PART XII. Democratic Responsibility for and From the preceding tabulations it will be seen that, even during the period of depression recently passed, the condition and wages of American labor were far superior to the condition and wages of foreign labor, and that the wages of the American laborer were far greater in 1874, when the Republicans were in full power, than in 1860, when the Democrats had full sway. It must be remembered that when the Democrats regained partial control of the government by securing a majority of the House of Representatives, through bulldozing and tissue ballots in the South, and under the sham cry of "economy in the North, they at once commenced the work of dragging down the American laborer-the "mudsill," as they termed him. They have made more than one desperate effort to destroy the tariff in the interest of foreign manufacturers and importers, and against the interests of home manufacturers and the laborers in their employ. Their efforts to defeat resumption, their tariff-tinkering, their "cheeseparing" policy of cutting down both the pay and the number of the poor government laborers and clerks-inaugurated five years ago, when the control of the House passed to them—and which led to the throwing out of numberless thousands of deserving workingmen and workingwomen from employment in all our cities and towns, have caused most of the distress which in recent years has afflicted this land. Despite all this, however, the wages of labor in this country-owing mainly to the firm attitude of the Republican administration and the Republican party in Congress at this time, and in all of even the worst years with which Democratic folly and wickedness has afflicted us of late years, compares favorably both with foreign wages of labor, and with the low wages which labor could earn under full Democratic rule in 1860. PART XIII. come Comparative Prosperity The annual report of the Agricultural Department just completed-on farm labor and wages-states that: "The decline which had been steadily going on since 1873 till last year seems to have been arrested, and there is a decided advance in almost every section; the average wage of labor engaged by the year or season, and which represents the steady and trustworthy force on the farms, was for the whole country last year The cost $20.26 a month without board. This year it is $21.75, -Democratic scoffs at the "mudsills The Republican party has always believed in and acted upon a humanitarian creed. They have believed that business could be transacted as correctly by men with human sympathies as by those who sneered at what they termed "sentimentalism." The Democratic leaders have always scoffed at the idea that Government should, even incidentally, consider the woes and sufferings of the multitude; or, as a Democratic Senator once termed them, "the mudsills of society"-a term of approbrium which at the last session of Congress was again scornfully revived by a Democratic representative from Kentucky. The Republican party has cherished the free school system, where the workingman's children are freely educated, and thus afforded an opportunity of elevating themselves in after life to place and power in both social and political spheres. The Democratic party has not been kindly to that free school system. Democratic nostrums-What workingmen of remaining problems, and to co-operate in think of them—Republican efforts to solve the labor problem. Many nostrums are prescribed by Democratic quacks to remedy the ills to which labor is sometimes subjected in its struggle with capital. These are rejected by the workingmen themselves. The Republican party has no infallible plan to propose; but it points to what it has already done to bring about good times, and calls on the laboring men themselves to set their best minds to work to co-operate with it in reaching a true solution the selection of candidates for place in the National Councils and in the White House. Farmers, miners, mechanics, workingmen, and the sons of workingmen, have sat in the Senate and House of Representatives and in the Presidential chair by Republican suffrages. They know, from all past experience, that in the Republican party, if they cannot always get relief when it is needed, they are at least certain to find sincere desire and honest effort to elevate humanity and help the laboring interest. "Public land for actual settlers."