, 1860-04-10

-T-AA'NN3
The Homestead bill was debated in tho
senutc on Thursday last by Pugh Of Ohio, and
W'gfall OF Texas. The former advocated the
hunbus, worthless Senate bill. The latter
was opposed to any kind Of Homestead law.
We quote portion Of the remarks Of this
Southern Democratic lender. lie goes step
beyond "mud-sill" Hammond Of South Caro-
lima in his contempt fur poor men Read what
this drunken Democratic s1aye-driycr saws.
We copy from the New York Neralrs rc-
port:
Nr: Wigfall {Dem.) Of Texas, proceeded at
length. and said donations of alternate sections
would prevent the sale Of the public lands. The
passage o. the bill would be The abandonment
OF the revenue and also an expense to the cor
crnmcnt, and 1t wonld be better to rive one
hundred u. and sixty dollars ont Of the Treasury
70 t.e homeless than to donate tund and 80 10
thc expense Of establishing land offices to sur.
sey it. His Railroad bill was for the practical
purpose Of transmitting uarul and military
stores; the Homestead bill WAS for 1au,,crs. It
"1s popular to taik Of the poor. Poverty, be
said, vas crime. The man who was poor had
sihneo: and there was screw loose in his head
somewhere. lie would Rncnd the title of 1ha
bill to read. "for the encouragement Of crime
providing Tor criminals aud violutiug the Con-
stitutlon 1t was popular, be repeuted, to talk
Of tue bone and sinew of the land. Of wool. hats
and brogans. but poverty was crime, ne
y, would not 1,ander 10 prejudice By such talk.
ihe b'h PROVIDES Tor the purlieus Of London,
tue Fire Points Of New York, and criminals
who violatc The law when they 20 on the lands,
Tho bill provides for thase who could not 1,ro-
vide Tor themselves. Gentlemen tried to he
popular IN the introduction Of such bill II
was great mistake OF any man 10 suppose that
the people had not sense. (LzugAtcr.] These
!anos would be occupied By the outpourinEs Of
ja'as, Ac., and when they were represented in
Congress, he would like 10 sec The man who
wore tue ertninc. Great God what q sight II
would be.
Mr. Wilkinson, (Rer.) IF Min, asked if Texas
did not give away lands to her own citizens and
III: wigfall asked If the Senator was not once
u Democrat?
Sir. Wilkinson said lie never was
Ar. Wlgfall replied TINT Texas could please
her o~n tancy. She had right to do whut she
pleased with her own property, to eive it 10
missionary society, to publish bible, or to
gamble it off in bell. jLaughter.1 Texas was
q free, sovereign State, and exercised rights
which were not delegated to'this miserable one
borse concern in Washington. Renewed laugh.
tcr.] lie lad understood Mr. Wilkinson to say
he was Know Nothing
aaf. " HAtbson feplled be did not suy 50. The
Senator was little obtuse to-day. I.auxhtcr.}
Nr. Wigfa1l continued at length. Hcthoughii
the patronage Of the government in this re-
apect ought to he gwen to the Stutes. Tho bill
would exclude shareholders from the Territories
and provide for paupers and fanatical pouia-
ton. 1t would he = free soil country.
We have always understood that it was iu-
convenient to be poor, but never before knew
that it was crime. There are slx millions Of
nlggerlcss whites in the slave States-most Of
whom arc in such INDECENT circumstances that
tho very slaves look down upon them, and call
them "poor Wits trash" TO no class Of
white people On the American continent would
free hornesteads he 20 acceptable rs to those
same s'x millions Of Southern white t.paupcrs''
| and criminals" ~ tho bloated Texan slaye-
holder calls his countrymeu.