The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1860-09-28
Hr. IlamIln ON Frce Homes.

Hr. uamlin on Frce Homes.
We do not often turn aside to ex.
pose a partisan faIsehood, but the
following is too gross:
Honrs roR the HosrLrss.--The Black
Republican orators profess to be In favor oil
giving "homes to the Homeless" they
should also be requested TO explsin how
their party come TO nominate fer the office
OF Vice President, Hannibal Hamlin, the
only United States Senator from the North.
ern states who voted against the Homestead
bill at the last session Of Congress- Buffalo
Courier.
We beg every honest reader &c
compare the above reckless assertion
with the following record facts:
The only thorough Homestead
bill of tho late session was first re
ported to tho House by Mr.. Grow
of Pennsylvania, on the 9th Of March
last, and on the 10Th Of that month
was passed-Yess 1l5, mainly Re-
publicans; Nays 65, mainly South
ern Democrats--noto one Republican
nay. The bill went to the Senate
was referred, and, on the 18th oI
April. Andrew Johnson, of Tennes-
see, reported halfway mesurc as
a substitute, charging twenty-five
cents per acre for the lands, (instead
of6t cents for the cost OF survey and
sale in Mr.. Crows bill, and exclu-
ding from it's benefits all pre-emptors
now holding public lands. Mr.
Wade oi course moved a restoration
OF the House bill, which was defeat.
ed cas- 20. (23 Republicans, in.
Guiding Mr.. Hamlin with Messsrs
Douglas, Rice, and TombsD Nays,
3I-all Democrats. The Senate
then proceeded to pass the partial
measure of Mr.. Johnson-Yeas, Al;
Naye, s-Mr. Hamlin voting nay
with seven Democrats. His reason
fer 80 doing is tersely stated in the
Chicago Republican Platform, AS
follows:
"That we protest against any sale ol
alienation to others of the public lands held
by actual settlers, against any view of the
Homestead policy which regards the set
tiers as pauperS OF Suppliants for public
bounty; and we demand the passage by
Congress of the complete aud satisfactory
Homestead measure which has always pass
ed the House"
The hearty advocates Of free homes
in the House concurred with Mr.
Hamlin, and voted to restore the
original House bill. The Senate
would not concur. Several Com.
mittees OF Conference between the
two Houses failed to agree. Finally
.(June 19th) the Senate conferenc,
made such concessions that the House
conterees agreed to report the Sen
ate bill as amended-as Mr.. Grow
we'll said, mot because it is what
we want, but on tho principle that
half n Loaf is better than no bread -
The Compromise bill thus agreed
on passed the Elouse-Yeas 115
I(main'y RepublicansD Nays 81, al
Southern. and mostly Democrats,
and the Senate concurred-Yeas SO
Nays2 (Messrs. Bragg and Pearce
Democrats,) Mr.. lamlin voting
with all the Republicans present, in
the affirmative. SO that Mr.. Ham
lin not only voted for the original
whole souled bill OF Mr.. Grow, bu
for the bill that actually passed-th,
only one. He declined to vote fol
the wretched hali-measurc Of MIR
johnson, which no single Rcpubli
can approved, wnlcn every Iiepuo
lican voted to snpercede by til,
House bill, which the lIonse in
dignantly rejected, and which nc
earnest tree homestead man accept
ed but under the direst necessity.
We'll, the Republicans, Mr.. Ham
lin included, finally acquiesced il
and voted for the "halt loaf" whicl
was all they could get, and it pass
ed: when President Buchanan vetoed
it. We had consented to take /
"hali-loaf," because we could get nj
more, and the President snatchec
that away from us! So the bill
came back vetoed to the Senate, anc
the question was now-"Shall thi'
bill pass, Notwithstanding the Pres
idont's Experimentation it waf
lost: Yeas 27, Gncluding lIanniba
llamlin. and every other Republican
presently Nays IS, (all Southern, aac
all Democrats but Mr.. Crittenden
So the bill was lost.
What must be the cause, wha
the party, whose success require
the diffusion Of such statements a
that we have quoted trom the But
falo Courier? r Mem York Tribune