-National Democratic Platform of 1880. PART I. The Great Question of the The Public Domain. Durfee, Foster, Geddings, Goodwin, Granger, Grow, R. B. Hall, Harlan, T. L. Harris, Hickman, Hoard, HorDay-gore, Knapp, Leach, Lovejoy, Mason, Morgan, Isaac N. ton, Howard, G. W. Jones, Kellogg, Kelly, Kelsey, KilMorris, F. H. Morse, Palmer, Parker, Pettit, Pike, Potter, Ritchie, Royce, A. Shaw, J. Sherman, J. W. Sherkins, Wade, Walbridge, Walton, C. C. Washburn, Ē. man, Spinner, W. Stewart, Tappan, G. Taylor, TompB. Washburne, Israel Washburn-73. In 1858 it was estimated that there were within the States and Territories 1,000,000,000 acres of the public lands unentered. The great question of the day was : "What shall be done with this immense domain? Shall it be open to monopoly by speculators, be used to build up a landed aristocracy, or shall it be reserved to actual settlers at a nominal price, or without price?" The Republicans proposed to solve the problem by practical legisÎation in favor of our landless people. NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Atkins, Avery, Barksdale, Bishop, Bocock, Boyce, Branch, Bryant, Burnett, Burns, Caruthers, J. B. Clark, Clay, Clemens, Clingman, Cobb, John Cochrane, Cockrill, Crawford, Davidson, Davis (Ind.), Debrart, Dowdell, Edmunson, English, Foley, Garnett, Gartrell, Gillis, Goode, Greenwood, Gregg, L. W. Hall, Hawkins, Houston, Hughes, Jackson, Jewett, J. G. Jones, Owen Jones, Lawrence, Leidy, Leiter, Letcher, McQueen, MARSHALL, MAYNARD, Millson, Niblack, Nichols, Peyton, Phelps, Powell, READY, Reagan, Reilly, Ruffin, Rus sell, Sandige, Savage, Scales, Seward, Shorter, Sickles, Singleton, S. A. Smith, Stallworth, Stephens, TRIPPE, UNDERWOOD, Watkins, White, WOODSON, Wortendyke, A. R. Wright, J. V. Wright, ZOLLICOFFER-78. The Republicans attempt to flank the land sharks, to discourage speculation, and secure to the poor settler ten years or more to pay for his farm from proceeds of soil Pre-emption bill of 1859-Grow's amend-Are defeated by the Democracy. At the first session of Thirty-fifth Congress Mr. Grow, of Pennsylvania, a member of the House, introduced into that body the following bill for the protection of actual settlers on the public domains: The Grow bill-The vote defeating it. Be it enacted, etc., That from and after the first day of September, A. D. 1858, no public lands shall be exposed to sale by proclamation of the President until the same shall have been surveyed, and the return thereof in the land office for at least ten years. This bill gave to the settler ten years precedence over the speculator, but it was defeated by the following vote (Republicans in roman, Democrats in italics, South Americans in small caps): YEAS-Messrs. Abbott, Adrian, Andrews, Bennett, Bingham, Blair, Bliss, Brayton, Buffinton, Burlingame, Case, E. Clark, H. F. Clark, Clawson, Colfax, Comins, Cox, Cragin, James Craig, Burton Craige, Curtis, Damrell, Davis (Mass.), Davis (Iowa), Dean, Dick, Dodd, ment carried. Again, on the 20th of January, 1859, in the House, a bill reported from the Committee on Public Lands, relating to pre-emptions, Mr. Grow, of Pennsylvania, moved to amend by adding the following section: Be it further enacted, That from and after the passage of this act no public land shall be exposed to sale, by proclamation of the President, unless the same shall have been surveyed and the return