Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-01-23
TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, lS41.
HOENTY LANDS.

BOUNTY LANDS
Mr. BENTON, from III. Committee Military Affairs,
10 whom recommed the bill from the House TO raise fol
limited period an additional military force, with instructions
to bring III amendment granting one hundred and sixty
acres OF land the officers volunteer corps and the
commissioned officers musicians, and pnSates serving or TO
the amy Employed in Mexico, reported the following
.'Ts to each officer, musician, and pri-
OF the regulars volunteers ana '"il "o las ensaScd
or shall engage for twelve mouths or during the
with Mexico and who shall actually or the Of
wear the shall last 50 long, uaess killed dying IN
ordisehagedior disability Incurred IN The service there
shall be granted quarter seton o land to be located
any public lands liable 70 entry at private sale.
sec .iad6e f07 elacted That all sacs gifts, de-
,ise agreements bonds powers 70 sell of said lands
and OF the same whether private judicial
made At any before the issuing OF the patents for said land
shall be fraud upon this act, aud shall be null and
void aud no patents hs until years after the said
land shall hay, been located and patent shall be issued
in the name OF the n who earned the land whether dead
alive and with clause addition 10 his heirs law widow
the grantee, his heirs AZ law or his widow"
a. anv a., III ri, heirs Al law ma, ii any time and without
let hndsne from statute OF mltatlon possess
Of the from pretended purchaser or holder
der any species Of title, private Judicial founded any
transaction before the issuing oi the patent and shall recover
damages Tor rents and mesne pros ior the whole time that
The said holder have been in possessions others should
have been under whom he holds the said damages
and profits 70 nure TO the benefit OF the heir heirs
widow who shall be the trouble and OF eecng
the possessor but the land recovered shall belong all the
heirs and the widow il there one whether they joined il
the Aud trial under this the sole qucs
be entertained by the shall be Of identity
the grantee heirhp wdowhood under the laws OF the
State where said land lies and evidence Of purchase
pretended purchase whether BY agreement under ud
execution sales made before the issuing the patents
shall be suffered TO be produced III
Sec .fld be further enacted That upon the death
person entitled TO land under this before the issuing
Of the patent, all the ghs under this shall descend to his
widow and heirs law" ne leaves sdos and to his heirs
al Law he leaves none be held and divided among them
according the laws OF the State which the said land lies
The amendment having been read
Mr.. BENTON observed that the points which the
mttee had directed their attention were FIRST the degree
engh Of service which should entItle these noncomsson
ed officers musicians, and pvse for whose benefit these
grants intended to participate in the bounty; and
reference y this had been agreed that the amendment
should be worded to include those who should for
twelve months under engagement that long,
well as those who served under engagement during
the war pom the next pont-and il upon which
diversity Of opinion prevailed the commttee-t had been
determined 10 obvate all difficulty by making the naenabi
Of the land extend TO period Of years, prior to the
termination OF which period patent should be issued and
that should then be issued in the Of the person
titled to The grant, without regard the fact whether he
living or Otherwise order to make that the land should
go those of his bin. uheae hene6t. tho
Of his decsase, it was intended.
Mr. HUNTINGTON desired to hear the amendment read
again. 1t accordingly again read
Mr.. BENTON said the committee having been mere oc
cuped with the substance than with the torm had he per
ceSed omitted give the clauses OF the amendment the
form Of He desired that the Secretary would take
the trouble to arrange the sections.
Mr.. BERRlEN remarked that the attention OF the Senate
seemed to be directed TO the proprey OF imposing
scton upon the alienation Of these grants proposed BY
the report OF the He disposed 10 think tha
the report proposed efficient mode of restraining aeua
tons than that which provided for in the original propo
suon upon this subject. But he did not understand from
observations the chairman of the Military Committee
that that portion Of the Instructions the committee which
required provision be inserted for granting the bounty
the commissioned officers OF the volunteer corps had beer
complied with His opinion that those officers wer,
emnently entitled 10 the bounty which contemplated
be given those who serving in military capacity il
Mexico. The distinction between officers of the regular arm,
and the officers Of volunteer corps obvious re-
quire remark. Ii said that the pay Of the officers
the volunteer corps sufficient without any further induce
ment he thought it might be very safely answered that thu
expenses Of those gentlemen exceeded their receipts and
could why they should not be included Man,
Of hem he informed, had incurred considerable expens
in raising their companies.
He moved 10 amend the amendment reported by the
BY inserting the words officers Of the volunteer COPS
Mr. BENTON. Then shall amend it BY adding
the officers of the regular army
The PRESIDING OFFICER. There il already al
amendment TO amendment.
Mr. BENTON. Well, sir; il can in afterwards
J. for one thought that the of the Senate had been
ready very clearly indicated, by formal vote, but by it
acts, to grant lands to the officers of the Such
proposition included in the amendment offered hy th
Senator from Pennsylvania, bu, il afterwards struck
and the committee considered themselves limited grants
the non-commissioned officers musicians, and prvacs
Mr.. BERRIEN. DO understand the honorable Senato
that there nothing contained the instructions th
committee directing the officers of volunteer corps be ncud
Ell Because the instructions amended recollect
upon motion.
Mr. BENTON replied tina, the committee acted upon the
Instructions they remembered them the instructions them
selves opened.
The reading of the instructions called for, and they
read by the Secretary.
Mr. BENTON. ies II Is there il is all there sir. The
committee said BEFORE opened the instructions,
and il they had been opened and read by the committee
should still have been against such provision and should
6e inserted upon the motion Of the honorable Senator
hall Immediately to insert also the officers Of the
regular army, because consent that class
aices shall be included and the other but oppo-
sd 70 extending the grant to commissioned officers FIRST be
cause i has been done and the next
place. because there earthly occasion for it. II the Sen.
sto from Georgia had filled the post Of chairman Of the Com
lni'tte on Military Affairs and the multitude Of appca-
uons which made for in the service he
~ou nave been -a,ed that there necessity for
cieasng lhe Inducements II the could have but
glimpse Of the multitude applications for commissions he
would see ha there was not the slightest necessity for add-
tiona inducements.
Mr. BERRlEN II bal the honor which | scarcey
expect TO sttain Of standing in the high position Of
Of the Military Comnittce-
Mr. BENTON. You would Gud i, more Of trouble than
honor, sir.
Mr BERRIEN. II / had the honor of standing i, ,b,,
relation any other committee, however much nigh, be
embarrassed by the multitude Of duties pressing upon me
bill recomnitted 10 that committee with precise and
positive Instructions should think il my duty % nav some
obedience 10 such instructions, whatever might be ms nd
'idua opinions. Now, the bill in this was reconm
led with instructions 10 the committee to report amend
neh providing among others for grants Of land 10 officers
volunteer corps apprehend that this question which
me OF the Senate has been taken TO be binding
mp the committee and perhaps the regular cours
would have heen, instead Of making the motion which ha
made, 70 move recommitment Of the bill with the orgina
instructions. But IL appeared the more eSpcdl