The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-05-27
what modified. The bill was reported from the
Committee of the Whole.
Thursday, may 20, 1853.
SENATE

what modified. The bin was reported from the
Committee of the Whole.
Thursday, may 20, 1853.
SENATE
M Hammond presented the credentials Of
the Ion. Arthur P. Hsyne, appointed q Sena
tor By TIE Governor of South Carolina, TO fill
Hon. Josiah J. Evans which were read, and
the ostL prescribed by Law administered, sHd
Mr. HaYue took his seat.
The Homestead bill was called up as the
special order of the day, and was advocated by
Mr. johnson, Of Tennessee.
Mr.. johnson, in enforcing the advantages Of
the bill, said the policy was not new or unsup
ported. Moses had enuncisted its principles
in his Hebrew economy; Vattel had sanction
ed it In his commentaries on public law, and
President jackson had advocated it in his mes
ssges to Congress. 1t was charged with being
demagogical proposition. If so, then the
Congress of 1871, in giving lands to certain
settlers, and Washington, in signing the bill
passed at that date, had early begun to practice
the dernagogue's arts.
He desi' ed to build up the great middle class
of the people, and to do away at once with our
sristocracy on the one hand, or rabble on the
other. The public lands had been lavished on
States and corporations. He thought it was
now high time to place them within the reach
Of all the people. At the present rate of dis
pensing them, it would require more than ak
hundred years to I'll up and occupy our public
domain. If it be said that this measure, by
Offering a boon to emigration, would tend to
depopulste the Southern States, it was only on
the supposition that the lsborer could better his
condition by change of location and who
would object to q policy which promised this
beneficial result to the individual man? Wher-
ever found, the lsborer would still be q loyal
citizen of the same Republic.
Mr.. j. proceeded to review certain statements
made BY Mr.. Hammond, of South Carolina,
during the Kansas debate. He dissented from
so much of that Senator's language as seemed
TO imply that men who labored with their hands
and for stipulated price, were therefore
slaves. Socrates and Archimedes and Pau
each wrought with their hands. Were they to
be called "slaves?" Such statements and
such doctrines were not only false in themselves,
but we're calculated to do infinite mischief in
the South, where the number Of Shareholders
was small in comparison with the free white
and non-slsveholding population.
Though it was true that the number OF slave
holders did not represent all who were directly
interested in the maintenance of Slavery, it was
also true that such invidious comments on man
ual labor tended to engender opposition to Sla
very itself. If extreme men in the North and
extreme men in the South would alike discon
tinue the use of irritating and insulting Ian
gusge, he thought the peace and harmony o.
the country would soon be restored, while the
people would be left free TO see that the inter
est of the whole community was promoted by
slave labor. He did not doubt that the North
would in the end perceive this great truth.
HOUSE
The bill making appropriations for sundry
civil expenses of the Government was the
prominent subject of consideration. The i'm
portabt item of over a million of dollars for the
completion of the Washington aqueduct wal
retained. The item providing a million of dol
lars for the extension of the Capitol was strick
en- out by a very decided vote. The bill wa,
then passed.
Mr.. Harris, of Illinois, said he desired to cal
up the Ohio contested election case but be
fore doing so, he would present report from
the Committee on Elections in the Minnesots
case, and ask that the resolution closing the
report be read. If there was DO objection, b,
would ask 10 have the case disposed of now
Mr.. Gilmer, of North Carolina, presented
the views of portion of the minority of thu
committee on the Minnesota case, and remark
ed that it involved new and important ques
tons, upon which he thought the House coulC
not act intelligently before they had seen th'
reports in print He therefore hoped the sub
ject would be postponed for a day or two.
Mr.. Washburn, of Mane said he had no
been able to agree to ell the reasoning of hi
colleague on the committee, Mr.. Gilmer al
though he came to the same conclusion. II,
therefore asked leave to present his views.
The resolution reported by the. majority 0
the committee was read, as follows:
ResOlued, That w. w. Phelps and James NJ
CaVsnsugh, claiming seats as members of ihi
House from the State of Minnesota, be admit
ted and sworn as such Prorided That sucl
admission and qualification shall not be con
strued as precluding any contest of their RICH
to seats which may be hereafter instituted b.
any person having right so to do.
The minority reports (which were not read
both conclude with a resolution that Messrs
Phelps and Cavansugh, claiming seats from
Minnesota, are not entitled to be admitted anC
sworn as members of the House.
Mr.. Harris said be was not dsnpsed to pres
the matter, but would move to postpone for ,
short time.
Here an attempt was commenced BY the AID
mlnlstration party to force immediate action
but 1t was resisted by the Republicans, who re
sorted to the usual Parliamentary expedients
until, the reports having been ordered to b,
printed, an adjournment was carried.