The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-09-16
The Homestead Law.
FARIBAULT, Rice Co., Mimi. Sept. l,

FAR1BAULT, Rice Co., Mimi, Sept. l, 80
Editors of the Pioneer and Democrat.
Great efforts are being made on the part
Of the Black Republicans to obtain votes
through the instrumentality of the Home
stead question. The points depended upon
are-That the bill originated with the Re-
publicans. That they alone favored it, and
labored for 1t. That it gives land to every
body, upon condition of five years. occu.
pancy. That the provisions of the bill ap-
ply to any land not already taken. That
the Democrats have always strenuously
opposed it, and have at last succeeded in
defeating its passage, although every Re-
publican voted for it. This falsehood has
been carried so far that every discussion and
private conversation is tinctured with it.
Those who have not read the bill are so
duped that they really believe that the Re-
publicans intended to make them all rich,
and that the Democrats defeated the meas
ure; but truth is mighty and will pre-
vail" Now, let me ask these Republican
ofice-seekers OF Minnesota, who pretend to
have the welfare of the foreign-born voters
of this State at heart, if they have read the
history of the United States For they are
either ignorant of the history of this great
and glorious republic, or else they are guilty
of the most cowardly, base, wanton and
malignant falsehood, not to be equaled in
its depraved enormity by the prince of the
internal regions If the Black Republican,
Know Nothing demagogues, newspaper
scribblers, of6ce-seekers, broken down poll
ticians, who are hungry for political plumber
who want the peoples money-who are
now ranting, brawling, blowing and spout
ing about the Democrats voting against the
Homestead Bill, will only look back to the
early days of the political history of this
glorious republic, they will find the Home
stead Bill recognized and advocated by such
great lights of the Democratic party as
GEORGE WASHINGTON and THOMAS JEFFER-
SON. Now, what does the good and great,
honest and brave Gen. JACKSON, in his mes.
sage to Congress, 1882, say? n
Independent farmers are everywhere the
basis of society, and the true friends of lib
erty." 4 cit seems to me to be
our true policy that the public lands shall
cease, as soon as practicable to be a source
OF revenue, and that they be sold to settlers
in limited parcels at prices barely sufficient
to reimburse the United States the expense
of the present system, and the cost arising
from our Indian contracts. "-[ Cong. Globe,
p. 1865.
The Democrats introduced Homestead
bill into Congress, March p, 1876. Felix
G. Mcconnell was in favor of giving
Homestead of l6O acres of land to every
man, maid and widow in the United
States"
Stephen A. Douglas, one of the unterri-
fed democracy, introduced into Congress
two homestead bills, one in 1850, and anoth-
er in 1851. The Democrats passed home
stead bill for the territory of Oregon, giving
to every white settler-American, half
breed Indians included, above the age of
Is years, being citizens of the United States
or who having declared his intention to be-
dence only-320 acres of land, and, if
married man, or if he shall become married
within one year from the first day of De-
cember, 1850, GAO acres of land for himself
and wife. Widows were entitled to the ben
eft of said act, and if an alien, having made
g his declaration of intention to become a
citizen OF the United States, after the pas
sage ofthis act, shall die before his naturali-
cation shall be completed, tie possessory
right acquired by him under the provisions
of this act shall descend to his heirs at law,
or pass to bis devsees, to whom, as the case
may be, the patent shall ISSUE" Oh glo-
rious Democracy See Statutes at large,
p. 400.
Now, for this Homestead bill about which
the Black Republican and Know Moth
ing blowers, spouters, and demagogues are
making such lamentations, with view to
gull and defraud the foreign born voters of
Minnesota of their votes, to make this
Homestead bill and the bugbear taxation
question kind of a wheel barrow express
to ride into Office and power, aggrandizing
themselves and plundering the people, as
their brother Republican and Know Moth
ing Governors, Judges and Legislatures of
Wisconsin have given them and the whole
world and the rest of mankind" fair spe-
cimen of Republican fraud, deceit, corrup-
tion and plumber =! Mr.. Brown, editor, of
the Faribault Penny Whistle, stop your
blowing about the Homestead bill? What
is the character of this Homestead bill? let
us examine it with candor.
This much talked of homestead bill, as it
appears from the Congressional Globe, IS
Con. p. 1875, was intended to give to every
head OF a family, being citizen of the
United States, l60 acres of land, beng a
citizen, that is citizep at the date of the
passage of the bill--so as to shut out the
foreign born portion of the inhabitants of
this land of freedom, not being citizens of
the United States, from the benefits accru-
ing from this homestead bill! Yet, these
impudent Blacks and Know Nothings tell
us foreign born voters of Minnesota to help
them to power and plumber!
1t will he seen by referring to the debates
in Congress, during the pending of this bill,
that the Democrats objected to it, until it
was amended so that those who declared
their intentions to become citizens of the
United States should have the right to
enter land under the provisions of said bill
giving homes to the Immigrants. Now, let
US look at this bill after it got its baptism.
The Republicans claim to be its fatt er, and
the Know Nothings its Godfather. At
page 2265 Globe, IS Con-, the proposed
amendment provides as follows =" That any
person who is now an inhabitant of the
United States, but not citizen, if applica-
ton can enter land the word
nom means those inhabitants who NAV be