Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-03-22
FREE HOMES FOR FREE MEN!
G. A. GROWS Speech in the House
of Representatives on the
HO ESTEAD BILL.

W uOlt VII buc otAlt VI tue OHlOn,
Mr. Grow said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: At the close Of the Rev.
olution the colonies claimed dominion, ba.
scd upon their respective colonial grants
from the Crown of Great Britain, over an
unlimited wilderness Of 100000, 600 acres
of land, extending to the Mississippi on the
west, and the Canadas on the north. The
disposition of these lands became a subject
of controversy between the colonies even
before the confederation, and was an early
obstacle to the organization of any govern
ment for the protection of their COM
mon interests.
The colonies whose charter from the
crown extended over none OF the unoc-
cupied lands claimed, in the language
of the instructions of Maryland in
1779. to her delegates in congress:
THAT country unsettled at the
commencement of this war, claimed
by the British Crown, and ceded to 1t
by the treaty at Paris. if wrested from
the common enemy by the blood and
treasure of the thirteen States, should
be considered as common property,
subject to be parceled out by Congress
into free, convenient, and Independent
governments, in such a manner. and
ut such times as the wisdom OF that
Assembly shall hereafter direct"
The propriety and the justice OF ce
ding these lands to the Confederation
to be thus parceled out into free anC
Independent. States, having become
the topic of discussion everywhere IL
the colonies, Congress, in order to al
Law the controversy and remove th'
only remaining obstacle to final rat
ification of the Articles of Confedera
ton. declared by resolution, on tn
10th of October, 1880:
That the unappropriated land
which may be ceded or relinquished t.
the United States by any particuia
States "shall be dis
posed of for the common benefit OF TN
United States; and be settled ant
formed into distinct Republican State
which shall become members of tn
: Federal Union, and have the sam
rights of sovereignty, freedom, an'
independence as the other States, DC
That the said lands shall be granted
or settled at such times aud unde
such regulations as shall hereafter b
agreed on by the United States in Con
gress assem- bled, or nine or more
them.
In pursuance of the provisions G
this resolution, Newly ork, Virgins
Massachusetts, Connecticut, South Cal
olina. North Carolina, and Georgis
ccded their claims, including title an
jurisdiction to the waste lands, q
they were called, outside Of their r'
e spective State limits; oil of them. eA
cept Georgia and North Carolin'
without anyconditions annexed to the
respective grants, save those containe
in the resolution of Congress just n
ferred to. The reservation in I'll
grants of Georgia and North Carolir
e were not, however, as to the futu
disposition of the lands, but cond
tion that Slavery should not be pr
A. hibited therein by Congress. The te
ritory thus conditionally granted
contained within thciStatcs OF Tcnne
sec. Mississippi and Alabama. Wi
'c the exception of the grants OF Mort
: Carolina and Georgia (and the rcse
/, vations even in those relating only
the form of their future government
the public lands claimed by the col
MES ut tho close Of the revolution, we
ceded to the General Government
r be settled and disposed Of "under SUI
= regulations as shall hereafter be agrc
= on by the United States in Congre
assembled"
a Since that time the Government h
acquired, by treaty, of France, t
o Louisiana purchase; of Spain. t
Floridas; of Mexico, Utah. New-Me
leo, and California: containing. al,
gether, over twelve hundred MILL
A acres of land. So the General &c
crnment. by cessions from the origin
States and purchases from other /
- tions, has acquired. exclusive Of wat
as computed by the Commissioners
" the Land Office. fourteen hundred a
fifty million acres of public lands;
which there have been sold. TO 5,
: tember so, 1859. one hundred q
forty-seven million eighty eight the
sand two hundred and seventy-f,
"S acres; and otherwise disposed of
: grants and donations to individuG
corporations. companies, and Stat
as per annexed table, including gra
;. since 30th June, 1857, two hund
TO and forty-one million seven hund
and seventy thousand and fifty,
acres leaving of public lands belong
= to the Government undisposed of