Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-10-23
SPEECH
OF
Hon. Owen LovejOy,
Delivered al the Rspublieas Wig'0am, Chicago,
Monday October l5th, 1860.

appearance was greeted had subsidized, Mr..
Love, oy spoke as follows:
CITIZENS OF CHICAGO: To quote the Ian
puage Of one who was interrupted by royal
auditor, aWhen the lion roars, the beasts Of
the forest tremble;' and l feel that when
Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana utter their
mighty united voices, individuals might well
be silent Applause.l But as it is assigned
TO me this evening to address You, although
every mind is joyous, and well nigh en-
crossed with the gratifying intelligence
which has been coming to US for the past
week over the wires and through the col
umus Of the newspapers, still viii endeavor
to present some OF the political issues and
principles which are now before the Ameri-
can people for their suflrages and decision.
During the long, and we are bound to be-
lieve, doubtful pilgrimage Of the nominee OF
the northern wing OF the Democracy, the
Republican party has been charge !, not
once, nor twice, but many times, with being
so engrossed, so absorbed with what that
gentleman is pleased to designate "the inter
miuable negro question, that we have bad
no time to give our attention to or discuss
the important subjects Of legislation before
the country. la one of these speeches
counting over upon his fingers several i'm
portant matters in which the nation is inter
! ested-the Tariff the Pacific Railroad, the
Pacific Telegraph Line, the Homestead Bill,
be says in plaintive language, 'Gentlemen,
none of these subjects can receive the atten-
ton which their Importance demands-none
of them can be discussed in the halls of
Congress, and passed into acts of legislation,
and why? Oh the Black Republicans are
eugrOssed with this interminable negro ques-
| ton"
Now, citizens, propose, briefly as needs l
must TO call your attention to the TACT that
one Of these measures mentioned by the SEN
! ator from this State, and one Of the most i'm
| portant measures, except that which relates
to "the iuterminable negro question u
neon the Homestead Bill, was discussed, was
voted upon, and so far as Republican votes
| could do it, was passed into law but 1t
did not actually become law, because it
was defeated, not by Republicans who were
carried away by ''the interminable negro
| question, but BY the Democratic party in
the House, in the Senate, and in the Execu-
| tive Chair. / wish now TO state the fact that
/ as a member of the Committee on Public
Lands, it became my duty to report that bill
to the House that duty / performed to the
best of my ability; and | remember as
though it were but yesterday think Inev-
er shall forget-that Immediately upon the
motion being made to put that bill upon its
passage, there was evidently wave OF IN
| dignant emotion that swept over the Demo-
cratic side of the House. Motions were made
TO postpone, TO recommit to amendi every
motion was made that is known to parlia-
mentary tactics, TO delay and defeat the
| Homestead bill. We were called on to give
the ayes and noes; we occupied the whole
of legislative day in saying "Aye' or "No
on unimportant and incidental points con-
nected with the Homestead bili-the ayes
and noes being called for by the Democratic
and not by the Republican side Of the House
When the bill was passed in the House by
| Republican votes Mr.. Barksdale of MissisSip
pi sprang to his feet and said: "Mr. Speaker
move to adjourn; we have done iniquig
enough for one day. What iniquity2 W.
had passed broad, liberal, munifoent, jus
Homestead BILL and that in the estimation o
the Democratic party is iniquityl
If you will bear with me now, before com
ing upon this "interminable negro question,
which propose to discuss af(er few mo
ments occupied upon this Homestead bill
question, viii present to you in as brief :
time andsin as precise language as / can com
mand, the leading features OF the Republican
and the Democratic Homestead bills. W,
presented a bill that was full of life-a living
man; the Democrats tore away everything
except the bare dead skeleton and called it
mana Homestead bill. The Republican
bill said any person over twenty-one years O
age, citizen Of the United States or VIII
has declared his intention Of becoming
} citizen, may enter any of the unoccupied pub
lie lands, take possession Of quarter section
cultivate it for FIVE years, and, at the end c
that time, ifhe is then a citizen of the Unite
States, by making proof that he has occupie
and cultivated the land for the exclusiv
benefit Of himself and his family, he shal
become the owner in lee simple of that amour
of the public lands. Loud applause. This
was the proposition of the Republican party
We say any person over twenty one years {
age, who desires to mend his fortune, any on
! who Is determined to better his condition j
. life can 90 and take possession ofthis Unite
quantity ofthe public lands, and by this pre-
1 cess it shall become his own. We said an
e person over tweilty-one years of age; IL
Democrats said any head Ofa f,imily. VIII!
? nv Democrat friends, will you not let Il
Young men 90 and take possession of the:
territories Why do you exclude themf
will do individual Democrats the justice
say. that do not think this was because the
haveany feeling ofhostility towards the youn
|, men. That is not it. Why then did ever
Democrat, with few exceptions, vote tn
i none but heads of families should 90 and tai
3, possession Of the public lands2 They vot
Il thus because it was a political necessity
Q. was the inexorable demand of the slave pow
that the young men should not 60 and tai
= possession of the territories, for then slave
knew il could never gain a foothold there
loud applause. That believe is why Z
Democratic party almost as a unit voted
- exclude the young men Of the country fro
at going to, and taking possession Of limit
n portions of the public lands, as the Repub
Of cans proposed to allow them 70 do. Al
YOU must decide, voters of Chicago, voters
r illinois, voters OF the United States-y
% must decide which policy you will indol
and support by your sufirages on the SIX
day yof November next
Il We propose to let the young men go, a
ee find each Of them a spot where he would Il
lie to stay and live; give him an opportunity
make some little preparation: let him at le
: build rude cabin, and break up gard
=, spot: and then come back and claim
y hand Of her whose heart he had happily alrea
: won. [Applause.l The Democrats said,
Z, before he shall have the right to enter up
these public lands he must be the head OF
!. family; he must take Mary along in the wag
. and they must do as best they cam for III
be is the head of family be shall not hav
= square foot. Ladies which policy do y
u ike best2 GOheers and laughter.
nd The Republicans would give the settler
/. homestead upon any Of the unoccupied pull
lands; the Democratic party say: "Y
? NAV have any lands that are left after Il
nave been offered for sale" The Democri
! party says to the poor man-"A After
capitalists have entered what they wish--ai
Ell the speculatore have taken the lions sha
then You may have the refuse-ihe swa