Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-05-27
SPEECH OF HON. ANDREW JOHNSON, OF TEN
NEssEE, ON TIE HOMESTEAD BILL.


NEssEE, ON TIE HOMESTEAD BILL.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. TIE special orderis
the bin IS No % to grant to any person who is the
head Of family aud 3 citizen Of the United States
bomestesd Of one hundred and sixty acres Of land
out Of the public domain, upon the condition Of
occupancy and cultivation Of the same for the Pc
Rod herein specified
M JOHNSON. of Tennessee wish 70 call at
tentiop 70 the second section before proceed fur
Their Yesterday the words, for the term Of five
wears I" we're inserted on the motion OF the Senator
from Vermont, Mr. Collamer. They should come
in line twenty after the word " land" instead Of
yFbera theg we're put in en- his motion to read
continued to reside upon and cultivate said land
for the term Of FIVE years.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. That alteration viii
be made
Mr. Johnson. of Tennessee. / wish to make 3
snggestiop 10 the Senate. If there is disposition
A at upon this bill soon, an willing TO have the
go; Indicated when the vote shall be taken, before
Tnroeeed to say anything myself and, after that II
otbers desire 10 speak, willing that they con-
sune nav portion Of time in speaking. am anx-
io,s tbat other business should not be delayed, and
that there shall be action on this bill Is the
Measure OF the Senate 70 indicate any particular
time TO take the vote it, We can shape our course
accordingly. [,'GO Onl'
Mr. KING. Go on, and take the vote as soon as
we can that is the better way.
Mr. JOHNSON, Of Tennessee. Inc lmmedlate
fa5 he the Senator from North Carolina. Mr..
man which provides that there shall be land war
rant issued 10 each head Of family, by the Sec y
of the Interior and distributed among those who do
mot emiprate to the public domain and take posses
% end cultivate the land forthe term Of years specih
5intbe hill Ihsve something to say in reference TO
tbot anendement but will not say it in this con-
~ocr;on propose in the first place, to explain
briefly the provisions Of the bill
Tbs first section provides for granting one hun
= H. - dc
ilv who viii emgrate TO any part Of The public do
main and sette upon it. and cultivate II for term
81 ave Years Upon those facts being made known
10 he register Of the land Office he is to be entitled
IN obtain patent The second section provides
tbst he shall make an affidavit and show to the sat
isfsetion Of the officer, that his entry Is made IN
o5 faith and that his intention is to cultivate the
soiI and become an actual settler. The sixth sec
tioD of the bill provides that any person who Is now
an inbebitant Of the United States, but not ciu-
zen if he makes application, and IN the course OF
Eve years becomes q citizen Of the United States,
sbsli he nlaeed on a footing Of equality with the
nafiveboru citizens Of the country IN this respect
Tbe third section provides that those entries shall
he confined 70 land that has been in market, and
eubiected 70 private entry and that the person en-
tering the land shall be confined TO each alternate
section,
These are substantially the leading provisions Of
This hin IL does rot proceed upon the idea, as
some suppose, Of making donation or gift Of the
public land TO the settler. II proceeds upon the
r;ncpla Of consideration, and as l conceive, and
think many others do, the individual who emigrates
20 the West and reclaims and reduces to cultiva-
zion one hundred and sixty acres Of the public do
main. subieeting himself to all the privstioas and
hardships Of such life pays the highest considera
ton for his land.
