The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-07-14

it, all but FIVE are from the South, and one OF
these FIVE, Mr.. Gwin, is only temporary resi-
dent of free State.
OF the twenty-eight votes in favor of sustain
ing the bill, only three are from the South, and
of these three, only one, Mr.. Johnson of Tennes-
seo has any utilization with what is called the
Democratic party.
Two DAYS afterwards, on the Il 9Th of February,
Mr.. Wade again moved TO set aside all prior
orders and take up the homestead bill, but this
motion was ncgatived by the following vote
YKAs-Messrs Broderick, Chandler CLARK COlam, Dir
on, Doofle. DuTkee FssSeRden, Foot Hale HdRn Harlan
johnson Of Tennessee, Jones' kig Pogh Rice Seoard
shields, Simmons Stuart, Tr1tau Wade and WiIson24
NAYs-Messrs Allen, Rates, Bayard, Benjamin, Bigler,
Bright Brown Chestnut, Clay Clngman, Crittenden Davis
Fitch Fitzpatrick Green Hammond Houston Hunter, liver
son Kennedy Mallory Mason Pearce Polk Reid Sebastian
| Sidell, Smith, Toombs Ward, and Yulee-S1
Upon these two days, the 18th and 18th of
February, the question made between the
consideration Of the homestead bill and the con-
sideration of the appropriation bills the necessi-
ty of passing which last bills did not fail to be
insisted upon by the Democratic managers. At
subsequent stage of the session, as will be
presently seen, the question was made between
considering the homestead bill and considering
the Cuba bill
| upon the 18th day of February, upon the oc-
casion of a motion by Mr.. Slidell to postpone all
prior orders and take up the bill for the purchase
OF Cuba, MIR. Doohttle resisted it, and called upon
| the Irlends OF homesteads to vote it down, so
that he himself might submit a motion to take
up the homestead bill Mr. Doolittle said
:" think it would be better to take up this
question of the homestead bill and vote upon
1t, and then the Cuba bill will come up. | ask
the friends of the homestead bill now to stand
by 1t and give it the preference. We do not
seek to antagonize it as against the appropria-
ton bills at this hour Of the session. We could
not expect or hope, of the friends of this home
Qad vrhN Al Al
Senate, that they would prefer taking up the
homestead bill, and come in antagonism with
the appropriation bills, because they are neces-
sary; but as between this proposition to take
up the Cuba bill and the proposition to take up
the homestead bill l call upon all friends of the
homestead bill on this aud the other side of the
Chamber to stand by it. Now is the time, or
! never"
The vote was then taken, and the motion to
take up the Cuba bill prevailed, as follows:
YKAs-Messrs. Allen, Bayard, Bell Benjamin, Bigler.
Brown, Chestnut, Clay Clmgman, DAVIS, Fitch, Fitzpatrick
Green, Gwin Hammond Houston, Hunter, Iverson Jones'
Lane, Mallory, Mason Polk Pugh Reid Rice, Sebastian
/ Yulee-35
NAYs-Messrs. Broderick Cameron Chandler Clark Col
idnaer D5oH, DOOtihIe, Douglas Darkee, Fepden Foot
Foster, Hale HdnIia, Harlan johnson of Tennessee Ken
ney, king, Pearce Secdr, Simmons, H9nJu, Wade and
! lKlSoa-24.
The Cuba bill was now up, and the discus
| sion upon it protracted the session late into
the night, and almost into the next morning. 1t
was distinctly seen during the progress of this
discussion that it would be without practical re-
suit, and that vote could be reached before the
hnal adjournment of Congress.
