Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-09-13
Read!! Read !!!.
HOMESTEAD MEASURE!
HOW PARTIES STAND ON 1T.
Read and Ponder
for @Yourselves!s J.

From the McConnell.ville (o) Herald
There is no better or sprer standard by
which 10 test the positions of parties on the
question OF fee labor aud slave labor than
the Homestead measure. The Republican
party stands pledged to this great and bene-
ficent measure In its platform of princ-
pies and the acts Of lis representatives. 10
Congress, it gives sure guarsn,y to the
country that. when II obtains the necessary |
ascendency 10 the government, il will in
sugurate the policy Of setting apart the
public lands OF the nation to the people--to
The millions of ioling men--to whom they
justly belong. f
Az the last session. Of Congress, Hon.
Galushs A. Grow, q distinguished Repuo-
lican Of Penney ylvsnis, introduced into the
House Of Representatives bill embodying
the true principles Of wise and liberal
Homestead policy. By the provisions of
Mr.. Crows bill, "a quarter section OF The
public lands was to be given, free Of cost.
to any adult citizen who would settle upon
and cultivate the same. 1t made no distinc-
ton between natives spd emigrants whol
intend to become citizens; but it was intend.
cd to endow all, men Of families and men
without families. with landed estate of a
hundred and sixty acres on the sole condi-
ton that they should live upon and cultivste1
it for FIVE years. 1t recognized and acted
upon the Fundamental idea that the public
/ lands belong 10 the people of The United
States and should be divided among then. as
l each should come forward TO claim bis share.
The bill, thus wisely and literally constitu.
! ted was framed by Republican and il was
finally passed by the Republican House of
Representatives, lnots Republican voting
against it. Invent to the Senate, the strong
!, hold OF Democracy, and was slaughtered
|, killed. ,Itwas,i The great measure which
would accelerate the march OF free labor,
which would make homes and create fire
sdes for thousands Of hard laboring men Of
the free North who, though honest, are the
SsSiiolIed 81 the sfisf5asiSs aisvs Interest
: of the South. trsmpled this liberal and hu-
name measure under foot. Knowing, how
y ever, that 1t would be expedient TO make
: some show in favor Of measure which was
40 universally popular OF the North, the
7 Democratic Senate Matched up and passed
a thing which they called q Homestead bill
u but which, us Mr.. Hsmlin said at the time
y was a cheat and humbug. The Senate bill
D differed radically from the bill presented BY
the Republicans. The latter is based on
+ ,he great principle that the whole public
domain belongs Of right to the working mer
e the men who will bring to bear upon il
y their SIX i'll and industry; while the former
i by declaring that they shall be forbidden tt
;, occupy each alternate section, denies then
, half their rights and admits but half thu
e truth. There are other essential differences
70 The one authorizes every adnlt to pitch hi
y ten. wherever he chooses; the other restrict
him to lands which have been surveyed ant
offered ,or sale BY proclamation, and whicl
y are consequently subjectto private entry.
e The Republicans of the House, seein!
10 that they could not get their true Homestea
D. bill passed through the Democratic Senat
l. and wishing to gain every inch in favor Q
'e the free laboring men that they could, finall
y but reluctantly pnssed the Senate's shado'
ee of.a Homestead bill without the substance
~ Having passed both branches, it went 10 tn
President for his signature. Buchanan ,lru
to his instincts 20 crush everything that hs
even the appearance of freedom, vetoed III
a. bill. The Senate refused 10 paes il over hi
veto and therefor the Homestead bill wa
a' desd, etfectually dead.
!, This lis the history Of the Homestea
10 measure during the last Congress. 'rh
W Re pub licans struggled earnestly to pass
DO true Homestead messure. Bafflsd and d.
20 feated In. all their efforts by .,he persis'er
= opposition Of The Democracy, they too
90 what they could get kom the Senate, on
even tina, was ruthlessly denied them by
oo Democratic President. 1.-The ,Republica
= party is the only party 10 which the Peep
90 can look for the enactment and estublIsl
y ment Of the Homestead policy. In the
- platform. the Republicsns proclaim then
ON selves il, favor Of that policy ,snd they pr
nc sent bold front for Il In, Congress. ~, b
, we look 10 vain for 40 al'usion to y in u
"' Breckinridge or Douglas platforms II
nt' reason Of this is obvious. They want 6
cal maintain themselves in the South, apd IL
led Slave power is opposed TO- the principle
the Homestead policy. The Shys-holds
p know tina. II, the Homestead principle !!
es- engrafted in our national policy, our wsste
1ek Territories will be cut up into small fN!
OF and these win be cultivated BY free labt
.'h, ing men. This prevents the establisbme
nat of slave labor in those Territories and hen
roi- the opposition Of the South and the Dem
cps cratic party, which Is the toolof the Soou'
zen, But, while ths Dsmqere,ic party has be
vor squsndering tbe public lands on corporatio
az and allowing land sharks and capitalists
ner, speculate in them, the Rspubllcsn party
Of cognizes them as the sacred heritage Of
our people and desires to distribute them :ai
ths and equitably among the people. I
ois' grsndest results would follow the insugu
MS tion Of such policy, We should SEQ
tionsl power and wealth augmented; cri