Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1860-10-13
DOUGLAS ON THE HOMESTEAD
BILL.

The Republicans claim that they are
par excellence the advocates Of the Home.
stead measure, and are persistent in their
charges that the Democracy are opposed
TO it. 1t needs but reference to the re-
cord to prove the fallacy Of their pre,cn.
sions and the falseness of their charges
against the Democracy az a party. 1t is
true that some Southern Democrats-now
supporters Of BREcKiNR.pcE and LANE
have opposed the passage of Homestead
Bill but it is equally true that the great
majority Of the Democratic party have
been firm, consistent and unwaverius ad-
vocates of giving to actual se,,lers, with.
out cost, homestead upon The public
lands. This princi Pile was advocated by
Democrats long before the Republican
party had an existence, and the ablest and
most consistent defender. of Homestead
Bill are now in the Democratic ranks.
1t is tavorite occupation among Re
pubcans to denounce Judge DouGLAs as
an enemy of the measure. Wha. are the
facts? The record shows that Judge
DorGLAs introduced Homestead Bill in.
to Congress, and advocated its passage.
long before many Of his traducers had a
political existence. In a speech at Cleve
land few weeks ago, in response TO a re
quest to define his position on the Home
stead question, Judge DouGLAs said -
"a friend has asked me to explain nv
position upon the Homestead bill. am {,
little surprised that ] should be called IN.
on to define my position on that subject.
For twelve or fourteen years have deyo,.
ed more time to the passage Of the Home
stead bill than any other live man. TCries
Of Good and cheers There n,yer
has been Homestead bill bef,re Con.
gress which have not supported. FAN
plause. | introduced one in the Hons.
OF representatives fourteen years ago, be.
fore was Senator, and | have renewed
it year after year in the L. s. Senate
lCries Of "Good!'] When | could no,
get my own bill always supported the
mex: best one. Good, good!"1 Last
year when the House Of Representatives
passed Homestead bill and sent it to the
Senate, and Senator johnson, OF Tenn.s
see, offered a substitute for it, supported
the House Till in preference to his, because
thought it was the best. When I failed
to get that. | offered an amendment, which
believed to lie better even than the Hou,e
bill, but failed, and then voted for the
Senate bill. as thought i, was better than
nothing. Applause. In brief am in
favor now, as | have been for years of that
line Of policy which authorizes every man
to 60 uoon the public lands, record his
claim, build his house, make his fences,
and split his own rails (Laughter) and
when he shall have lived on it long enou Oh
to have established his intention of lie
coming permanent settler, give him his
title Tree. Tremendous applause.
believe that to be the true policy OF the
country.
"a person in the crowd-How long will
he live on it?
"Mr Douglass hope he will live on il
forever Cries of Good ard applause.
The Public Lands have not been a
proper and legitimate subject of revenue
to this government On the contrary
they have tended to disorganize the none.
sary affairs of the country. Whenever
the country is prosperous, imports are
large and money is plenty, every specula
tor will fill bis pockets with cash, 20 West
and buy up the public lands in vast guam.
titles. We then get q revenue of ten,
twenty or twenty-five millions of dollars
year isto the treasury. from the sale Of
Public Lands, at the very time we do not
want it, because we have surplus with
Out it out the moment hard times come
the imports fall of, the banks cv,tail their