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TOWANDA:
I taturbap, ftkirning. March 11. 11354:
THE HOMESTEAD BILL
SPEECH OF
'4ON. C. A. CROW.
...,
rebruary 21, 1854, the liouse being in the
Committee of the Whole on the state of the
- . Union, on the Homestead Bill—
,t Mr. GROW said
g. Mr. Cnantstss: Having, at a previous 'session
'' ! : .,Congress, given my views at length on this pub
-1
",. 4,1 do not propose at this time to treppasa twig
. . t h e patience of the committee, The bill under
!Aeration prOposes 'to grata to solery Waal
Jere on the public doinain a homestead of one
la dled and sixty acres of land, on condition of
: , pancy and cultivation fur the period of five
',, • ar r• The substitute fur tails bill that 1 proposed
the same object in view, and differs only in
11 : rails, except ihat, in addition to the homestead
.t: M t, all future sales ol the publiclattJa shell be
t.'. .fated to ac.ual settlers only.
I" By cessions from the States, and purchases of
they nations, the Goverment has now a . wilder
,. {g ot 1,5131,40,000 acres unoccupied fah& :and
' te,,uestioti presented for the action of Congress
„what is the proper and best mode of disposing
r,. , ..ithem in order to promote rite real and - permantat
-, ,, ,tereaciaf the cotton) 7 for the mode and manner
their disposal la left, by theCoustitution, entirely
D the round ()secretion of Congress: The public
-.-.:inda w ere a L utject of controversy between the
1. arotte, even before the donfederatiott: and it was
„.,,t Vie call ) ; obstacles to the organization ol any
% ferment tor ;he protection of their common 'in
t.- - g m,. Am', in the laktiage of the instructions of
, f ,.:Mirtlanil to her delegates in Congress, in May,
;_-; - 79 it Arai; considered', by all the colonies having
~ gauge lard to tee go iloredhan just—
Thai. a country, Unsettled at the commencement
..- ;110 KM, chomed by the British crown ceded to
;.; dy the [tea y at Pans, if wrested ft om thecommon
..-,: ..,:m . t t;) - the blood-arid treasure of the thirteen
ri 'l,O, :hated be considered as a common propeny,
.;', s„rrct to be parceled out by Congress into free,
r=%-oeident, and oldependent Goventments, insuch
k-.. 4,0 , 1 arid at such tunes as the witeloin of that
11; :wady shall hereafter direct.”
And in order to put an end to the jealousies
-, -.ng.ig up between the colonies on tidy subject,
, :...: ..trove the wily obstacle that remainea to a
~ a, i di.lation al the 'articles of Confederation,
~. egress, on the loth October, 1780, passed this
~ stotion , as a ;'edge to the States of the manner
1 :.
abitili arty land , ;eyrniglit cede should be dis..
t.d or
4 1 hat IV onappropria.ed land, which may be
:, .rd or let tFI4.. ..lietl to tiro United States -by any
,' vtulat Sate * 4 4 shall ;13 disposed of fur the
, t
"-crtan benefit of the United Stales ; and be settled
;.;;;,:;nned alto distinct republican Snots. which
: I_,,Sectiore members of the Federal Union, and
,'.; 2.; , ..1,e ~erne rights of sovereignty, freedom. and
e,..erideitce as the other Srates.&e. That the said
. z . - • 1 iiill be granted ga r :titled 'at such times, and
, L tt_ au :wit reguinitans„ as shall hereafter be agreed
-,. t. the United Stales la Congreit asnmbkd, or nine
;.:= En of them.” -
,'-' a pursuance of this resolution, New York, Vir
'.: a, Massachusetts, Connecticut, South and North
..: cons, Georgia ceded their claims to the waste
.;•,- , JutsJe of their State limits. And in pursuance
Li resolution, the .clause was inserted in the
- anion giving Congress power " to diapase of,
t r .make all needful rules and regulations respect
- '....te terreciry or other property of the United
ts,' under which clause Congress is limited in
,-... rower over the public domain only by a sound
Le objection of 'the , gentleman horn Georgia
DENT,] '4•110 has pat taken iris seat, to grant
these lands io the actual 'settler under !hie bill
to n Is holding oui aniodociament intim pauper
!lion of the Old World to immigate bithet,l
k. id of tiiat claw that can get here come DOW.
,ty an forced ro eeek out Ellores for bread; and
aillcontinue to come, no matter whai y‘onr
4,:10n on this subject may be. A dire necess-
+rees'nefn from the land of their fathers and.
of their childhood. Starvation and death
.) , t them Irons the Old World; and Where can
f frid a resting platie save in the !Warm:iris of
?Sew? 1 he deereee h I fate are no less imperative
shim necessity that:oompele Them-to-yeek-ear
L '" Tarn, as they must come, for man never,
is mere choice, tears. himself Lofts his native'
311:11 7-tie graves of hikfathers, and home of his
, L•lietf- t s it not better to give them a home in
qua wilderness, and thus fasten theta filthe coop
vie stronger tit ' an'oath ofallegiancet B),;his
'"••I you pl.ce them in w.cr nditioa „to become
:ens, instead of leaving them to hang about the
'ens of your cities, a curse to themselves and to
.a r own population;
i agree with the gentleman, that• it : id de fitdt
'1 of man to lake eare,of his owrih9odelkillsffiic
• there it . a kind of kelftshnetse that defeats itsstlt;
enlightened selfishness seeks it oven happin i ess
promoting that oftfthers. And while It re the
Cy of Gov't . r ment to take care of itself; 11.ia'ra one
'le measures by which to do it—one to give it
pea s e, and strength in war. The first
!teno n to this mode of d ispeaing., of tip Pgillfd,
'‘!e, by those Who have given, the subject but tittle
Trion, 18 that 0 is leveling and agrarian. Sir,
.eo was theie ever an attempt made, einem .