| Accordingly, at ten o'clock in the evening"
! Mr.. Doolittle felt it to be his duty to renew the
attempt TO set aside the Cuba bill the subject
matter Of manifesuy idle debate, so as 10 take
! up the homestead bill. His motion to that effect
and the commencement of the debate upon it,
| will be found on page 1851 of the Congress
sfondt Globe. Such extracts made as will ex-
! hibit its general character
| Mr.. TRUMBULL. If there any assurance
that the homestead bill could be taken up, after
the Cuba question was disposed of, should be
| willing to see 1T have the g2-by ON the present
occasion but we have sought rep eatedly to
! bring up the homestead bill, and every move
ment that has been made to bring ii up has
been met with a counter movement, crowding
1t out of the way with something else. \ 4 4
/ If the Senator from Virginia will give us an
assurance that we shall have chance to bring
. up the homestead bill and keep it before the
Senate until we get a vote upon it, after
the Cuba bill is through, and that he will not
interpose appropriation bill, | would join
with gentlemen in asking my friend from Wis
consin to withdraw the motion he has made
" Mr.. HUNTER. | certainly will press the APP
preparation bills. | will give no promise to vote
to take up the homestead bill
| Mr. TRUMBULL. That is as l expected. We
now have notice that we to be met with an
| appropriation bill the moment that the Cuba
question is disposed OF, and here we are wasting
oar time at this stage of the session in making
long speeches, and debating about the acquisi-
ton OF a country that does not belong 10 US,
instead of providing for the settlement of the
country which we own. There can be no hope
of getting up the homestead bill as against an
| appropriation bill.
| - Mr.. SEWARD. After nine hours Welding to the
discussion of the Cuba question it is time to come
| back to the great question of the day and the
age. The Senate may well meet face to face
the issue which is before them. 1t is an issue
presented by the competition between these two
questions. One, the homestead bill, is a ques-
ton of homes, of lands for the landless freemen
of the United States. The Cuba bill is the ques-
ton of slaves for the shareholders of the United
| States
"Mr. WADE. ] am very glad that this ques-
ton has at length come up. | am glad too,
that it has antagOnized with this niger ques-
tion Laughter. have been trying here for
nearly month to get straight-for vote
upon this great measure of land for the land
less. glory in that measure. 1t is the great
est that has ever come before the American
Senate, and it has now come so that there is no
lodging 1T. The question will be, shall we give
niggers to the niggerless lands to the landless
" | moved some days ago to take up this sub
| ject. 1t was said then that there was an ap-
preparation bill that stood in the way The
Senator from Virginia had his appropriation
bills. 1t was important, then, that they should
be settled at once there was danger that they
would be lost and the Government would stop
in consequences and the appeal was made to
| gentlemen to give this bill the go-by for the
time being at all events, and the appeal was
successful. The appropriation bills lie very easy
now behind this niger operation. Laughter.
W hen you come to nlggers for the niggerless,
all other questions sink into insignifcance."
Mr.. Doolittles motion to set aside the Cuba
bill for the purpose of taking up the homestead
bill, was lost, by the following vote:
YEAs-Messrs Broderick, Cameron Clark Chandler Col
lauer DooiaLe, Esssenn Foot Foster Hale HamIin Hnr
Ian johnson oil Tennessee king, Setodrd Simmons Tum
ball, Wade and WitSOn-l9.
NAYs-Messrs Allen, Benjamin Bayard Bgler Brown
Chestnut, Clay Cmgnan, Douglas Fitch Fitzpatrick Green
Gwin Hunter lyersOn, Johnson OF Arkansas lane Mallory
Mason, Polk, Pugh, Reid Rice, Sebastian, Shields Sidc
Toombs Ward, and Wright-29
This was the last attempt made to get up the
homestead bill ia the Senate. 1t had first been
overslaughed by the appropriation bills, and now
by the Cuba bill, and no expectation remained
OF reaching it during the few remaining days of
the session. The Republicans, who had endeav-
ored to get it up in all forms and on all occa-
sons without success, felt it to be their duty to
abandon manfestly hopeless struggle
From this review Of the votes in the Senate
and House, it will be seen that the two great ma
tional parties, the one representing the rights
and interests of free labor, and the other repre-
senting the pretensions and interests of negro
slavery, have come to a well-defned issue upon
this great matter of the disposition of the public
domain
In the House, we see the Republicans voting
vii a to IN,