Rot before say any more on this portion Of the
spbisot. desire 10 premise little by giving the
history If this homestead proposition. Some per
oDs from nv own region of the country or in other
words from the South, have thrown out the lnu-
nation that this is a proposition Whlch partakes
10 some extent, Of the nature OF the bmigranI Alu
Society and is TO operate inuriOusly to the South
p-n States For the purpose Of making the start
ing point right, 1 want to 60 back ana show when
tIIs pror ,sitiou was first introduced into the Con
press of the United States. am not 80 sure but
thai the Presiding officer Mr. Foot in the chair re-
MANNERS well the history Of this measure
In 1916 on the 9th day Of March, long before
No had snv emigrant aid societies, long before We
had anv COMPROMISES in 1850 IN reference TO the
slavery question long before we had any aglatlon
on the subject Of slavery IN 1894, long before we
had any agitation upon It in 1898, this proposition
7nods is advent into the House Representative
II met with considerable opposition Il scarcely
.oy,5 serious consideration for 3 length Of time;
hut the measure was pressed until the public mind
took hold of it; and IL was still pressed until the
12rb day Of May, 1852, when 1t passed by two
tbird vote Thus we see that its origin and its
,osnrr nation so sar as the House Of Representa-
tiyes was concerned had nothing to do with North
or South but it was proceeding upon that great
rincipIe which interests every man IN this country
md which in the secures aud provides for him
home By putting these dates together 1t Will be
src.ivrd that il was Just six years five months and
Snasn DAYS frcm The introduction Of this bill until
its massage by the House Of Representatives
7 sba.i NOT detain the Senate by any lengthy re
marks on the general principles OF the BILL Tor do
not intend 10 De prolix, TO consume much OF the
$1,000 time What is the origin Of the great idea
of a homestead Of land We hnt on turning to the
G yvriter-apd think one Of the best, for we
are informed that he wrote by insPration,-that he
advanced the first idea on this subject Moses made
use Of the following language:
The land shall not be sold forever; Tor the Iano
Is mipe-for We are strangers and solourners with
me III eriiicss, chapter XIV verse 70
W., beqin. then. with Moses. The next writer to
whom cali the attention Of the Senate IS Fattel-
one of the abest # not the abest, writer upon the
laws Of nations de lays down thls great PrluciPle'
loook J. chapter
q, of all the arts tiage or agriculture is the most
useful and necessary. Ii ls the nursing Ia'heF Oh
z,Stote The cultivation Of the earth causes 1t 10
produce an infinite increase; It forms Ine suresI re-
,,,rre and the most solid fund Of rich commerce
far The people who enjoy happy climate
.sTbis affair then, deserves the utmost attention
r.,r, Government The sovereign Ough. to neglect
M means rendering the land under his obedience as
we'll cultivated as possible. lie ought not TO allow
large tracts Of land TO leave uncultlyated Ihese
1iebfs Of common, which deprive the proprietor Of
The free liberty Of dispOsing Of has lands-that VIII
not allow him to farm them, and cause them 20 oe
cultivated in the most advantageous manner-these
RIGHTS saw are contrary TO the welfare OF the state,
rnd ought TO be suppressed or reduced to Jusi
bound The property introduced among the cltl-
zens does not prevent the nations having right 10
AXE the most eectual measures TO cause the whole
country TO produce the greatest and most advanta-
geous revenue possible.
The Government ought carefully to avoid every
fbiDg capable of discouraging husbandmen, or di-
vertipr them from the labors Of agriculture Those
taxes. those excessive and i'll proporuoned lmposl-
lions the burden Of which falls almost entirely upon
tho cultivators and the veXatiOns they suffer from
The commissioners who levy them, take from the
nbaDpv pessaut the means Of cultvating the earth,
and depopulate the country. Spain Is the most fer
lie and worst cultivated country in Europe, The
Church possesses too much land, and the undertak-
,,rs of royal magazines who are authorized TO pur-
chase at low prices all the corn they ind IN pos
session Of a peasant above what is necessary for
the So hsstence Of his wife and family, so greatly
Biscourage the husbandmen, that he soWs no more
corn than is necessary for the support Of his own
household. Whence arises the great scarcity IN
country capable of feeding its neighbors.
Another abuse injurious TO agriculture, Is, the
contempt cast upon husbandmen. The inhabitants
Of cities even the most servie artists, and the most
law citizen, consider him who cultiyates the soil
with q dsdsiutul eye; they humble and discourage
him they dare despise profession that feeds the
human race-the natural employment Of man. A
stay maker places far beneath him the beloved en-
rl,vuent of the first consuls and diCtstors Of Rome.
." China has wisely prevented this abuse. Agri
cuture Is there held in honor; aud TO preserve ths
bsppv manner Of thinking, every year, on solemn
dsy. The Emperor himself followed hewhole court,
seis his hands 90 the pillow aud small piece Of
land Hence China is the best cultivated country IN
the world IL nourishes an iDnumersble multitude Of
people that al first appears to the traveertoo great
for the space they possess.
"The cultivation Of the soil is not only 70 be re-
commended by the Government on account OF the
extraordngry advantages that hOWfromit butfromis
being an obligation inn osedupon mankind Thewhole
earth is ap outed for the nourishment ofIts iuhab-
tants which il would be incapable Of doing if uncul-
tivated. Every nation is then obliged by Law Of
nature TO cultivate the ground that has fallen TO its