The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1859-09-23
LANDS FOR THE LANDLESS.

Il is proposed, in the following pages.
TO exhibit the rocordof the votes and pro-
cecdiugs In both branches Of Congress
during the session which terminated on
the ad OF March, 1859, upon the DISPOSE
ton Of he public domain Of the United
Staics.
Thy official report Of these votes and
proceedings In the Congressional Globe
win be referred 70 by the pages of that
work, so that the reader who chooses TO
do SO may verify the accuracy ofthe quo
tations made.
No subject can be moro important than
that of the disposition of our public lands.
In extent, they embrace one thousand
million acres, and the manner oftheir dis
position affects the social condition OF the
people OF the old States as we'll a. OF the
new States.
a great question long existing IN respect
TO these lands has at last assumed a dof-
mite form, and has bccono a touchstonc
OF partics. That question Is. wbothc, tiiu
public domain shall be open 60 monopoly
by Spectators, leading inevitably TO a
landed aristoCraCy, or whether Il shall be
reserved for actual occupants, in small
quantities, at nominal price, or without
price.
Tim question hos always existed, hut
Il is only recently that e has assumed a
practical form, by being taken up by a
great national party.
Until recently, the country was divided
into two national parties, both of which
were other controlled or modiGcdin their
action by the slaveholding interest oftho
South. From the nature Of the CASE, that
interest is opposed to pre-emption laws
and homestead laws, because Slavery can
not exist at the Same time with a system
of small frecholds. II our new States are
occupied in quarter sections, they will be
occupied by farmers, aud othold by spec
ulators or great planters.
Thus, then, until the recent rsorgaui-
zation of the Jcnersoniln Republican
party, there was no national party which
was in condition TO take up this question
/ because, until the reorganization OF this
party, there was mono which was not in
iluonccd or controlled by an interest adj
verse to prescriptions and homesteads.
On the Goth of January, (pRge 1929 O
bill relating to pre-emptions, reported
from the Committee on Public Lands was
pending before the House. The bill pro.
posed to make some changes in the de-
tails Of existing pre-emption laws, bui
without affecting the substance Of the
present system ofdisposing of the public
lands. II was, however, in Parliamcnta.
ry order TO propose TO amend the bill, 50
as TO change the present system, and tC
bring tho House TO direct vote upor
such propositions. The friends of sucl
Ch-ngcs were prompt to avail themselves
of this advantage.
+, Mr.. Grow, Of Pennsylvania, moved 4
} amend the bill by adding the following a
D an additional section:
"Be Il further enacted, That from an
y after the passage Of this act, no publ
y land shall be exposed to sale by procl
N nation Of the President, unless the sam
d shall have been surveyed; and the rctui
% of such survey duly filed in the Land Q
n bee for ton years or more before SUI
m a4lt.'
~ ,tna lhipoaafbie to uaaail tI,is srns,r,,
lmapt Of Mr.. Grow ps being out of ordc
10 was strictly germano TO the pondin
bill, and, uploss the bill itself could be q,
b nd of by SOME side blow, a direct vote n
{ on tho umundnTerst-,saa- -inauitnbln M
1 slaycholding oristocracy, who are bold
j nough when tits necessary to be bold,b
who are crafty az well as bold, forthwith
j resorted TO Parliamentary tactics to avo
a direct issue upon Mr.. Crows propos
ton.
Their first movement was a motion
refer the bill and amendment 10 the Cor
mittee Of the whole familarly and apt
styled, "he tomb of The Capulets."
that reference had been carried, Il
bill would never have been reached, an
would never have been heard Of altc
, wards.
The vote upon the motion TO refer IL
!. bill TO the Committee of the Whole WI
2 as follows--the Democrats in roman, II
!. Republicans in italics, and the South
= mericuns in SMALL CARS: