The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-09-07
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS AND THE HONE
STEAD LAW.
SECOND ATTIC L E.

PASSAGE
HOUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
We have shown that the first Homestead
Bill introduced.into the National House of
Representatives, was on the 9th of March,
1916, by Mr.. ANDREW JOHNSON, of Tennes-
see, and the first bill of like character, pre-
sented to the Senate, was by STEPHEN A.
DOUGLAS, on December 9th, 1849. These
two measures are the source from which the
main provisions of all subsequent laws have
been copied and Mr.. Crows bill of the
last session was merely copy, in its essen
tial parts, of the Homestead bill framed
and introduced into the Senate, by STEPHEN
A. DOUGLAS, ten years before.
From 1916, the date of the earliest intro
duction of the bill into the House, by Mr..
JOHNSON, it was discussed in and out Of
Congress up to the 18th Of March, 1852, and
on that day, passed the popular branch OF
the National Legislature by two-third
vote. This bill was introduced by Mr..
JOHNSON on December 10th, 1851. See
Cong. Globe, p. So, vol. "a, part IL 1t
passed the House, as we have stated, on
May II, 1852, by vote of lO7 ayes to &c
nays. Among those who were then mem.
bers of the House, and voted for the bill,
were ANDREW JOHNSON. of Tennessee; the
present Senator BROWN of Mississippi; Gov.
WILLIS A. GoRMAN, who heads the Demo.
cratic electoral ticket in Minnesota; Hon.
WM. A. RICHARDSON, of Illinois Grow, of
Pennsylvania and others. In the list of
votes against the bill, we find the name of
JOHN G. BRECKINRIDGE, SEoEe-
SION CANDIDATE FOR THE PRES
IDEN OF, and such prominent Republicans
as PRESTON KING, of n. Y, and ISRAEL
WAsHBURNE, of Maine, the present Re-
publican candidate for Governor of that
State. We regret we have not room for
the vote in detail, but for confirmation of
the above refer the reader to p. 1851, vol.
"a, part 2, of the Con. Globe, for the LIST
SeSS. AAAll congress-.
THE BILL IN THE sENATB-HAMLIN OPPOSES IT.
This bill, so just and generous 10 its pro-
visions, and which had passed the House by
SO decided a majority, was sent to the Sen
ate, May ID, 1852, and was Immediately re.
ferred to the Committee on Public Lands. On
the 9th Of August, the Committee reported
the bill back, with a negative recommends
ton, although minority of the Committee
was in favor Of its passage. On the Goth
of August, 1852, [see .. 1896, VOL "a,
part 3. Congressional Globe,] we find that
decisive action took place in the Senate, on
the House Homestead bill. We quote from
the Globe, of that date:
Mr.. HALE. move to postpone all the
prior orders, tor the purpose of taking up
the bill commonly known as I" the home
stead BILL" and upon that question I ask
for the yeas and nays"
Mr.. SHIELDS, although in favor of the
Homestead bill, would vote against taking
it up. because of the untimely period at
which the motion was made.
"Mr. DOUGLAS. Like ny colleague, am
in favor of the homestead bill, and will vote
to take it up at the first proper time we
can get, without interfering with our i'm
perative duty as committee men; and in
order to bring this thing to point, I will
specify what conceive to be an appropri.
ate time. We now devote good portion
Of the morning hour, up to one o'clock, to
the civil and diplomatic bill. From one
during the balance of the session, each day
we devote to the river and harbor bill
Now, l propose that at four o'clock We
take recess, and meet at six o'clock, and
at six each evening proceed to the consider
alton of the homestead bill, and the Other
land bills, until we get through with them
am prepared to stand by that until the
end Of the session, if necessary, to disposf
of these land bills; and if the friends o.
the homestead bill, or the Bennett bin, wish
to give these measures fair chance, and 9
fair hearing this session, let us come here's a,
six o'clock and sit each evening, and dis
pose of them" \ -
Mr.. HALE. Gentlemen have said goot
deal about putting themselves right befor,