The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-09

these amendments of order; they should be
bodied separate bills and rest upon their own merits
separately
sales of the public lands made for the payment OF the
stock of the twenty three million loan of the last
sion To the subscribers to that loan, was important
that that stock should continue good to be saeable
par any He read from the act and showed how thus
meddlng with the public lands might violate that pledge
We should not legislae essentially TO diminish the
revenue out of which this twenty three million loan is to
be paid Gentlemen speak OF our debts 81 gratitude as
in coin. He did not think so. He considered the Worl
''bounty" had operated to misead the minds OF
men The land allowed TO our soldiers was not bounty
in stricness. 1t pay Tor service under contract
1t should not be viewed as gratuy at all
In relation all THESE Indian wars, they had been dis
cussed here for thirty years and without determining 70
pay those who participated in them And so II was with
the volunteers of the revolution They were not yei
paid with land Some gentleman says we were not able
to pay them then But he should remember that we had
as much public land then now-hat the land was as
broad then now; and besides, when the Virginia
grants made for soldiers, it provided that the
debt of the should be first paid.
He referred TO document of the last Congress, and
showed the number of warrants for bounty issued to
soldiers of the regular service IN the last war to be TWEEN
ty eight thousand hundred; and the number OF IT.
regular officers and soldiers, engaged at different times
he said amounted to $685. People were then subject
to drafts almost every month IN the year In 1882 the
first pensions granted to miltamen, and then only
to those then living Ii this bill pass, there was
why its provisions should not be extended to
brave Marines and to those who served IN the fo-
rida and Black Hawk
Throw these 10000 warrants (the number assumed
growing of the Mexican servlce and every man,
instead of taking his warrant will take his 800 in scrip,
and YOU thereby increase your public debt that amount
just five millions Thus our ability to pay Virginia and
the debt of the revolution will be put of indefinitely
Free trade gentlemen who disposed to do this, should
beware of return to protective tariff, or resort to
what they may dread more-direct taxation Gentlemen
could appreciate and Judge of these consequences OF their
bill as well Mr. c., if they would think OF them.
We not without light on the subject OF the tenure
by which the public lands held When Virginia set
apart her military district northwest of the OHIO river,
there time set down for these locations all to be made;
but the debt of the of the revolution to be paid out
of their proceeds, at all events The United States held
them trustees and had no right to divert them from the
purpose for which they received Can man hold
trust long that he may be justified IN throwing away
under pretence that it has tendency to corrupt hum
or because he desires pay debt OF gratitude with it?
Such was not according to his notion of the nature of
trust He did not oppose reasonable appropriations OF
lands for public improvements and endowments which
est but he considered that all the pledges OF the gov
ernment should be preserved inviolae.
Mr.. COBB, of Alabama said, his object in taking the
floor to give notice of two amendments which he
intended to offer, and desired they should be read for IN
formation; and they were read accordingly;
The first proposes to divide the bounty land warrants
into eighty and forty-a lots He had not time to adj
vert to the advantages of such measure, TO refue the
objections which might be urged against It.
The second amendment proposes to extend the pro,
visions OF the bill to the representatives Of all who served
in the of the revolutions the Florida and the Creek
wars-al who may have served their country in al
any time.
He supported the bill, with every proposition to amend
which he had heard; and if the national debt exn
guished, he would be willing to go further, and give
home to every citizen who might be without one.
/ Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi remarked in relation
to the fear of destroying the revenue arising from the
land sales that the effect would be to increase the value
of the public lands, by their settlement and thus benefit
would be conferred the new States while an act OF
justice would be extended to the people of the old States
The public faith could not be impaired by this law.
Mad hy plo ada hu
ment to restrict our Legislation upon the subject OF the
public lands.
The hour OF o'clock having arrived the debate ter
minated, and the House proceeded to vote upon the
amendments pending
The question being first upon the amendment submit
ted by Mr. JACOB THOMPSON, extending bounty lands to
the soldiers of the war OF 1912. and the Indian wars
which followed the revolution
Mr.. LUMPKIN moved to amend the amendment by
adding similar provision Tor the soldiers serving in the
Mr.. cABELL suggested modification, which Mr..
Mr. STEPHENS suggested that the amendment to
the amendment be amended to include also pro-
vision for the soldiers who served in the Creek
Alabama and Georgia; which modification was also ac
The question being then put upon the amendment to
the amendment, it was decided in the affirmative by tel
lers-ayes "a, noes not counted.
Mr. STEPHENS moved to amend the amendment by
substituting "three" for "tweve" months so as to give
all the soldiers in the last who served "three"
months 100 of land which amendment agreed
Mr. r. SMIT TIL moved an amendment to the amend
ment, giving bounty land to the soldiers who defended
the frontier country during the wars in question; and
addressed the committee in its support
Mr. JACOB THOMPSON said he was fully aware
that the amendments which had been made to his amend
ment rendered it unacceptable and he DESTROYS
that it should not prejudice the BILL he inquired whether
he had power to withdraw his amendment
l The CHAIR replied in the negative
| The question being then taken upon Mr. SMITHS
amendment, it was agreed TO.
Mr. WICK rose to offer amendment, which he ex.
planned. Under former law, the volunteer received
communication for clothing of three dollars and fifty cents
a month. The government had since proposed by law to
furnish volunteers with clothing in kind The object OF
his amendment was simply to declare that it not the
intention, by this latter enacment to reduce the. allow
ance in kind for clothing to volunteers, below the for.
of three dollars and fifty cents month Such
the intention of the law itself 1t was understood
that volunteers, from their habits of being habit
uaed to the service, could not do with little clothing
as those OF the regular army.
The amendment, being proposed additional
ton, then read as follows:
to reduce the OF clothing,
allowed, to be allowed to volunteers, the of
dollars and fifty cents month and that the contrary
the said laws shall be construed
uneers in service, hereafter the same
clothing allowances Communication therefor equivalent to
three dollars and fifty cents per month"
| Mr.. STEPHENS made point of order on this propo-
sition on the score of It's irrelevancy.
| The CHAIRMAN sustained the point
After the proposition OF, and action upon, numerous
other amendments, the committee and reported the