The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1859-10-07
The Hypocrisy OF Ramsey.


was in Congress, from Pennsylvania, and
by his votes could have aided in the passage
of law of the utmost Importance to the
people of the West? Did be then act out
out his present professions of devotion to
the settlers =? Was he then an advocate OF
free homes, or cheap homes even, for the
homeless We look in vain throughout his
Congressional career for one vote or one
sentiment, expressive of the generous SYM
pathv he now processes for the hardy pio-
neer. But, on the contrary, we find that in
a measure Of vital Importance to the West
-one that affected the welfare of every
settler on the public NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
RAMSEY roted against the direct interests Of
the class ,phose sufrages he no,c seeks, on the
ground of being their peculiar friend.
We find by reference to the Congress
sional Globe, for the 29th Congress, session
of lS45-46, that in pursuance of the recon-.
mendation of Gen. SHIELDS, who was then
Commissioner of the General Land Office,
Mr.. MCCLERNAND, from the Committee on
Public Lands, reported bill reducing the
price of public lands. This bill was sup
ported as a Western measure, by Western
statesmen. In the House of Representa-
tives, it had the friendship of such men as
ANDREW JOHNSON, of Tennessee, the author
of the Homestead Bill STEPHEN A.
DOUGLAS, JOHN WENTWORTH, ROBERT
SMITH, of Illinois Ex-Secretary McCLEL-
LAND, of Michigan BowL1N, of Missouri,
and others, noted as warm and devoted
friends of the West.
From the various speeches made on this
bill, while pending in the House, we make
a few extracts. Mr.. BowL1N, of Missouri,
in the course of his lengthy and eloquent
speech, said:
1t is the tendency of this bill to foster and
encourage emigration and settlement in the
new States, and consequently their growing
wealth and prosperity. Is it the policy of the
government to keep obstacles in the way of
their advancement? Is it just to retard them
in their onward march to greatness and glory?
We ask no special priveges-we ask to be
exempt from no general burdens-we ask no
special favcrs to aid US in our march, we only
ask that you place no obstacle in our way-that
you leave our action free and the enterprise,
energy and industry of the same people who
subdue forests in their march, and make the
wilderness to yield abundant harvests. will
make the country prosper. The rich soil, the
magnificent rivers, the mild and genial climate
of the great West, all contribute to invite emf
grafton amongst us, and that policy would be
suicidal that would obstruct or retard it. The
West needs population to develop its great
resources; and it will be one of the blessings
of this great measure that it will contribute to
its increase, without impairing the best inter-
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
man we'll 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
would be furnished with reasonable quantity
by our government Gf unable to buy,) without
money and without price. The bill now under
consideration did not (said Mr.. S.) effect or
propose to effect this object but it was 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
strongly recommended the graduation and re.
duction of the price of the public lands. They
deserved and would receive the thanks of thou
sands of the hard laboring and meritorious cul-
tvators of the soil, for their very liberal, just
and statesmanlike expositions of the true policy
of the government in regard to the disposition
Of the public lands. No unprejudced mind
could read the message OF the President, and
the very full AID lucid report of Judge Shields,
and for moment doubt. but that it was the
policy of Congress to pass the bill under consid-
GRAFTON. 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
and aristOcratic landlord. 1t would be the
means, in many cases, of dispensing comfort
and happiness 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 encounter; and aside from the merited
blessings it would confer on so many of our
patriotic citizens, who at an early day pene
trated the wilderness inhabited only by the red
man, and whose labors and toll had caused the
vast wilderness to blossom as the rose" it
would (said Mr.. Smith) be a 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
TooMBs and ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS, of
Georgia and by the Alabama, Louisiana,
and Mississippi members of the House.
These are the conlederates of RAMSEY, in
his labor of striking down Western inter.
ests. 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
RAMsEYs hypocritical professions of sympa-
thy. When in Congress, be was your enc.
my. Now when he wants your votes, he
processes sympathy for you in the trials in.
cident 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
;nvoctod with the nouor +o old =; .Lo a