The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1860-10-18

trously felt by this very class of
people; and the consequence was,
that SO far from being able t. pay
a few hundred dollars for gheiF
farms, they were barely able to
.hveP Z E
Itwas precisely at his3ncture
that the public lands in many por-
tons of Illinois were thrown into
market for public entry. The con-
sequence was that thepoor settlers,
unable to make their entries, were
placed at the mercy of spectators
and land sharks, who drove tbous7
ands upon thousands Of honest men
with their helpless wives and child
.rcn from under the very shelter
they had erected over their headsI
The Legislature of Illinois met
in December, 1888, and benevolent
and human men sought to provide
some means to interpose the infu-
cnoe of the State for the alienation
of the unparalleled distress which
was weighing down this worthy
but unfortunate class of people, and
to compel the horde of sharks to
forcgo their contemplated schemes
Of speculation or, as they might
more appropriately be termed.
schemes of plumber. With this
view, Hon. Orlando B. Ficklin, OF
the 18th of December, introduced ,
bill in the House, in which body HI
was at that time Representative
from the county Of Wabash, con
tanning the following righteouI
provision (See House Journal
1888, p. S9) .y... . y -. ,a.
"SEc,i 3. Every person who. shal
purchase of the United States 1
tract or parcel ofland, upon which
there is an improvementibelongins
to some other person, without max
ing a contract to purchase or pa,
for the same, shall be and honi
hereby made liable to pay the own
cr 'of said improvement SC. much q
the said improvement is real,
worth, to be sued for and recovered
Gf the demand does not exceed on,
hundred dollars) before any justic'
of the peace; Provided, That tn
value of said improvements shGl
have been fixed by three disinter
csted persons living in the neigh
borhood, each party choosing on'
and they two the other. ,%ij-,sp
!, No doubt there are persons fo
: whose benefit this provision of la'
t was intended, who have designe
to vote for Mr.. Lincoln for I'll
: Presidency /; and it could not |
! otherwise than gratifying to sue
! persons to know that he, beingthc
, a member of the House, exhibite
: his sympathy in behalfo of the poo
$ settlers and his opposition to Il
! wealthy land sharks. Ifsuch thel
Q be, let them know that Nh. Lii
l COLI roted against this bW-yote
against allowing them any reml
: ncration for their improvements
: voted to, allow the spectators [
= drive them from their homes, al
to appropriate to themselves, by
species of robbery, the results
It perhaps years of hard labor!
l. Such is Abraham Lincoln-su
r his love for the poor and unfort
lc nate Of his own race. Who ada
r say, in the light of his acts and |
N tcranccs during the past few yea.
ut that if these settlers had be
l. worthless niggers instead of We
ic thy white people, his voice won
le not lave resounded in favor of
to human meastire to preserve /
s. them their homes and their fl
he sides? " .1.".
re One word further on this subj,
ms and we have done: This bill init
ce duccd by Mr.. Fieklin contained t
Id essential principle for the preen
~ ton act as well as of the Homeste
he measure, viz: the securing to I
A. settler the benefits of his own
&c Dor. Mr.. Lincoln was opposed
a this principle iu'1s38, nor did.
b. eyer say one word Or cast a v
during his subsequent Congressil
lie al career, toiindicate that he fuv
N ed a Homestead BILL, There Ct
e. therefore, be no credit given to I
is claimsief his friends, that heris
a favoro of the measure. His rece
" shows that he is against it; and