The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-02 00:00:00

district and a port of entry. Mr. Haight offered a
resolution looking to the removal of obstructions
from the Delaware river, between Bordentown and
Trenton. The Georgia Bill was discussed, and Mr.
Butler said he would soon bring the condition of
Tennessee also before the House. Mr. Farnsworth
opposed the bill. The House adjourned, to continue
discussion next day, and with the understanding
that Mr. Butler would call a vote upon it on Monday.
March s—The House was occupied by discussion
of the Georgia Bill, which was opposed by Messrs.
Farnsworth, lildiidge, Beck, Bird, and Kerr, and
advocated by Mr. Lawrence. March 7—Bills w, re
introduced by Mr. Wells, to reclaim swamp lands
in the Mississipti Valley, and to promote tile com-
merce of the North-west; by Mr. M'Crary, in re-
ference to the Census, and to provide additional
represen.a.ion in the next Congress ; by Mr. Tan-
ner, to punish the counterfeiting of designs and
models of manufactures ; by Mr. Pierce, to re-
move political dis Abilities from the people' of Mis-
sissippi ; by Mr. Judd, to relieve shipbuilders ; and
by Mr. Sheldon, to cancel and discontinue suits
against Government officers whose funds were taken
from them at the breaking out of the rebellion.
Mr. Clarke, of Kansas, offered a resolution looking
to the abrogation of the treaties with the Che-
rokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Creek Indians,
and establishment of a Territorial Government
over them, which was referred. Mr. Washington,
of Wisconsin, offered a resolution, authorizing the
Select Committee on Postal Telegraphy to examine
the whole subject of telegraphing, with power to
send for persons and papers, and moved the pre-
vious question. The House refused the previous
question—yeas 41, nays 75—and the resolution
laid over. On the motion of Mr. Churchill, the
President was asked for information as to whether
steps have been taken to protect American fishing
interests in Canadian waters. Mr. Butler, of Mas-
sachusetts, introduced a bill to remedy defects in
the administration of certain customs and revenue
laws. Mr. Kellogg, of Connecticut, desired to offer
a resolution for repeal or reduction of the income
tax, but objection was made. Mr. Stokes offered a
resolution to allow Mr. Gol'aday to withdraw his
resignation, but the Speaker decided that Golladay
was no longer a member, and asked whether the
House would entertain the question as one of pri-
vilege. The House refused to do so, without a
division, and the resolution was not received. On
the motion of Mr. Davis, of New York, the Judi-
ciary Committee were then instructed to report a
rule to be observed, when a member present dur-
ing the session resigns his seat without consent of
the House. The Georgia Bill was considered. Mr.
Paine offered an amendment that nothing in the
bill be construed to prolong or renew the terms of
the Georgia Representatives. Mr. Bingham of-
fered another amendment providing that nothing
in it shall vacate any office now held in Georgia,
nor extend the terms of officers, nor prevent the
people from electing members of the Legislature
in 1870. March B—Mr. Julia's, from the Public
Lands Committee, reported a bill to prevent the
further disposal of public lands in Dakota, except
under the Homestead laws and those relating to
mineral lands and town sites. An amendment, ex-
tending the provisions of the bill to the whole
country was adopted, and the bill was then rejected
—the yeas being 76, and the nays 90. Mr. Rogers
called the attention of the Speaker to a violation of
the rules, saying that he was constantly annoyed
by railroad and other lobby agents. The Speaker
thereupon directed the doorkeeper to enforce the rule
excluding unprivileged persons from the House. The
Georgia Bill wastaken up, and Mr. Bingham's amend -
ment to prevent the vacation of offices or extension of
terms of office beyond the constitutional limit was
adopted, and the bill passed by a party vote. One
Republican member, Mr. Farnsworth, of Illinois,
did not vote. Mr. Laflin, from the Printing Com-
mittee, reported a joint resolution for the discon-
tinuance of the publication of abstracts of specifica-
tions and engravings accompanying the Patent
Report. Mr. Benjamin, from the Invalid Pension
Committee, reported a bill providing that the Pen-
sion Acts of 1866 and 1868 shall not be construed
to diminish the pensions granted by special bills.
Mr. Stevenson, of (Akio, offered a resolution, which
was referred, appropriating $lOO,OOO for another
Arctic expedition under Capt. Hall. Adjourned.

