New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-04
DIsPosING OF PUBLIC LANDS.

DlSPOSING OF PUBLIC LANDS.
The second session of the XXXVth Congress
met on December G. 1858. adiournng on March
4 1859 Its composition
senate-Republicans 20; Democrats, 3D.
Americans. 5. Total, 81.
House-zJames L orr, Of South Carolina
DEM. Speaker Republicans. 90; Administra-
ton Democrats. Hi: Anti-Lecompton Demo
Gratis II; Americans 10; vacancies z Total
80.
One Of the topics discussed at this session was
that Of railroad to the Pacific. Mr.. Gwin
Oem). OF California, had introduced in the
Senate at the session Of 1S5l-oS bill inviting
proposals for the building of three roads to the
Pacific, by northern, central and southern
routes respectively, the Government to make
gift Of public lands and loan the roads $lZoOo
q mile. The bill was laid over until the session
Of lS5S-'j9. On January %. 1853 it was passed
by the Senate by 81 yeas % Republicans. ID
Democrats. $ Americans to 20 nays Q9 Demo-
Gratis. Republican,. The bill bitterly de-
nounced by Southern Democrats, and 1t was
allowed to fail in the House. which made some
progress with ii, but did not finish it.
In 1888 the question OF the disposition to be
made Of about thousand millions Of acres OF
the public lands became one Of party. This was
An old question, dating back to the beginning
Of the Republic, which, however, had never
commanded the attention 1t deserved until after
the Republican party had become power.
The public lands were originally reserved for
the soldiers Of the Revolution, first in the form
OF land grants for service rendered. and then
tn order to raise fund. by the sale Of them. to
pay pensions 10 the warriors of the Revolution
and Of 1912 and their families. The use first
made Of these lands will explain why il is that
there are probably more soldiers Of the Revolu-
don buried in the State Of Ohio. which was not
one OF the original thirteen, than in any other
State in the Union When the expense OF pen
sions FOR soldiers Of the Revolution began to
diminish the lands opened for sale to
private purchasers a low price. Spectators
and Southern slav e-owners ,hen secured enor-
nous quantities of these lands. especially in
Missouri person often securing several
townships, and IN some cases nearly a whole
county
In 1859 the question with regard to public
lands took this form: Shall the public do
main be open TO monopoly by spectators and
the land-holding arstocracy OF the South,
shall it be reserved for actual settlers, in small
quantities. at nominal price. or without
price? The South. which controlled the whole
Democratic party Of the United States. had al
stead laws. knowing we'll that if the Terri
tories and new States were 10 be occupied in
quarter sections they would be inhabited by
working farmers and free labor. and not by
spectators and great planters. Slavery can
not flourish small farms it requires large
landed estates
The Republicans espoused the cause Of free Ia
Dor, and its rights and interests: their cry was
Land for the landless." On January 20 1859
Dill relating to public lands coming up in the
House Of Representatives. Gausha A. Grow
(Rep.). OF pennsylvania. moved to amend by pro-
viding thar no pubic land should be offered for
sale unless surveyed and the return survey
filed in the Land Office. for ten years before tho
sale. The object Of this Republican amendment
to throw the public lands open to pre-emn
ton by actual settlers Tor ten years before they
could come within the grasp Of spectators, thus
giving the poor, industrious settler ample time to
clear UP his quarter section. give him a long pay
day. free him from usurious rates OF interest
tthen often > per cent month. while spectators
could get il for per cent a year,. and enable
him to pay for his land from the actual proceeds
Of his toll Mr.. Grow had introduced this same
amendment two years before in the House. and
II had been defeated. 70 to 78. every Republican
voting for ii. and every Democrat, except four
teen. against it. The slave-holding aristocracy
OF the South tried &c kill the new Grow amend
Hlent by having IL referred TO committee Tor con-
sheraton and report AS the committee was
Democrats. II would. as Mr.. Greeley said. have
gone TO the tomb Of the Capulets" and never
again have seen the light But there in
the House Of Representatives many Northern
and Western Democrats who favored the amend
ment. and the House refused TO refer it to COM
mittee The Democrats compelled to face
a direct vote. The amendment was adopted 50
10 81 I'm he cou,barr Dar,oo-o,. 49, ...,oa