Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-05-09
PROCEEDINGS In CONGRESS,
EXTRACTS FROM OUR DAILY REPORTS.
IN sENATE-MAy 5, 1916.

- debate, agreed TO- and the bill was
taken up for consideration as IN COMMITTEE OF ne "noe
Mr. YIIEE advocated the passage OF the bill lie COM
ncb by setting forth the OF the suspension OF these
claims as stated in report from the Commissioner OF the
General Land Office He had found upon an investigation
a. 10 those causes, that they almost various the
Claims were numerous And the cases. therefore, proper
~ subjects for equitable adjustment general law could
h. made applicable ALL impossible classify them
Mr. CALHOUN. IL will be sufficient if you classify the |
grounds upon which they rest
Mr. YULEE. The shades of difference between them are
SO that you cannot apply 10 them any general Pnci
ple There only two modes MR. T. proceeded to OBJ
serve by which the matter could be ectuay reached Con-
gress either legae upon each else enrus the
matter specific tribunal AS to the FIRST he was sat
ed that would be impossible for Congress to egslate upon
the five thousand which he found by the report OF the
Commissioner be in existence and the only alternative
remained the appointment Of board OF commission
ers adjudicate and decide upon them.
Mr.. HUNTINGTON said he DESTROYS OF further OPP
poruny for examining what seemed be considered all
sides an important bill but the friends of the
seemed DESTROYS Of proceeding this morning with its consde
ration he would offer further objection hut before voting
upon the BILL he desired say few words what he
thought would be It's effect He prepared say that
ought not to be remedy provided for many
to which the Senator from Florida had alluded but the ques
ton was what the remedy could best be applied
What did this bill provide Did it propose make such pro-
vision would be safe for the Government allow The
bill provided that the board should have power finally de-
eide upon all Of suspended claims upon suspended
claim, matter for what suspended. They
aing this act board with the right finally decide upon
questions merely between the Government and pa
iente but between third persons claiming patents. The
question whether it accordance with prudence,
with the usages of Congress- such board for such
purpose Was right expedient that tribunal should
be erected with decide discretion what should be
done regard patents where the law did not au
the patents be issued and in this way to dispense
with the law altogether, He willing give TO this
board exclusive jurisdiction he did think SAFE ne
her necessary. would be easy enough, he thought
collect the facts in these cases. all other Of
them to andf
act as the circumstances might require.
For the purpose Of testing the question whether this board
should be entrusted with the final decision specified in the
bill, Mr. II. moved amendment, to the effect that Con-
gre should have the supervision of the decisions Of the board
before those decisions allowed to take effect.
Mr. SPEIGHT said he always listened to any proposition
coming from the Senator from Connecticut with great respect
and attention But he would ask the Senator how long he
supposed would take Congress upon 1--WE thousand
osuspendedand claims -suppong there only
Ave thousand, though he very much inclined believe
that there double that number The great number of
seemed be the great bugea the great Obstacle the
formation Of board for their adjustment But appeared
him hatthe the were, the import
ant that their settlement should be provided for They
had got the money the Treasury there appeared to be
disposition manifested to hold the land and the money
too All that the claimants asked was that they should have
the title to their land else have their money them
Was this Government going refuse reasonable request
IL would ne little better than making the Government robber
pickpocket
Mr.. HUNTINGTON said he would not undertake to saw
how long Congress might be in deciding upon these claims
but he could not imagine any serious difficulty in the way off
permitting Congress to decide upon them.
Mr. sPEIGHT Of course not, if Congress chooses to act
speedily.
Mr.. HUNTINGTON. We have every reason to suppose |
that Congress will act speedily.
Mr.. SPEIGHT. There has been, hitherto much ndi-
cation of such intention the part of Congress.
Mi. HUNTINGTON said the would undoubtedly be
classified in the report of the Commissioner and by the
pcaton Of fixed principles the could easily be disposed
Of But the gentleman had said it equal robbery on
If
this be, if the claimants themselves in fault in having
proceeded according law He unwilling adopt the
principle that because Congress dlaory in Of its
proceeding the power to grant titles money TO be
vested in board consisting Of three persons. He did
think instance could be shown where Congress had not
served 10 itself final action.
had arisen from the ignorance improper conduct of the Of
fcers Of the Government whose duty to decide upon
these claims.
mr. ]. here quoted from returns which he had procured
from the Commissioner Of the Land Office, regard 10 the
Of the suspension Of these claims
Upon coming to the Senate years ago. he had, in view
Of the inconvenience to which claimants subjected intro
duced bull confirming all claims which had been suspended
account of nformay The bill passed the Senate unani
mousy but acted upon in the House account of
want OF time and the pressure Of business before that body
The debate further continued by Messrs JOHNSON
ofI.ouisiana, ASHLEY, YULEE, BREESE, and SPETGHT
in favor Of the BILL and Messrs. DAYTON SEWER, and
ALLEN against it.
On motion Of Mr. JOHNSON, of Maryland, the following
cpes Of equity and Justice add the words recognised
and enforced courts Of equity y secondly, provso that
the should extend any other than those in
which the United States and the immediate claimant
teesed lastly that the power and jurisdiction given the
board Of commissioners should within years after the
passage Of that
Mr. HUNTINGTON moved that the bill be laid upon the |
table.
Upon this motion the yeas and nays were ordered and,
being taken, they follows
fEAS-Messrs. Atherton Calhoun Dayton, Evans Hay
wood Huntington, Jarnsgn Jenness, Lewis Mangum Miles,
Uphsm-l2.
NAYS-Messrs Allen, Ashley Atchison, Breese Bright
Cameron Thomas Clayton Corwin, Houston johnson, OF Ma
ryland Johnson OF Louisiana, McDafe, Pennybacker,
Spsgbt, Turney Westcott Yulee-i7.
The bill then reported to the Senate and the amend
ments concuued in.
The question being ordering the bill be engrossed and
read third time
Mr. CALHOUN and said He had doubt some |
measure ought be adopted remedy the evils complained
Of but ne could bring his mind TO the belief that the mode
now proposed the best He objected in the first place.
10 the appointment Of board Of commissioners He had had
some little experience having been member of three
boards and in bis opinion, il the inconvenent
aud irresponsible method that could be adopted They could
scarcely be got hold meeting, each member having
his separate engagements and nobody being individually
responsible for failure the Of the business Of
the board He would infinitely prefer giving the power in
tins instance The Commissioner OF the Land Office with in
srucons that he should report Congress by classes giving
briefly the for the allowance Of those claims that might
be allowed The Commissioner had the right consult the
Solicitor Of the Treasury and require his opinion upon the
cases. in the the Secretary Of the Treasury
had the right to consult the Attorney General Of the United
States and to take his opinion And he was sure that the