The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-08-04

routes proposed in the third district OF Louisiana
From yekshuig. MissssiPpl. by Wslnut and Round.
away bsyous, across ren-ss aid bayou Mscon to MOB
From Hsuisonburg BY Funns Louis and Dugdemo-
VA. Ia Nalchtoches. % Ns IL
From v,cksburg. Mississippi, by Now Carthage, Har-
dy Hills. B9uf Prairie. and Columbia. 10 Dugdemons
From Shreveport, by Epps settlement and Csddo
Prairie, to Long Prs RE. Arkansas.
From Alexandra by Hneslon, 70 Jenkins q Drod-
dye ferry The Sabine river.
FROM Nstchtoches 10 Grand Cane.
These routes were Included IN general bill es,ab-
fishing between four aud five hundred new routes IN
different States. M
The surprise OF many members can scarcely he ms-
gined when letter from the Postmaster General was
presented in the House, alleging want Of funds to put
the proposed routes ~ operation, and calling on Con
gress. II they passed the bill 10 make appropriation
out OF the Treasury TO paw the expenses Of them An
appropriation Of $500 900 asked for the pur-
pose, The excess Of revenue the expenditure IN
1887 gone! The surplus Of $500, 900 had vanish
ed !! The bill finally passed the House, with M APP
preparation Of S220.000, us well as now recoee to
be paid out Of the Post Office fund ia the Treasury.
Here pot into another exhausted receiver and fur
lhcr provision had 10 be nade. This the Senate effect
ed When the bill went that body, il passed with
clause releasing The Postmaster General from the
cessiy of putting Of the routes IN operation until
July. 1882 unless contractors could be Obtained 10
~ the mail for The hostages that might them
This is specimen Of the management Of Department
of the Government that has generally been supposed
be conducted with skill aud cconnmy than any
other aud believe il is You may judge how The
others managed IL this is the best IF ] we're TO
enter into examination Of the abuses in the various
departments Of the Government, should have write
volume Instead Of letter.
An appropriations Of $4,000 to complete the reno
val Of the raft IN Red made several months
past Within tho last few days Of the session, bill
containing various appropriations for the Improvement
Of harbors and rivers passed the House Of Represents
tives IN was appropriation OF $4,000 10 commune
he Improvement Of ths narigaion Of Red rrer. That
clause was stricken out in the Senate, and though
sisted by my colleague GoyerDor Johnsonl and myself,
was concurred 10 by the House.
An appropriation Of $4,000 made for the purpose
OF placing buoys at the entrance aud through the chan
mel Of the Atchafaaya hay; another OF SsS00O in adj
don to the already appropriated, for completing
the lighthouse at The entrance into Verniliou
bay; an appropriation Of 81 500 was also made for
survey Of the coast from the mouth Of the Mississippi to
the Sabine river. Another bull, containing appTopra-
tons for making surveys Of different rivers aud bays in
State aud elsewhere, under consideration the
House; but, ~ consequence OF The advanced period oil
the session, and the exhausted state OF the Treasury
was postponed until the next session Appropriations
for various purposes IN the other districts made,
but o. them it is not necessary speak this place.
A bill TO graduate the price Of the public lands passed
the Senate but not acted ON in the House Of Re-
representatives. II is much to bc regretted that differ.
sure, to the scale Of graduation, have prevented
hearty cooperation among them. One portion dis
posed TO favor the principle Of reducing the price ac-
cordng To the number OF years the land has been sub
Ject TO private entry; another class prefer fixing the
price according the quality of the land This
TO be the most reasonable, and prefer il. BIT the
great misfortune is we have in Congress- too many
small politicians who upon almost every measure
to effect party objects. either in the House Senate
ia their respective sections OF county, and this PROPOSE
hast limos
or political caste. There many members Of all po-
lca parties that sustain the principle Of this hill and
others that as honestly oppose il; but, in consequences
Of tho aspect 1t has almost uniformly assumed, it has
not met with the cordial support il merits.
A bill granting the right Of presumption to settlers
briefly as follows Every actual settler the public
land, being The head Of family, or over twcntyone
years Of age, who was in possession and housekeeper
by personnel residence thereon the time Of tho pss
sage Of the act and for four months preceding.
entitled 10 purchase, at the rate Of dollar and twenty
five cents per acre, quantity not exceeding quarter
section. The hill became law on the 22d day Of June
last II two or more persons are settled ON the same
qssrter secti they -ns.s tagether, aid en-
titled any foat right enter L esewhere The III
continues ia force years. unless the Government shall
think proper offer the lands for sale before that time
in which all those having prescription rights in tho
townships advertised must establish them and pay for
the land before the public sales; Otherwise may be
sold aud the right forfeited. II is important that this
provIson Of The law should be remembered, there
are numl,er Of townships advertised for sale in
October next. and havc doubt large quantity Of
public land will be offered for sale in the course Of the
ensuing winter spring The townships to be sold at
Monroe in the parish Of Ouacha, the first Monday
in October. Nos 5 and Is north, in range No. IL
cast aud Nos. Is aud i6 north, in range No 10 east
The fnal disposition Of the public lands within the
limits Of the States is interesting and highly i'm
porant question. That something ought 10 be done,
aud must be, is evident to all The public domain has
for long time pas, been and continues to be- capital
on which politicians tradeI mean politically. Various
| schemes are proposed and advocated by some oil our
most patriotic public either OF temporary or per-
manent character but whenever any proposition
has under consideration it has heen opposed by
the advocates Of all the others ccsslon Of the lands
TO the States within which they lie, appears simple
measure but considerable difficulty about the
terms. All the other States have an interest in this
great national property, aud very naturally desire have
a voice in its disposition but it appears some Of
them do not know what TO do with it. They will
neither sell 1t, give II away, nor use It themselves
What the final result will be, this time. exceeds any
human calculation, though something ought 10 he done,
if only TO withdraw from the General Government the
extensive and dangerous Of patronage the pre-
sent system affords
proposition TO increase the army Of the United
States rought forward at early period Of the
session, and finally passed The bill came from the
Senate and proposed TO increase the rank and file Of
about double the present number. his DID not oo
Ject TO on the contrary. was strongly in favor OF
large increase ofthe efficient force Of the army but it
also proposed TO add very largely the staff de-
| partment. TINS | considered unnecessary. do not
recolcct precisely the number Of officers propos-
ed to add, from the rank OF colonel down the lowest
grade the service but the number not far from
one hundred When the bill came the House, twas
| referred to tho Committee OIL Military Affairs, which
body proposed to amend it in many particulars. Upon
some alleged principles Of utility aud economy ihatI
never could understand, they proposed TO reduce the
nu,,her If the rank aud file greatly rea