The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-05-18

OuIS Is IL bOlt, IlUcpcllucUC pSOplcJ
and in this country among such a
people this policy is sure, sooner or
latter, to produce all the troubles that
have followed in the train of great
land companies.
:" F." L was greatly greatly I'm
pressed when my friend from Ohio
Mr. Thurman mentioned the other
day what he had heard when Il young
man frcm the lips of Lewis Cass rs to
the dcplorablc condition of the peas
antry of Europe. That distinguished
man stated to my friend from Ohio
that it never entered into the head of
the great mass of toilers OF Europe, no
more than the idea that he would one
day Wear the crown. Things have
improved Il little of late, but the con-
dition of Europe to day is very little
better n landlcss people is still the
cause of her discontents; it is the per-
pctual source of her gravcst troubles.
1t is that to-day which renders many
IL throne unstable. 1t is that which
makes the whole social organization
of Europe rest as upon a quicksand-
There YOU have before your eyes the
evils deeP-rooto'l, all-pcrvaling, almost
incurable, that grow outof the vicious
system of concentrating in a few
hands the landed property of 4 couu-
try. We have not yet fallen into the
evil plight of Europe; but we are tend
ing that way under Il policy which
i'll less than ten years nas vested one
hundred and twcnty-four millions
acres between the Mississippi river
and the Pacific ocean il four railroad
companies.
Not once, but many times during
the protracted discussion of this mea-
sure we have challenged its friends to
state their reasons for refusing { o re-
turn to the established land system of
the country. Our challenge has not
been taken up. Not Il rc'son has
been assigned by or opponents. We
have been met instead with enthusiasts
tic eulogicS of railroads, and rcmon-
~stranCe5 and invcctive against those
who would o5;truct railroad develop
ment across the continent. Sir, all this
is beside the question i pure evasion
of the real Issue. We demand the
peoples lands for the pccp'c; but we
are not opposed to railroads We are
warmly iii favor of railroads. We al
NIT their utility; We confess their ne
cesSity. | I'M iertake to say that there
is not one senator OF those with whom
| act OF this question who il not
heartily in favor Of the three lincs Of
trans-cuntincntal railroads which to-
gether constitute the great boly Of
communication and of intercourse be
tween the Atlantic and Pacific, and
which crown and complete for our
time the development, :he power. and
the union of the American people on
this continent, from the eastern to the
western scl.
Sir, arc we the representatives OF
the people here, or the railroad com
pan;cs, which? / take it there can he
bat II answer to that inquiry. We
are here to represent the people of the
United Statcs.-The only question,
then, is whether we shall conSummatc
that great plan of communication by
just ahd reasonable means of assistance
10 the railroads, while we administer
the public lands of the country in the
spirit of our land system and in
obedience to the trust which binds
them i'll Il hands.
TIE BILL Or NrTuING.
1t is Il most significant fact that
every proposition has been voted down
which modified this bill III the inter
csts OF the people. Even those which
-, 40 .1orrno ,, 81 H.
interests met the SAM fate. Such was
the case with my amendment, provi,I-
ing that all lands Of the company not
sold ut the end of ten years after the
completion of the road should be open
to settlers at 81 % per acre. Why
ia this? l. it that the Pacific railrorl
committee which reported this bill Is
so infalibic that its work is beyond
human question If not, what then
is the explanation? Or is it thlt the
railroad company will have this bill
ju>t Us it came from the committee.
full, perfect and complete, or it will
not have it Mt all?
The bill or nothing is the demand.
There must be no amendment, no
modification /; non at least that makes
the bill a little better for the country.
In that view no t must be crossed
or / dotted, except us it is set down;
not one. Has 1t come to this, sir,
that railroad Legislation is The only
business upon which the senate is not
free to exercise its Legislative dlscrcc
ton.
AN ELOQUENT CONCLUSION.
All | have said upon this measure,
on every vote | have given, I have act
cd under Il profound sense of duty |
owe to the great interests involved. [
am sure no lesser motive has animated
the little band of senators with whom
[ have been acting. Few in numbers,
but strong in the right as we see it,
we stand in the contest against the
overwhelming majority Of this body.
We stand but for the interests and
rights Of the whole people, now and
Ecrcafter.-We seek specially to pro-
tect and preserve the future of the
country between the Mississippi and
the Pacific, travcrscd and to be travers
cd by great lines of railroad. We
decline to surrender that country and
its future without an earnest effort to
secure further proper guards and con
ditiOns. We believe, | believe from
the bottom of my heart, that the easy
acquisition of lands is us necessary to
the maintenance of our free i%nstitu-
tons as are the principles which ami
mate those institutions.
IIvs I