.the
' Idbegan, to wrest from power its ill:gonen
in, or ire un dlie "Oeantages, and to- feature to
' his inalienable right., but it has been met by;
friends of the exuaing'onfor.oi things with the
'tszt of leveling and' agnittett •
1 4. is the alarm cry of thb deiblee Of the pint,
:h ,
he beetealse /09ePP.ted fteirgeiW•A se
rme eeta innovations erstilbliOttl,llBagesl,
44 . S W/Cal-war poisoned with .thetemlooki and"
'',l,lfeo ondemned' to•the rack.' JO ;Ito/ 1.1.4 w
id teased its blind revereifielor. the Pailr'44
t:utions, because of their way ago? - -
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Most of the exile that Millet!
their origin in -vvolenee'end - 'Wrong, imiC • tedun to
lava by :the eifierienee'hfthe past; OA it4:o, by ,
the pr ejudice . of ihapresini. While tru th And so-
Oloti 00,progroi4ie, :ace
noble. troPolso At the 0nt.4111011 genstousionl.for 2
the b!!!, OA° P.lhl!fsWoot ~tottlrtOtio- all,
the opinions 0f..-histvedecemors. . Nothing could ,
seeartnore' strange and Aeirreetivti of she
being of stieittithari did the d'cietrineiinfthe'litunble ,
-Nazarene to the Dewitt' leti gi the le4.llingii of
Wikliffe,and ill:mai° . a' 'dark agN Oto-rovida• •
tions.of corpernices tolitte .Ptolmaics. Wham's .
little more than three quarters of a -centdry
fifty-54 bold merchants, farmers, and nieclianieti,
met in convention to ihake theiteanels' 'orthe
world, and proclaiin of man
to life, fibeity, and the pursuit of huppilueee, t h e
self-riatisficd conservative stood aghast attne.level
ing project. But, from that day &obis, the history
Of your country has . ,been but -a.„ history uf , social
leveling. ,Not of that vandal , kind .hourever, rbat
would pull slovird the' splendid edifies !weenie ft
towers above surrounding objects; bin like the
leveling of the husbandtnati, who 'fills tip his low,
filthy marshes,andeenVerts ibe'm into arabicground.
Is it not time the world learnt lessons of-wisdom
Irom the chronicleit cif the'pa.st, and ceased to cling
itv moulderioglorms with gloomy forebodings
for the haute
" Let the deettOst bury till dead
in the Inv lug p resent,
Heart within, Dud Weer head,"
ever reedy to receive thenevi rind Ilia 'Untried, d it
be calculated to promote the happiness and welfare
of the race. While, the history of your country,
from die landing of the Pilgrims to the presenthour,
is in the face of all:precedent and authority, it be-
Comes not American legislators to be startled bY
any names which antiquity, or gr . ,wer,have made
odious. The true objed in disposing of these lands
by the Government is , not their sale, but their set
tlement and cultivation. 'As is said by the Secrete.
nary of the Interior, in his annual report :
"4siothing retards the growth and prosperity of
the country more, nor inflicts greater injury upon the
resident, than the prissessioji, by indifiduals or com
panies, of extensive uncultivated tracts of the put'.
he lands. To correct ibis evil, facilities should be
liberally extended to alb actual settler, and with-
held from the mere speEulator."
But the best triatis of deriving revenue from
these lands is to secure their, seulement, eyen.
you receive nothing for the land. For the means
the General Government has for collecting revenue
is by duties on importid- articles coritaamed in the
Country i and the average amount of imported arti.
des consumed by each person for the lastfive years
is ten dollars per head.
And,'as you cheapen, the necessaries and com
torts-ol life, or increase man's means to pay for them
you increase their consumption. So that every
family of seven consumes, .on average, yearly,
seventy dollars' worth of imported articles; and the
average of the tariff being about thirty per cent ,
each family of that ',amber pays to the Government
annually twenty-one dollari. By the sale of these
lands the Government receives, for, a quarter 'sec
tion, two hundred dollars, the interest of which
would be twelve dollars a year; so the government
would be the gainer of nine dollars a year by giiing
away this land to a sealer in preference to selling
it without a settlement.
r For the purposes of education, building railroads,
acrd opening all the avenues of trade, the best dis
position to be made of these lands is to grant them,
in limited quautitiee, to the settler. The two hun
dred dollars the Governifient now takealor the land
would enable the settler to furnish himself with the
necesstry stock and implements to commence its
cultivation. And, with this beginning, be soon sus'
rounds himself with the comforts of life, and has
the means to erect the school-Crouse and church,
and all the other ornaments of a higher civilization,
and to educate and rear his children respected
memberalif society. •
. Uuder the presentpulicy nt the Government his
earryn;s for }ears are abstracted for the benefit of
specufatars: The Government sells a township of
land six miles squire, containing, therefore, Italy-
Six sections Orris hpudred and forty acres each;
making twenty-three thousand and korty acres of
lard in the lownshiti. Now, the settler when he
comes to buy, must pay, in most case, four or live,
dollars per acre , So on each township of land
purchased from the Government, by the speculator
you compel thesettler to pay $lOO,OOO oVer the
Government price, which amount would be aulli
clot, or nearly , so, to build p railroad through the
township. With this capital that you have abstract
ed by the policy of the GovetntneuV the eientier
of commerce and trade, would' be opened :,bi the
el: zoo is litir !want,c,ailed for them, while their
industry would furnish them business. Fill rip year
wilderneess with populatioo r and cease to abstract
theireamingi . for the supper;of 'idleness and ex .
