, 1860-06-21

original Senate bill extended this right only to
native born or fully naturalized citizens, or
those now residents Of tho Territories. The
House bill extended the right to heads Of fsnn.
lilies, male or female, and to all male citizens
over twenty -ons years Of age; the Senate bill
gave the privilege only to heads Of families.
But, most significant Of nllt* sss affecting the in'
terests Of tie nav States and the settlers
therein, the Honsss; extended the salutary pro-
visiostsof, tha<H6mestes& principle to those
who have already made locations and filed
their intentions to pre-empt; while the Senate
contrivauce applied only to those who should
Azs4tzz On Tie public domain -------
y a4ppeara that the measure finally agreed
upon does not throw open The vast tracts Of
'n1ailroad lands, hitherto held ut $3.50 per acre.
The bill says to the poor 4ap who is looking
out for home and a. quarter section Of land,
'"1f you will 50 far away from the reach Of
"markets, railroads, schools, churches aud so.
ciety-if you hare never made claim under
"the resumption laws Or Il. you will consent
ito leave it md 60 farther into the prairie or
1.-The barrens-you may have one hundred and
"st1ty acres of land, provided you are the
"head Of a family, for the sum Of forty dollars"
again, it is certain that all young men, not
yet heads Of familias, are cast out Of the reck-
oning in the bill passed on Tuesday; and in
this connection we cannot torbear re-printing
the following brief extract from the able speech
ex-senator Wilkinson, Of Minnesota:
The men who enaigrate In youth 10 the
Western country, to build up for themselves
fortune and reputation, are the men Of oil
this &C! should apply. We need their services,
They are, in plain fact, the vanguard Of civiii-
zatlon upo1 this continent They peuetratc the
wild solltudes, far beyond the safety and COM
forts Of society: They traverse aud explore
regions in which, for the time being, families
could not reside securely. They pitch their
tents, build their houses, break up and improve
the soil, and open the broad acres to occupancy
and culture. They furnish q more sure and
perfect protection Of our Western frontier than
can be given by all the armed soldiers along
the border line. Co afnE mostly from, the DIFF
ierent States Of the Union, they bring with
them deep and permanent attachment to the
institutions Of our country; and, Is settlements
advance, they organize municipal governments,
aud lay the foundation of future States, Such
ere some of their labora and dangers: such ate
some Of their achievements. Why, then, in
the name OF fairness aud Of common eeuse.
should this class Of active and energetic Young
men be entirely ignored and cast aside By the
Senate billy"
It is worth the attention Of the people Of
Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Kao-
sas, and Nebraska, whether they can afford to
accept this ahell in lieu Of the kernel which
the Homestead principle is popularity supposed
to contain tits worth while for the vast army
Ct settlers already located in those States and
Territories, with cabins already built and more
or less ground already broken and fenced, who
are unable to pay for their quarter sections, to
consider whether this can be called Home.
stead bill. It is well for the mass Of the people
in those States and Territories, who look to q
Homestead bill to ell up the vacant belts o.
railroad lands and start anew the general pros
perity, to consider whethef4hey are not being
played with by political shazpers. It is vel
for tho people Of tha whole country to Judge
whether they are not being, roundly swindlca
blythe obstinate pro-alavsry majority in ths
| Senate.