artisans and laborers.  The mechanic who emigrates to the West and pursues his calling must labor long before he can purchase a quarter section of land, whilst the tiller of the soil who accompanies him obtains a farm at once by the bounty of the Government.  The numerous body of mechanics in our large cities can not, even by emigrating to the West, take advantage of the provisions of this bill without entering upon a new occupation for which their habits of life have rendered them unfit.

5.  This bill is unjust to the old States of the Union in many respects; and amongst these States, so far as the public lands are concerned, we may enumerate every State east of the Mississippi with the exception of Wisconsin and a portion of Minnesota.

It is a common belief within their limits that the older States of the Confederacy do not derive their proportionate benefit from the public lands.  This is not a just opinion.  It is doubtful whether they could be rendered more beneficial to these States under any other system than that which at present exists.  Their proceeds go into the common Treasury to accomplish the objects of the Government, and in this manner all the States are benefited in just proportion.  But to give this common inheritance away would deprive the old States of their just proportion of this revenue without holding out any the least corresponding advantage.  Whilst it is our common glory that the new States have become so prosperous and populous, there is no good reason why the old States should offer premiums to their own citizens to emigrate from them to the West.  That land of promise presents in itself sufficient allurements to our young and enterprising citizens without any adventitious aid.  The offer of free farms would probably have a powerful effect in encouraging emigration, especially from States like Illinois, Tennessee, and Kentucky, to the west of the Mississippi, and could not fail to reduce the price of property within their limits.  An individual in States thus situated would not pay its fair value for land when by crossing the Mississippi he could go upon the public lands and obtain a farm almost without money and without price.

6.  This bill will open one vast field for speculation.  Men will not pay $1.25 for lands when they can purchase them for one-fifth of that price.  Large numbers of actual settlers will be carried out by capitalists upon agreements to give them half of the land for the improvement of the other half.  This can not be avoided.  Secret agreements of this kind will be numerous.  In the entry of graduated lands the experience of the Land Office justifies this objection.