travegance, and Ma Fathead, chnrch, rind- imhool
bens°, will keep Pace with your advtuicirtg, settle
manw. This ,policy will not only iecrease,itur re
venues (tithe •Gehend Governinenti and the- tam
ble ipoperty of the nett Slifee,tmenrill add . l6:fhei l e
population, and *ill swell . t he cOmmeltet,ol tht
country,-while, it wilibe,an inducement to the land
lets of ibe-olthStetesi where a alpine popolanonis
constantly tedoeing-the price of labor by' Its o f it
comPetitioii; to` seen : i, home, where 'Arty can
sealretl . kom the feez peor-hopep-apd e .
th
wants. of poverty.,
L woi.klnot, however, havethis;Grovernoterst Con
verted into an alms - -hotimlbewffletre"elllbil,riiiset 6 '
ies and woes that afflict man; ye I 'Aetna liiir4;
it legislate, so far as is - coliiiiijent with spend sip
ciples, soar Wit proininelftelatiPintisiAnd lEol'6 t
tare of tile Filizefili; ; 1 4 riblif4;il9.4,,r9littOtflAt 4
teal laterite of the mann' ept} -make stitagidlihe
element' of eadopid , , petirev • itetehe*phoeld titt*
be th ! object' 11l
Genera! Ackictil f its hid teptt:iteyi,irepzek ato,
D e"milefr OP; ;It, 4, L - , u4e
•O‘tin the whole,' 'adherliftathirbpininnexprinie
ed me is thy annual message 0t1532 thilt it' lir
- . a 11 :q a, ‘....0, 'ar
.„,,,, ,- ' - ,- - -••- ------ '
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tIigIAISHEII- IVM SHEIRD AT ''AT TORNDiti'BitibrOVIDriCOUIT7IS44 -- if - E70:114 - AR r ' 1 AVAlttfA '
, P 4:1 1
~.
t , " 11154611111 LESS 01 0 DMITINCIATION I , llolir /111: 4 RV0374. 1'4 )
901 I .*Vq11q.1.1.14 , z , ir44tf,n711,,-
- 7 - `'..7',!i - .. 7 1: lk. 7 , r.:\ 777 i s.:
ME
outtrot pativf„thßbdiectigtho kinOtsbeit ceamer 6 -.4a
°°°^ a° PFASW.,4 O .; 4Rl ll QAPPECR:t4lfste!..ellif i glP:
cept,foi the payßent ihetae,generalphiva wptchi
rdsvont 'till he anqiiiitibh Melt apr,
. ae y, imf og lisot", srmtvst.'-r., Eve; ~,{
The rea! wealth of a countrytibiieLia;hot in' die
sums of money paid into itsleasurx,...but its herds„
'ff &fee; lad Ciilltisi4 " - ft;ift}irnor doer us ' t reat,
:arid
bithei flpiiPenainnea
th i n bi,Mfoiirliflia fibnifriecl&WiCa
real gy6l'ebtitiisip,liloitn'ille"'ititiairtiafge, 10 0
feini inteiti4e'n6e,
- romfort;'inii itie c 'fiegstcle.§f ci.'
tens. '
%% f at tot stitutes'a State,
Not high-roisid battletranti'ltboted tfiotilid;
!-„ : Thillk,stalh,ot)roaatedesate; •],
, NOT pites.prpudy witkapiressAsurrett nroarted,
• ' Noil?itys and'broad-arnteti ports,
!"Wlitie; ladetingitiltire'stbrK, Piidni navies rldi.
Not 'Men
?4ea wile their duties... know,. . •
But snow their and knowing dare mutant,
These constitute re-State. " ' "
The prosperity of Suites depend not themaks
oterealthp but its distribution. 'That noeutryia great
est, and riostllorions, whichithete-irthe grim:
eat ouraheiel happy awaideei, Aed itytni Would
make the fireside happy; this* the fallen froth his
degnitheitm, elevate the servile Wm his groveling
leamtrits to the rights' and dignity of men ' lon must
first place within-their reach the. 'means for supply:
ing their pressing physical wants, so that religion
can mien its influence on the loth, Ind - soothe the
weary pilgrim in iris pathway to the tomb. For it
is vain you talk of the goodness . • and benevolence
of an Omnivciedt Rater to .htm, whose life, from
cradle to the grave, is bat one contended scene -ol
.pain, niseryiand, want. 'Talk not of free agency
to him whose only freedom is to choose his 'own
method to die. ,•••
Tell not theufamished operative; - whose soul as
well as body has.becomeshriveled and mildewed,
that there is a God of love, whose tender merelei
are over sll his storks. - When the body is racked
with physical pain, and the knawingsofhangerire
consuming the very shale, it is- in vain you repeal
the g• amnion on the.llloont." When womanhood,
nemb,witlacold, and dying with banger, wavers
on the line that divider/tumor from eternal shame;
of what ute is Sunday tracts? Tractaillibles,and-te
ligioes , teachings are little heeded by him whoae
hours are draggednut in procuring a morsel to mi
litia- life,and,vshose last prayer,as he lalltyshivering
and heart.broken, into his kennel of'stnatifisi that
be marneser beholdtthelight of another dap In
such casesit-is true, there might be 'acme feeble
conceptions of religion andln daties,of the Infinite;
Everlasting, and Pure; bet antes. thdrnbe'd more
than common-intellect, they` would be like the dim
shadows that float in the twilight. He who came
to bring life and immortality to the weary pilgrim
of earth, snit beckon them on •to a higher diattn.
tiler existance, laid the foundation of his mission
in the-alleviation of physical, pain, Suffering, Ind
woe. He cleansed the leper s touched ilia blind
eye, the levered brow, and withered limb j'anthhis
first petition, in the-sopplications Which He toughs
man to address to the Author of all Good, was,
"Give us day by day oar daily bleed." The best
evidence of the divinity of that mission web its ad.
aptio to the nature, condition; and Want. of inati - t;-.