INCREASE OF MOISTURE ON THE

FLATNS

The Inland Empire is responsible for the follow.
ing remarkable statements :—" For some time pas
there has been a queseion before the people of this
basin and of the plains east of the Rucky Mountains
that has as yet failed to be s etisfactorily answeiel
It is--Why are the streams carrying more water
than in former years? The great plains are fast
losing their arid nature, and through them are run-
ning streams in places where twenty years ago there
was not a drop of water; and where at that time
there were small streams they are very much en-
larged. In many cases this change has been of
great value, as it has given to the traveller a supply
of water that had previously been denied. When the
first emigrants crossed the plains to California the
great objection urged to the trip was the scarcity of
water on the greater part of the route. Within a few
years this has been all changed, and in the beds of
old streams that were dry when first found there is
now water for all the purposes required. The
Laramie plains are not now destitute of water,
whereas some years ago there was none, and tra-
vellers had to carry water when passing over thew.
There can be no doubt that for the last ten years
there has been a continual increase of water through-
out the whole desert country between the Missouri
and the 'Sierra Nevada. The Arkansas was dry
in 1862 from the Pawnee Fork to the Cimaron
Crossing, and previous to that time the Pecos was
dried up, so that at many places the inhabitants
were obliged to dig for water, and the Moro Val-
ley and Plains were at that time almost destitute
of vegetation. Now the vegetation is luxuriant,
and it is one of the best wheat -growing sec-
tions. Denver was built on the banks of an
extinct creek, which, it was supposed, would remain
dry, but after the settlement, to the astonishment
of the people, it became quite a stream, and is now
crossed by bridges. Thefluerfano, the Roys Pecos,
and others that were dry during the summer months
ten years ago, are now constantly running in fair
streams. We are satisfied that along the whole line
of the Union Pacific Railroad there is much more
moisture in the air now than there was only a few
years since. Again, Salt Lake is seven feet higher
than it was ten years ago, and is constantly rising;
. and it has been urged by those who have paid at-
tention to the subject that the rise of water there
would produce a solution of the Mormon ques-
tion before Congress would act upon it. W hen
the Salt Lake shall rise a few feet higher, we shall
look for its overflow to reach the Shell creek range,
as evidently at one time water did cover what is
now only an arid valley, not direct in its course,
but cut up with ranges; still the continued val-
ley can be traced. This great increase of water
will work a great revolution in the opinions of
people as to the capacity of the great plains for
agricultural purposes. The only reason why it has
been supposed the great plains cannot be made into
good farms has been the lack of water and timber,
as the land in richness has no superior. The increase
of water of which we have spoken will do away
with one objection, and the discovery of coal over a
distance east of Salt Lake for over 600 milos will
obviate the other. The man who travels over the
Union Pacific Roads twenty-five years • from this
time will find that the sage brush has given way
to crops of all kinds growing in the greatest luxu-
riance, and that the sturdy farmers with happy
homes have taken the place of the wandering Red
men. In our own State this increase of moisture
has been noticed, and the old settlers do not hesi-
tate to say that in many places the streams have
increased more than one-fourth in size during the
past five years, and in some places where there was
DO water then, there is now small but constantly
running streams."

In his eulogy at the funeral of George Peabody"
Mr. Robert C. Winthrop remarked that several years ago
Mr. Peabody, in reply to Mr. Winthrop's amazement at the
extent of his charitable plans, said : "Why, Mr. Winthrop,
this is no new idea to me. Fran► the earliest years of my
manhood I have contemplated some such disposition of
my property; and I have prayed my Heavenly Father,
day by day, that I might be enabled, before I died, to
show my gratitude for the blessings which He has bestowed
upon me by doing some great good to my fellow-man."
JOURNALISM.---A semimonthly German comic
paper is published in Cincinnati.—T ho Bidfido Commercial
Advertiser has published the Zion. D. S. Benuett's com-
plaint in a libel suit against that paper for $lO,OOO
damages, together with its answer, which reaffirm:4 all
the previous charges, and gives additional charges, with
dates and particular circumstances. The defendant waived
the usual legal delay for preparation, and challenged Bon-
i nett to a triaJ ou the orating of the Quurt.