Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-03-26

WASHINGTON. March I9, 1860
The Homestead or Free Farm Project in the Sen
afe-The House Bill aud the Senate BiR-The
Republican Project the Best for BuncOnubs.
From the very thin attendance on the floor
If the Senate to-day at two o'clock. and in
the galleries one would hardly suppose one
Of the most extraordinary, and momentous
measures of congressional legislation to he
under consideration. Yet so il is: and Mr.
Nicholson. (drm) of Tennessee. is engaged
in an elaborate argument in favor of the
Homestead bill, or he bill granting FREQ
farm, of 100 acres, to every he'd of a family
who may settle on the public domain, and
cultivate said farm for - period of FIVE wears
The colleague of Mr.. Mich ,lsOn t. Mr. An
drrw Johnson, who's claim to the paternity
of this Homestead prof. CT cannot be very
safely contested. Mr.. Nicholson opens the
debate. in order that his colleague may re-
serve himself to answer some of the strong
speeches which will unquesIionably be- made
against the bill. There are symptoms of
long and exhausting debate on the subject
but there also symptoms that the complete
success of the sch, me- can only be arr, sted
by the veto of the President.
There are two bills before the Senate the
House bill and the Senate bill, the only ma
lerial difference between them being in this,
that while the Housr bill opens the public
domain equally to citizens and aliens, the
Senate bill restricts his privilege of settle
ment TO actual citizens. Pass the House bill
into law. and with the receipt of the news
by The dweller on the Shannon. The Clyde,
the Thames; the Rhine or the Danube ne
may come over NJ once, and forthwith take
up his claim aud squat on it. and at the end
of his five years probation take out his title
of citizenship, and his fee simple 10 his farm
on the same day. The Senate bill requires
al
this five years ordeal Of citizenship befor,.
he can be entitled to the privilege Of squat
ting. The HOUSE hill is the republican pro-
ject-the Senate bill has democratic origin:
and between these two stools the whole
sch me may fall to the ground Otherwise.
we apprehend that the only hope against il
is in the Presidents veto
The prominent objection of the South Ia
this measure are that it will squander away
the resources of some three millions of the
federal revenues, and the basis OF a large
pablo or dit in the time OF need, shus lead
Jag ia hi Ugh tariff, oppressive to the South:
sud Nat 10 will too rHpidy fill up our Terri
tories, aud devclope them into new anti
slavery States of the Kansas pattern thus
completely, in a short term of years. over
shadewing the South. perhaps In the proper
tion OF tw,-iity-foHr or twenty-five free States
against sixteen or seventeen slave States.
These Southern objections will sufficiently
account for the sharply defined sectional d.
vision of the House upon this homestead
scheme on the question of the passage of the.
bill in that body. MIR. Nicholson, however,
pleads that the bulk. il not all the present
Territories OF the United State, will in any
event De occupied by free white labor. and
yered into free States. aud that II is use
less To attempt 10 prevent 10, while on the
other hand Inc general wealth added to the
country will than~and told compensate tn.
treasury and all section for tae surrender Of
TIL public domain, in free ftrms To actual
settlers The senate will take It's time in
the discussion OF thc usnr,. aud aud pos
sibiy may not come To iinal vot upon 1t
this side of the Democratic National ConvcIl-
ton.