The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-17

| Now, SO far as the construction was concerned
which his honorable friend said would be put upoI
this amendment. he (Mr. i. was very well satisfied
that he mfr. McKlrl never would put that con
struction upon il; and also that the COMMISSIONS
of Pensions never would put a construction of THU
| kind upon il. lie did NOT say he would he said i
a literal construction were given 10 this part of III,
amendment, il might be that all widows would draw
a pension But he imagined that the Commissions
Of Pensions OF the chairman OF the Committee o.
Ways and MeaDs-neither OF them ever had beer
| known 20 put literal construction on an act o.
Congress which would draw any money out of the
Treasury-partieularly in favor OF widows, claim.
ants of pensions. ....
To put the matter beyond all doubt, he would Of
| fer an amendment TO the amendment which would
make il perfectly clear; and after that done, h,
would make a motion TO amend the amendment
again by including all widows married previous &c
the year 1900 ..... ..
Some conversation arose between the Speaker and
several gentlemen as to the manner in which the
amendments had been reported from the COMMITTEES
of the Whole on the state oflhe Union, and whether
further amendment was in order and upon an ex-
animation Of the case,
The SPEAKER decided that the committee hay.
ing reported two distinct amendments, it was com
petent for the House to concur In thsm as they
might be amended.
Mr. TIBBATTS then offered the frs, amend,
ment which he had indicated, to amend the frs
amendment OF the Commlttee by inserting IN the
first line the words "entiiled 10 pension under ex
istng laws and" so as to read, SHAT widows en-
titled, =" &c, "and claiming a pension,n &c.
| Mr. JENKINS said " seemed 10 him that IN.
amendment as amended did not accomplish the oh
ject which was intended. The COMMISSIONS of Pen
sions said he required no further evidence than i,
required in courts OF justice in civil cases. Tina
was doubtless so. But in actions pertaining 10 rea
estate, where the question Of marriage becomes on,
of importance, II Is necessary TO produce record eyi
dence of the marriage, providing there is any re
cord evidence Of that fact. But he was satisfied tina
the House did not intend that such evidence should
be required in that Office, but on the contrary tina
such evidence required in civil cases persona
actions should be required in order TO entitls the APP
plicant TO q pension. He read from Starkie's Evi
dence pointing out the distinctions between tn
kinds Of evidence required 10 the two cases. aud he
proposed to offer amendment in accordance there
with, providing that reputation Of cohabtaton, snG
reputation Of marriage, prior to 1874, rs required
in courts Of justice in personal cases, should be su
fcient to entitle the applicant to pension.
But tho amendment was not received not being
| in order at this time.
The amendment Of Mr.. THBArTs to the amend
ment Of the committee was then agreed to.
| And amendment as amended was adopted.
The question then being on the second amend
ment of the committee, (as above the yeas ant
nays having been asked by Mr.. Mckay and re-
fused, was taken, and the amendment was agreed
TO.
Mr.. TlBBATTS moved, as the second amend
ment he had indicated, the LIST section Of the amend
ment whIch he had offered in committee
Mr. X. CHAPMAN raised point OF orde
against it, and,
After me conversation on the point of order
The SPEAKER ruled the amendment out Of or
der.
Mr.. TIBBATTS, remarking that he would take
no appeal from the decision at present, did no
further press the amendment.
| Mr. JENKINS now moved his amendment tc
the clause of the amendment relating to proof o.
marriage, to strike out tho words "cyl cases. and
insert "ciyil personal actions"
The question being taken, was decided in the Of
frmative--syes go, noes not counted.
So the amendment wns agreed to.
The bill was then ordered to third reading al
this time; and, having been read third time, and
the question being, "Shall this bill pass'''--
Mr. HOPKINS asked the yeas and nays; which
were refused.
And then the bill was passed.
On motion of Mr.. McHENRY, the title thereof
was amended by adding at the end the words, "and
for other purposes"
INDIAN APPROPRIATION ELL.
On motion Of Mr.. MCKAY, the House resolved
itself into COMMITTEES of the whole on the state OF
the Union, (Mr. BowLN, Of Missouri in the chair :
and proceeded to the consideration of the bill ma
king appropriations for the current and contingent
expenses Of the lndiansepartment, and for fulfilling
treaty spuatlons with certain Indian tribes, for the
year ending June 30th, l847.
On the suggestion of Mr.. Mckay, the reading
OF the bill through was dispensed with and it wai
read by sections.
| A clerical error was corrected by MIR. Mex.
Mr. Nick. offered an amendment appropriatine
500 dollars, 10 close up (ao he explaned) the ex
penscs of the commission for the adjustment o.
claims with the Choctaw Indians.
A letter from the Commissioner Of Indian AZ
fairs was read, showing the proprety Of the appro
pra,ion.
The amendment was then agreed to.
| Mr.. JACOB THOMPSON offered an amendmen
which $50 far as anything could be heard Of th
reading) proposed to appropriate 1900 dollars TO
the expense Of holding treaty with the Menomo
ME tribe of Indians for the purchase Of lands norl
of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers.
! Mr.. THOMPSON explained that this appropra
ton was to defray the expenses Of treaty with tn
Menomonies, who were desrous of leaving thei
country and of disposing of their lands He believed
IS, 900 was asked for; the Committee on Indian Al
fairs proposed to reduce the sum to 1000.
| Mr.. VANCE would like to know if there wa
any evidence that these people were DESTROYS to sci
their country If so, he was perfectly willing Il
the large amount of lands we have already, to TAX
any steps towards driving them away, or treating
with them unless they were DESTROYS to sell.
Before this inquiry was replied To-, Mr. THoMP
SON, apparently not having heardit--
Mr.. CLARKE raised point of order agains
the amendment, that it proposed NEW appropriation
not authorized by law.
The CHAIRMAN ruled the amendment out o
order.
No appeal was taken, but some conversation fol
lowed on the point of ORDER pending which,
The committee rose and reported progress
DEFENcEs OF THE COUNTRY.
| Mr.. HARRISON gave notice that he would, OF
to morrow, move that the House resolve itself int
Committee Of the Whole on the state of the Union
for the purpose Of taking up the bills reported from
the Committee on Military Affairs, and especial,
the bill providing for the organization of two regi
ments of mounted rifemen.
And then the House adjourned.
In the resolutions offered by Mr. MCDOWELL
yesterday, in relation to the reorganization Of tn
Navy Department, the word "vacancies" was er
roneousy substituted for the word bureaus"
| The following resolutions were accidentally omit
| ted in our report of yesterday:
Mr.. THOMAS SMITH moved the following res
outon; which lies over one day under the rules
Resolved That the Secretary OF the Navy furnish th
House the following information, in tabular or other