Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-11-02
The Homestead Measure.


The Homestead Measure.
There are many thousands of poor bu.
industrious and honest men in this country,
who own no land ard are hence working
for mere subsistence, at the mercy Of
landlords, This should not be. Every
freeman should be a land owner, that be
may be an independent man, should have
one spot of ground. and home upon it,
for his family, which should be his and
theirs beyond the reach Of every contin-
geney.
One of the prime objects of the republi-
can party is to secure to ecey man such
homestead, For this purpose they passed
homestead bill through the house last
winter. known as Mr. Crows bill ayes
being 115, all republicans voting for it
and the nays being 65, every democrat vo-
ting against it but 21 This is enough to
stamp the measure as republican. while
the democratic vote shows that that party
is opposed to liberal bill to secure this
great object.
In order to defeat this republican meas
ure the democrats presented a bill in the
Senate, which they substituted for that of
the house, most OF the republicans finally
voting for it as the best they could get
from a pro-slavery democratic senate,
which does not like the policy of settling
poor men upon the public lands, for fear
there will not be enoughle left for large slave
holding plantations Even this apology
for homestead bill was vetoed by the
democratic president.
We will briefly contrast these two meas
ures to see which is the most liberal to the
mass of the people: .-....-..... ..
The house bill (republican) provides
that ell government lands shall be with
drawn from sale to spectators, and set
apart for homestcads for actual settlers,
without money and without price. The
senate bill keeps the lands in market for
spectators.
The republican bill permits any head of
family, or single man u years Of age, to
select and settle upon quarter section of
public land. The senate bill cuts off all
unmarried men. .....,
The house bill allowed emigrants WHO
had declared their intentions to become
citizens to enter quarter section of land.
The senate bill confirmed the entry of land
to native born and naturalized citizens.
The house bill permitted these who have
already prc-empted lands and settled upon
them. to keep the same. The senate bill
excludes the settler from entering such
lands for a homestead. OH
This brief contrast of the two bills shows
conclusively which party desires to benefit
the people by the passage Of this salutary
measure. It was the Senate bill against
which Mr. Hamlin voted, and about which
vote the democrats howl so much but he
was firm friend of the only real home
stead measure, that which passed the House
Of Representatives, by republican votes.
Upon this measure the political parties
of the country were tested in Congress.
The republicans voted for it in the house
A large majority of the democrats voted
against it One of the democratic friends
of the bill, Mr.. Cavenaugh of Minnesota
condemned the democracy for their resis-
tance to the bill, and paid tribute to the
in congress:
"In reference to the vote on this bill
to-day, with an overwhelming majority of
this side of the house voting against my
colleague and myself, voting against this
bill, say it frankly. say it in sorrow,
that it was to the republican side of the
house to whom we were compelled to 10 X
for support of this just and honorable meas
ure Gentlemen from the south, gentle
men who have broad acres and wide plan
tations, aided here today, by their votes
more to make republican states in the
north than by any vote which has been
cast within the last two years. These
gentlemen come here and ask US to SUPP ,rt
the south : yet they, to a man almost.
vote against the free, independent labor of
the north and west.
''I, sir, have inherited my democracy /;
have been attached to the democratic party
since my boyhood, have believed in the
great truths enunciated by the ''fathers of
faith" and have cherished them religiously,
knowing that, by their faithful application
to every department of government, this
nation has grown up from struggling colo
nies, to prosperous, powerful states. But
sir, when see southern gentlemen come
up, as | did to-day, and refuse, by their
votes, to place the actual tiller of the SOIL
the honest, industrious laborer beyond the
grasp and avariee Of the speculator, tell
you sir, falter ard | hesitate"
SENATORIAL JoKE.-A friend recently
from Washington related to US little in
cldent that transpired short time ago in
the Senate Chamber, and which made
some amusement among the members.
Mr.. Gillette, our Senator, sits near
Toombs of Georgia, Ind they frequently
pass a good bumored joke A few morn
ings ago. just before the Senate was called
to order, while several of the members
were standing by, Toombs said to Gillette
They say, Gillette, that you abolition
lists are mad with the Almighty for ma
king the nigger black. !" J
Your informant is slightly mistaken"
replied Gillette, ''we are only mad with
you Shareholders for making them white"
The allusion to the bleaching process
that is going on among the colored popu-
latioN of the South was at once understood
by all. and ToUmbs Joined with much good
humor in the general laugh Hartford
Cor.