Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-03-31
Ehe M0mesteaa ultE.
SPEECH OF
HON. A. o. p. NICHOLSON,
on THE HOMESTEAD BILL, IN THE sEBATH on THE
UNITED STATES, MARCH 18TH, 1860



pass it. ] acknowledge the necessity therefore, Of
showing that its passage win promote and advance
the public interest
have made the cOniectural estimate, that under
the provisions Of this measure twenty thousand
families would be annually induced TO emigrate
from the States to the public lands to become Tree
holders. The inducements held out are certainly
not so great as to produce any very extensive eS-
Odus from the old States. These inducements are
coupled with necessary privatiOns sacrifices, dan
gers, and tolls in making settlements in new country
which viii deter most Of those who now have com
Portable mean fof subsistence from changing their
hahitatons 1t must be kept in mind, that the boon
offered is only one hundred and sixty acres OF Wild
land. worth no more than two hundred dollars.
To make it comfortable as a home, much labor
must be expended, to say nothing Of the hardships
and suherings 70 be encountered. The real enjoy
ments Of independent freehOlders can be secured
only after years of tOilsOme industry and close
economy Such considerations will operate to re-
pei the families now in independent circumstances,
as well as those who lack the energy and enterprise
to tear themselves away from condition Of Deepen
denee and poverty. There are none Of the attrac-
lions of sudden wealth 70 be realized in this meas
ure
It promises homes to those who have the coul-
age TO encounter the sacrifices and dangers of 4
frontier life. and who have the industry to seek
for ultimate comfort and independence in the path
of labor and privatiOn. Few of those who crowd
orr cities the victims of want and misery will
which ensave them to life of precarious subsiSt-
ence il order TO secure its benefits Wherever
capital presses too heavily upon labor some will
possess the necessary energy and courage 20 avail
themselves of the inducements of the measure.
In every State Will be found, here and there,
families in necessitOus circumstances willing to
respond To the invitation. Under the stronger
Inducements held out by the presumption policy.
the number Of pre-emptOrs for the last year was
about twenty thousand. Under all the circum-
Loo 1vofI
by very little Of the land speculation mania, l
have ventured to take this number a criterion
by which to estimate the operation of the home
stead bill VIII the annual transfer Of twenty
thousand families embracing probably one hun
dred thousand individuals from the old States,
where their labor is now producing a scanty sub
! sistence, to the public lands, where their labor
will be employed in developing their rich re-
sources, be productive Of beneficial results to the
country? If it be true-and it viii not be doubted
that the ties which bind to homes and tiresides
/ that are cur own, strengthen the bonds which
attach US TO our country and our Government, II
/ is a matter of no small moment to inaugurate a
! measure, which, in a single decade Of years, ele-
Yates two hundred thousand families, embracing
one million of souls, from condition Of depend
ent labor to a dignity and independence and love
/ of country which characterize the landhOlder
! They become better citizens in time of peace
I make better soldiers in time of war, and rear up
/ families with sentiments of ardent devotion tC
Llle Government HlllCu HAS CollAElbulCO 81 Lldte
rally to rescue them from their former depend
ent condition. Bat TO appreciate properly the
! public benefits OF this policy, we should be able
| to call ~ md pass in review the results
of ten years of labor and industry by the twenty
thousand families annually awaiting themselves Of
! the law.
] We are all too familiar with the astonishing Re
| suits already produced by system Of encOurag
ing the settlement Of the public lands, TO render i
, necessary for me to attempt such review. 1t will
IL, I.f1 my N n
these families progress in improving their homes
and condition, they become contributors of the re
venue of the Government, by becoming consumers
. of articles of comfort and even Of luxury from
/ the enjoyment of which they were debarred by
their former necessities in their former condition
In this way, whilst the labor and industry of the
individuals advance tEeir own prosperity. they con-
tribute to the prosperity Of the country. Instead
/ Of diminishing the revenue OF the Government az
! some apprehend, it Is no difficult matter to show
that the necessary consequence Of the progressive
development Of the agricultural resources of three
million acres of rich soil, annually brought into
/ cultivation. must be TO swell immensely the exports
of the country, and in like proportion to increase
/ the imports; thus operating as a measure for con-
stantly increasing the public revenue, as well as the
I power and prosperity Of the Government.