of such survey duly filed in the Land Office for ten years or more before such sale. that of the bill of the previous session, was to The practical effect of this amendment, like give to the pre-emptor, the actual settler, ten years' precedence of the speculator, and to protect him from the enormous usury of the money sharks, in borrowing from whom he was frequenty compelled to heavily mortgage his land. The amendment was opposed by the Southern landed Democracy, the slaveholding aristocracy, which, prior to 1861 as now, dominated the Democratic party. It was moved that the bill and amendment be consigned to "the tomb of the Capulets," as the Committee of the Whole was familiarly and aptly termed. That motion was defeated by a vote of '92 to 90, and the House was forced to a direct vote on Mr. Grow's amendment. The amendment was carried by yeas 97, nays 81, as follows: YEAS-Andrews, Atkins, Avery, Bennett, Billinghurst, Bingham, Blair, Bliss, Brayton, Buffington, Burlingame, Burroughs, Cavanaugh, Chaffee, Chapman, Clark, John Cochrane, Cockerill, Colfax, Comins, Covode, Cragin, Curtis, Davis, of Mass., Davis, of Iowa, Dawes, Dean, Dodd, Durffee, Edie, Farnsworth, Fenton, Florence, Foster, Giddings, Gilman, Gooch, Granger, Grow, Hall, Harlan, Hoard, Horton, Howard, Jewett, Jones, Keim, Kellogg, Kelsey, Kilgore, Knapp, Lawrence, Leach, Leiter, Lovejoy, Matteson, Miller, Morgan, Morrill, Morris, F. H. Morse, O. A. Morse, Mott, Murray, Olin, Palmer, Parker, Pettit, Phelps, Phillips, Pike, Potter, Purviance, Ritchie, Robbins, Royce, Savage, John Sherman, Jno. W. Sherman, Spinner, Stanton, Stevenson, Stewart, Talbot, Tappan, Thayer, Thompson, Tompkins, Wade, Walbridge, Waldron, Walton, C. C. Washburn, E. B. Washburne, I. Washburn, Jr., Wilson, Wood-97. NAYS-Ahl, ANDERSON, Arnold, Bocock, Bonham, Bowie, Boyce, Branch, Burnett, Burns, Caruthers, Caskie, Clark, Cobb, Cox, James Craig, Burton Craige, Craw, ford, Curry, J. G. Davis, Reuben Davis, Dewart, DodellEustis, Faulkner, Foley, Garnett, Gartrell, GILMOR, Goode, Gregg, Hall, Hawkins, Hodges, Hopkins, Houston, Hughes Huyler, Jackson, Leidy, McQueen, McRae, Marshall, Maynard, Miles, Millson, Montgomery, Moore, Pendleton, Phelps, Powell, READY, Reagan, Ruffin, Russell, Sandidge, Scales, Scott, Searing, Seward, A. Shaw, H. M. Shaw, Shorter, Singleton, R. Smith, S. A. Smith, Stallworth, Stephens, Stewart, Taylor, TRIPPE, UNDERWOOD, Vallandigham, VANCE, Watkins, Whiteley, Winslow, WOODSON, Wortendyke, Wright, Zollicoffer-81. The bill as amended, defeated by the Democrats. But the bill as amended was defeated by a vote of 95 nays to 91 yeas, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Andrews, Bennett, Bingham, Blair, Bliss, Brayton, Buffinton, Burlingame, Burroughs, Cavanaugh, Chaffee, E. Clark, Jr., H. F. Clarke, Clauson, C. B. Cochrane, John Cochrane, Colfax, Comins, Covode, Cox, Cragin, Curtis, HENRY W. DAVIS, T. Davis, of Mass, T. Davis, of Iowa, Dawes, Dean, Dick, Dodd, Durfee, Edic. Farnsworth, Fenton, Foster, Giddings, Gooch, Granger, Grow, L. W. Hall, R. B. Hall, Harlan, Hatch, Hoard, Horton, Howard, Keim, Kellogg, Kelsey, Kilgore, Knapp, Leach, Leiter, Lovejoy, Matteson, Miller, Morgan, Morrill, Ed. J. Morris, I. N. Morris, F. H. Morse, O. A. Morse, Mott, Murray, Olin, Palmer, Parker, Pettit, Phelps, Pike, Potter, Purviance, Ritchie, Robbins, Royce, John Sherman, Spinner, Stanton, Stewart, Tappan, Thayer, Thompson, Tompkins, Wade, Walbridge, Waldron, Walton, C. C. Washburn, E. B. Washburne, I. Washburne, Jr., Wilson, Wood-91. NAYS-Messrs. Ahl, ANDERSON, Arnold, Atkins, Avery, Barksdale, Bocock, Bonham, Bowie, Boyce, Bryan, Burnett, Burns, Caruthers, Caskie, Chapman, J. B. Clark, Clay, Cobb, Cockerill, Corning, James Craig, Burton Craige, Crawford, J. G. Davis, Reuben