure 10 your propre
TORS your contractors, and men of subsance-to those
who had something-aDd not, as the benefits proposed
by this bill, those chiefly who have nothing We all
know how much has been doae, by direct legislation for
the benefit OF capital For whom, directly but TO cap
taliss do your innumerable corporations and your pro-
ecve tariffs yield their benefits True, these benefits
may 90 indirectly TO labor. Let gran, that il is !;
still, where will You find single enactment for the ben
eft OF labor directly, and especially OF that class whose
whole capital is labor
In close connexion with the topic OF benehting the
land States, will merely reler TO the policy which has
been illustrated with such ability and during the
last two sessions OF Congress ia approval OF railroad
graststbe manifest tendency OF such grants to fulfil the
object OF The whole land policy of the government
namely the settlement OF The public domain, and its erec
argument was urged in behalf Of those
which does not apply with triple force TO the bill under
consideration.
Reasons scarcely less forcble than any we have pre-
sented in favor OF this cbaage proposed In land po
cy may be derived from consideration OF features
OF the present system Among hese II has been shrewd-
ly questioned whether the benefits OF The policy OF pre-
empons. under existing laws, not for the spec
uator than The setter in other words 10 favor the cap
i,alis at the expense of the of small The
latter first settles upon hs tract and besiows his labor
with energy and skill. reducing il under cultivation
and alter series of trials incident TO frontier settle
men he falls Tor the want OF means 10 pay the govern
men ior the tteloses his twelve months privilege of
purchase, and compelled linger serve exist.
r.ta h,,,. t.ur,