The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-07-30
MR.. BUCHANAN ON THE SETTLERS ON PUBLIC
LANDS,


Mr. Buchanan said that lit was not his intention to 60
into any detailed argument upon the question before the
Senate He would merely state in general terms the re
why be should vote for the bill This he would do
not for the purpose of convincing others but OF placing
himself in the position which he desired to occupy
II had been repeated and again. in the course
al this debate that the bill before the Senate would confer
bounty upon the actual settlers the public lands at the
expense of the people Of the United States He denied that
would produce any such effect These settlers would be
compelled to pay the minimum price of one dollar and
twenty-five cents per for their land Gould the gov
eminent obtain for 1t at public auction had II
remained unsettled? Let the history OF the past answer
this question From the LIST of January 1929 until the
present day averaging all the land sales which had been
made the result was that had received two three four
five at the most cents per than what the
settlers would be Obliged TO pay under this bill Senators
had differed in their statements upon this subject but none
OF them had contended that the average price upon tbs
whole sales exceeded dollar and thrtyone cents per
acre The Commissioner OF the Land Office states to
have been dollar and twenty-seven cents and nine
wenteths The question then whether for the pros
pec and hopeless one it was-of obtaining six cents
per public auction should attempt 10
pei the settlers from their lands and thus by deprvna
them Of home, nfict the greatest misery and distress
upon themselves and their families
"Mr. b. said that our past experience ought TO have
taught us that this was question in which the govern
ment had but little, if any, pecunary interest 1t was
question between the actual settler the side and
the organized bands OF spectators which attended the land
sales the other 1t notoriousit had often been
established this oothat these SPECTATORS acting in
concert had prevented bidding above the minimum price,
and quarter per If the settlers should not obtain
these lands at this price, the spectators would This was
the alternative Turn this question and argue it in what
mode you might still come to the same result 1t
matter of indifference far the treasury
cerped whether granted these prescriptions not In
either the government would neither be benefited
injured Then he called upon to decide between
the actual settler who had spent his time and his labor in
cutting down the forest and preparing himself home in
the Wilderness and the hearess Spectator who might be
anxious to deprive these hardy pioneers of the benefit of
their tolls and to purchase the land which they had inn
proved He could not hesitate upon that subject Past
experience had rendered it certain that the United States
will receive for their land than cent
per above the minimum price and for this nconsider-
able difference he would not turn off the who had set
tied upon public lands in order that they might be
monopolized at the public sales by spectators Let the
actual settler have the first cut and sufficient will remain
for the companies of spectators who attend the public
auctions He had doubt that in both these modes of
sales there had been frauds but he should always lean
that side which would protect the poor in the possess
sion of the land which he had rendered valuable by the
of his brow rather than in of those who had
come from distance to purchase him out of hanse
home
probably should not have said word upon the
subject had not been for the amendment which had been
offered by the senator from Maryland Mr. Merrck This
amendment proposed to make inyidious distinction,
which had been made heretofore in legislation
against foreigners who had settled upon the public lands
and had not been naturazed prior the first day of De-
cember last Whilst granted prescriptions in such
to citizens it excluded these foreigners Why had
this change been proposed in settled policy He had
observed with regret that attempts were now extensively
making throughout the country excite what called
native American feeling against those who had come
from foreign land 10 participate in the blessings OF our
free constitution. Such feeling was unjust-it was IN
grateful In the darkest days of the revolution who had
assisted US in fighting our battles and achieving our indie
pendence2 Foreigners yes sir foreigners He would MT
say for he did not believe that independence could
not have been established without their aid but be would
say the struggle would have been longer and doubt
full After the revolution immigration had been encour-
aged by policy. Throughout the long and bloody
wars Of Europe which had followed the French revolution
this country had been asylum for the oppressed Of
all nations lie trusted that at this late day the Congress
of the United States not about to establish for the
first time such odous distinction that proposed be-
of citizens who had settled upon the public
lands and bis neghbor who had pursued the
under the faith Of your previous policy, merely because
that neghhor had not resided long enough within the
United States to have become naturazed citizen He
himself the Of nauralized foreigner and perhaps
might feel this distinction the sensibly that
count He glad the yeas and nays had been demand
ed that be might record his vote against the principle pro-
posed by the amendment"
"Wise and practical statesmen would study the actual
condition of the country and attempt that which
was from its nature morally impossible We ought TO
yield with good grace circumstances which could
not control In what situation now placed A
very great number OF persons had settled upon the public
land since the date Of the last presumption law They had
there the presumption that you would place them
upon the same footing with those who had gone before
them You bad for years pursued this system, and you
had passed law which indicated any intention of aban-
donng It. You had thus a certain extent pledged your
latin that you would respect the rights which might be
acquired in this manner. You plseed in a
don that you could not draw back If you would
In that part of Wisconsin of Mississippi called Iowa.
there than thirty thousand settlers the
public lands. They had formed themselves into counties
and erected Courthouse and this government had
them judges They were nourishng and prosper
Gus community, under the protection Of your laws They
had cleared away the forests and erected armhouse and
barns planted orchards cultivated the land and were sur
rounded by all the necessares and many Of the conve-
nences Of life Could You erpe such entire com
munity from their honest The attempt would be vain
II would cast disgrace upon the government After
awaiting effort IL would be abandoned II might be per
sisted in until civil commoon would be excited and blood
would be shed. At that point it must end. The moral
Of the people Of this country would be reused against
proceeding any further.
alt is true that the whole power Of the United States
were e1ered for such purpose, might destroy this
happy community and drive them from their homes
II would thus be e1ertcd IL is wise therefore 10
submit at once to moral necessity which has been i'm
posed upon you In consequence OF your conduct IL
is true that you lose or two per acre on the
price Of the land but is such loss worth mentioning
when compared either with the csamtes and injustice
you would inct by rigid adherence to the letter Of the
law with the expense which you would ncdr by send
ing armed force into that country in vain attempt 70
enforce its provisions7
"Mr b. had been asked by the senator from Kentucky If
he would compare the hordes Of foreign paupers that are
constantly flooding shores with the De Kalbs the
Steubens the Layettes and the Puaskes Of the revou
toni 1t was easy to ask such question He felt deep
and grateful veneraon for the Of these usrious
They leaders Of armies; but what could
they have accomplished without soldiers Was IL not
fact known TO the world that the emigrans from the En-
erald sethst land Of brave hearts and strong arms
bad shed their blood freely in the Of liberty and
independence Il both ungrateful and unjust TO
speak Of these people in the Of