In thelanguage of remark., made on'thio IFilbject
on a former occasion, !lobes, it is ,tub; ,Stre
nary to man's enjoyment; but the means to poi.
vent starvation are. Nor is a splendid palace ne
cessary to his real happiness; but a shelter against
the atom and winter's blast ia.
It you would lead the erring back from the paths
of vice and crime, to virtue and honor, give him a
home ; give him a hearthstone, and he will surround
it with household gods.
.11You would make men
wiser and better, relieve your alin":s)6 . u,ses p Close
the doors of your penitentaries, and break in pieces
your gallows. Purify thi:itifluences of the domes
t c fireside; for that in the school in ‘ , hick hu u man
character is lormed, add there its destiny is sltapet4
there the soul receives hi first impiess,„ and man e
his first lesson, and they go with, hint, forweal or,
tor - wir,thr,cmch Roc purifYing the sentimen, a
eh:Voting the thoeghta, and developing the noblest„.
impulse of man's natn 4 the influences of rural
firesides and-Agricultural life, are the noblest and
the betii.,in,the,obscurity . ol the, cottage, far tempt., ;
e l (him the eeJactiveinfitience ^ of rank and kik , 1
etice, is tionrishe4 . fhe viipes that coputeractiite
cay of hurrian institutions, thifcouvage thaldeiends
national independence, and the industry, that, sup • A
ports all classes of the State.
It was said bytord Chatham, in his oppe,al T to
the ilouseoftommons, itt7?s,, to wjthdtaw
British, troops `from Boston, .that " trade indeed, in
thropory and wealth of it country; .but its
tine 'kerma'. arid etas inu are to be looked fin in
.
the culiltation of_ the_ loud. Irt the simplicity of
their lives is fottott;the simpleness of iinutt, the Ht.
iegtity- and.contage of freedom- , These , trnef gent ,
uineeonii of the - ekit and ineiheitilO." t
trietorjt their eiv <rhrrve Ovq,ikimf,t4l4e;'„cititj,,,of ' ;
-a 'Tuiii6ll's priwer hearts ther tiolwirrk„ef,litb,
esty. Fos more tiout.ibtee ;commie& Switzertibil
waged a oearetesswaitarer r iththe Minute of flare ,
itieitit4 weak land . leeblit 411610 of po,
and
tory, bailed the imperial arms of Ansria Md
dirk:gibe-114ft , ut:the middleatei'mtleff' o llailc-
Fie& tVjed Vr;l%9o,OtatO l' aniT
pity 4441)igiuteetbrightlyleong: ths creskof the Alltatl
Itod•It• egititasstilk Welk hobo-Want Of het ;Intro&
iyolitedltett§aottriVithiheitieitlid Aroliia jiti.(ti:
f O ld qk e 10'?7°11411#4,iCitri.4134ipcgitmt. iooe.
IMmrs,itfo „a, gurand Atom impteguatge_dolousw
ituabattietnent, wall eridwes. •
Man, in defence of hie &iistlf:atiiie,fs ifeettaii:
-1 1 0;C 4 1A i tit, ~.0 04 4;!4 f4 tq't
iirAl'ihful!,!?l4l9lPC#l4 Altfintopyleig 1tt4,44.7,
isio,q n4A
e-utisrathq, WkelleVEt freedow Us; AT
forfeit - ties tri.totA i lithemf 6 . 144 a
to suittitiiiitiftipiJairtilite 610 trots the wink',
zsnv~ty
rt , l '
MINEI
=II
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slihp anti the' , i te, *bdrt,r 11/ i'to hiitriktidrAT: in hii vatiatio roc •
, !pp? -.11 Agrrn......
and to ail the incleinencietiriiif the seavori, they' tfazyl t an'il: 111" "4
t-
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9"
i :
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wyrrffb.f ..ir , r , -Irr , l i.
have ae ( lerreil.tetv haroteeeta etkeeeiltrY • Ittitientlitre • ,1" The cortisnwt,gbitkishook of:Patll. which isont,
'the 1141#:diens 60:toils Ortbe utifil,.7 , . - into every trasetextelliaml,tiwibia wit% onderibe
Thiess the secret el Awake , hiet ' ery, end' she besiLut.population4Dif Familses,, wnstanliy, residing
suceesa of ale .1164oInfuri.", Vushiligt6u f r ei v Oir e trujranbecamitzta. Zee tied& tg this Met'
platitiiiiitc Paints') liptiiiliit gow, — rvieelie - fthib icatik?- , Witsiistrwor P e ntno•io . n i rt I dol: ales i t !
his blacksmith forge, and Starke from his Granite in the world. There is not ntobtibly , ilk Man iirilsocin
hills, aUssisktp,hied ,s;zl)ieS grobazed,hrorn like don, Patio,Naw Yorks' art Ilia delphia,' who can
41 6 1: that
er ins s ,groillrartatheri , is granatather,. ami
scenes
, of labor and enterprise, to treedom's battles,'
ind Po '' 6.44i.,iivi Ivietoriee:' Wliiiii' the Wircl.ls Ohm mid uctles ' a l e hlk il id ve n ti ovuch di t ed hiog in the a' City
atiVvrineti histOrY shall tie chrrectly deelPEired, die -vivor athlete generations.that have unittirrone s t u bt r.
