Mr. KIRKWOOD. The chairman of the committee has stated very correctly the idea of the committee in reporting the bill as it stands; and yet, since the bill has been reported by the committee, I have been induced somewhat to change my own opinion upon this point, not for the reasons alluded to by the Senfrom Indiana, but for others that I will now state. Since the bill was reported I have lind a conversation with a Gentfrom Florida, which is one of the States included in this bill. He suggested to me this idea, which seems to me to be reasonable: he sa 5 that if we restrict the amount of a homestead in those States to 80 acres, leaving the amount of a homestead in other States at 160 acres, our action will tend to divert immi gration from the States named. For instance, the commissioner of immigration of Iowa, if we have such an officer, is in NewYork, and there is a similar officer or agent there from FlOrida, each eiideavoring to induce immigration to his State. The agent of Iowa says to the immigrant, “ Ifyou go to Iowa you can get a homestead of 160 acres of the public land;” and the agent of Florida says, “If you come to Florida you can get a homestead of 80 acres of the public land, and only that much.” The result. as he argued and it seemed to me very forcibly argued would be that immigrants seeking homesteads would go to those States in which they could secure 160 acres of land, and would pass by those State in which they could get only 80 acres of land. This argument, when presented to me, struck me very forcibly. Although I may not agree with some Senators in regard to some matters concerning these seceded States, I certainly do not desire to do them any injustice; I do not desire to take any action that will injure their material interests, and I am strongly inclined, for the reason stated by me, to:1 recwith the Senfrom Indiana that it won d not be good policy to restrict the homesteads in these States to 80 acres. If we do so it will certainly give to those States where there arepublic lands in which the homestead is not restricted the advantage of inducing immigrants to go to those States, and it will tend to keep emigration from the States named in this bill. For this reason, therefore, although I felt otherwise in committee, I am now strongly disposed to favor the amendment offered by the Senfrom Indiana. I think it would be but fair to these States.