M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-08-30
From the Gacna Courier.
Thc Homestead BiII-Mr. Doug
las Record,

Judge douglas IN favor OF the home
stead bill, we will publish it. Bu
until that is done, we deny that h,
has done anything for that measure
AicertiSer.
We propose to produce a portion 0
MI. Douglas record on the Homestead
bill, and to show that he has been al
ardent supporter ofthat measure.
On the 10th of May (see Congress
lsiona! Globe tho Senate Homestead
bill being under consideration, Mr.
Douglas offered an amendment ex
tending the provisions of the bill
whith applied only to land which haC
beGl surveyed and was subject to pri
vap entry-to all lands subject t
prd, d,omption entry. During the dis
cusFion, Mr. Douglas said:
L shall move to amend the bill by
striking out tho words subject to pri,
vato entry" and putting in the words
Subject to pre.emption;" SO that il
will then apply to all lands subject to
Wo emption, whether they be so sub.
jPct hereafter or havO been heretofore,
50 that it will be a general principle,
apermanent policy looking to the fu-
tNre.
Mr.. Collamer-Ifit it 10 arranged in
that manner, what will become Of
those who have gone on the lands in
Minnesota, for examplel Will the
Senator's amendment reach those peo.
PIE and enable them to take the land
at quarter Of a dollar, as well as
these who may so hereaiter9
Mr.. Douglas-Precisely. What |
desire is, that every man on tho pub.
lie lands that have been surveyed and
that are liable to the provisions ofthis
bill, and also all that have gone on to
land nol surveyed, may take it under
this bill as soon as it becomes survey
ed; and also, that all persons who shall
hereafter 60 on the land, may take it
under this bill so soon as it shall be
surveyed. That is what | desire to
see'in the bill.
Mr.. Wadc-1 believe that is right.
Let rs have vote. | believe that the
proposition OF the Senator from Hi.
nois IS right, and | want vote.
Mr.. Douglas-I will stop right
here if We can get vote.
In reply to Mr.. Davis elections to
the proposed amendment, Mr.. Doug
las said:
| have listened with interest and
pleasure to the very clear exposition
of the land system, given by tho Sen.
at9r from Mississippi. 1t is true that
this amendment to this bill will make
Il radical change. The changcis8iln.
ply this: as the land system now
stands, the speculators and the actual
settler are on terms OF entire equality,
taking the land at 81 25 an acre; but,
according to the proposed echaage, the
'peculator will be required to pay
81 25 an acre and the settler will only
oay twenty-five cents ap acre. The
egal effect will be to make one dollar
IN acre difference between the man
who buys for speculation without set
lement, and the man who settles up
IL the land and makes it lis home;
Ind that is my object in the amend,
nent.
Mr.. Wade--All right, Mr.. Prcsi-
lent; let us have a vote.
In reply to Mr.. Pugh, Mr.. Douglas,
.tter showing the beneficial effects Of
he pre.emption system, and the ad.
'antage it gave the settler over the
peculator, said:
: The effect ofthis amendment is, that
here shall be one dollar an acre diff. |
erence between the speculator and the |
ctthr; thatthe actual settler may take
and at twenty-five cents, and that the
peculator shall pay 81 %. But the
Senator from Ohio says the spechlator
vii send in advance his agents to 90
md get claim under the homestead. /
Sir, do you think that, in order to re-
luce tract of land from 81 25 an
Icre to twenty-five cents, the specula-
or will send his agent there to hold
he land five years, end pay five years
alary, in order to save S100l No,
ir. You protect the settler against
he Spectator, by requiring FIVE years
esidence under this bill, and cultiva-
ion upon the land. The speculator
annot bear the expense of keeping
ettler for five years in order to reduce
he price. It would cost him three
imeg as much as he would gain by it.
rhe bill, therefore, furnishes the only
ficient preventive against this syS.
EN- Of fraud and speculation that |
ave seen devised.
| am aware that the effect OF this
ill, with my amendment, will be to
make the public lands cease to be a
arge source Of revenue. do not
hink the country will suffer by with
that source of revenue, and
or this reason; and one who will trace
he reports oi the sales of the public
ands for the last thirty years, will find