But Mr. President. if it be conceded, it no
doubt will be, that labor, ana especially agrlcUl
tura labor is the basis Of national prosperity the
question under consideration is readily solved 1t
follows that the greater the amount of labor, and
the more productive it is. Just in that proportion
the interest Of the nation Is promoted The meas
ure before has for its leading object the increase
of agricultural labor and it invites that labor
! field where it can be employed with the greatest
advantage to its own interests, and consequently
with the greatest benefit to the country. 1t says 10
the labOringman in the crowded States. where com
petition for employment has reduced his wages to a
sCanty subsistence, Here, in the far West. is en-
] pOyment without rulnOus competition, where all
the fruits Of your labor shall nure to the benefit Of
yourself and family" The nation. as well as him
self and his family is interested in his acceptance
/ Of the invitation.
The measure before US Mr.. President, bears
strongly upon another subject connected with the
theory of republican government. which is too i'm
pOTtant to be overlooked. Mr. Madison said. Ihat
1.-THE most difficult Of all political arrangements Is
that of so adjusting the claims Of those with and
those without property to give security to each
and promote the welfare Of all Taking man as he
Is and society rs it must be, we are bound to know
that there viii always be one portion with and an
/ other portion without property. As property, as
well personal rights IS an essential object Of laws,
the question was early presented in our government
whether the time plight not when the territC-
/ ~ would be without property and whether in that
state of society the interests of property would be safe
| under the control Of such majority: THIS danger
/ was not unprecedented until population should be-
/ come dense and the competition for employment
should reduce labor to the subsistence point. The
results in other countries Orewarned the founders
Of our Government that. in the unavoidable contest
between capital and labor property aCcumulates and
concentrates in the hands of the few whlst stead
lily withdrawn from the hands Of many. 1t was hoped
that the Federal principle in system of govern
ment would prove efficient IN checking this tendency
to social inequality Much, too was expected by the
abolition Of the laws of prmOgeniture and entail
mens and the substitution of rules of descent and
distribution that would make property of all kinds
lransmssable and diffusible These laws have Ope-
rated benefcally; but itmay be well doubted wheth-
er the ingenious devices Of capital, in procuring eX-
emptOn from the general laws, by means CT inCOr-
pOrated associations has nOtmaterialy cOuneTaCted
that influence in those localities where population
has become crowded and the competition for employ
mCnt great. But the great preventive in our cOun-
try against the evil consequences of crowded pop
ulatiOn to the interests Of labOring men, has been
found in the vast public domain which has been
added original territorial possessions 1t IS
in this point of view that the wisdom OF those ter
TitOrial acquisitions which we have made is most
sgnally illustrated and demonstrated. The ready
outlet they have constantly furnished for our grew
ing and crOwdng population in the old States has
proved powerful protection to labor in its conflict
with capital. II we could now imagine the COndi-
ton of things which would exist with entire
population confined and crowded together within
the original limits Of government, should be
able TO appreciate the value OF our acquisitions OF
territory and the successful operations Of sys-
TEN OF land laws. which give encouragement to
settlements on the public lands.
] come now Mr. President TO speak OF that series
of enactments which make up our present system
ofland laws and show that they all rest upon the
same prnciple on which the homestead policy is
based Under these laws, grants Of lands have been
made 10 States for schools, for internal improve
rnants for the reclamation Of swaHps, and for the
construction of railroads and public buildings These
grants were made without compensation, or mon
CIV equivalent the Government received no money
for them although in the aggregate, they amount
10 more than one hundred and fifty million acres.
The question arises on what principle has the trus-
tee given away an amount Of the trust property.
which at the minimum price, would have brought
into the Treasury nearly two hundred million dol
lars The answer given Is, that the principle on
which this policy has been inaugUratcd and sane
TONED is. that the United States, as proprietor re
cees from the application Of the grants to the pre-
scrlbed uses, compensation in the enhanced value
ana Saleahleness of the remaining lands. Upon an
allegation of waste against the trustee for having
disposed oi the trust property without a money
equivalent, this answer would probably be deemed
sufficient. especially if the fact were shown that
me remaining lands were enhanced in value and
slieaoLeness sufficiently To compensate for those
given away. To my mind, however the answer
would have been greatly strengthened fit had pro-
ceeuea TO state that the lands were acquired to he
peopied and furI4cu INTO States that so lor as tho
trust continued it was the duty OF the trustee IN
adopt the measures necessary and proDer To Gather
population on the lands that the grapipo of Ion,
tiuns for schools. for internal improvements for +I
reclamation of uuha hitlble syyarDDs and g., 81