Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-04-26
Progressive cracY.

hoSt~SNAVS ~ SAiOSAuOJ
II will be remembered that Senator Ham
mond in a noted speech declared the work.
ing moi, the "mudsir' Of society, and the
party ever progressing have now taken q
holder step. Senator Wigfsll Of Texas
dSnounces the poor man as 4 criminal, and
says the title Of the Homestead Bill should
be amended so as to read "for the encourage.
ment OF crime" But let the poor man read
for himself. the following extract from the
report Of Wigfalrs speech.
"Mr. Wigfall, (Dem } of Texas, proceed.
ed ot length, and said donations Of alternate
sections would prevent the sale OF the, pub
lie lands. The passage Of the bill would be
the abandonment OF the revenue, end also
an expense TO The government, and Il would
be better to give one hundred and sixty
dollars out Of the Treasury TO the homeless
than to denote land and 20 10 the expense
Of establishing land Offices to sur ey Il. Hi,
rsilroad bill was for the practical purpose oil
transmitting naval and military stores, the
homestead bill was for paupers. Il was
popular to talk Of the poor. Poverty, he
said, was a crime. The man who was poor
bad sinned, and there was q screw loose IN
his head somewhere. He would amend the
title Of the bill To- read, "for the encourage.
hent Of crime, providing for criminal and
violating the Constitution" 1t was populsr,
he repeated, 10 talk of the bone and sinsw
Of the land, Of wool hats, aud brogans, but
poverty was . crime. He would not pandsr
to prejudice BY such talk. The bill provides
flr the purlleus Of london. the Five Points
Of New York. and criminals who violate the
Law when they 60 on the lands. The bill
provides for those who could not provide for
themselves. Gentiemsn srisd 10 be populsr
In the Introduction of such q bill. Il wac q
great mIsiake of any man to suppose that
the people bad not sense. daughter,
These landa would b occupied BY the out.
pourings ofjsils, &c. and when thsy were
represented In Congssss. he would like 10
see the man who wore the, srmins. Great
God, what . aight II would BE-. 6 ,
Mr.. Wilkinson, (Rep3 Of Min, asked II
Texas did not give away lands to her own
citizens and foreignersi 90 a2e iso'
Mr.. W'gfslis sksd n the Senator was 20,
once . Democrat 4, ,idsl aisis oiol "A
Mr.. Wilkinson said no never wal ss
Nj. Wigfall replied that Texas could
please her " fancy, She he'd Z right 10
do what she pleased with her own property
to give Il ~ . -mlssIoesry society, 10 pub.
llsh . Bible. or 10 gamble Il OF In q helL-
L,ughlsLl Texas wss Z free. sovsssiga
State, and exercised rights which were moi
delegated 10 this miserable one horse con.
eern In Washington. fRenswed Laughter.
He had understood Mr.. Wilkinson to say be
was Know Noihing. o,w
Mr.. Wilkinson replied he did no, say 90,
The senstor was q little obtuse to-day,
lLaugh,er.l ere s'e,'
Mr.. wigiai. continued a, length. HI
thsught the psf enage of the government IN
this respect ought 10 DO given to the States
The bill would exclude s~lsysholdsrs from
the Territories, and provide psupers aud q
fanatical population. II would be a free
soil country. e.nl r,fls9 it g,5a.i.
We have always understood that II was
inconvenient 10 DO poor, but never before
knew that IL was . crime, There are six
millions Of n.ggerless whites In the slave
sss,ss--most Of whom are In such indiggeki
circumstances that the very SLAYER !oot
down upon them aud call them 'poor white
irash. To no class OF white people on the
American continent would free Homestead.
be 90 accsptible 40 to these same six mil.
lions Of Southern white ''psupss" an,
"csiminsls." % The bloatsd Texan slave
holder calls his cosntry men. 4,