Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-02-05

Try. Ian not wiling, By ny vote, to give single
foot Of land to any foreigner that brehthes upon this
green eazth-I care not from what cline or country
~ care netot Whas color shade On casts-T am op-
posed TO this tide Of immigration which is flooding
our country with q host Of evils the natural ten,
deney OF which s, the ultimate destruction Of the
Governments: And If know anything about the
/ party to which belong, its great ultimatum has
ever been, to check, aye, to dam up this influx Of
foreigners into our country the value Of the insti-
tutions of which, they never can appreeiste he
leEe that our public lands, though they may appear
to some gentlemen almost inexhaustible are not
more than sufficient to supply the wants Of our own
population. 1t does seem 10 me that those gentle
men who are willing for this contemplated Home.
stead Law, extend its provisions to an citizens
which, in effect is extending its provisions to every
foreigner that to this eountry-for il is well
known fact that they can and do bv an evasion of
the law naturalze themselves in less than twentv
| four hours after landing upon our shores-must be
/ possessed Of most extraordinary HberaIity 8 lib-
/ eralty which l by no means envy. I am willing
that homestead not only Of one hundred and sixty
| acres be given to our own people, who will settle
\ it with bona fde intention but am willing
that every such person should have twice that
] amount I do not consider it o gift to them-he
laud is theirs purchased by their blood but to the
foreigner it would be gratuit0us donation without
merit. I would that every man that lives had
| home aud / admire that noble generosity which
| would shelter the stranger, but can not endorse
that liberalty which gives the foreigner home to
the exclusion Of the native born.
/ So the House refused to postpone
| Mr. NEWMAN now moved to lay the amendment
on the table, demanding the yeas aud nays thereon
/ and the ssme being ordered and taken, resulted
/ yeas 60, pays Gas follows:
| Yeas Messrs. Anderson, Bate, Bayless, Bentley
Benton, Bicknell, Blackburn, Brazston, Bullock,
! CALDWELL Cantrell, Carter Of r., Copeland, David
| son. .Dobson, Dodson, Dunlap, Estes Ewing Full
| ton, Cannon GOlladay, Griffith, Hamilton, Harvey,
! II lines. Ivie, johnson, Keepey, Lackey, Lamb,
| Lloyd Low Nancy Maris, Mickey, NeWbern New
man, Randolph Roulston, Richardson Roberts,
| Rose, RoWles, st. John, Shrewsbury Smart, StO-
! vail, Summers, Taylor, Thompson, Turner Of R
| Turner of s., Williams, Wilson White of H. White
Of K, Wood, Vaughn, and Speaker Donelson-60.
Aays-iIessrs. Algee, Cooper, RenshaW, Saun-
/ ders. Senter Stantou-6. ~.
| So the amendment was laid on the table, and the
question required the adoption Of the resolution.
Mr. WE proposed 10 amend, by adding, " Provi-
ded that the provisions contemplated by this resolu
ton shall only extend to native born and naurslzed
| citizens of the United States"
/ Mr. THOMPSON alleged that the amendment was
/ out of order-ss embracing the same substance
/ but did not press the objection
| Mr. COOPER commended hat it could not be ruled
/ out that plea
Mr. IVIk demanded the yeas and nays on the
adoption Of his amendment, and the being or
1 dered snt taken, re>ulted-yess g. nays $3.50.
the amendment failed.
/ Mr. BULLOCK moved to refer to the Committee on
Federal Relations with instructions. He could not
but regard the passage Of this measure as fatal
stab to the interests Of the South. The prevailing
/ settlements Of the Northwest were already
I shadoWing the South We had seen too much of the
disposition Of majorites to trample down the rights
of mnorties. The South could not avail themselves
| Of the advantages of this measure Should We con
nue to give every thing to the North, and ask moth
ing for ourselves? He submitted mot as partisan)
the following Instructions to the Committee on Fed
/ eral Relations:
"That the said Committee be instructed to report
what will be the effect Of the measure proposed by
the resolution the relative political power Of the
| Northern and Southern States Of this Union b"
He wanted them to report facts and fgures-Bhere
the public lands lie, and what viii be the probable
| effect Of such appropriation Of the Landslide
common property Of the States.
Mr. BENTLEY demanded the previous question,
| and the demand being seconded by the House,
Mr. DAVIDSON demanded the yeas and nays on
the main question, viz: Shall the resolution pass?
and the same being ordered and taken, resulted
yeas "a, nays g. as follow:
Yeas-Aiessrs Bentley, Bieknell, Blackburn
Brazelton, Cantrell, Carter of Carter, Carter Of
Hardin, Copeland, Davidson, Dobson, DOdson, Estes,
Fulton Golladay, Griffith, Hamilton, johnson, Lloyd,
Low, Mickey, Newman, Roulston, Roberts, Rose,
Rowles, St. John, Smart, Stovall, Summers, Tay-
Tor, Thompson, Williams, Wilson, and Speaker Don
elson-34.
Nays-Messrs. Algee, Anderson, Bate, Bayless,
Benton, Bullock Caldwell, Dunlap, Ewing, Frazer,
Cannon, Holmes Ivie, Keeney, Laokey, Newbern,
Randolph, Richardson, Saunders, Senter, Shrews-
bury, Stanton, Turner Of Sumner, White Of Hamil
ton, Wood and Vaughn-26.
Mr.. NEWMAN, when his name was called, gave
three reasons for opposition: /. He was opposed
to inequitable distribution Of the public domain.
?. Opposed to a donation 10 individuals, where the
South could not get its proper share. Opposed
to giving away this source Of public revenue now,
when the General Government was out Of funds, and
was compelled TO resort to Treasury nOtes-a public
lOan-to get along.
Mr. TURNER, of Sumner in explanation Of his
vote against the resolution stated that the public
lands had been acquired by the common blood and
treasure Of the nation, and Of all the States, and
that the South was entitled fair pro rata Of them
if they were distributed but under the operation of
the Homestead law, At least fourffths, if not nine
teLths Of them, would 90 TO Northern men, to per-
inimical Southern rights and Institutions
He again opposed it upon the ground that the pub
lie treasury was now empty and we were forced to
issue treasury notes to supply it. and he thought IL
wrong to give away the lands that brought into the
treasury millions Of dollars, when we borrow
ing money 10 sUpplyit and, lastly he opposed 1t
upon the ground that he at all times and especially
during this canvass had taken bold and strong |
ground against dSHtuilDh5 uhdef every shape anu |
form; and he was now unwilling, by his VOTE to !
sanction measure which but distribution under
another name. He had always denied the constitu- /
tional power of Congress to either distribute the /
lands the proceeds thereof and he very clear
in the opinion that if they could not be distributed,
they certainly could not be given away.
The Democratic party had at all times opposed |
distribution, and he believed that if they supported /
this measure it would be a violation of their profess
siOns this subject, and he well knew that in the
last canvass, the people Of Tennessee, by a heavy /
majority had pronounced against distribution, and
in favor of graduated sy stem, instead Of the Home
stead law, and ne was now unwilling for any pur
pose, to endorse proposition that had just been /
pronounced against by the people of Tennessee.
Mr. BATE, and others, also explained their votes. |
So the resolution was adopted.