The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-09-09

this great measure that it will contribute to its
increase, without impairing the best interests
of other portions of the Confederacy. Then he
would ask if it was not the grossest injustice to
adhere to system the direct tendency of which
was to check emigration and settlement in the
new States? Was it not suicidal to the best
interests of the country?
Mr.. ROBERT SMITH, of Illinois, gentle
men well known in Minnesota among other
things, said:
Mr.. Smith hoped and trusted that the day was
not far distant when every man in this land
who would labor upon and cultivate the earth
would be furnished with a reasonable quantity
by our government (if unable to buy,) without
money and without price. The bill now under
consideration did not (said Mr.. 81 effect or pro-
pose to effect this object; but it was a more
favorable and just bill to the new States than
any which had ever before been introduced
into this House with any prospect of its being
passed into law.
The President of the United States and the
Commissioner of the General Land Office, had
duction of the price of the public lands. They
deserved and would receive the thanks of thou.
sands of the hard laboring and mertorious cul.
tivatOrs of the SOIL for their very liberal, just
and statesmanlike expositions of the true policy
of the government in regard to the disposition
could read the message of the President, and
the very full and lucid report of Judge Shields,
and for a moment doubt but that it was the pol.
icy of Congress to pass the bill under conside-
ration. If it should become a law, it would en-
able thousands to become the owners of land
who are now tenants at-will to the wealthy aud
aristOcratic landlord. 1t would be the means,
in many cases, of dispensing comfort and hap.
piness to thousands who are now ground down
with poverty and wretchedness, and had no
courage to struggle against the ills of life
which the working classes were destined to en-.
counter; and aside from the merited blessings
it would confer on so many OF our patriotic
citizens, who at an early day penetrated the
wilderness, inhabited only by the red man, and
whose labors and toll had caused the vast will
derness to blossom like the rose," it would
(said Mr.. Smith) be matter of policy to the
government to reduce the price to the actual
settler of the lands which had been long in
market, and remained unsold.
Now, by whom was this measure opposed
Why, by ALEXANDER RAMSEY, of Pennsyl-
vania and by such Southerners as ROBERT
T0OMBs and ALEXANDER FL. STEPHENS, of
Georgia and by the Alabama, Louisiana,
and Mississippi members of the House.
These were the confederates of RAMSEY, in
his labor OF striking down Western inter-
est. The final vote on the bill was taken
on the 5th of August-RAMsEY having
lodged two or three preliminary votes-and
we find recorded against the measure, and
side by side with TooMBs, STEPHENS, and
others, the name of ALEXANDER RAMSEY.
We ask the settlers of Minnesota, to bear
these facts in mind, when they hear
RAMsEY's hypocritical professions of SYM
patty. When in Congress, he was your
enemy. Now when he wants your votes,
he processes sympathy for you in the trials
incident to your life on the frontier. The
best way to Judge of the sincerity OF the
man, is by his action when in Congress,
and invested with the power to aid in the
passage of laws essential and important to
the West. .f.