Mr. KIRKWOOD. I have just sent to the committee room for some information in regard to the amount of public lands in these States, derived from the ComrGLO, and I have it here. It appears that the quantity of surveyed unsold public lands in the States named in this bill is, in Arkansas. Alabama Florida. Louisiana Total. I was, as I before said, strongly in favor of the 80 acre limitation until the suggestion to which I have alluded was made to me by the Gentfrom Florida to whom I have referred. Now, it is but a balancing of reasons whether we shall fix it at 80 acres or 160 acres. There is, however, one consideration which operates very much upon my mind: whatever we do here, unfortunately, is misrepresented among the people to be affected by this bill. There are men who make it. their business to misrepresent all we do, and to give to it not only the worst possible construction, but constructions wholly impossible. Now, if we make a distinction between the amount of the homestead in these States and the amount of the homestead in other States, that fact will be seized upon by this class of men to further prejudice these people against our action here. That is the reason why I should be willing to see the limitation of 80 acres stricken out, and 160 acres inserted in lieu of it. Another reason operating on my mind is that this limitation will really tend, or may at least tend, to retard immigration to these States of persons from other States, a thing that I much desire to see. I am strongly impressed with the belief that we had better leave the amount of the homestead in these States precisely as it is in the other States, making no distinction between these and the other States, and then there will be no cause for complaint. I fully concur in the propriety of withholding the public lands from sale in the Sta 1.3 named, and allowing them to be taken only s homestends. We all know there are large amounts of land scrip now in circulation; and as soon as the land offices in those States are opened again, the best of the lands will be swallowed up in la e amounts by persons holding this scrip, an the poor men of that region will not be able to get hold of the lands. I will vote for the bill either with the 80 or the 160 acre limitation; but I think it would be better for us to leave the homesteads in these States at 160 acres, as in the other States.