The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-07-27

would 60 80 lar, curing the present canvass,
as to charge STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS with a
want Of devotion to the Homestead princi-
pie. Since he has been in public life, whether
in bis own State, or in the Congress of the
United States, Judge DOUGLAS has not only
been an unwavering friend Of granting to
actual settlers homestead on the public
domain, but has been looked upon through
out the West, as the peculiar champion in
the Congress of the United States of the in
terests of the people of the West. We ven
ture to say, that since his advent in Con-
gress, in l843, no measure has been proposed,
intended to benefit the pioneer settler, which
has not met his approval and secured his
powerful advocacy. When the Homestead
principle was uDpopular-when it was stig-
matized, by the great mass of the people of
the seaboard states, as an agrarian measure,
to rob the people of the East for the benefit
of the West, and was opposed on this ground
by many Of the leading Republicans of the
present day-DoueLAs was its earnest sup
porter, and one of the most influential in Con-
gress. Notwithstanding these facts, notorious
to the veriest tyro in the political history of
the country, we notice that the Republican
press are beginning to impeach Judge DOUG
LAS devotion to a Homestead measure; and
that the DANTE press of the state, with
scoundrelism characteristic of their debase-
ment, assert openly, that DOUGLAS has never
supported Homestead bill. The following
standing notice, taken from Senator R1cE's
special organ, at Henderson, displays the
tactics of the Administration press -
s% WE DEFY ANY DOUGLAS MAN TO POINT
OUT TO US SINGLE VOTE GIVEN OR SPEECH
MADE BY MR.. DOUGLAS IN FAVOR OF A HOME
STEAD BILL, SINCE he HAS BEEN IN THE U. S.
SENATE.
We propose very soon to 60 over the his
tory of the Homestead law in Congress, and
show DOUGLAS position, by bis votes and
speeches, since l843. But for our present
purpose, bis action during the session which
has just closed, will prove an ample refuta.
ton of the inuendoes of the Republicans,
and the open lies of the Buchanan press.
Onthe 10th Of May last, (see Congressional
Globe the Senate Homestead bill being un-
der consideration, Mr.. DOUGLAS offered an
amendment to the bill, extending the pro-
visions of the act, which, as it stood, applied
only to lands subject to private entry, to all
surveyed lands subjec. to pre-emption. The
importance of this amendment to the people
of Minnesota is apparent to any one &C.
quainted with the condition of the public
lands of the State. If the bill had become
law without DOUGLAS amendment, Mime
sofa would have derived no benefit from it's
provisions, as there are no lands in this
State, at this time, subject to private entry.
During the discussion of this amendment,
Judge DOUGLAS said:
shall move to amend the bill by striking
out the words "subject to private entry" and
so that it will then apply to all lands subject
to presumption; and want it to apply to lands
subject to presumption, whether they be SO
subject hereafter or have been heretofore, so
that it shall be general principle, perma.
nent policy looking to the future.
Mr.. COllamer-H it is arranged in that man.
ner, what will become of those who have gone
on the lands in Minnesota, for example Will
the Senator's amendment reach those people,
and enable them to take the land at quarter
of dollar, as well as those who may go here
after?
Mr.. Douglas-Precisely. What desire is,
that every man now on the public lands that
have been surveyed, and that are liable to the
provisions of this bill, and also all that have
gone on to land not surveyed, may take it un.
der this bill as soon as it becomes surveyed !;
and also, that all persons who shall hereafter
60 on the land, may take it under this bill SO
soon as it shall be surveyed. That is what
desire to see in the bill.
Mr.. Wade-I believe that is right. Let US
have vote. believe that the proposition of
the Senator from Illinois is right, and l want a
vote.
Mr.. Douglas-I will stop right here if we can
have a vote.
In reply to Mr.. DAVIS objections to the
proposed amendment, Mr.. DOUGLAS said:
have listened with interest and pleasure to
the very clear exposition of the land system,
given by the Senator from Mississippi. 1t is
true that this amendment to this bill will make
a radical change in that system. do not wish
to disguise from any Senator, nor from the
country, the full extent of that change. The
change is simply this: as the land system now
stands, the Spectator and the actual settler are
on terms of entire equality, taking the land at
81 rs an acre; but, according to the proposed
change, the speculator will be required to paw
81, rs an acre, and the settler will only pay
twenty-five cents an acre. The legal effect will
be to make one dollar an acre difference be.
tween the man who buys for speculation with.
out settlement and the man who settles upon
the land and makes it his home; and that ia my
object in the amendment.
Mr.. Wade-All right, Mr.. President; let US
have a vote.
In reply to Mr.. Pugh, Mr.. Douglas, after
showing the beneficial effects of the pre-
emption system, and the advantage it gave
the settler over the speculator, said
The effect of this amendment is, that there
shall be one dollar an acre difference between
the Spectator and the settler; that the actual
settler may take land at twenty five cents, and
that the Spectator shall pay SIPS. But the
Senator from Ohio says the Spectator will send
in advance his agents to 60 and get a claim
under the homestead. Sir, do you think that,
in order to reduce tract of land from 81, rs an
acre to twenty-five cents, the Spectator will
send his agent there to hold the land five years.
and pay five years salary in order to save 500?
No, sir. You protect the settler against the
Spectator, by requiring five years residence
under this bill, and cultivation upon the land.