Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-09-01
rlAIS AN 0RNAMENTII PEiNTINa. :
Tho Homesload---who Are Irs Friondst

Homestead measure as one OF the hrSt TO the
prosperity Of the country, and pledges the
party and its nominees to its earnest support.
The Democratic platforms of both wings and
the Bell and Everett entirely ignore the be-
nifoent Homestead policy. They DO not even
refer to it. While Mr.. Douglas talks from
thestump for two hours day after day on
popular sovereignty, he does not so much as
mention with favor q measure which would
make Independent sovereigns Of the industri-
Gus poor if the public lands, the common
property Of all, were opened to their occu-
pancy as free homes for the toiling millions.
Under the lead Of Mr.. Douglas, millions on
millions Of acres OF the public domain have
been granted to Railroad aud other monopo-
lies, for the benefit Of Bemooratic politicians
and their friends, but can the most ardent
Western supporters of the Little Giant point
to a single Homestead speech of their politi-
cal idol2 Has he ever brought forward or
advocated bill so fraught with blessings to
the laboring masses and the oountry3
But for the opposition of a Democratic Sen
ate and President the Homestead Bill Of the
Republican House at the last session would
nows be law, and cabin-homes would be
going up all over the West on lands which
Douglas Breckenridge and Bell declare shall
be reserved for the spectators Of land Job
bing mOuopolies. Mr. Lincoln alone of the
Presidential candidates, is unreservedly in
favor Ofa liberal and just Homestead Law.
As the main policy of the Democratic, and
especially the Douglas leaders at this time is
to misrepressnt the recent action in Congress
on this measure, the Toledo Blade has done
the country good service BY stating briefly
the facts. On the 9Th Of March, 1860, Mr..
LovEJoY, as Chairman of the Committee on
Public Lands, introduced into the House a
Homestead bin, which was passed on the 18th
of the same month, by vote of lI5 yeas,
to e5 nays. Every Republican voted for the
bill, and every Democrat but q voted against
1.-THE Democrats avoring the bill, except
5, living in the new States, where the meas
ure was so popular that they dare not 90 home
after opposing it and they ieIt safe in
voting thus to save themselves, as they knew
the Democratic Senate and Democratic Presi-
dent never would allow the bill to become a
law. Had their votes been as necessary to |
defeat it as those of many Of them were to
force the English fraud through the House,
there is no doubt that they would have been
had and no S., 600 would have been wasted on |
a single lobby either.
The House bill, passed by the heavy ma
jOrity stated, went to the Senate, where it
was at once emasculated of all its most be-
ne6eent features, and transformed into some
thing entirely different from the original
bill. Anew bill was substituted for it by the
Senate committee and when this bill came
up for action, Mr.. WADE (Republican) of
Ohio, moved to substitute the House bill for
it. which was lost, ayes 2e, nays 81. The
yeas were al Republicans, except one tDoua=
Las, and the nays were all Democrats, in
cluded Mr.. PUeH of Ohio. The Senate's bill |
then passed that bOdy-44 to 8. Most Of the |
Republicans voted for it, because they thought |
1t better to letit pass and trust to contest
between the two Houses for its amendment
rather than there to defeat it entirely. Mr..
HAKLH took a different view Of the matter
and refused to vote for the Senate's sham,
and gave his reasons as follows:
"I am very much in the same situation with
the Senator from Massachusetts, with this distinc
ton am aganst the bill, and I am going TO
vote against it am going 70 leave record con
eistent with my judgment think the bill Is
wrong. do not think there would be much harm
In worshipping it, for do not think it bears any
snilitude 10 any thing above the earth CT beneath
the skies that you can cali Homestead bill. The
men who have taken it under their peculiar care
are the enemiS Of he Homestead principle, and they
propose TO pass it, / am perfectly willing they /
ehouid do SO they tell US, and they tell US very
frankly that 1t is not a Homestead bill and II Is
not. Now sir, 1T BEING NO HOMESTEAD Il
BILL, I igiQ nat Uos for Z, voted to substitute
the House bill for this bill but those who have /
control Of the matter have put it into q position
which think Is unjust There are things in that /
bill for which I cannot vote. There are things \
that ought 70 20 into it to make il justiable, 10
Enable me 70 give my vote For these reasons
l shall vote againstit'
In the face of this plain declaration, com
ments the Blade Democratic stumpers are
about the country representing Mr. Hamlin as
an enemy Of the Homestead measure.
The Senate bin went to the House. where
it was rejected. The Senate refused to re-
cede, and protracted conference was held
between the two Houses, which resulted in
an agreement upon bill more liberal than
the Senate's measure, but less so than that
Of the House. This compromise bill passed
Congress, the vote against it in the House
being 81, all Democrats and Southern Ameri-
cans, while in the Senate it received every
vote but 2, (Braggs and Pearce both Demo-
erats)
Tie bill went to the President, who re-
turned it the Senate with his ueto. The ques-
ton "shaH this bill pass notwithstanding the
objections Of the President?' was put and lost
yeas 2s; nays ls-two-thirds not voting in
the affirmative. OF the yeas, l9were Repub-
licans, Cincluding Mr. Hamlin,) and were
Democrats. The nsys were all Democrats,
except Mr. Crittenden of Ky. Fifteen De-
mocrats who voted for the bill on its passage,
now abandoned and voted TO defeat it. Had
these remained faithful to their former posi-
ton, the bill would have become a law in spite
of the veto and there is good reason for the
belief that their former votes for the bill, as
wellas thatofMr. Douglas, were given because
they knew the President would veto the bill
and thus give them an opportunity to prevent
the measure becoming law. It is an i'm
POrtant fact in this connection, that Mr. Doug
las did not VOts on the last occasion. This
vote was taken during the session Of the Bal
timore Convention, when Mr. Douglas in
genuity was taxed 70 its utmost, in devising
schemes for promoting has O,sa interests, and
he had no time for looking after those Of the
laboring men Of the country.
h. We invite the attention. of onr rss5