The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-05-03
The Two Homestead Bills.

when he moved to take up the House Home
stead bill in place of Andrew Johnson's s en-
asculated concern, which originated in the
Senate. The points of difference between
the two are briefly these: The House bill
provides that settlers on the public lands
shall have the same privileges On the altern-
ate sections of lands embraced in railroad
grants, as in the distant and inaccessible
tracts of the territories; the Senate bill with
holds these lands for sale at S2 so per acre.
The House bill extends the right of pre-emp-
ton to American citizens and to all who
have filed declarations of intention to become
such; the original Senate bill extended this
right only to native Dor or fully naturalized
citizens, or those now residents of the Terri
tories. The House bill extends the right to
heads of families, male or female, and to all
male citizens over twenty-one years Of age !;
the Senate bill gives the privilege only to
heads of families. But, most significant Of
all, as affecting the interests of the new States
and the settlers therein, the House extends
the saiutary provisions of the Homestead
principle to those who have already made
locations and filed their intentions to pre-
empt; while the Senate contrivance applies
only to those who shall hereafter settle on
the public domain.
1t is nardly necessary to point out more
particularly the striking advantages of the
Republican over the Democratic measure
The latter is contrived to defeat as far as
possible the aims of the real friends of the
the pioneer, but at the same time to preserve
the color of liberality and justice. 1t gives
us the remote shadow without particle of
the near substance. 1t says to the poor man
who is looking out for a home and a quarter
section of land, "If you will 60 far away from
"the reach of markets, railroads, schools,
churches and society-if you have never
"made claim under the pre-emption laws,
cor if you will consent to leave it and 90
farther into the prairie or the barrens-you
"may have one hundred and sixty acres of
"land, provided vou are the head of a fam
ely" (We believe that the Senate bill has
been amended so as 10 extend its provisions
to persons of foreign birth who have declared
their intentions to become citizensl The
House bill, on the other hand breaks down
all the barriers to the settlement Of the new
States and Territories at one stroke 1t opens
the doors to young men and midde-aged
alike; and in this connection we cannot for
bear copying the following brief extract from
the very able speech of Senator Wilkinson of
Minnesota:
"The men who c-nigrate In youth to the far West
ern country, to build up for themselves fortune and
reputation, the men Of all others 10 whom the
most liberal provisions of this act should apply. We
need thei, services They are in plain fact the van
guard Of civilization upon this continent. They pen
citrate the wild soitudes far beyond the safety and
comforts of society. They traverse and explore re-
gions in which, for the time being families could net
reside securry They pitch their tents, build their
houses, break up and improve the soil and open the
broad acres to occupancy and culture. They furnish
more sure and perfect protection of Western
frontier than can be given ny all the armed soldiers
along the horder-lne. Coming mostly from the diff
ferent States of the Union, they. bring with them
deep and permanent attachment TO the institutions
ofour country and, as settlements advance, they
organize municipal governments, and lay the founda
tion for future states. Such of their labors
and dangers; such are of their achievements
Why, then, in the name Of fairness and Of common
sense should this class Of active and energetic young
he entirely ignored and cast aside by the Senate
bn:n l- .......- .--5.. .'.
tits worth the attention of the people Of
Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Kan
sas, and Nebraska, whether they can afford
TO accept Senator Johnson's shell in lieu of
the kernel which the Homestead principle is
popularity supposed to contain. 1t is worth
while for the vast army of settlers already
located in those States and Territories, with
cabin already built, and more or less ground
already broken and fenced, who are unable
to pay for their quarter sections, and are in
constant fear of Presidential edict putting
their lands in the market, to consider wheth-
er this can be considered Homestead BILL
1t is well for the mass of the people in those
States and Territories, who look to a Home
stead bill to fill up the vacant belts of rail.
road lands and start anew the general pros
perity, to consider whether they are not be-
ing played with by political sharpers. 1t is
well for those in the older States, who look
forward to a Homestead bill to them home
and a new start in the world, to inquire
whether their condition is likely to be inn
proved by this Democratic oontrivance. 1t
is well for the people OF the whole country to
judge whether they are not being swindled
In the name Of all the true friends of the
Homestead principle--in the name of the
Northwest unitedly urging the recognition
Of that principle by Congress-we protest
against the thing which has been miscalled
a Homestead bill and is now being nurscd by
Senator Johnson of Tennessee Press and
Tribune.
An Illinois editor challenges the State to
produce wife equal to his for smart
ness and muscle Among the many things
enumerated which she easily performed one
morning before breakfast, are, whipping the
e,iitcr spanking nine children, kicking over
the table and breakin all the dishes, wiring
ing !. neiehbor's nose for interfering, cutting
of a dogs tail, throwing servant girl into
the cistern and turning double somersault
through kitchen window.
"Governor Fussation" is the name irrev.
erently applied to Henry A. Wise by Owen
L L., Lic lnfa SrnnCh