The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-01-13
CONGRESSIONAL.



On thc homestead BIN delivered IN tba H,,.. a. n
I sentatives On Tuesday January 3 1855
he House having under consideration The venafr,
amendment to The graduation bill grating one kandr
anS ~ any ~ SsSss q Land 70 scsusL settlers
NJ DAMSON addressed the House a. follows
ny sPEAxEs Twice before the present oer.sso, 1, L.
osen my fortune in somewhat prominent sens ~ ~ ~
aoeAe before yoa of the great subject 70 which hAr.
sTs ensny due % this honorable body for te ecegsi
ue ~ Iesso"ea upon this measure and the warm sup
- mnAe nAs nere been extended % il am well aware
thAt the signal favor which the homestead has met - ~
hands = 10 no degree owing any merit la the 45yo
Of the bill bat solely its own intrinsic exee~n n q
~! @ remark upoa the ability and eoqnence
when the measure has heretofore elected In ia sIpuort
from members Of this House by which is advanfs,s
Fs oeeh Illustrated 10 the mind 0f the eoantry aud 10
h9pe mai tne same ardor and unaniity OF sentiment
Whleh characterized your former action In regard "a this
SUBJECT VIII oe now once manifested in is favor
~ wil oe reeoiisced Mr. Speaker THAI At the lss se
sssss s Mss s- ts 3 omonly kosn As the bone
wnefning decision OF this House and thai the Senate
AVOIDING direct vote s provisions adopted in lieu AZ
= ne saossae q MI hrSTEA To that substitute there
are many and grave Objections and is now my purpose
70 seek re-establishment with few alterations on ill.,
original bill An examination Of the senates substitute
shows ~ 10 be for the benefit Of States railroads
and SPECTATORS. It's adoption woud ~ dfsas,yes ~ 49,
PuIly Of legislation in the land States Who does not
Know what scramble would in these States amongst
which that which has been carried a. ia rony~ess eg
De but magnihed reflection Who does NOT See the in
Vulnerable Charters which under the influence Of log-ro
g III the legislatures would be brought forth 10 absorh
for railroad purposes all the lands in these s,ates 10 the
utter exclusion Of the settler which would cause
QUANTITIES o. bonds TO be spawned the country make
lne competition for money unparalleled and increase the
rates Of interest unprecedented exen2 The sartin
OF so many immature and impracticabe schemes hy erea
ung fictitious demand for labor and the accessories OF
ne would be most pernicous in its influence Little by
little the gigantic bubble would continue 10 sw. ana
gisten until il should burst and bankruptcy in ia most
supendous forn De the sequel This picture OF fancy
Nf-H hNFh rha
Eunately too familiar.
The provision Of the substitute which processes 70 ugr
he homestead prncpleviz theeighth sectiogis mock
sry AZ apparently allows every head Of family or male
person Of the age OF twenty-one years To enter quarter
ecton OF unapproprated public lands upon the condition
y according TO graduated scale of twenty-five
EMS per acre But whether the settler shall be- able Ia
axe any advantage at all Of this provision depends mon
ne ADOPTION otherwise by the States Of this provision
Ae sefafes substitute; since the States have the priv-
e under another section of acquiring the absolute right
Q ne public lands within their limits and Of dsposlng
tnen and at such higher prices as their wisdom shall
echus superseding the claim Of the settler entirely
AT all events, manifest that this graduation fca.r-
ne for the benefit OF capitalists Its effect VIII be 10 pass
nto the hands OF such millions of acres which viii
eain IN Wilderness condition, ii may BE- centuries
aus defeating e settlement Of the country and tending
build up landed arstoeracy Il is in direct antao-
ism 70 the policy of Mr. jefferson of DESTROYING the rights
and entail and the removal Of all unjust
ietons which tend TO tie property beyond the reach
the culnvator. 1t win be an approximation 80 far a.
ae different genius Of the two governments will allow OF
oncentraied in the hands some thirty thousand i-
M arae a. sas 1ls aaafd se eeyeeRssy of the kingdom
discharge the public debt but with the
all the old debt Uncomfortable existing debt and an
treasury this has erased There being
need of revenue fre- the lands there should pc
eversa Of this policy ard the lands disposed Of as best
promote settlement and thus subserve the general inter-
sts Of the country The from the customs is al
eady than sufficient 10 support the government and
erhaps the greatest evils Of present political condition
those resulting from the struggles 70 get possession OF
: snas q ts treasury Ihe true policy of ine coun
feel Mr. Speaker in more aPpruassa- shss aues-
ion that have already exhausted upon he resources
II argument propose, al tins time, only lev remarks
uch as seem warranted by review OF the whole qaeston
" the light of the recent searching discussion wnen
undergone in ihe coordinate branch OF the naonal
legislature far from sinking any degree under tne
seight Of that discussion trust is spparsnt that
II no time has this occupied stronger position
before the country than al present combination o an
low ard circumstances qne unconnected with the merits
II the homestead have for time nerfered TO prevent iis
passage By the Senate; but the still small voice o. tne
people speaking in the calm majesty Of might and usnce
Already rising above the jar OF sectional and partisan n
erests and insisting upon the adoption into the legal Pot
CIV Of the country Of this their favorte measure once
more lei US discharge eur duty towards X Lei us
place before feow-ctzens the grounds upon Nhen
rest the justice and policy OF ths homestead anu give
the sanction Of our decided approval and we can anoro 70
wait the subsistence Of these elements Of fopposnon wnc
varied and conflicting in their nature are destined 70
brief duration persegerin4, earnest and steHAy SUI
port Is what the country looks for at our hands s ~ha
s4N right expect Ana -
vail
Ii may be thought indeed by some that the passage Al
the late session the land graduation b has taken
much preext for the further pressure OF the homestead
and has accomplished all that could be desired hoped for
by the friends Of that Surely nothing can be
further from the trath IL may DC admitted indeed thai
the enactment Of that bill advancing step IN the
right direction bat how limited the benefits IL confers 10
comparison with those sought by the measure under con-
sideraon tits at that except regards lands
which have been years in market the old land system
remains unchanged by the graduation ba feature which
renders il napplcable much Of the land In the land
States and entirely that Of the Territories Iii
further that regards that class Of lands which has been
years in market the reduction is only twenty-five cents
reduction which regards the class o. settlers
sought be benefited by the provisions OF the homestead
quite too Insignificant be appreciated The further
reductions seventy-Gve hfsy twenty-five, and twelve
and half cents aereaceording the lands have been
ketare st liable to the objection Il is only when
the lands have been thirty years subject 70 private entry
and in consequence are reduced the rate pro-
yided By the graduation bin that the benefit becomes APP
preable for that large class Of settlers for whom the nome
stead bill intended chiefly TO provide The eondions
however under which the public lands become reduced 70
the lowest rates such 70 limit II 10 The smallest and
worthless portions OF the lands in the States and 10
the Territories il have application at ALI and
therefore the great objects sought BY the homestead re-
main still to be accomplished
Let proceed, however 10 notice the ew objections
which in the scrutnixng analysis WHICH the subject hss
reeuty undergone in the other wing of the Capitol
tors have tboaght proper insist upon against the prnc
pies Of the homestead BILL Thus has been eontended
by certain q the old States that the public Lands