Randolph County journal., 1864-04-01
HOMESTEAD FOR S0LDILRS ON
TIE LANDS OF REBELS.
8 PIE T. Gil
HON. GEORGE W. JULIAN,
Delirered IN tie House # Representa-
tiveS, March Is, 1864

| Public Ian amsndatOry of the homcStra
Jaw. together with the amendments thereto
Hr. Jc,ias said
Mr. SPEAKER: During the pas
month ] prepared and reported from
the Committee on Public Lands
bill to provide homesteads for per
sons in the military and naval ser
vice of the United States, on til,
forfeited and conGscated lands q
rebels. The bJll was committe,
and printed; and my purpose was t.
discuss its provisions under the gen
cral call of committees for reports
which will bring the subject directl,
before the House for its action.
find, however. in the crowded stat,
OF our business, that this would dc
lay my purpose indefinitely; and
have therefore concluded to avail
myself of the opportunity now offer
cd TO submit what have TO say.
The measure referred 10 will b,
considered novel one, hut it shoult
not therefore bc regarded with sur
prise or disfavor. Our country is il
a novel condition. The civil war il
which we arc engaged is one of the
grandcst novelties the world has ev.
or seen. We are every day brought
face 10 face with new questions. and
compelled 10 accept the ne.T duties
which lie In our path. WhosocNor
comprchcnds this crisis, and is will
ing To assume lis burdens, must keep
step TO the march OF events, and turn
his back upon the Iast.
The Till ] have reported, however,
is less n novelty in its principles than
in their application to new and m-
looked Tor conditions. 1t involves.
among other things. tie policy o:
free homcst"ads Ia actual setl!.rs
and since this policy Is now serious
ly mcnaccd. | may he allowed to re
fer briefly TO the snlirct, hy way OF
preface Ia what | shall have TO say
on ;iic special matter cforc Us.
Oar homestead lax MAS approved
May goth. lsc2 Its enactment was
a long delayed but magnificent tri-
umph Of freedom and free labor over
the slave power. While that power
ruled the Government its success
was impossiidc Hy recognizing tie
dignity OF later and the equal rights
OF the million. il threatened the very
life OF the olgnr,ily which had So
long stood ~ iss way The slave
holders understood this perfectly
and hence thcy resisted il, reinforced
hy their northern allies, viii! aii the
zeal and desperation with which they
resisted "aIolitionism : itself. Its
final success is among the llcsscA
comronsations OF tie bloody conflict
in viii h We are plunged. This ol.
icy takes for granted the notorious
rast that our public lands have rt0c-
tically ceased to lie n source Of revc-
nuc. 1t recognizes tie evils Of land
monopoly on the pnilic domain. as
well rs i'm the old Stascs. and looks
to its settlement aud Improvement rs
the true aim and highest good of the
Republic. 1t disownS. as injurious,
The principlc which would tax our
landicss rorr men n dollar and -
qgar;cr per acre fDr the privilege OF
cultiva;ino the oai:l: for Che liiyi.
lcgc of making ii n subject of taxa.
lnn. q source of national revenue.
and home for themselves a.id their
little ones it asSunes. to use the
words OF Gen. jackson, that "thc
wealth and strcneih OF country arc
It's population, and that "the best
part of that population are the cult
vators of the soil.
This bold and heroic statesman
urged this policy thirty-two years
ago; and had it then been adopted,
coupled with adequate guards
against the greed OF spectators,
millions OF landlcss men who have
since gone down to their graves in
the weary conflict with poverty and
hardship. would have been checred
aud blcSt with independent homes on
the public domain. Wealth incalcu.
liable, quarried from the mountains
and wrung from the forests and pral
ries of the West. would have poured
into the federal Golfers. The oues
ton of slavery in our national terri
tories would have found n peaceful
so.Gtion IN the steady advance and
snrc empire of free labor. whilst
slavery in lis strongholds. girdled bv
free institutions. Nigh; have been
conten; 10 die natural death. i'm.
stead of cndi.g its goddess career
in an Internal leap at the nations
throat.
The homestead act did not 60 into
G rect ;ill the first of January. 1863.
Within lour months from that date,
Notwithstanding the troubled state of
the country. more than n million Of
acres were taken up under It's pro
visions. and ai the close of the year
ending September 30th, this amount
WIS increased To nearly a million
and n half. Peace will soon revisit
the land aud resutreet the nation TO
q new life. The energy and activity
Of the people. now directed % the
business OF war. will bc dedicated
afrcsh TO industrial pursuits. Many
hnueap1e ~ tha loyai Ssa,as xyhn