Davis, Dewart, Dowdell, Edmunson, Elliott, Fiorence, Foley, Garnett, Gartrell, GILMER, Goode, Greenwood, Gregg, Groesbeck, Hawkins, Hopper, Houston, Hughes, Huyler, Jackson, Jewett, G. W. Jones, O. Jones, Leidy, McQueen, McRae, H. MARSHALL, S. S. Marshall, Mason, MAYNARD, Millson, Montgomery, Moore, Pend-eton, Peyton, Phelps, Phillips, Powell, READY, Reagan, RICAUD, Ruffin, Russell, Sandidge, Savage, Scales, Searing, A. Shaw, H. M. Shaw, Shorter, Singleton, Smith, Stallworth, Stephens, Stevenson, Stewart, Talbott, G. Taylor, M. Taylor, TRIPPE, UNDERWOOD, Vallandigham, VANCE, Watkins, White, Whiteley, Winslow, WOODSON, Wright, ZOLLICOFFER-95. The Republicans voted unanimously for the amendment, as they did for the bill as amended. Every Southern member except two, Mr. Blair, of Missouri, and Henry Winter Davis, of Maryland, voted solidly against the bill as amended. Only eight Democrats, Northern Democrats of the Douglas school, dared to support the bill as amended, with their votes; and the character of the opposition is exposed in the indignant criticism of Mr. Cavanaugh, of Minnesota, a Douglas Democrat. He said: "I say it frankly-I say it in sorrow-that it was to the Republican side of this House to whom we were compelled to look for support of this just and honorable measure. Gentlemen from the South, gentlemen who have broad acres and white plantations, aided here today by their votes more to make Republican States in the North than by any vote which has been cast within the last two years. These gentlemen come here and ask us to support the South; yet they, to a man almost, vote against the free, independent labor of the North and West." Mr. Cavanaugh declared that he had "inherited his Democracy;" that he had been a "Democrat from his boyhood;" that he "believed in the great truths as enunciated by the fathers of the faith,'" and "cherished them religiously." He added: "But, sir, when I see Southern gentlemen come up as they did to-day, and refuse by their votes to aid my constituents-refuse to place the actual tiller of the soil, the honest, industrious laborer beyond the grasp and avarice of the speculator, I tell you, sir, I falter-I hesitate !" PART II. The Republicans Demand “Free Homesteads for Actual Settlers on the Public Domain”—The Vote by which they Carried it— Wm. H. English's Vote. On the 1st of February, 1859, H. R. 72, "to secure homesteads to actual settlers," which had been referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and reported from that Committee January 26, 1859, by Mr. Kelsey, came up for action.-The Democracy attempted to defeat it, even to prohibit all discussion of its merits, by parliamentary strategy. A motion to lay on the table was lost by a vote of nays 113, to years 71, and the House was forced to a direct vote. The bill was then passed-yeas 120, nays 76, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Abbott, Adrian, Andrews, Barr, Billing, hurst, Bingham, Bishop, Bliss, Brayton, BuffintonBurlingame, Burns, Burroughs, Case, Cavanaugh, Chaf fee, E. Clark, Clawson, C. B. Cochrane, John Cochrane, Cockerill, Colfax, Comins, Corning, Covode, Cox, Cragin, James Craig, Curtis, John G. Davis, T. Davis, of Mass, T. Davis, of Iowa, Dawes, Dean, Dick, Dodd, Durfee, Farnsworth, Fenton, Florence, Foley, Foster, Giddings, Gillman, Gooch, Goodwin, Granger, Gregg, Groesbeck, Grow, L. W. Hall, R. B. Hall, Harlan, Haskin, Hatch, Hickman, Hoard, Hodges, Horton, Howard, Jewett, G.W. James, Keim, Kellogg, Kelsey, Kilgore, Knapp, Kunkell, Lawrence, Leach, Leiter, Lovejoy, Maclay, McKib ben, Matteson, Miller, Morgan, Morrill, Ed. J. Morris, I. N. Morris, F. H. Morse, O. A. Morse, Murray, Oliv, Palmer, Parker, Pendleton, Pettit. Phelps, Phillips, Pike, Potter, Pottle, Purviance, Reilly, Robbins, Roberts, Royce, Russell, Scott, John Sherman, Smith, Spinner, Stanton, William Stewart, Tappan, Taylor, Thayer, Walton, Ward, C. C. Washburn, E. B. Washburne, L. Tompkins, Vallandigham, Wade, Walbridge, Waldron, Washburn, Wilson, Wortendyke-120. |