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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1854
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necessary to carry the provisions into effect be appropriated out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated." A fierce debate ensued, T. J. Rusk, of Texas, James A. Pearce, of Mary- land, and Charles E. Stuart of Michigan, being the chief participants, Rusk taking the ground that all clerks of equal rank should receive equal pay. .REMARKS CONCERNING THE HOMESTEAD BILL, JULY 30, 1854 1 I voted against the postponement of the bill with the hope that either the substitute, proposed by the gentleman from Virginia [James M. Mason], or by the gentleman from Mississippi [Albert G. Brown], will be brought forward by the friends of the bill. I am prepared to vote for either of them with slight modifica- tions, as I think them more acceptable than the bill in its present form. I wish to give my aid to the contemplated measure so as to effect a graduation of the public lands. I am willing to go very far to accomplish that object, and I hope the particular advocates of this measure will bring forward one of these propo- sitions and let us proceed with it, and get to the end of the subject. [Several hours later in the debate.] I cannot, Mr. President, vote for that amendment; and the reason that presents itself to me at the outset is, that it will have a tendency to defeat the particular object of the homestead hill, at the same time that it will throw the public lands into the hands of speculators exclusively. If you make the scrip assign- able, and affix no condition to the acquiring of a right to the public domain, you place in the hands of speculators, and within the power of speculation, an amount of public domain which has not heretofore fallen a sacrifice to the avarice of men. [Statements by other Senators.] I understand, then, Mr. President, that the scrip would· be utterly valueless if the conditions had not been complied with by the assignee of the grantee. Then, it would be utterly value- less, unless that individual had predetermined to go there and locate; and if he did do that, he could obtain it without purchase; so that really this scrip, in the hands of the grantee, would be utterly valueless. It would not be worth one cent. It is utterly impossible, sir, to guard the grants of this Government, where speculation is also rife, against some contrivance or other by which they will circumvent the objects of legislation. We know the influence that combinations and large associations have; and this amendment would suggest and give a hot-house growth to
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