cheek! Or the" rise ? Pregthei; and fall - or eftililas decomposing .power of tell atmosphere, assisted
Will be emit lite lisiory of [hit ' dose, devilePiiiittitr A city r then,lmay be solid sodie
o Y utri "rsuil t b i ". dted and enlyayeanootto arias te
-and declineOt aglicullure. Poi. `that is tli l e purstili gards a those in r s ontri generations fiat live. andzmive,
Which' first changes mai troth the wild Lid Pied's. and' have th eir .being, only within a city's pre
tbrY itabits'oriavage life 10 - ittoitt of dig iiitiiiii 'Sod eta " " ' '...' ' '' L l ' '2 -2 '';
the husbandman, fixing him in stolioniii'i ileelf. ' u*
•,.i --
. " . It . ",bilernativabie that ohil reit born truth bted
loge, towns, and cities,Ad thus ushei ing in the l im n: e ar it i n: l i . rally'ethibit'preildeions talents They
dawn otifirillfatibWitillif whit its &BIM' lind ad- lest *Cease to everi rpecits oflearn
_
advancement comas theoom forks and refinements leg, 'Fiber baieihe advintage Of imbibing an early
c 0 .,,,,.., ia..
and the
assomai ,_..... ci
_,,....,,__,
.knolvledge of , the workkand bSveiatnitat In infan
-o:ree-Teiry7ll.lho""me.
. 7 . 7 ' 7777
T ll is th h e ed mann .ei erv. %e s , ides*, and self poisessims of
The first,step, in the. ecline-AI ompitesiaibe nes the Old . Wortd Y t;nd of ut t il h i s th 74 l Vi i ts7'4 .7 lil' :st e t:L i r:l?" . it
g oo ,;( ...t h e t t.nr i ge j tiete l i nterest , eet i,,,,i t h h e „l e , probablytthehundredelithbief Ily•eilecritod tfini v hs
intruped on all disjoins that, illeWatto pathwa y : to test their strength in'therhig,l porentts of • lifeofor
cay.crwohles listional power., It.. is ifte great -bon
one country adirentoret, yes it 'found that 4lMost
b Vistin,nuithed - men who shine in - the - ekttire
civilization. AgeicultuAe was - the wealth, l o, d of
a. of the countriror in The liberal protessioni, ate cowl-
Ltglitr,am, l glory qt the. L eatty gu r u au s,e n d e w es try horn and bred." ''. i
m the an onl e y i,iz init ea nnal io la p tm e : fo d r eeM on. 0 .,
cithontoolvtaabelenotfor,aoltlizi; h. I Aral sn; • too, h fins been wlth oar great met
e tie a s r en a d ei r t ec he h m an t ie d s Who haSe floutithed hr ci
a scientific but a, ,practicalt r is le ua w ai i l l ' l br fi o n n d h 'i t il t al' he k et ht i tt67
flumes; and Cumin. pulse•that ;ices them n
iiiiiPa was called from the, plow t o -ea rs hweenntry the fields of some vinous to try their g rnduries'in ro th in ir
oily.* • 40 1 ..1. "The hotbeds of cities bring
forward their front die tavages al die barbarian. It was the put
suit held in honorahls estimation , br all-clime& of pl t a . nts more ntritlly ; but thoWspring-
Me State. Italy was then one of the moat fruitful eons and roug n h a c iv u e ltu " re il 'of an th i e b c r ;m vin iry g , th a e re tt . i fu ni b e n a ll ea te:
agricultural countries in the world. Bat with the ~bavisthe best stamina'' 1 ,
hamar(' pl,,weeith canwite conceottation,zandlhe
eheortuion cif .the lan& into, letge.tetatesp and us
tillage was, eonseggtinily, congaed, aloud :emu.
timely, to }emeriti! and Waxes, whitc the lreahby
-
pcpprjetors ip.extravegance iu the chit:spy
at their country , • .
Agricuktral labor becoming, dipbonotable, wan
of course, corr4ue4 to Muse who , h4dnointereet in
the and ,:hey. til!ed and when .the laborer ceases
to have, any interest-in the land, be ,cnlti vates, he
ceases to hate enystatte-M the ad varmeinent.ond
good order o epcitig, /9,r be-Aattpothing to lose,
notbirgto defend s uni nothing to bops, for. . Thb
soil'uuier,sech item:neat being constantly, twov
eµsheu at leegth,Oacaine, sterile antlunproductiver;
aiid poverty pad wt3wt cOPered.the agricultuniLdis.
trios, 'while eivtivrtgancei rioted in therpalemea At
tiAIR foreo l l4l . .bi. itatifhattrlewpra.vatby,
elicesaes,,ltaly gras overrun by Rule warriors, and
the Seven [asletl any easy, prey to the Vroth.and
Vandal. The cothiteracling influencetto thisilecay
was the laws of her t.hacciti, which:proposed to
dis.ricute her public lauds among the , landless of
the infirm. And had that , policy been odeplesl,lter
ancient Campania, instead olbeingnow-known as
the.Puniine blareshep, might have eeettear4 -the
garden of the- world ; and the stacol her eat**
might have waved in triumph long , after_ the ivy
twined her broken culumns.. The Italian Republiesi
that rose fromthetuins ot,the empire, flourished
for a day i . 414.41ruy, 100 3 fell with the neglect and
decay of agricUlture. Wit the great interest upon
which a.nation must rely in the hour of ita-petil,
and it 'shuuld therefore' be most seriglously cared 411
in the day of its Prosperity.
„White the populatirm
of a country are the proprietors of the land which
•
They
. they have an inicretttosurround.inets Ore:
sides vvithcomfort and make their laom - es happy— ,
the great incentive to indusvy, frugaluy,,arid . so.
briery. Ills such habits alone that give security !)
