Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-09-23
DELAWARE, OHIO, SEPTEMBER %, 1859:
FACTS FoR THE PEOPLE.
Land for the Landless /!

Tt is proposed, in the following pages, to e1
hibit the record of the votes and proceedirg G
in both branches of Congress, during the ses
sion which terminated on the Sd of Marcel
1859, upon the disposition of the public dc
main of the United States.
The official report of these votes and pro
ceedings in the Congressional Globe viii be re
ferred to by the pages of that work, SO tina
the reader who chooses to do so may verify tn
accuracy of the quotations made.
No subject can be more important thai
that of the disposition of our public lands. Ii
extent, they embrace one thousand millions O
acres, and the manner of their disposition af
| fects the social condition of the people of thC
old States as well as of the new States.
| a great question long existing in respect tt
these lands has at last assumed definite form
and has become touchstone of parties. THAI
question is, whether the public domain shall
be open to monopoly by spectators, leading
inevitably to landed aristoeracy, or whether
it shall be reserved for actual occupants, in
small quantities, at nominal price, or without
price.
The question has always existed, but it il
only recently that it has assumed a practical
form, by being taken up by great national
party.
Until recently, the country was divided into
two national parties, both of which were either
controlled or modified in their action by the
slaveholding interest of the South. From the
nature of the case, that interest is opposed to
pre-emption laws and homestead laws, because
Slavery cannot exist at the same time with
system of small freeholds. If our new States
are occupied in quarter sections, they will be
occupied by farmers, and not held by specula-
tors or great planters.
Thus, then, until the recent reorganization of
the Jcffcrsonian Republican party, there was
no NATIONAL party which was in condition to
take up this question, because, until the reor-
ganization Of this party, there was none which
was not influenced or controlled by an interest
adverse to pre-emptions and hons steads. "a
On the goth of January, (page 1922 a bill
relating to prescriptions, reported from the
Committee on Public Lands, was pending be-
fore tue House. The bill proposed to make
some changes in the details of existing pre-
cmption laws, but without affecting the sub
stance of the present system of disposing Of
the public lands 1t was, however, in Parlia-
mentary order to propose to amend the bill, so
as to change the present system, and bring tic
House to u direct vote upon such pro positions,
The friends of such chan gcs were prompt to
avail themselves of this advantage. ...,.,
Mr.. Grow; of Pennsylvania, moved to ari!efid
The bill by adding the following as an addI-
tional section
BE it further enacted, That from and af4ef
the 1lassamc of fIl1s art no publc land shall be
exposed to sale by proclamation of the Presir
{ dent, unless the same shall have been surveyed,
and the return of such survey duly filed in
the Land Office, for ten years or more before
such sale.' ...--..
1t was impossible to assail this amendment
of Mr.. Grow as being out of order. 1t was
strictly germane to the pending bill, and, I'M,
less the bill itself could be got rid of by some
side blow, Il direct vote upon the amendment was
inevitable The slaveholdng aristocracy, who
are bold enough when it is necessary to be
bold but who are crafty as well as bod, forth
with rcsorted to Parliamentary tactics to avoid
a direct issue upon Mr.. Grows proposition.
Their first movement was motion to refer
the bill and amendment to the Committee of
the Whole, fami!iarly and aptly styled "tte
tomb of the Cap,dets" II that reference had
been carried, the bill would never have been
reached, and would never have been heard of
The vote upon the motion to refer the Bill
to the Committee of the Whole was as follows
the Democrats in roman, the Republicans in
italics, and the South Americans ii small cap
ita!s i: