Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1854-08-23


who ieorf and work hard, and under a thou sand
obstacles, deserve the cash upon these &C.
counts. Will you support US, or shall we de-
pend upon the more enlarged Ii beralty of our
friends abroad?
Hon. John I. Daweon.----The Homestead Bill
Under the head of the Passage Of Mr. Cobb's
Graduation Bill" will be found brief synop.
sis of the same, but sufficiently explicit to be
comprehended. From 1t We perceive that the
long mooted Homestead" is still denied to
the actual settler and the impoverished mmi-
grant. We were mistaken as to the passage OF
Mr.. Hcnter's Senate Bill, which We published
Two weeks since, and are not surprised at its
failure for the present. 1t Appropriated too
nearly though far from satisfactorily, to the
wishes of the many thousand who stood rsa
dy to avail themselves Of its provisions, and
laid out disputed policy, too important to
our national interests, and loo open to an APP
Parentty insuperable diversity ofopinion. to
be taken up at an hour Of the Session SO late,
aud canvassed upon its merits, amidst the
confusion and accumulated drudgery of the fin
al week.
1t was consequently lost in the House and
We have in its place Graduation Bill, which
has become the law of the land, excluding the
Homestead clause, but possessing few prom
inant and few in different features of excel.
lence.
The following extracts from letter of the
Hon. JOHN L. DAWSON, a warm friend Of the
Homestead policy, points out his objections
to Hunters Bill, the probable effects of its
passage and the reasons of its postponement.
The provisions of the eighth section of the
bill, as returned from the Senate, allowing
''every head of family. or male, Of the age Of
tweny-ope years, TO enter quarter section of
unapprepratod public land, j" is upon the con.
dition of payment accorl ling to graduated
scale Of twenty five cents per acre. But even
this encountered grant is narrowed and re
stricted by the privileges conferred upon States
OF pre-. empting the whole of the public lands
within their limits, and also by the privileges
conferred upon railroad corporations OF veal
thy contractors.
Should State choose to purchase the lands
within its limits, and raise their price, she can
dc SO, which, you will perceive, would mega
tive the rights of the actual settler, unless the
State Legislature should choose TO adopt the
Legislation Of Congress- and, by re en- acting it,
restore those rights to the settler. Should
ny corporations I0f the con-
structlon OF railroads, or by contracts with in
dividuals, secure the grants of $50 acres with
in IL miles OF the line of road, for each mile
thereof, she has the power under this bill of
restricting the rights of the settler to ,hat ex.
tent. TO what degree this may be carried, liz
these days Of bold speculation and reckless Fl
nancering, it ia not difficult TO conjecture.
The settler, therefore, is under the control of
the States in the first instance as pre.emptors,
and in the next place, under the control of the |
States in connexion with railroad corporations,
which makes the privileges or favors that the
settlers shall enjoy entirely dependent upon
she control that speculative interests, or, on
the other hand, the principles of Just legisla. |
';ion, may exercise over the State legisla
dure.
The advocates of the homestead have no spe.
cial war to wage against grants to railroads -
Their hostility is confined 10 the conflicting
position in which works of that character ere
placed by the Senate bill to the actual settler.
to his great injustice and disparagement.
Very little sagacity will enable US to foresee /
what would be the result of the Senate's pro-
visions in behalf OF railroads, should they be-
come law. Who does not know what scram-
bile would ensue in the land States amongst in
corPorated companies 10 get possession OF the
lands, OF which that which has been carried ON
in Congress would be but magnfed rehec.
ton? Who does not see the innumerable
charters which under the influence Of log. roll
ing in the legislatures. would be brought forth
10 absorb for railroad purposes all the lands in
those States, to the utter exclusion of :he set.
tier. which would cause immense quantities
Of bonds to be spawned over the country .mske
the competition for money unparalleled and
increase the rates Of interests to an unprC.
cedented extentS
= 4
the throre-an enlightened public opinion,
which is greater than the throne iiself-to
speak out. in tones bold and loud, like that
which so long sustained Golden in his oppo
sition TO the Logds, and finally enabled him to
carry in triumph one of the most bene6cent
measures of which the history of legislation
bears record. This is the conduct which the
present exlgency demands Let not past fail
ures discourage our friends, but rather let them
stimnlate TO greater struggles for success The
friends of the homestead bill should persevere,
and they will yet witness the triumph of the
measure at the next session OF Congress, fer /
which they have been SO earnestly contendRg |
"a measure which is based in justice to the |
settler, which is foundedAia wise policy for
the nation, and which no measure can surpass
in the glory OF its merits.
ABBOTT 4 KISG.-ar bound to take the lead
ia the Boot aud Shoe Trade in this City, and
il any one is sceptcal in this matter. let him
visit their establishment aud note the busi-
ness they transact and the favorable terms on
which they transactit
TULIP HlLL-.Citizcns. Strangers,all in fact, !
who are in search Of desirable sites for residen-
ces, read the advertisement Of Gen. MoaRls and
forthwith visit Tulip Hill. We thank they /
will not be disappointed With the situation Of
lots ip that locality.
CLAaK, RESyREw 4 Co.-Eagls Foundry. st
LOUIS. See advertisement
EJVanDeyenter &Co st Louis, offer extraosdi
narY inducements to country dealers and pxi.