New-York daily tribune., 1849-02-15

Correspondence Of The Tribune.

Railroads, &c. through the Public Lands.
Correspondence of The Tribune.
WASHINGTON. Tuesday, Feb. IS.
Another day nearly lost in both HouSes--devoted
in the Senate 70 the consideration Of the Civil and
Diplomatic Appropriation bil with little progress
and in the House TO matters in general ana not
much OF anything in particular, under the cal ior
reports from Committees, of which about nan Ia
number were called over Several bills granting
individual Pensions were passed; also one bill
rather Eberaliziac the General Pension Laws
and long debate sprung up on proposition re
ported by Mr. PALFREY Of Mass providing for
the distribution OF 2i0 lout Of $50 copies Of
the National Archives now lying useless 10
the State Department 10 such Literary Institution
or Public Library as may be judged best entitled
thereto-each Member Of the House being enti
tied 70 designate one. OF course this is better
than letting them lie useless and in the way but
1 sAould like to know whether Congress has not
been buying Just such Archives for years past TO
make up the sets for new Members, when the
Government already owned 3s9 copies for which
it had no use. There was a surfeit Of talk on the
sablec, today, but did not hear this point euci-
dated.
At q late houf-ior good slice OF the day bad
been used up on the start In attempt TO cor
rect the Journal Of yesterday, which after all,
was left uneouected by one majority-the House
took hold Of the business the Speakers table,
and soon came to very important Senate bill
70 aid the New States in making Railroads and
Canals through the Public Lands. The history
and nature Of this bill are as follows
For years past, the New States have been get
ting more and more into the habit Of coming 10
Congress for grants Of land to aid them in con
structing Public Works through the Public lands
They appealed to the Government the great
landholder, saying, We are about TO do what
will largely increase the value Of your lands-help
Us do it, The request seemed fair one and,
since the Government objected that II could only
charge its slowest price for these lands after all the
grants were fixed in this way Congress voted to
the State making the Canal or Railroad ene.haf
the Public Lands within FIVE or six miles either
way Of the line of the work, and doubled the price
OF the remaining sections, so as 10 reap the benefit
Of the Improvements, or some part Of it. But
after a few choice lots had been bought at the en-
HANGED price, the sale was found to sackeD, aud
soon petitisbs began to roll in. asking Congress 10
put the price down to the old ten shillings. So the
State and the settlers got all the benefit, while the
Government lost.
The momen. this session opened great mum
Der OF applications for aid to Railroads and Canals
on the alternate sec tion principle were received
by the House and referred to its Committee on
Public Lands. That Committee. after several
days discussion, decided that it could not report
in favor Of the voting away OF another on the
alternate section principle, that $50 far as the
National interests were concerned had proved
failure. Tba, Committee has not reported In favor
oi cedng or giving one acre OF Public Lands for
sale in aid OF Public Works, but instead Of that,
ultimately agreed on the following
/. Give to every State which shall survey and
commence work upon Railroad or canal through
any part of the Public Lands a right Of r0y
through the same a strip 100 feet each way
from the middle of said Canal or Railroad
g. Allow the States to Indicate what portion Of
the Lands within six miles each way from said
track it will have held up for higher price than
ten York shlings per acre, and what higher price
it viii have the land so held up sold at-all above
ten shllings per to go the State, and through
1t (doubtessl to the Company constructing the
work.
Such 10 the substance of the Committees pro.
ject, OF which the design is to encourage the New
States TO make Railroads and Canals through the
Public Lands, increasing their value and quicken
ing their SALE and justly giving to the creators OF
such additional value the full proceeds thereof,
the Government reserving TO itself only the value
OF the Lands before the improvement
This project received the unanimous assent OF
the Land Committee OF the House. was adopted
in the Senate. and passed that body by a unani-
nous vote Coming to the House, and coming up
from the Speakers table this morning. Mr.. Col
LAsIR OF VI explained and ably advocated it,
concluding by motion that it be now pat upon its
passage.
Mr. VISroS OF Ohio made powerful speech
in opposition He considered it only another de-
vice for dvesting the older States of their entire n
terest in the Public Lands. Pass this bi and the
New States will all be iurrow ed out into tracts
within ten miles OF some Railroad track the Sen
ate bill subjecung ten miles each way irom a
constructed or progressing work to the operation
of the principle aforesaid aud very soon the
States or the companies or the settlers would be.
gin to insist on having ii all for nothing. Mr.. V
did not make clear to me how all this was to hap
pen, but he made powerful effort, and produced
decided impression the House.
Messrs. L. w. TosrKINS OF Miss and LIsCoIN
of Ill successvely rejoined. but did not dissiPate
the impression Mr.. " had made. When Mr.
Lincoln closed, the House (the hour being late
adjourned
Il think this bill will hardly pass Without mate
rial amendment
EF The Steamer Northerner arrived last even.
ing from Charleston bringing the Great Southern Msi
She sn Charleston Saturday afternoon. We are in
debted 10 our friends Of the CArlsslon Cohrer and