The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-04-10

WASHINGTON, March ~, 1850.


Ems REP.-The Homestead bill which passed
the House of Representatives, grants leo acres
of land to every person twenty one years of age
if citizen, or who have declared their intention
| to become citizen and after living upon the
land, cultivating it for FIVE years. it gives them
a deed from the Government upon the occupants
paving the Land Office fees, and ten dollars,
which is supposed to cover the expense OF sur
veying. Ii is in every respect very liberal
bill, and if it had been engrafted upon the poll
icy of the country twenty five or thirty years
ago. the millions of nonresident lands bought 10y
| slave holders would have been improved farms
| the abodes OF happiness and cOntentment; and
the rich products of the soil would have added
| immensely to the wealth Of the country. Land
is only valuable by the application of labor, and
| it is the surplus production which increases the
| wealth OF a country.
| The bill reported in the Senate, by Andrew
johnson, of Tennessee, is less liberal in its fea.
lures. Ii only gives, and to the head OF family
who is a citizen, or has declared his intention to
| become such, al the time of the passage Of the
bill and it only allows the settler to enter the
alternate section, reserving half the land for
the spectators, who who can reasonably calcu.
late, that the toll and industry of the settler in
making improvements and building roads and
school houses, will greatly enhance the value OF
his purchase.
The bill has been before the Senate once
or twice, and Mr. Wigfall, the successor Of Sam
Houston OF Texas, made a speech upon it, He
thought if the Government gave land to the
settler, 1t ought TO give two or three negroes
with it. He spoke i'll a rambling and rather in.
tOxicated manner iOr nearly three hours in the
| course of which he said, that without intending
| to threaten, he wished to record the prediction,
that no Black Republican President could ever
be inaCgurated in that Capitol. That if there
| was to be a dissolution of the Union the North.
ern laborers would be reduced to starvation
and upon being told that the Black Republican
leaders had been the cause of all their distress.
they would ut once behead them. He declared
that Cotton was King" and if the Southern
ers should happen to take it into their heads to
stop the exports for one week, although We OF
the North might send millions of bread stuffs,
vet that starvation would begin in England the
Queen would certainly lose her Crown and most
likely her head. 1t ID strange how insensible
the Republicans are of their danger-for instead
of being terrified by his threats, they all impu-
IDENTIFY sat and laughed in his face The Repub.
Leans will endeavOr to procure the passage of
the House bill, but failing in that, they viii un-
doubleday vote for the Senate bill az the best
they can get.
Your readers have undoubtedly seen an ac-
count OF the capture Of two Mexican Steamers,
by the American forces at Vera Cruz There
has been on the part Of the Administration
studied attempt to involve this country in a war
with Mexico during the tendency OF the next
Presidential contest, in the hope Of diverting
the attention of the people from the great con.
test between freedom and slavery, and exciting
their ambition TO conquer and annex that coun-
Try.
So the President has made a treaty with one
Juarez, rowing Indian Chief, who had set up
pretended Government of his own, in which the
President had stipulated to give them two mill
ions OF dollars, and maintain him in power BY
the force Of the army and navy Fortunately
the Republican minority in the Senate had the
power TO check the ratification Of treaty,
which was a radical and total departure from the
policy inaugurated by Washington, and the ad.
herence to which, has added 20 much to our ma.
tional strength and glory. | mean non-nterven-
lion, and non-interference, with the affairs Of
foreign governments or their domestic quarrels
The seizure OF these Steamers WAS high han
ded act perpetrated with impunity perhaps upon
a weak and deienceIess government: but which
if performed upon All English or French vessel
OF war would have demanded and received i'm
mediate apology and reparation. 1t is to be ho-
ped that the conservative element in Congress
will hold the administration to strict account
for the wantOn violation of neutrality, and that
they will never allow the flibusters to seize upon
the territories Of Mexico, so long As the dsetu,n
in the bred Scott case prevails, which spread
slavery over all free territory as soon as acquired
" and neither Congress territorial legislature.
or any human force can prevent it,"
That was the utterance Of the slave power
at " ashngton, through the mouth of James
Buchanan, President of the United States. and
be is hot an orthodox Democrat who either |
doubts or denies this doctrine. Shall another |
President ever be inaugurated, who will utter |
such outrageous sentiments to the people of the |
United States and the world:
If We do our duty We can safely answer no. |
II the people are true 10 the principles of free
dom, which actus.ed their Fathers. the slave
power has had its last Representative in the
W bite House. Then a new era will be inaupur.
ated, the shackles of the slave 10 Our national
domain viii fall, free homes, and free States will
spring up, and the liberty for which our fathers
Ought will be perpetuated from generation to
generation. X