Wabash express., 1860-03-28
FREE HOMES FOR FREE MEN.
SPEECH OF HON. G. A. GROW,
Delioer,d in "a. House. February %, 1860.

OF rEsSsYLvAsIA.
Deiipered in the House. February 90, 1861
Mr. CHAIRMAN At the close of the Rev,
luton the colonies claimed dominion base
upon their respective colonial grants fro,
the Crown Of Great Britain. over an unir
habited wilderness Of two hundred an
twenty million acres Of land, extending I
the Mississippi on the west. and the Cans
das on the north. The disposition ofthes
lands became a subject Of controversy be
tween the colonies even before the Confed
GRAFTON. and was an early sbstacle to lh
organization Of any government for tn
protection Of their comHon interests.
The propriety and the justice of cediDl
these lands to the Confederation, to be par
celed out into free and Independent State.
having become the topic of discussion
everywhere in the colonies, Congress, il
order to allay the controversy and remov,
the only remaining obstacle TO final rsli
6cation of the Articles OF Confederation
declared by resolution. on the 10Th of DC
tober, 1880:
THAT the unspprspriated lands which
may be ceded or relinquished to the Uni
ted States by any particular State"
"shall be disposed Of for the com
mon benefit of The United States; and bs
settled and formed into distinct Republi
ean States, which shall become member.
Of the Federal Union, and have the same
rights Of sovereignty, freedom, and inde
pendence. as the other States. DE. Thai
the said lands shall be granted or settled
at such times, and under such regulations
IA shall hereafter be agreed on by the U
ted States in Congress assembled, or nine
os more Of them"
In pursuance OF the provisions of this
resolution. New York, Virginia, Massa
chusetts, Connecticut, South Carolina
North Carolina, and Georgia, ceded their
claims. including title and jurisdiction. to
the waste lands, as they were called, out
side Of their respective State limits; all Of
them, except Georgia and North Carolina.
without any conditions annexed to their
respective grants. save those contained in
the resolution of Congress just referred to.
The reservation in the grants Of Georgia
and North Carolina were net. however. as
to the future disposition Of The lands; but
. condition that slavery should not be pro-
hibited therein by Congress The terrific
~ thus conditionally granted is contained
within the States of Tennessee. Mississip.
pi and Alabama. With the exception OF
the grants Of North Carolina and Georgia,
tand the reservations even in those relating
only to the form OF their future govern
msnt,) the public lands claimed by the
colonies at the close of the Revolution,
we're ceded to the General Government to
be settled and disposed of "under such
regulations as shall hereafter be agreed on
by the United States in Congress assem-.
bled."
Since that time the Government has ac-
quired, by treaty, of France, the Louisiana
purchase; of Spain, the Floridas; of Mex
leo. Utah. New Mexico. and California;
containing, altogether. over twelve hun
dred million acres of land. So the General
Government, by cessions from the Original
States and purchases from other nations
has acquired. exclusive of water, as CON-
puted by the Commissioner of the Land
Office, l. .45O 900 900 acres Of public lands
of which there have been sold. to Septem-
Der 30th, 1859, LAT ,0es, ,274 acres and
otherwise disposed Of in grants and dona
tious to individuals. corporations. compa
nies, and States, as per annexed table
including grants since 30th June. 1857
24l ,770. .052 acres; leaving of public lands
belonging TO the Government undisPoset
Of on the Goth September, 1859, ! ,06l .I4l /.
CTS acres.
What disposition shall be made of thi'
vast Inheritance ia question Of no small
magnitude. Three times. within sever
years, q homestead bill has passed thi
House. and been defeated each time by th,
Democratic majority in the Senate On th'
vote ON the home stead bill in the House
last Congress, out of l30 Democrats, bu
81 voted for it; and in the Senate. on tn
test vote between taking up the Homestead
bill, after il had passed the House, ant
only required the vote Of the Senate +
make it Law, so far as Congress was con
eernsd, or to take up the bill for the pcr
chase Of Cuba, but one Democrat voted 70
the homestead. and snly six at any time
while every Republican in the Senate. an,
every one in the House, with single ez
ception, was for the homestead. OF al
che Representatives ofthe slave States, bu
three in the House voted for II; and bu
two, at any time, in the Senate. So th
Denocratic party, as q party. arrayed il
sslf 10 opposition to this bensfcent policy
The Republican rarty, on the other hane
in committed to this measure by its vote
in Congress. by its resolves 10 State Coz
ventions. aud by its devotion to the gre'
central idea of its existence-lhe rights IN
Interests Of free labor.
Early in this session introduced bill
which now awaits the action Of the Hou'
providing that any person who is twent
one years, or more, old. or Who is the hes
Of family. may enter lso acres of an
land subject to pre-enption, or upc
which be may have q presumption clair
and, by cultivating the same for five year
shall be entitled to patent from the Go
eminent, on the payment of the usual fe
of the land Office. and ten dollars to GOV
che cost Of surveying and managing.
The land policy. as now conducted. P'
mi.s the President, in his discretion,
expose to public sale. BY proclamation. al
or all Of the public lands. after the sal
are surveyed. Every person settled
the lands 80 advertised for sale. must. |
fore the day fixed in the proclamation
the President. pay for his lands, or tn
are liable to be sold TO any bidder who
fsrs one dollar and twenty -ive cents,
more. per acre. During the days Of 81
Fixed BY the President. any one can p'
chase, at one dollar and twenty five cer
per acre, as many acres Of land. not beft