The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-06-16

by said Commission; also, whether any facts have
come to his knowledge calculated to induce belief
that any claims have been rejected in consequence OF
the evidence thereof having been withheld by the
Mexican Government, its officers or agents.
The PRESIDENT pro tenn. announced the first bu-
siness in order to be the resolution OF the Senator
from Maryland (Mr Merrck) with regard to the dis
position OF papers in relation to pending nominations
before the Senate.
Mr.. LINN remarked that the Senator was not pre-
SENT and at his suggestion the resolution was passed
over.
The bill providing for an armed occupation of Flo
rida taken up for consideration when
MIR. McROBERTS submitted amendment, to
come in after the provision giving arms to young
men, viz:
Propided That the arms hereby allowed shall only
be given to young men under the age OF twenty-one
years, and shall not be sold disposed of by them
during the term of five years. subject to be taken
in execution; and if lost or destroyed shall be re-
placed Immediately by the settler at his own expense
On the question being taken, the amendment was
agreed to-
Mr. SMITH, of Indiana, proposed an amendment
to come in immediately after the 9th line, as fol-
lows:
"And where two or more persons have settled on
the quarter section before the lands shall have
been surveyed, the same shall be divided between
them, and the deficiency made up to each out of con-
tiguous vacant land, but wlfu intruder upon the
known claim of another shall be entitled to any bene-
fit under this act, and in all cases of settlement on
surveyed lands the first settler shall be entitled to
preference in the entry. And should any part OF
section sixteen, which is reserved from the opera
ton of this act be selected by any settler it shall be
lawful for him, soon as the same may be ascer-
tanned by the survey, to locate like quantity Of any
other vacant land lying south of said township in lieu
thereof And in all cases of claims for bounty lands
under the provisions of this act it shall be the duty OF
the person claiming the same, within six months after
the expiration of the year allowed for settlement
of the lands shall have been surveyed if not within
six months next after they shall have been surveyed
to file with the register of the proper land office
written statement specifying the particular land claim
| ed by such settler.
| Mr.. McROBERTS moved to amend the amend
ment by striking out all relating to the sixteenth Sec
| ton, and inserting:
"And where settlement by the erection of dwell
ing or the cultivation Of any portion thereof shall be
made pom the sixteenth section before the shall
he surveyed then and in that other lands shall
be selected by the United States in lieu of said sec
ton sixteen, such part thereof may be claimed
| under this act"
After some remarks by Messrs. SMITH, of Ind-
ana, LINN, WALKER, KING, BENTON and
BERRiEN the yeas and nays were taken on the
amendment to the amendment, and the question was
decided in the afirmative-Yeas 81, nays 10, fol-
| lows
| YEAS.-Messrs. Allen, Archer, Bagby Barrow,
Benton, Berrien, Buchanan, Conrad, Crafts, Cuth-
bert, Fulton, Graham, Henderson, King Linn
McRoberts, Mangum, Porter, Preston, Sewer, Smith
Of Connecticut, Sturgeon, Tallmadse, Tappan,
Wright, Young-3l.
NAYS.-Messrs. Bates, Clayton, Evans, Hunting
ton, Miller, Morehead, Phelps, Simmons, Smith Of
Indiana, Woodbridge.-l0
The amendment as amended, was then agreed to-
Several other amendments were then suggested,
and rejected when the bill reported to the SEN
ate and the amendments agreed to in committee
CURED in and the bill was ordered to be engrossed
for third reading.
A message received from the President of the
United States, stating that he, on the 18th instant,
signed the bill authorizing the issuing of register TO
the brig GuInare; the bill providing for settlement
with the State of Maine, for the services Of her mill
tia and the bill to incorporate the Washington Man.
ual Labor School and Male Orphan Asylum of
the District of Columbia.
| message was also received from the House of
Representatives, informing the Senate that they had
non-concurred in the Senae's amendments to the APP
portionment bill.
The bill for the adjustment of the claims of SiIas
| Deane was read third time and passed.
The bill making appropriations for the naval service
for year 1912 was taken up for consideration.
The first amendment to the bill, proposed by the
Committee on Finance is to strike out, in-the first
section which approprates So 1886 900 for the pay of
commission, warrant and petty officers and seamen)
| the following proviso, viz:
Provided, That, until otherwise ordered by Con-
gress part of this or any future or existing appo
pratlOn, Snall De applied 10 the payment OF any
GERS the Navy appointed after this date beyond the
number in each grade on the first day of January,
l84l and that the excess in the service beyond
that number shall be reduced fast deaths, resig
nations and promotions will permit
| Mr.. EVANS remarked, with reference to the
amendment proposed by the Committee on Finance,
that it recommended by gentlemen who had
given to the subject full elaboration; and BESIDES
the committee had deemed the proviso to be inappro-
pirate in an appropriation bill. If it desirable
| To reducn the the DrOnOSitiOn from
the appropriate committees of Congress- The pro-
vso proposed to be stricken out enacted that part
of this appropriation shall be applied from this date
to the payment of officers and seamen beyond the
number in service in 184l. 1t assumed, therefore,
that the standard of 184l was the true limit, and
that all beyond that should be reduced as
pdly as DEATHS designations and promotions would
admit But where the evidence that the
number in service in 194l the true limit p
Who had examined who had recommended it, Ger
tainly not any committee of Congress not the Exc
cutive; not the Secretary of the Navy; in fact,
body had made the recommendation. And it must
be perceived at once that such provision would be
disastrous in the extreme to the interests of the Ma
Wy and the hopes of the young and gallant officers who
had some right to look for promotions. If promo
tons should be too rapid, there could always be found
the proper check in the Senate.
Mr.. WILLIAMS addressed the Senate agains
| striking out the proviso.
| MI BAYARD'S remarks took an opposite direc-
Mr. WILLIAMS moved to amend the proviso by
striking out l84l and inserting 1872
| Mr.. EVANS said that this would make the proviso
much less exceptionable than it was, and that he in
tended to against it if it should be amended
but he would suggest his colleague to make it little
more acceptable by striking out all after the word
grade" to the end Of the proviso, and inserting the
| words "now in service"
On the question being taken, the amendment was
agreed to.
| Mr. CONRAD moved to still further amend the
provso by striking out the words cor any future or
existing appropriation )" but the motion did prevail
ayes lS, noes 49,
And without taking the question striking out