Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-08-21
WHOLE NO. a7

Democrat from New York, moved 20 ft
amend the bill a. 10 allow Its benefits 10
pardoned rebels, In common with loyal
men, and In contrsventiou Of the Home
stead Law Of 1862 The yeas and nays
we're ordered on this motion, and result
cd: yeas. 81. all Democrats save six, and
nays, l04. all Republicans.
The next day, on the passage Of the
bill, the yeas and nays we're again order
ed, and the Democrats having signslly
filled 10 have rebels included In its pro-
posed bcnedts, the vote stood yeas. 112,
all Republicans, and nays "a, all Demo :
Gratis but two. What q beautiful and
blessed record for the party which resolves
In its Seymour platform. "that the public
lands should be distributed, a. widely M
possible. among the people, aud should
be disposed Of either under the pre-. emp
tioo or homestead laws. or sold in reason.
able quantities, and 10 none but actual
occupants" II our Democratic leaders
have not completely outlivsd all sense Of
shame, hope I may be able TO rekindls
II BY holding mp this Democratic vote on
tho Southern Homestead law 90 oommen-
,ary on their New York resolution.
LAND GRANTS TO SOUTHERN RAILROADS.
Gentlemen, let mo now follow the Dem.
ocra,ic record one step further, for de.
sire 10 expose the utter hollowness and
mockery OF the Natiousl Democratic plat
form respecting the land policy Of the
United States, I deem this at once q pub.
lie duty and q publie service. and should
reprcach myself we're I to shvint from its
performances TO the extent OF my ability.
Tn the year 1856. Congress granted 10
the States of Alabama, Mississippi, Louis
lana and Florida. land amounting In the
aggregate 10 nearly I've millions Of acres.
10 aid them In building sundry railroads.
and gave them ten years within which TO
comply with the conditions Of the grant.
These States. not long ansrward, created
corporations for the purpose Of accepting
the grsnts and performing tho work az TO
several Of The roads, but little, In fact
was done, PRIOR TO the breaking out Of the
rebellion. This event, OF course, put Q
stop 10 all further movements. but II did
not excuse these corporations, for every
one Of them. on tho initiation or civil
war, promptly cspoused tho rebel cauae,
and contributed all their resources 20 the
work Of dismemberlng the Union. They
arc therefore not only inexcusabIs. but In
common with the States which created
them. are eriminally recSeant 20 their OBJ.
IIrations. for they not only failed 10 per.
form their engagements, or even 10 ht-
tempt n, but signalixad their bad fhiih by
treason. The expiration or these grants
by limitation caused the forfeiture Of these
lands 10 the United States, but without an
act OF ConRres declaring the forfeiture.
they must remain tied up In the hands OF
rebel corporations. and could not be made
available for settlement by loyal men
These lands ere among the most fertile
and desirable In tho entire South. The
New Orleans Opelousas and Great West
ern Railroad Company alone holds 10. day,
s friehtdl monopoly. nearly million
of acres. on which the landless poor OF
Louisiana ara al. hing for the privilege Of
securing homesieads. In other sections
the lands are, perhaps, still more valuable
having been selected along the lines Of
mere roads on paper. where no attempt
has been made to build them, and no pur
pose 10 do 40 ever entertained. Every
one can comprehend the mischief OF these
land grants, unaccompanied by any per
formance OF their conditions, and seprs-
waited by the treason both Of the States
and people intended to be benefited by
them, They not only converted fve mil
lions OF acres Of choice lands into wick.
ed monopoly. but hindered settlements
on tho corresponding even numbered seo-
tions TO an equal amount. and. TO some
extent. on the lands.adjacent to the belt
composing the odd and even sections.
That these mopopolies should be broken
mp, Independent Of tho question Of their
reasonable character. is most obvious.
That multitudes Of the landless poor Of
these States are huneering and thirsting
for the opportunity Of acquiring homes
upon them, is perfectly we'll known. 7 hat
the Southern homestead law should at
once be extended. and applied to them. in
the Interest Of that class Of people, is
morally self-evident. That Eve millions
Of acres would give homessesds of eighty
acres each 10 sixtyrtwo thousand Ave hun.
dred heads offamilies and support pop
ulat;on Of three hundred and twelve thou
sand five hundred. is as true as arithme-
tic. In the clear light of these facts,
what was the duty Of Congress? No 10y.
al man will hesitate for an answer. IL
was 10 wrest these lands from rebel mo-
nopolists, and extend over them the
Homestead law Of June 81, 1866. will
feel under great obligations to any man
who will give me a single valid reason
why this should not be done. No
such reason has been given. or can be
given. either in Congress or out Of It. So
believing. introduced bill Of the char
ter indicated at the July session Of Con-.
gress. now over year ago. II was de.
bated at some length during the past win
ter, and finally passed the House, the
Senate not having found time to consider
it prior to the late adjournment.
Gentlemen, do you need that I should
tell you how the Democracy Of the House
recorded their votes? The record is not
now before me, but my distinct recollec-
t;on Ia that whiie ths measure refeived