The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-08-31
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS AND THE HOME.
STEAD LAW,
RST A TICLE.

We propose in series of articles, to
show that STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS, of Illinois,
is the only candidate of the eight, now before
the American people for the Presidency and
Vice Presidency, who has, on all occasions
even when the measure was unpopular, and
the mention of it in the halls of Congress,
the signal of ridicule and derision-been
the earnest, hard working, and consistent
friend and advocate of the HOMESTEAD
PRINCIPLE. The reason be was so is obvious.
DOUGLAS passed his youth on the Western
frontier, and since he has been in public
life, has represented Western constituency.
He early became acquainted with the wants
of the people of the West; and upon his
entrance into Congress, his advocacy of
homestead law was not only in accordance
with his own convictions of duty, but was
in strict obedience to the wishes of those be
represented. He never varied or faltered
in bis devotion to the measure.
We shall not travel beyond the official
record of Congress to substantiate these
propositions; and we believe that no cam
did man will perusc what we shall print
on the subject, without arriving at our own
conclusions, indicated above.
INTRODUCTION OF THE FIRST HOMESTEAD BILL
INTO THE HOUSE.
On the 18th of March, 1916, it appears
from the Journal of the House of that date,
that
"Mr. A. johnson, democrat, of TeDnes-
see) asked leave to introduce bill entitled
"A bill to authorize every poor man in the
United States, who is the head of a family,
to enter one hundred and sixty acres of the
public domain, without money and without
price Objection being made, it was not
introduced"
On the 9th of March, following, We find
the following record in the House Journal:
"Mr. A. johnson, in pursuance of previ-
oas notice, asked and obtained leave to
introduced a bill to authorize every poor
man in the United States, to enter l6O acres
of land," etc., which bill was read second
time and committed"
This was the first Homestead bill ever
introduced into the Congress of the United
States. 1t met with but little favor at that
time. The Wing and Democratic parties
were the two rival organizations, the former
being pledged to the speedy sale Of the
public lands at auction, and the distribution
of the proceeds of such sale among the
old States, while the Democratic party
maintained the Jacksonian principle tia
the lands should be reserved for actual set
Element, at low rates, and should not he
regarded as a source of revenue for either
the State or Federal governments
REDUCTION OF THE PRICE OF THE PUBLIC
LANDS.
1t is little singular that at this very
session of Congress, STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS,
HANNIBAL HAML1N, and ALEXANDER RAM
sEY were members of the House. Gen
SHIELDS was then Commissioner of the
General Land Office, and in the discharge of
the duties of that position, be recommended
reduction in the price Of the public lands.
In accordance with this recommendation,
Mr.. M'Clernand, of Illinois, introduced q
bill, and supported it in speech, in the
course of which be said that the unoccu.
"pied public lands in our confederated States
"and Territories, belonged substantially to
1.-The laboring industrious poor" 1t was upon
this ground be supported the bill. Speeches
in advocacy of it for the same reason, were
made by Mr.. BowL1N, of Missouri, ROBERT
SMITH, of Illinois, and others. The latter
gentleman. who is well known in Minnesota,
in the course of bis speech, said of the bill !:
"Mr. Smith hoped and trusted that the