1
a government , intflorm the ea elements
Outlet greatness acrd power. • • ,
The associations; of an independent freehofd
„me
eminently calculated to enlipble am! elevate, the
poisesitor. For the proUd conscioysnesa that man
ever ?eels in standing au' soil that he can tall his
oitrrithe'conscioilstiesstliat there is otie pot .ou,
114 - e" which he can,exerc)set,SOle,
aninion,,and that . spot is kis itorne,_ which, he:
hopesld`tranamlai such ioitis c hildren — is
, one'ol
the I:testi:end noblest stitnulattis to well doing, per
haps'his farm has come down to him from 4444 7
them.: It WIN the scene of their former labors, and .
The play-ground of his childhood i around ; him
, are.
the °tient.; of the earliest and (Widest assock.stiptut,
of his life. The brook along whichhesported,itt i '
h'6s-h;clf; the meadow bier VI . 11 iaVite'izailiboled to
his way to the Reklui house, of hiq early 114,8,010
hear by is the churchyard where isposetbe ashes
ofhiS'Tatheri, bi the'side of %ehoel when this life
is o'ei he expeeTs real In'Peace. assa
earmans 1 he these he is bound to the Gove,rnment,
thel shields and protects him by the strongest ties
known to, mortals. It is taw Ille•Ipf in,* of a inertly,
character,nafiouat , and a noitle, generuns',patriot. l
isi`n ; a'patriotism 41M :rushes to the delence . 4 the,.
couritr,y, and'the vitaltcatlon of,its,honiq l
same zealand aficrhY that itmeids hearth Atone
arid frnesiile. It is iputportk Akira r ti i l the,
deb * alcPe are. Limited in all
their intensity. They !zing not from constant con
-44. vf.ilb brickwa i ts,YP4 9!Pifil-9)13030 avenues of
pr91v444 mart, where gain ie the
,all. 7 absorbing
th,ought,tliat lu.agreal l deariSe-idiap,es atO, controls .
the •idt(010 of ;op.
" k e •.•‘• "
The obty, counterpoise to the spits tliatuftlic,t, Man
iris deneepopula ion it snake meek ol,„9, erten.
try lire, hero rip I mM 111 T9selre,94
1 city Ciuslies, incubus like, the vignr . .ctfuyo9lll, arid.
the energies of manhoorlant where children grow
u P r 094.1 viii011411%.040 ape
' 4 O t±eP,ti-tiFs:SIS-94tuF.8':8 PFPflarYinilMeXurh With
-111 /A re 'ir•P f tkq'qi 4 4lN l fl.mitulig4PFlßffthP gl.u
-ii9n4.1)411111114014 wAlk tki*.P°FPißg PR.V. B ) AO.
lits#°*o94 l ., 4.441,44,
ed lie moat of the best of man. Health„vtd, loon
mortis there his. "God made the country, and
hirtL 'PM B4PP;PtloPT9L,gitie!aqd
9°7 49 .4 0,4 3 .F0iFe4t.-4 4 ),i11M 6 .4
de t,iffVoc' , I/ , hre, M
ft!IU ille,4MPiK9ira
Pritleif i g*eteriai . and ibeequietticiad their Moilalir
I seem to corroborate the atatcment,of Mr. Atleir,
t;
MEM
MIMI
MEM
The refugefrom these,eailsi which are one of
the incidents of civilization, ism be found , iii - 7ctrir
vast public domain. ' The mit:blies ind woris that
at
aili.tel'mankni the Oh Worhar dense pupiolatiou
may. eue.day fall upon this. . t
- hat day, of course,
is far distant, and I trust in Goditmarnever come;
but it trehitlOVerilie Attiericari "letiblater *to hyok to
the, home as well sa the prese n t and jbe,Psoi.,—
While:the „Republic is. but in tlie infancy el its ex,
17 .
iatenre, int the /naming swilig lof its - day, Urns
establish a polierwhiCh wi3 c untsrae At so 'fair Co
lies in our power, these, vast e l Ili that Otier !stupid
an advancing, otvillsatton. I , t r j , , •
Let this vast domaitr, then, be set apaii andtom
secreted forever as a patrimony to . the sans of toil ',
and if die-sales mast continue, let ilieni,St le s t ast . ,he
confined to, the factual settler, sod close your land
office (Meyer against the speehlator, and thereby
prevent r the capital of the Country, intested ill MO
klnd i rif sper'nlit i tion, riot!' aboofhing the hard:ram.'
inks of labor,'WithOut rendering an equivalent. For,
while thchiborer is crushed br thioefitern estab
lished' b a the Government, which abirtroetii oil le rob
an amount f lrolvi his earnings for the be'fieffioQhe
spesulator,ln addition to all die other disadvanta-
gee ►bat ever beset tlte unequal struggle .between
the bones and sinews of men and donut' aria - rims;
teliatarinider 'lilt:that ntriiett iii t nd wad aii:lifien ail
al/us preside,,aml penury and sorrow eurrcquW hie
death-bed 1., ~, - z _
„. . ..
Mr. SMITH, of Virginia. tsroold ask the On
deman, who talks about.those who are pinched
by penury and-want, whether. the bill which is
now itetore f the (wain' ittee dries not anti* . the weal.
thiest, man in American to get ratehundred andeix
ty acres of land I Perttami he has overlooked that
fsot. • ' • • •
Mr. GROW. No . , sir; I have not. The hill
general in its prrivi.uoni. Any man who goesthere
and settlea.orma :the public dom . Wafer Me purpose
of cultivation, has secured-to:him Squatter sectien
of land.'
