The Arkansas banner., 1848-04-04
CONGkEssI0NAI~
Sela;sr. Bounly laua.

In the Heuae san szs to Faiss an additional sfii- tary force aud fer oaer pgrposea,' was introduced for consideration by hs chairman of the committee on Pablie lands, aa Aimassd discussion shszed and many amendments Introduced. The chief Oppcsi-
 lion to ths hll sssmsio have grown oat of the fac, that Pri~aaes whs wee promoted to commissioned officers Of the ine w<e not provided for. as others and Prcposiiisa tss made ts refer t sgaia Co the committee ea Military affairs.
 Mir. JOHNSON, cfArkansas, said lt appeared to him that the House i'd not look at this matter ia correct light. Msnyof them seemed to regard it as bull brought in here se cover avery large number of easss, Now the het was that tue bill. whenever tpassed, would not apply to more than three four hundred eascs at most Its object was not to supply
 defect in the bill of he last session; or. more just iy. 1t was deelaratwy ast-declaratsFy ef the iA- tent and meaning of the aes of the lest session. be- cause from the very terms and language oT that act these very eases were emIEaeed therein, when by the construction of the Department they were put out and thereby this bill vas rendered necessary.
 The motion had been mad. to refer this bin b the Committee on Military Aais. Why, the propo. sition to refer to another sanding committee was nothing more than . reaeethn upon the committee on Public Lands, who had reported is. He would like to know what peculiar and superior right the Committee on Military Atairs had to the eonsidera- lion of this subject It related equally to the busi ness of each. He wezla like to ask where was the opposition to tlIss hsH ' ea~arcas~a oa the osass side could reproseh tAs side bitterly The opposi- ton was not on the otlsr side It was among the Democracy. If thsre were those who wanted to de- feat ii, let them get uPand say 90 boldly, openly He asked. therefore, tat the hin might be voted upon by the yeas and tays.
 This was no extfaoElinary bill; it was merely de- earasOry of the act efast session. It is true that there defect tn he bill as reported. but it was defect which was imply supplied and provided against by the amendment of the gentleman from Illinois He said thea let this bill pass as n stood It provided for ali the cases for which it intended to provide; and let thse other cases which ii was sOasht te provide for come up in some separate bi Re knew that every time they loaded bill in this House with additional smendrzsnts they endanger. ed the bill isself ran the risk of wearying iht House anta the most inst and righteous act was erthced here. He cailed for the yeas and nays, and he boPed that the hii might be sustained and the question taken upon the merits of the bill He un, derstOcd that the Committee on Military Affairs hat reported bill which was identical with the bill be fore the House. It seemed to him then, the obje> Of referring back to the committee, or rather to different committee, was 10 produce delay and de feat the bill The bia aud amendments they wer, now presented-as every man could see by examln- ing them-mase ample proyision for granting jus tiee to those brave and patriotic citizens who hat gone to and at she same time efFectually guar dsd the public Treasury. He called upon Demo erats to sustain il zaa to sustain the motion he abont to make i; for he did not want the Whigs ts bsSe all the honor of passing this measure He de. manded the previoss question.
 Mir. HASKELL appealed to the gentleman from Arkansas to withhsaw his demand. for few mo- ments to allow him to make few very brief sug- ges'iOns which he thought would remove the diff culics under which gentlemen iabOred with rclef- eBce to this bill.
 Mir. JOHNSON withdrew his motion on pledge from Mir. H. that be would renew it.
 Mir. HASKELL ~aid he thought he A~i a propo- sition which, if this House would adopt it. would enable them to dispose of tis whole matter intelIi- Eshly, and in a manner to meet the views of all.- He held in his hand substitute for the bill, which he had lately drawn up, and which he wished tc have read for the information of the House.
 IThe proposed substitute was read by the Clerk and (as far its provisions caught 6y the Re porter) simply declared that promotion should be considered equivalent to "honorable discharge. and repealed the proviso in the bounty land law oi the last session.)
 Erarn "A. Hnst,u po.f