Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-10-01
From the Cleveland Leader.l
THE HOMESTEAD LAW AND
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

In his recent speech General Garfield,
reviewing the record of the Democratic
party, used the following language, in
analyzing the Democratic platform:
'sLet me call your attention to a
clause in the fourth resolution with
reference to the hours of labor of the
working man, and to that other clause
thrown in about public lands to actual
settlers-the homestead doctrine. Has
the Democracy forgotten that from 1850
to 1860 the Republican party was fight
ing for the homestead law. and was al
ways voted down by the Democratic
party"
On which the courteous editor of the
! Ohio Statesman {Dem-4 comments that
t'the fellow is either a knave or a fool,
or perhaps happy com mbination of
| both.V It picks out half dozen DEM
+ ocrats who voted in favor of the Home
stead Law of 1852, and half a dozen
Wings. not Republicans (fOr the Re
publican party was nOtthen in exist
anee), who wrote against it and on this
showing calls General Garfeld's state
ment a lie.
Now the facts in the case are on rec
ord, and we have taken the trouble to
examine them, not for the sake of de-
Tending General Garfield, who needs
no defense, but to show how egregious-
Iy Democratic paper can mistake
facts.
The first effort to obtain a homestead
law made since the Republican party
was organized, was made in the Thirty
fifth Congress, in January, 1889, in the
shape of an act amending the pre-emp-
ton laws so as to secure greater ad-
Vantages to actual settlers. This was
voted down in the House of Represen-
batlves by 91 ayes and 95 noess The Re
publican VOte lCdS unanimous for the bill.
The Democratic vote stood: ayes Z,
noes 50.
The second attempt was made in the
shape of a regular homestead bill in
troduced into the House in February
of the same year, It was passed-ayes
I2O, nays 76. The Republican vote was
= cas- 81 noes 1-practically unanimous.
The Democrats voted ayes q noes
51-neaTLy t11O to one against it. Besides
his, fourteen southern mem oers, be-
longing to the American party, and
since acting with the Democracy, voted
against the bill. 1t reached the Sen
ate, which was then Democratlc, and
was there killed by being put off for
less important measures. A dozen diff
ferent efforts were made TO take it up,
md on each effort, the Republican Sen
ators voted soHdly for il, but were de-
feated by the Democratic majority.
The third attempt was made in the
Thirty iXth Congress. The Home
s,ead Bill was introduced into the
House by Mr.. Grow of Pennsylvania,
and passed the House in March, 1850,
ny lis ayes to 65 noes. Again the
unanimous vote of the Republican
mem bers was cast for the bill. Of the
Democrats % voted for it-among them
Cochrane, Sickles. Haskin, Hickman
and Logan, now all of them Republi-
eans-and 48 against it. Seventeen
Southern HAmericans" also voted
agaiI st the bill, all of whom are now
Demoerafs-amoDg them Joshua Hill,
Emerson Etberidge and T. A. Nelson.
The bill also passed the Senate, the Re-
pnbIicans voting unanimously for it..
and the Democrats being divided. 1t
was vetod bv a Democratic President,
James Buchanan. An effort to pass it
over the veto failed in the Senate, the
bill not receiving a two-third vote. The
Republicans again voted unanimously
for it, the Democrats in its favor and
II against it.
Such was the history of failures to
pass a Homestead act under a Demo-
cratic administration. The next Con-
xress. however, (Which was the first un-
der a Republican administration, pass
ed the law triumphantly.
This is the history of homestead leg
isIation. 1t shows that in every in
stance the Repu blic7n vote in Congress
was cast unanimously for the measure;
that in every instance a large majority
Of the Democrats voted against it, and
that Democratic President vetoed the
only homestead bill ever presented to
MIN. Do not these facts justify for the
assertion of General Garfield ? viii
the States10oss give them to its readers ?