Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-02-05
Cavanaugh and Phelps Voting against
their Party...Ten Years Credit 20
Land Pro-empt0rss

Cayanaugh and Phelps Voting against
their Party..-Ten Years Credit 20
Land Pre-emPtors.
Wonders will indeed never cease for it
seems that the two Democratic member of the
House of Congress from Minnesota, have just
been uoting aoith the Republicans in that body,
and against their own party!
The occasion under which this singular phe-
nomena occurred, was this A bill was recent
ly before the House Of Representatives at
Washington, "To regulate claims to Pre-emp-
tons upon the Public Lands" in which bill it
is provided that three months continuous re-
sidence should in future be requisite to consti
tute valid claim to Presumption. While
this bill was under consideration, that well
known Republican leader, Hon. GALUsHA A.
Grow, of Pa, offered an amendment to secure
to Actual Settlers on the Public Lands, the
exclusive right, during period Of ten gears
after the Surveys are made, of selecting and
paying for their quarter section, each; the ef
feet of the amendment also being, that specu-
lators or non-residents would not be permitted
to purchase at public sale (for none would be
held,) nor by private entry, until after the ten
years had elapsed!
In other words, Mr.. Crows Republican
amendment would have secured to the Actual
Settlers-to the Poor Mana monopoly of the
choice of location on the Public Lands for
period of ten long years, without their being
interfered with by spectators grabbing up the
lands in every direction, as at present: and it
would have given them credit Of ten gears,
from their settlement, if made at the time of
the survey, or still longer, if they made their
claims before the survey, as is indeed very
common in all the new States, and has been
particularly the case In Minnesota.
1t requires no argument to show, that the
adoption of such provision in the Land Law
of the United States, would have been Boon
of great price to the Woodworking Free Labor
ers and Farmers of the Northern States, espe-
cialny those who were poor, or had buta small
capital, and had their fortunes all yet to make.
More especially, it would have proved q
splendid boon to US Of Minnesota! 1t would
have at once turned tide of hardy emigration
into our borders, and aided with rush to re-
trieve our prosperity. To the whole of the
Free North it would have been q boon to ex-
pedite its development and settlement-legit-
imately and fairly increasing its power and
wealth, while at the same time adding to our
prosperity, wealth, and power as nation.
Well-Mr. Grow and the Republicans
managed one day to catch the Democrats
mapping: and succeeded in getting his amend
ment engrafted on the bill but when, sub
sequently, the amended bill containing the
ten years credit clause, came up to be voted
upon, the question being on ordering the bill
to be engrossed for third reading prepare
tory to its final passage, the DEMOCRATIC
PARTY in Congress voted nearly unanimously
IN OPPOSITION to the bill while the REPuBL1-
CAN PARTY voted as unanimously IN FAVOR of
it! The result being, we are sorry and griev-
ed to say, the defeat of the bill, and the con-
sequent triumph of the Democracy over the
interests of the Free North-over the inter-
ests OF Free Minnesota-and over the inter-
estS OF tens Of thousands of poor people in
need OF homes In which to dwell, and in need
of lands on which to earn an honest livelihood
for themselves and families!
1t was on this test question of the enpross.
ment, Involving the salvation Of the bill or its
total destruction, that we..are happy in giving
Messrs. PHELPS and CAvENAUGH. orr mon,
bers of Congress, the credit-(t Though thew
would never have dared face their constitn.
enta in Minnesota had they voted otherwise>
of voting soith the Republicans in opposi.
ton to the Democracy-thus for once burst.
ing away from party ties; for once, disregard.
ing the dictation of our Southern masters:
and for once voting independently to subserve
the best interests of Minnesota and her Peo-
pie!
AS our readers will naturally desire to
see a statement Of the full vote, pro and con-,
tor and against, Mr.. Crows WHITE Mans
BILL, we avail ourselves of the following re-
cap'tulahon OF the yeas and nays on the ques-
ton OF ordering the bill to be enerossed for: .
third and final reading, which we find in the
last New York Tribune:
~, fEA AS Andrews, Bennett. R;,,,..
Blair. Bliss, Brayton, Buf6nton, Burnpamse IRs a,
roug6s, Cduenaugh. Chafee, Ezra Clsre ~ 1ur'
ACE +. CLAsk, Clawson, Clark B. Cochrane' d ta
Cochra"S CoIfax Comins, Covode, Goa. Crs ~u""
Curtis. E. WINTER DAVIS, Davis, 2Msss.E Dssvi::
HowaG Dawes, Dean, Dick, Dodd, Durfee, Ede
Gooch, Grow, Laurence W Hal. Robert n HsI
Harlan. Hatch, Hoard, Horton, Howard. Keim'