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Rh ravages of this great national curse, and is all that is now wanted to avert its recurrence in new and more frightful forms in the future. The workingmen and pioneer settlers of the country, have repeatedly petitioned Congress, to enact such a law. But their prayer has been denied in every instance, while their rights have been trampled down in the interests of monopolists, whose wishes have been promptly coined into law. The Homestead act fails to meet the case. Hie right of the settler to land, free of cost, is of far less consequence, than the reservation of the public domain, for settlers only, unobstructed in the right of selection. The Homestead law is only a step in the right direction. For, while it offers homes to the poor, it does this, subject to the preferred, right of the speculator, to seize and appropriate the choice, lands in large tracts, and thus drive the pioneer further into the wilderness, and on to less desirable lands."

"Congress has granted lands in aid of Railways, and other works of internal improvement, amounting to over two hundred million acres. That these grants have done good service, in the settlement and development of the country, I don't doubt. This is not the point I am now considering, and is one aspect only of the subject. The fact to be emphasized, is, that lands just about equal in area, to the original thirteen States of the Union, have been surrendered to corporations, without any conditions or restrictions securing the rights of settlers. These corporations may sell these lands, for just such price as they please, or hold them