New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-05-16
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WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 1s, 1850.
THE TIOnIEsTEAD BILL.

We confess ourselves unable to understand the
proceedings of the Senate on Thursday, the 10th
Of this month"; In reference to the Homestead bill.
That measure is reported, by the National Intelli-
gencer, as having passed the Senate by the extra
ordinary vote of forty.four in the affirmative to
only eight in the negative. Among the names re-
corded in the affirmative we find those Of many
Southern Senators-Brown Of Mississippi, Chesnut
of South Carolina, Clay, Davis, Fitzpatrick Green,
Hammond, Hemphill, johnson of Arkansas, Polk,
Sebastian, Slidell and Yulee. The eight negative
votes are Messrs. Bragg and Clingman Of North
Carolina, Hunter and Mason of Virginia, Hamlin
OF Maine, Pearce Of Maryland, Powell Of Ken
lucky, and Toombs Of Georgia.
We say we are unable to understand this vote,
because we had supposed if there was any que2-
ton at all now in issue, which there was entire
unanmity of opinion among the people of the South
Of all parties, it was this Homestead BILL We had
supposed the entire South opposed to the propo-
stion. Certainly, if public sentiment may be de-
termned by the tone of the press, and the declara-
tions Of leading politicians, the inference was In
evitable that not Southern man in ten thousand
no matter to what party he belonged, was an adyo-
cate of this proposition. Wing and Democratic
papers have united, with singular unanimity, in
condemning and denouncing the Homestead bill, in
all its forms, not only impolitic and unjust in
itself, but insdious in the interest OF Free
soiism and Black Republicansm. For once, the
South seemed to be unit and to repudiate this
bill with the strongest and most emphatic demon
strations Of disapproyal.
And yet we find large majority of Southern
Senators voting with the entire Black Republican
party-except Hamlin, of Maine-in favor of the
bill. What is the explanation Of it? We are at q
loss to know. There are Senators SO voting whose
fealty to the South has been questioned, and
which we are not questioning now. But we insist
that some explanation is due. 1t toccasions no sur.
prise to find Black Republican Senators sustaining
the Homestead bill. 1t was also to be expected
that Northern Democrats, such as Douglas, Pugh,
Lane, etc. should be found on the same side of the
questioR-for their constituencies are unanimously
in favor Of the proposition. But we repeat that
the record of their votes by large majority Of the
Southern Senators in favor of this BILL in the face
Of the fact that the South is opposed to it bitterly
and without distinction Of party, is event which
will astonish the South, and Of which some expla.
nation is certainly due. We hope it may be made.
The passage Of the bill in the Senate by this over
whelming majority indicates its easy passage in the
House. In fact, the House has already passed a
that this measure will be successful unless checked
by the Executive veto. 1t has been given out that
the President is opposed to the BILL and will inter
pose his negative if it ever reach him. We trust
sincerely that such is the case. We have no special
regard for the President and no particular con
fidence in his patriotism. But he will atone fol
many of his personal and legislative and executive
mistakes by arrestng the passage Of this iniquitous
measure and throttling the monster in the begin
ming.
We copy from the Tntelligencer the subjoined
brief report of the proceedings in the Senate, to
gether with the yeas and nays on the passage o
the bill
HOMESTEAD BfLL-The Senate then resumed tht
unfinished business OF yesterday being the bill tt
secure homesteads to actual settlers the public
| domain, and for other purposes; when most Of thu
| amendments adopted and rejected in committee
were renewed in the Senate, and the debate con
tinued on the same, and on the general principles
of the bill, until haf-past five o'clock, by Senator.
| Hamlin, Pugh, Rice, Douglas, Wigfali, Green
| Bragg, Lane, johnson OF Arkansas, Wilson, Trum
| bull, Brown, johnson of Tennessee, Davis, Cola
mer, and others, when the bill was passed by the
| following vote:
Yeas: Messrs. Anthony, Bigler, Bingham, Bright
| Brown, Cameron, Chandler, Chestnut, Clark, Clay
| Collamer, Davis, Dixon, Doolittle, Douglas Dur
kee, Fitzpatrick, Foster, Green, Grimes, Gwin
Hale, Hammond, Harlan, Hemphill, Johnson o
Arkansas, johnson Of Tennessee, King, Lane, La
than, Nicholson, Polk, Pugh, Rice, Sebastian, Sew
| ard, Slidell, Sumner Ten Eyck, Trumbull, Wade
| Wilkinson, Wilson and Yulee-44.
Nays: Messrs, Bragg, Clingman. Hamlin, Hunter
Mr.. Wigfall had recorded his vote in the afirma
tive, but, recoecting that he had paired off will
4 Mr.. Fitch, had his name erased from the record.
The Senate then adjourned.