The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-02-04
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

TUESDAY, February 4, 1S45. ..
THE VOTES FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT.
The House concurred in the following resolution
which was passed by the Senate yesterday, viz:
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed
70 join such committee as may be appointed by the
House 10 ascertain and report mode of examining
and counting the votes for President and Vice Pres
dent and of informing the persons elected of their
election
IMPROVEMENTS OF HARBoRs AND RIVERS.
Mr.. TIBBATTS, in pursuance of notice, ask, d
leave to introduce bill making appropriation for
certain harbors and rivers. 100000 are proposed
for the mproy ement of the Ono river above the
falls of LOUISVILLE $4,000 for The same river below
the falls, and for the Missouri, Arkansas and Misss-
'lPp' S5O,OOO for remaining distractions in Misss-
slpPI; Tor breakwaters, etc.
Objection being made, he moved suspension of
The rules prescribing the order of business.
The yeas and nays were taken, and the House re-
fused to suspend the rules--yeas SO, nays 80
The House resolved itself into Committee Of the
Whole on the state of the Union (Mr. Boyd in the
CharO
Mr.. HARDIN moved tina, the regular business be
ad aside, and that the committee take up the bill for
reducing the rates of postage.
Mr. KENNEDY, of Maryland, inquired whether
there was not similar bill now before the Senate.
Mr. HARDIN informed the gentleman that this
was different one altogether.
PUBLIC LANDS. . 49,.
The committee, however, proceeded to the conside
ration Of the bill to graduate the price of public lands
IN favor of actual settlers and cuIiivaors. "a. ".
Mr. CARY, Of Maine, being entitled to the floor
sent to the clerks table memorial from citizens
Maine, asking Congress to give them permission to
occupy and cultivate portion of the public domain
Iee OF cost and repres enng that they reduced
10 this extremiy in consequence Of their impoverish-
ment by the Improvements In machinery introduced
among them. lie briefly advocated the bill and in
he course of his remarks, said that long as the
lands to be affected by this measure remained as they
Were they would be worthess--whereas, If they
were occupied by the industrious ers of the soil tie
Government would not only derive pecuniary cd.
Nniage but would have people upon whom to rely
or lts defence in time Of peril II gentlemen were
really DESTROYS Of BEN, fitting he poor man, they would
| support this bill, as 1t would give to him home
"och he would not otherwise possess, and entirely
preclude the monopoly Of the Spectator, OF whom
0ey mad had SO mach reason to complain.
Mr.. TOMASSON argued in favor Of amending the
ml-by giving TO men Of large families not exceed
ns one hundred aud sixty acres, and to those OF
ual say two in number, forty acres and permitting
we States in which the lands lie to tax them the mo-
nsnt they were entered. He was for giving dona-
"ohs 10 actual settlers but opposed TO the
] FncPle Of graduation, although he did not approve
VI The mode by which it sought to be effected on
/ we present occasion.
/ hr STEWART, Of Penn, submitted an amend
neht to restore the distribution principle Of the act
y september, l6il, (Which was suspended in les
van year after its enactment He said that il thi.
Moula be adopted, he would vote for the bill and moi
sRhout, IL this provision should be revived, The
Sse Of Fennsylvanla would receive one-tenth Of the
nds, more than one hundred millions Of acres
men at forty cents acre. would pay the whole Of
~ dso'' Her proportion would be Eve millions for