The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-09-07

MEASURE, I HAVE FOUND MY.
SELF UNABLE TO SUPPORT 1T IN
ANY OF THE ASPECTS IN WHICH
TT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO THE
SENATE. ISPEAK OF THE ORR.
GINAL BILL. I SEE NO SOUND
PRINCIPLE OF POLITICAL ECO.
Monty UPON WHICH SUCH A
EASURE CAN BE BASED. I
THINK THERE is NONE. AT
LEAST THERE IS NONE WHICH
CARRIES CONVICTION TO MY
JUDGEMENT.
Bnt, sir, motion has now been made to
| postpone the further consideration of this
i measure until the commencement of the
next session of this Congress, and it was
my purpose in rising only to state, and to
state very briefly, the reason which would
induce me not to vote for the motion. If
were situated as the Senator who has Just
taken his seat, l should vote with him but
l am not thus situated. l am willing to
vote upon this question without one word
more of debate from any quarter, am
,oilling to vote against this bill as 1t no,u
stands. am willing to vote for the gradu.
alton bill of the Senator from Mississippi,
with one single proposition changed. l am
willing, if that fails, to vote for the substi-
tute Of the Senator from Virginia, with one
proposition changed, and probably for the
amendment of the Senator from Virginia,
| if it remain as it is, if can get it in no
better shape"
After Mr.. HAML1N had concluded, Mr..
| DOUGLAS made a few remarks, in which he
said:
"Mr. DOUGLAS. Mr.. President, l have
not participated in this debate, for the rea.
son that was anxious to obtain vote. /
was DESTROYS of making a speech on the
homestead bill, but when l saw that the
tactics of its opponents were to talk, 1
thought the tactics of its friends should be
to remain silent, and vote. hope now that
it will not be postponed, but that we may
have vote. Let us come Immediately to
a vote between these antagonist measures,
and determine at once whether we will stand
by the homestead bill as it came from the
House, or put the graduation bill on it, or
in lieu of it. Certainly this bill has been
longer before Congress than any other bill
now pending before the two Houses. 1t
has been before the other House of Con-
gress for about eight years.
Mr.. TooMBs. For ten years-ever since
Mr.. Mcconnell, of Alabama, introduced it.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. It has been pending in
this body for five years. 1t has passed the
House of Representatives several times, and
been discussed, perhaps more than any other
measure. hope now we may come to a
vote one way or the other"
The debate was continued at great length
Mr.. DOUGLAS actively participating, on be
half of the Homestead bill, but its friends
were in powerless minority. They could
not secure the passage of the House BILL
and as the next best thing, they joined in
perfecting substitute for that bill, offered
by Senator HUNTER, of Virginia, and which
reduced and graduated the price of the pub
lie lands. Mr.. DODGE, of Iowa, who had
charge of the Homestead bill, in the Sem
ate, said:
"Mr. DODGE, of Iowa. 1 have voted
against some twenty-five or twenty-three
amendments which have been offered to the
homestead bill, and it was not until two or
three o'clock to-day that l made up my
mind to support this amendment, when,
after comparing opinions with every friend
of that bill on this floor, they all admitted
that it was impossible for it to pass-even
lacking from four to six votes of majority
in its favor. As all know was the original
and steadfast friend of the homestead bill. l
was its friend and feeble champion when it
came here as the measure of Andrew John
son, the present distinguished Governor of
Tennessee, and not less so when it came
here as measure of General John L.
Dawson, of Pennsylvania, its last author,
and its able and consistent friend, and whose
exertions in the other branch of Congress,
and in this body, strongly commend him to
myself and my constituents. Here, at this
time, although from the considerations to
which I have referred, I shall vote for the
amendment, take this occasion to return
him my sincere and heartfelt thanks, not
only for bringing forward in the House the
original homestead bill of this session, but
for his assistance and active exertions in
its favor with his friends upon this floor"
On the 2lst of July, 1854, the bill, as
amended the day before, came up on its final
passage in the Senate. 1t had been robbed
of its distinctive features as a Homestead
bill, but yetitwas supported as the best thing
for the people of the west, that could be
obtained. Before the final vote was taken,
Mr.. DOUGLAS said:
"Mr. DOUGLAS. There have been two
fsvorite measures with myself, with the del.
egation from my State, and with the peo-
pie of my State, for many years and, l
believe, with the West generally. One was
graduation of the price of the public
lands the other was homestead to the
actual settler. The bill which was ordered
to be engrossed last evening accomplishes
both objects in manner entirely satisfac>
tory to some, and I have no doubt to all
the people. do not consider, therefore,
that in adopting the substitute of the Sena-
toi, from Virginia, we abandon anything
thatS paterial. On the contrary, we have
SECT Fed the object entirely satisfactory, so
far 3s the homestead is concerned, and we
have secured the graduation principles be-
sides.
"The bill accomplished, instead of one
good object, several very good objects, and
| 70 hot T ontirolu col icfso1 NTH