„,
Mr. SMITH. If a man,has ten thousand acresof
land, cannot he get one hundred suet sixty cern un
der the provisions of this bill ?I
Mr GTIOW. Certainly he can, if fleibtles on
and culti4tes it. The object / 1s the settlem ent and.
cultivation of, these lands, What matters it, (ben,
whether die settler Wretch, dr poor? lam in favor
at this pulley of disposing of the pubfie landS
. as
cotittadistitt,guished born rth others.
I am speaking of the general principles • Which_
should control in making.a full and final disposition
at these lands, and settling alpublidpolfey which'
shall take them Weyer Out lot the legislation in
Congress. Welitive innumerable bill* •piled or:
your table, and before Cungrees, for the dispositibil
a these lands to railroad companies, in order 114.1,
they may be diroWn into the Market and abOrbeil
by capital, and that in enormous quautities, , to the
injury and detriment of the labor of the contniy. 4
TICS piiblic lands 'We now ;the great fund tit' he
scrambled for, by schemes cf private
fur the benefit of companies and individuala.,Thet:
reason' would be sufficient, It there were no4itheis,
why we should fix some 'general polier that' Weida •
p0 , 1 , 1,9' this land question'foreier; and settle the : ,
way best sal m secure the real grealnesaamly
glory of the country; and. pronicite the happiness Ind
Well:trent the race:' ktitiw no th e
G l oo ll Tierytiopi4 let.k
.t0,,1 1 / 4 7 etta
anurce phtuVanee than,to any other of t & twenties.
o:Gral.4e man. Why.shouldihey•libi' tie gr:-Trett
to the actitilliettler; lit cpientitt , esi at a price
barely euttict s ut To ihe cJill of surv ey and trans:
fell and thus the ,Grol?ernmtit would ,di charge
faithfully its trustito.the citizen. While the lands
are looked-tplie9 treurcti•of revenue, Otving to the
eillected then), it,
keeps put tat ifilluomating o and we van fur upowno
revenue standard, for the mice nt insylof the amminta
derived from incidental sour+—the arninriti frO;11
the
,pubhoOrtnil* varying An tl ilierent , ylara trot" it
million to sit or seven millions: 86 , that one- year
1 ,
we 1144 tottinuetivoieedit,e 4111e'r ! ex‘ tint "enbitti,' -
owing 0 siispd'tletigt IQ i g iiialtiktifiliiii` la the
revenue ftqFP A yisuuNi6 iJet! pt t hen. cease ,tor-:
eeepte k.l a
too
a the public.) Bootee of - te.
venue, not only froih•d lie ` nai orin s g e e ithAllght-09
the citizen, but in -- o - r - der7: l illi our:l!trit! , ,,,pleT
diale*Ogine, s fo gide Ail ii s attirti tii4l#lul ihVd•
aid, and thud subject it to !esti chaageff.
~v lito,jll • .
; .
of
•,,
1
ME
• .
, f; •
f :"Dyes
,inoposs to abandon the public lautisssalsosucelet
revenue, Edo as to. makir.s necessity fors high**.
• Mre SMITH. is it 40 raise the lariffio as
Pethilylvania? „
it is try fortnuelu rePreaeal The
orilidiatrictin Pennitylvania- that, in 1846, when
the standard of the Democracy -traded iIT The 'dd'at
in every quarter iifthe State r bortiTaljth 16d ` bizii~ of
`Offi4rk!rldninif unliant'eled 'avian:mine; 4ib a t
banner, fioate,thete,M4layi. Wet.woald
iron! ol Petinsylvania, the cotton - in ilt 'of NOW' frAe.
land, and the linger Of the South, wi th atter); Odle/
„, „
interests. of ilia 'co . notty, to stand on. the same tely
tug, withimAisettmiaatioas tor the' benefit ollthe
wealthxd and section 0 - the Union. I BoAlislettat
from The didrinsion lino "%illicit I hive tie4lid
t dies rinettion of the gentleman (tort
Thetrue, polloy r it twerps to me, is io secure these
lands lathe cultivator, arr the legiimate end prOpiir
meats of individual . develqment,'i il m promel.
ing ittiotette asid,Quire uaw o u g.
Om ol,the.objecrions urged against'. this bill-try
thagentlemon from-Georgia [Mr. D
it irtakingEnopertylnrrchased by thecomiriorr
ure of the country and urine tt. Inf the tenetit al
the few. But if therm holds have reimbursed glair
cost, then you do 110 irijntime to any citizen by tide
grant, unlese it is propel for the Government ie
told theirs ai a source of revenue. By -the ro.pogs
of the Secretary 01. the Interior, it seesaw these
tan& brave-reimbursed their original ousts, and
yielded a net revenue 91;1.43,289,465...
:if, , A; 1; , , ,-.piii,-,-)Ntil
HO-.Lie i. ,
nen
Iry
EMI
=ZS
MEM
•
tanfl?' • ' ,
Mr. GROW. I am opposed to 'raising tereilai,
from the puhlio.lau tiittifiattaut and
Oleg to . the ?luxe% Anil sou .4 policy kir!ttie Goren!.
taunt, without any reference to theiariff. I any res.
111 P 'to nail *ilk the , genttemaii , horn Ylt,
an other gentletrigi, at ;my tinte,.to
tariff imilto.4osteat ',tempt point.
The enure area of ate pohbe domain ficestonelen AI about
ouo,oug . „
Its porchalie'Vialeticat2rat the rate of 14:41 Ciente per acne.
amounting go • ' - • • ••• • 1 8 67 41 1 01Mie
To that should be oddest Ike Indian) reservations, , t;
which corcr intolhe original cost. amounting,
2W3A00.7*5 totes; wnicb, srefootat SI 45 pet ,
safe, would, make . , 4,25006
Up to the 30th J hoe. Ifsl, 331.Z0 610 acres/we
Ateetilold', Kean eipenee of 2.o7'per acre mak-
- • -•.
