Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1849-02-27
and. 1t was fully debated, and the vote,

l am astonished at the construction of the
Comptroller of the Treasury referred to
by the Senators from Iowa: in nv iudp.
ment ii is very improper one. A sim.
liar course was had in the other House
The Senators from Iowa and the Senator
from LII. (Mr. Douglas) can state if there
was not an amendment Of like purport Of.
| Tered in the other House and voted down.
Mr.. Douglas. There was believe.
Mr.. Westcott. The present bill but
reiterates the decision of Congress in
1916, and | think should pass.
Mr.. Breese. Mr.. President, recollect
distinctly that when the act for the ad
mission of Iowa into the Union came to
the Senate, this change came directly un.
der the notice Of the Senate; an1 the OBJ
]ect to which the land was applied by the
constitution Of that State was highly APP
proved. 1t was thought better for the
interest Of that growing State, instead of
aappropriating the grant Of 100000 acres
Tor the purposes Of internal Improvement,
to divert the grant 50 as to apply it to pur-
poses of education. In this heartily
concurred, and I believe there was but
one ortwo dissenting voices in the Senate.
The bill was then, by unanimous con-
sent, considered as in committee Of the
Whole.
Mr. King. do not intend 10 throw a.
ny obstacles i'll the way of getting a bill
passed most in accordance with what they
suppose beneficial TO The State of Iowa,
and with what they supposed her interest
at the time 1t was passed. The only diff
Guilty with me, as this bill now stands, is,
that we declare that the assent of Con-
gress was given to that particular provis-
ION. Now, have been here when many
States were admitted, and | believe the
assent Of Congress was only given so far
as the constitution was republican in its
character. Further than thai, it has ne
yer entered into the deliberations Of Con-
gress to interfere with any local resula-
ton which State may make for her own
Interests. But, if change has been
made, and the assent Of Congress is now
asked to what was supposed TO be origin
ally gwen, am prepared to vote for it
with great pleasure. | have no doubt
that the original giving of the five per
cent Tor purposes Of internal improve
ment has been attended with injury
to the States themselves, and GER
talnly of no benefit to the country.
hope the gentleman will agree to change
the phraseology of the bill, so that we
shall now give our assent to the change
provided for by the constitution Of Iowa,
by which the fund is applied for the pur-
poses of education.
Mr.. Jones. Mr.. President, the reason
we desire this bill to be passed is, be-
cause sales have already taken place un-
der that law by the School Fund Commits
sloners, under the direction of the Super.
intendent Of public Instruction Of Iowa,
and the funds have been diverted unde
the direction of the Commissioner Of the
General Land Office; but the Comptrol.
Ter will not allow those funds to be ap.
Piled IN that way, and hence the difficult
ty and necessity for this law. A similar
bill precisely was passed last year in re-
ation to the State Of Alabama. A similar
discussion arose at the time Of the admis-
sion Of Iowa upon this question, in the
House OF Representatives, and similar &C.
ton 20 that taken in the Senate, as ad
verted to by the chairman Of the commit
lee on The Public Lands, (Mr. Breese,
was the result there.
hope, therefore, that no further on
position to this reasonable bill will be
made, and that it will be allowed to pas.
at this time.
Mr.. Dodge l beg to say to the Sena
tor from, Alabama that | cannot consen
to any change in the phraseoIogy of the
bill, which would concede that Congress
did not, at the time Of our admission, con
sent 10 the appropriation Of the five per
cent fund, and the five hundred thousand
acres Of land, to and for the purpose nam.
ed in the second clause of the tenth arti.
Gle of the Constitution of Iowa.
Mr.. Douglas. 1t may not be improp.
er to remark that the matter was duly
considered in the House of Representa-
tives at the time the State Of Iowa was
admitted into the Union. The committee
on the territories examined the subject,
and reported bill unanimously approx
ing the change which had been made:
The subject was fully discussed in the
House of Representatives, and the law
was passed, which, i; was understood,
would. give authority to the State to make
this disposition of her fund. If there
was any doubt on the subject, thar doubt
was entirely removed.
No amendment having been submitted,
the bill was reported 10 the Senate, was
ordered to be engrossed and read a third
time, and was read third time by unan-
inous consent, and passed.
HoUsE.-Mr. Edwards, from the Com
mittee on the District Of Columbia, re-
ported bill 10 prohibit the introduction
Of slaves in the District Of Columbia, as
merchandise, or for sale sor hire. A mo-
ton to lay on the table was defeated
Yeas II, Nays III. Lays over.
The Senate bill, on the subject Of the
Iowa School Fund, was referred to the
Committee on Territories.
Thursday, Feb. 1st.--SENArE.--Mr.
Breese, from the Committee on Public
Lands, reported a bill to grant the right
1