The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-09-07
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT

action. This bill has during that whole
time slept upon the table, and the honorable
Senator from Iowa, (Mr. Dodge who hai
it in charge has, with modesty which
think should be rewarded and appreciated
by the Senate, not thrust it upon us. he
has not been at all times claiming the floor
and driving out all other measures. He
did, however, some time ago give notice
that he would call it up on q particular day.
That was early in the session; yet he yielded
to abstract questions Of mere doctrine, which
are not to carry out any practical measure
at all, but to place prominent politicians in
imposing attitudes before the world. This
is a practical measure. It is generally un
derstood, 1 believe, by the Senate; il will
provoke very little debate, and ! think it
should be acted upon. 1t is due to the in.
terests involved; it is due to the Senator who
had charge of it, and who makes the motion,
that it should be acted upon; and therefore
shall vote to take it up. 4 4
Mr.. DODGE, of Iowa. I trust that after
the remarks of the honorable Senator from
South Carolina, no real friend of the home
stead bill will finch on this occasion. Sir,
the advocates of that measure have submit
ted to every sort Of delay and putting back
that the friends of any measure could SUBJ
NIT to. My friend from South Carolina is
a bold man. He is opposed to the measure,
and he does not want it taken up. He
wishes to give it the go-by. When l profess
friendship TO. measure I shall show it by
my acts. am friend to the homestead
bill. It is one of those bills which have no
agents sitting on the seats at the back of
us here, to urge its claims. 1t is measure
for the houseless and homeless emigrants
who have no one here to urge their claims
upon us. 1t is for the toiliDg millions, who
cannot come here as the advocates of the
Texas debt and other claims can. I trust
now, after the declaration by the Senator
we will have fair and square vote on the
motion n to . take up the homestead BILL J.
The question being taken by yeas and
nays, resulted--yeas %, nays 80; as follows :
YEAs-Messrs. Adams, Borland, Cass. Chase,
Dodge. of Wisconsin, Dodge, of Iowa,
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS, Downs, Gwin, Hale,
hVusIou, Jamcs, couos, VI Ao"os vonoo, vi 1on
nessee, Mallory, Petit, Rusk, Sebastian, Sew
ard, Shields, Sumner, Wade, and Walker-23.
NAYs-Messrs. Atchison, Badger, Bayard,
BELL, Bradbury, Bright, Brodhead, Brooke,
Butler, Charlton, Clarke, Cooper Davis, Daw'
son, De Saussure. Fitzpatrick, Foot, Geyer,
HANNIBAL HAMLIN, Hunter, Mangum,
Mason, Miller, Morton, Norris, Pearce. Pratt,
Smith. Soule. Spruance, Toucey, Underwood,
and Weller-33.
So the motion to take up the homestead
bill was rejected"
This was the last of the Homestead
bill in the XXXII Congress.
HOMESTEAD BILL AGAIN PASSES THE HOUSE
HAMLIN MAKES A SPEECH AGAINST 1T.
At the next session of Congress, COM
mencing in December, 1853, we find that
on the l4th of December, both Mr.. DAw-
SON, and M. GROW, of Pennsylvania, intro
duced Homestead measures into the House
of Representatives. The bill introduced by
the former gentleman was the one consid-
cred by the House. After a lengthy de-
bate, it passed that body, March 6, 1854,
by vote of 107 ayes to 70 nays. On the
day following, the bill was transmitted to
the Senate and referred to the Committee
on Public Lands. 1t was soon reported
back to the Senate, and discussed at leneth
On the l7tn of July, 1854, the question was
taken on motion made by Mr.. CLAYTON
of Delaware, to strike from the bill the Sec
ton which gave to foreigners. who had de-
clared their intention to become citizens oil
the United States, the same rights under
the bill that were guaranteed to native born
citizens. The effect of this amendment ,Oas
to exclude foreign born residents of the United
States from the benefits of a Homestead lasO
until they had been foe gears in the country
and completed their citizenship. On the
vote being taken, to strike out the liberia
provision in regard to foreigners, [see Con
Globe, vol. %, part 3, page 1861 it result
ed as follows:
"The question being taken by yeas and
nays, resulted-yeas l9, nays 20.
YEAs.Messrs. Adams, Badger, Bayard, Ben
jamin, Broadhead, Butler, Clay, Clayton, Daw
son, Evans, Fitzpatrick, Geyer, HANNIBAL
HAMLIN, Hunter, Mason, Norris, Pearce,
Thompson of Kentucky, and Williams.-l9.
NAYs-Messrs. Allen, Atkinson, Bright
Brown, Cass, Chase, Dixon, Dodge Of Wiscon'
Fessenden, Fish, Gillette, Gwin, James, John
son, Jones of Iowa, Jones of Tennessee, Petit
Rockwell. Shields, Slidell, Stuart, Sumner,
Toombs, Toucey, Wade, Walker, and Weller.
20.
So the motion to strike out the section
was not agreed to-"
Mr.. HAML1N voted to deprive foreigners
of the benefits of the Homestead measure,
and DOUGLAS voted to secure to them, up
on declaring their intention to become citi-
zens, the same rights enjoyed by native
born Americans.
On July 10, Mr.. CLAYTON, of Delaware
moved as test question, that the bill be
laid upon the table. Lost-yeas "a, nays
q. DOUGLAS voted against laying the bill
on the table, and thus killing it, and HAM
LIN lodged the vote.
On Thursday, July 20, 1854, lengthy
debate took place in the Senate, on the
Homestead bill. The friends of the measure
determined on decisive vote, before they
would permit an adjournment. Almost
every Senator spoke on the subject.