Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-08-05
SATURDAY, July 30, ls4s.
IN SENATE.

LIN SENAl
Mr.. NILES moved take up the bill granting public land
for the purpose Of making railroad to the Pacific the plan
of Asa Whitney Mr. N characterized the bill one Of very
great Importance and must be evident was to be acted
ALL it must be taken up once the session draw
ing TO close. He did any necessity for debate,
he presumed the minds Of Senators were pretty generally
made up.
Mr. HALE expressed the hope that the Senate would not
take up BILL He regarded it of the most monsous
propositions that entered into the human imagination
Such he thought would receive the execraon of
every laboring in the country. worse even than
those great humbugs the South Sea bubble and Mississippi
land company and hoped the would far
dose the take up for consideration. He
declared that he felt Inundated that proposition should be
introduced this time for such species Of land monopoly
to take from the public domain ninety million
at fell swoop make railroad He hoped the time
distant when there would be total change in land
system, when, instead OF granting away in such enormous
quantities individuals that would be opened in limited
quantities to all settlers without price. He should regard it
alarming omen if such bill was taken up for con-
slderalion.
Mr. NILES defended his bill with his usual energy de-
clarng that essentially opposite in character to land
monopoly Here road to be made which would cause
sacrifices the Government individuals but the other
hand would be the Of enabling the Government sell
lands that otherwise would be utterly worthless and for
tuy come this road constructed would bring
cent acre. He declared the bill be carefully guarded
in every particular and to the mind Of the Senate the
fact that the there endorsed by eighteen States
of this Union besides nnumerable petitions from every
quarter.
Mr.. BENTON denounced the bill as visionary and depre
Gated the idea Of taking up Of its order time when
there only weeks of the session left bill said
Mr.. make railroad to California, when get
law govern the Territory At the very momentha
he busy looking the law relating Louisiana,
see he could not find something which all might agree
to arrange for those Territories his
assailed by proposition take up that BILL exclusion
of all other business Mr. b. said he had written this sub
ject than thirty ago. and before Mr.. Whitney
thought but had into his head place
at the disposal of individual hundred millions of the pub
Lie TO effect such object He would living
being with such amount not John Jacob Astor
or Stephen Girard, who had made their millions much
less who, far he knew did not know how take
of single dollar. Before supendous plan like that
adopted Mr.. b. wanted surveys and explorations made
By authority and by persons whom he could place reliance
and the public repose confidence aud not go bndod and
haphazad into too great for any State in this
Union undertake. He bad nodea such bill should
be taken up the interruption of other business thought
time take up the calendar and preserve its order until the
business Opposed OF.
Mr. BELL defended the bill at some length and with some
warmth he had observed that when peudces enter
taned against particular bills they generally attacked ia
GHae without waiting for the Iegtimaiely
before the body He that it strictly in
cordance with parliamentary usage discuss subject its
merits on proposition to take up but the example set by
the Senator'S from New Hampshire and Missouri would
pei him to offer remarks this subject had been
commended by the Legislature Of his State Mr.. b.
then went TO defend the bill and Mr. Whitney, and
pressed the opinion that neither Of the Senators had examined
the Details they could have spoken they had He
advered to the time taken perfect the Details and the
which the committee had taken fence round with all the
necessary guards and expressed hehope that the Senate would
at least take up and examine il for if il done this
session the opportunity would be lost.
Mr.. BENTON replied some length, and concluded by
moving 10 lay the motion to take up the table which
the yeas and nays demanded, and decided in the
affirmative follows
YEAs-Messrs. Atchison, Atherton Benton Borland
Breee Butler Calhoun Davis of Mississippi Dayton Doug
las Downs Hale Houston Hunter, Johnson ofCeorga King
Mason Metca Pearce, Phelps Rusk, Spruance Surgeon
Turney, Underwood, Westcott, and Yulee-27.
NAfS-Messrs Allen, Badger Baldwin, Bell, Bradbury,
Bright, Clarke, Dickinson, Dix, Dodge, Fech Fitzgerald
Foote Hamn iiannegan, Johnson of Louisiana, Lewis
Miller. Niles, Upham, and Walker-2i.
On motion Of Mr.. MASON the Senate proceeded TO the
consideration of private bills the calendar when the fol-
lowing House bills considered in Committee Of the
Whole, read the third time and passed
An nc, for the relief Of John Manley.
An for the relief Sarah Stokes widow OF John Stokes
An oct for the relief Of Benjamin White.
An act for the relief Of Amy Judd.
An act for the relief Of Charles Chappell.
An act for the relief Of William Culver
An oct for the relief Of John Anderson.
An nc, for the relief Of the heirs Of Matthew Stewart.
An act fnr the relief Of Z. q. Smith
An act for the relief Of Jonathan Moore Of the State Of
Mas~achuscffs.
An act Cor the relief Of Robert Ellis.
Aa act or the relief Of Cstharne Fulton, Of Washington
county, Pennsylvania.
An &c, for the relief Of Bennett W. Dell.
An act Cor the relief Of Elijah ri. Willis.
An r the relief Of the legal Representatives OF William
Mckenzie late q scamen board the United States ship
vincsnncs
An &C, fr the relief Of Bent, st. vran, and Company.
An aei fos the relief Of J. Throckmorton.