Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-04-16

any of the presumption laws of the United States at
the time of the selection thereof, the said States shall
be, and hereby are, required to extend to said claim
ants all the benefits which they would be entitled to,
if the same had not thus been selected Prorided,
That the lands selected within the State of Ohio, at
ter offering them at public sale, which shall be done
within one year after such selection, may be at all
times liable to private entry at the same minimum Of
other public lands belonging TO the United States"
Mr.. r. SMITH sent TO the clerks table to be read, a
memorial which he had this morning received from
citizens of Illinois, demonstrating against the land
plan of appropriation.
Mr.. ScHENcK also sent to the table a remonStrance
of a similar kind.
MIR. r. SMITH then addressed the committee briefly
in explanation and in yindication Of his own course
of action on this subject. He believed that 1T was
the duty of this government to make appropriations
in money for the continuation and completion OF the
Cumberland road, but he had little hope now that any
thing of the kind could be obtained for ever since
the year 1888 the people had been knocking at the
doors Of Congress, and had never obtained a dollar.
He was in favor of the money appropriation. He
would be glad if such a bill could pass, He did not
believe that it could but he believed that seven
eighths of his constituents would'rather have an aP-
Precipitation Ct land than have nothing at all. 1t was
because of the repeated failure in this House TO pro-
cure appropriations of money, and because half a loaf
was better than no bread, that he was willing to ac-
cept of the land appropriation. A more solemn COM
pact than that made between these States and the
general government LOT the COmpleuOn Vi tulS IOdu
had never been entered into.
Mr.. WICK said he had held a consultation with his
colleagues, through whose districts the Cumberland
road passed, and they had come to the conclusion that
the passage of a bill appropriating money for the
continuance of the Cumberland road, was doubtful,
if not hopeless, and that there was a better prospect
of passing a bill making a grant of land for that
purpose and therefore he should offer and amend
ment to that effect, which he hoped would be accept
able to the committee.
He briefly advocated the appropriation on the
ground that the government had commenced the same,
and thereby taught the people to expect Its continue
ton and completion. This expectation had grown
into a positive anticipation by yearly appropriations
made, and continued for a series of years, down to
1888. Having thus been taught to expect appropria-
tons, a failure gave rise to heart-burnings, and dis
satisfaction. 1t was, in point of fact, a very trouble
some question in Indiana. No man would be elected
unless he would pledge himself to support appropria-
tions for the road-the Legislature had and would
continue to adopt resolutions in favor of such appro-
~priations. The people of Indiana would continue to
ask. But if his amendment could be adopted, and
the bill so amended be passed into a law, it would
put the subject forever at rest. For although it was
true that the land granted by the amendment would
be very inadequate TO the completion of the road, ii
would nevertheless 60 a good way towards the same,
and the State, thus aided, could devise means to raise
the deficiency. The lands were of small value, and
would net the government but little. The State could
HuioO lC iNhN't P0J H1h
ers on the road, or hold them till, by lapse of time,
they should become valuable.
He said he hoped the committee would see that
good policy required the adoption of his amendment,
and that such as desired to see the measure success
full would vote for it; and he also hoped that the
House would see the policy of putting this subject
forever at rest. In his friendly interviews with great
numbers of his constituents, he had informed them
that if this grant of land were obtained, it would END
appropriations for the Cumberland road in Indiana,
/ ~ - Tl.-... AL. h &c -
was very deficient, he vet believed that his constitu-
ents, discouraged by a failure to obtain money appro-
{ %priations for the last eight years, would be c~ontented
with the land grant, and forever after hold their peace
He trusted the House would appreciate this modera,
ton, and not hesitate to make the grant.
Mr.. FARAN insisted, in a few brief remarks, thai
the government should stand by its original compac
with the States-not by the Appropriation of lands
but by appropriations of money, as they had hereto
fore been made for tie completion of this road. II
the government was not bound by such a compact, he
would not a vote a single dollar nor a solitary acre
because the construction of the road by the genera
government could be justified on no other ground thar
the compact which she had made with these States
when they came into the Union.
Mr.. PETIT concurred entirely in the opinion ex-
pressed by the gentleman who had just taken his seat
Mr.. Faran, that the only ground on which the gov
eminent could be urged was by virtue of the variou.
compacts which had been made with the States o
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, and, at a subsequent Pc
riod, with Missouri; and he, for one, was here to de-
mand the right of these States to the appropriation o.
so much money as was necessary to the construction
of the road. He did not concur with the gentleman
!, from Indiana, (Mr. Wick,) that if the amendment
was agreed to, the people would never ask anything
more here.
Mr.. Wick. 1t is a matter of perfect understand
ing between myself and my constituents that l would
take this course, made so upon most occasions wher
| met them on the stump.
Mr. prrrrr d,ffarod with tho 0ont1aman and xr;tb
his constituents. He would not give the lightest fea
Their that the breeze ever blew for all the land thai
Congress would give, for it was not according to the
compact. He would enter into no such understand.
ing as that which the gentleman had indicated ano
he should vote against the amendment.
Mr.. ScHENcK obtained the floor, but yielded for the
moment to
Mr.. YELL, who gave notice of the following amend
ment:
"B IL further enacted, That the said road shall be
continued from st. Louis, IN Missouri, through the
States of Missouri and Arkansas, the nearest and
most practicable route to San Antonio, In the State OF
Texas and for the completion of said road in the
States of Missouri and Arkansas there is hereby
granted to each Of the States for the purpose afore-
said 10000 acres of public land, to be selected by
the Governors OF the several States aforesaid, and to
be disposed of by the legislatures thereof for the com.
pletion of said road in said States-that being the
quantity of public land granted to the State of Ohio
over and above the quantity granted to the other new
States of this Union.
"And be ii further enacted, That the sum of S50,-
600 be, and the same Is hereby, appropriated out oil
any money In the treasury not otherwise appropriated
to complete the said Cumberland road in the State Of
Texas"
Mr.. ScHENcK then took the floor, and spoke at some
length in opposition to the amendment of Mr.. Wick,
and in urgent advocacy of the claims of the road as
it was at present established, and as a national work
which the government was bound to complete. He