Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-02-27
CONGRESS.


Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union,
which finally passed in the affirmative and the House
accordingly resolved itself into committee, MIR. Jane
son in the chair.
Mr. Wright of Indiana then moved that the CON-
mttee take up the Senate bill making appropriations
for the Cumberland Road in the States of Ohio, lndi
ana and Illinois Several motions were also made to
take up other bills, by other members The question
was first put ON the mntion of Mr.. Wright to take
up the Cumberland Road bill, and there appeared 81
in favor and 50 against it. The chairman voted In
the affirmative, and so the motion was carried. The
bill was then read. Mr.. Hale moved that the bL be
laid aside with Recommendation that it be rejected.
Mr.. Mckay moved TO lay it aside without further ac
ton so that the committee might take up the general
appropriation bills. Mr. Davis of Indiana was op
posed TO laying the bill aside. The question
taken MIR. McKay's motion, and carried, yeas "a,
nays GO. So the bill was laid aside.
Mr.. Mckay then moved to take up the Navy pen
sion appropriation BILL but MIR. Davis of Ia raised
point of order, contendng that the committee was
bound the consideration of the bill before
the Committee of the Whole the state of the Union
yesterday, relating to the improvement Of the Fox and
Wisconsin rivers, and for making the Fox and Wis
consin canal
The Chairman sustained Mr.. Davis, and so the Fox
and Wisconsin river bill was taken up. and the ques
ton REQUIRED motion made by Mr. Davis, the day
BEFORE providing that the land granted by the bill to
the Territory of Wisconsin shall be deducted from the
0,G0O acres to which the State of Wisconsin may
be entitled when it shall be admitted as State when
Mr.. Davis withdrew that amendment.
Mr.. OWEN said that he was glad to perceive that
the motion of his colleague, (Mr. ]. w. Davis,) to
amend this bill had been withdrawn. And he rose
now merely to reply to some remarks which had been
called forth from the present chairman (NIr jane
son. during yesterdays debate, the bill under
consideration which remarks applied, however, to
another BILL in which his Mr. Os) constituents were
deeply interested. He alluded to a bill for a grant OF
lands to the State of Indiana to aid her in completing
her great canal connecting the waters of Lake Erie
with those of the Ohio river. VIII reference to hat
BILL the present chairman (Mr. Janeson) had remark
ed that Indiana of those States that had al
ready received, in aid of her public improvements a
large amount of lands and still demanding more
1t was true the bill alluded to was now lying in COM
mittee Of the Whole on the state of the Union, hav-
ing passed the Senate both at the last and at the
ent session. at the present session. under the yeas
and nays, by vote of 81 to g. 1t was true that the
bill asked grant of lands but that grant was not
asked (as the gentlemans argument seemed to imply
as favor from the United States. The land asked
for was the alternate sections in land district every
acre Of which had been hirty-eigh years tn market
And the express condition which ii to be grant
ed was, that the State of Indiana should complete the
canal in question. The canal was $50 miles in length
of which $50 miles were already completed. A gar
of about 100 miles partially wOrked) remained in
complete and that incomplete line ran directly through
the land district (the Vincennes dstric where the
/ lands were asked.
The grant was asked on the ground that if that
hundred miles of canal were completed, (of which if
To- pfaJ IL
land remaining to the United States, though dimin-
shed by one-half IN quantity would not, in point OF
fact, be diminished by dollar an ralue. He was
sure there not man well acquainted with the
character and situation of the lands IN question who
stance that these lands had been offered and offered
In vain, through more than generation of men, at
dollar and quarter, might alone furnish evidence
either that their price should be reduced or somethno
done to give them additional value As il was, thew
were valueless unsaleabe stock the hands of the
United States. The graduation bill now pending in
this House proposed to reduce the price of such lands
to fifty cents; another proposal would have reduced
them to Twenty-Five cents. The bill of which he was
speaking would be in fact but equivalent to reduc
ton of the price of the whole lands in that district 70
this bill secured to the United States what of course
no graduation bill does, the free right of way from
the Lakes to the Ohio valuable privilege in war
it might be highly important one,
If, then, the remarks of the gentleman to whom he
was now addressing HIMSELF (Mr Jameson,) were 10
be construed assertion that this grant of lands
to Indiana favor asked of the United States he
(Mr. o. must protest against that construction Ii
was asked, indeed, that which would greatly bene.
fit that State and which might essentially aid her in
relieving herself from burdensome debt but it was
not asked taking something from the United States
Spectators prompted by motives of selfnterest alone
frequently give away the alternate lots of town,
when of small value and of dull SALE on the condition
i that improvements be made thereon. They do this.
not as sacrifce not any favor to those who take
the lots. They do it on deliberate conviction that
they shall be the gamers by it. And experience shows
that they calculate wisely So it has hitherto been
with the grants of land to Indiana They have en-
couraged the rapid settlement of the countryside
rapid sale of public lands They have built up towns,
Cities settlements, where the Forest but for such pol
| icy would yet remain In unbroken solitude.
On such grounds, applying with especial force in
the present case the grant of lands asked for this
canal And, in this view of it. surely it is no just
argument against it that such grants have heretofore
been made to our State.
ogy for introducing this subject the present time
the canal bill In question not being under discus
son But he was not willing the remarks of the gen.
tleman (NIr Jameson) should remain unanswered !;
and he feared that, this session drawing to
close he might not have another opportunity so to do
He feared that when this bill came up as he hoped
and believed it would In day or two, there would be
little or no time afforded for discussion or explanation
at all 1t would be voted for, probably, under the
previous question. With the merits of the case and
the principle involved fully understood, he mr. o.
felt assured it would pass by large majority And
it was to prevent misconcepton OF that principle
and briefly to state the merits of the case that he had
now risen.
Mr.. Jameson subsequently made an explanation in