And 18i , fi67135 acres, sold. ;ion 1 1111111111 l c;.
pease for stlfing, rd 5.. M, cents per "acre, conk-
Tlic emit?. cost (including surveying and sell
- • • -
The whole amount aceroutir from stiles up to 30th • •
June. IRI3, wee ' - ' - - 1111‘24078
tielitit;SS3.&o:4os mote tHatt Ihe coel'of the Whole, thiti Dm r
inelantra ufautvey and gale. • -
Mr: DENT. I understand the
,gentleman: Motif
to',.as..ert that the money eMleraled
Int the.putchtusest these land.haabeen refunded: FI
iihsailitlitte to have the geuttemtm explain fret*
whationtee that money came. If it came fro,'" lie
s'ple of lauds, then do not the lands remain au;
sold still helonging to the common people of this
comely. .
' Mr. GROW . they de. But tin a per
-
.„..•
son, who'hiti advanced money for epiece ,ofpro.
I ear, complain that you derive him of :a portian•of
his investment, after all the money he advsneed
bus beetirrelunded t The furthersalei of theprisjiiitt
„ ,
ty, it any, would be a speculation. And, air, jft
a Wise aniCsotind policy for the Government to,hold
these lands for such a purpose.? For after• they pass
from the 4Goventment, until settled, the Govern.
meat derives no -advantage from their sale, save
the interest on the SI 25 per acne • But by en eeL
teal settlement the occupant is constantly 'paying
revenue on the imported articles which he coed
games, while he is increasing the taxable Parpervyt
cube Stath L und adding his part to all that gives
camtott to society.: But none ot• these advantage*
result horn the lands being held by a speculator:
Mr. DENT. • llikezentlen.en will allow me 181
interrupt him ; I simply want to ask one questker;
One al the objects of the friends of this meagre
seems to keep the publio lands out of the hands of
speculators.. Now, I ask the gentleman from l'etni
sylviiniag and the friends of the triennia, how they
will keep these lands oat of the hands of specula.;
tors when the- tire years al the 'tenantry have top'
'out ,
—Mr. GROW. •The man who nu kept liie
quarter :section five years, and has soncianded it
.with the comforts of the fireside,'and has connected
with-it all the associations of home, is not likely to
leave, it unless it, be for the purpose of bettering itise
zondiiiun in some farAlistint t location. .Xhe probq,..
bilities are that it will se main in ahe hands uf.the
settler who first selectsit - for what doss the
ulator want, of cultivated lauds 1, Out even if : iliac
settler:duos sell, it would be to some one.who wautr
to:noltivate the land, and that would secure its con ? . t
tinned seitlemait and,cUltivation—the object of the,.
But the gentleman from Georgia Dir. Darr)
in favor of the most liberal bounty landlows.ftwille,
soldier. He And many others who, oppo,e this ,u*Ja ,
nre'ready,,in all eases, to vote beauties. Th e n tem ,
who „o forth af the call at . their country to uploid4 l ,
ite strunlard and vindicate its honor are
true, deserviiige.,
it is of a more rewardihan tears
the dead' But inn thanks to the living. . the tru, ha.;
ese„
here's's] is not always faund in the night. waich and
forlbrn hope of the battlefield; but in the gariet7thre;
workshop, the by-lanes of toll. and the wildernies .
hemb,ssrbere the bones and sinewsofmenare steuei
giing with. the elethenti, viitifthe tirrreletitinetifisiaf
cies of mime, and ibe equallyurnmereifut obstacles
of afairiceitlltzatlOn.: Industry-in rags, andlabor
weighe&down by , poverty, working day 1444, fate I
t o face tridn.death c yet keeping t unstainel bantts4...
gwomaoly,honar fi ghting iwitlihdiger and crus h e d
by despair, yet,keeping its heart; unsullied ; i t e m ,
cy, born in spualltd, vice _anti cradled ,iu ghastly' , a
crime. yet in manhood , aste tiott,Ant dignity of Ala
nature, . In these achieyementa, op the obseuruha.ll,T
tle7fiel4 9SPrery-day life; ti,exhatitt4 din tuaratharti.v
Manly cm rigeand •fortitude that croamttlic,Atests •
of the iented its. sut ns tttep h tiu44l ivlictiptonoun•
led on hie ?ba:rgey, c.lg i n c uous upua thel }tattle._ !
fiaaliov F the unpreldAdingPrivale_ to 14i Fanks., l o ,
these obscure soldiers ofciviliiation are passed Oy
as unheeded while living. as are their graveigehen
diad.'"Yet their' achievements, 'if not equally ,b 4 .,
bent isith those of the plumed warrior, are ett i pallit.
if iibt ' Mae 'Their achteitenielife are mptei
van of civilization, and on the footsteps
egre—iebievenernis for the great ned, perrinatientlie:
te'reitigOrmatalthid—for hie luttipitiess
cot' theliis' titilituetiote. "%While; then; pitkieS,
spirit goes forth into the wilderness, snatchink net'
'aria* fttia . 614164 arid'hequeathing tha n , *
legacy tocivilize man, let nottiveGovernineettititrita
•en nrdoe s int galley his arm •by kciatinfoitittai
places bun in the power of soulless capitalariii grensgwor
ihg sPeculatinne•fine upon hbi Alb baute4eigito.slei
sreibe - auly fan that his-own min - bean and-tight
- I
Mil
v• J ,l'
SEIM
MEI
0
=ram
is:
1
.-,l,t'
Ell
0,019,1111
. •
• 1i.8141.51
segm4ift4