The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-08-29


that hsye occurred since The beginning OF the
ney ought not 70 bs willing in the present stale OF the
sxdhequsr ana OF me country, 10 create such debt
do hope The Senate VIII not this amendment
MT ShlELDS VIII state 10 the honorable senator
from North Carolina that the amount of money is
very uncomfortable compared with the land and that
the man who selects the money suffers great loss And
III will also state that the committee have copied this
amendment from former law and the experience under
that law shows that there was money received but
they always preferred the land
Several SENATORS. There was great deal OF money
received
! Mr. SHIELDS. There was little or no money re-
ceived believe, compared with the amount Of land But
it is OF very little consequence. The who
receives the money suffers loss, because he gives up
sun p aT HciH} Sy0'sp ss4s with the senator
North Carolina My recollection in regard TO former laws
granting bounty lands that they passed during
war; and particularly in regard 10 the Mexican war
remember that no grant OF land for service rendered in
that war was made subsequently, TO Z. hwasa part OF
the consideration as an inducemen for men 10 enter the
service during the war; that they should get certain
Of bounty land Ths land was a Of Their
gatulty given for services not to be rendered, but
services heretofore rendered during all the since
the year 1893 This consideration, think, renders the
two entirely different There analogy between
grants made TO induce enstmens of volunteers into the
service during war, and the present proposition.
But then, sir, we dsposed-and very properly
thinko treat our lands Of little value to the govern
ment We grant them for almost any and every purpose
that is asked for But though is an object with the
them INTO private property, it is no Object with this gov
eminent to take the money out oil the treasury aud put
into the pockets of individuals Now sir, It is very
easy matter if the lands be preferable TO the money pro-
posed to be granted IN their stead, to turn them into
money; matter OF the lands will be located,
and transfer made for money W.
Now one good reason why vote for this bill u.s. that
believe to be the policy Of this government convert
the public domain ato private property. believe il TO
for the States where the public lands are situated that
the lands should be distributed and held the prvatc
property OF individuals would not vote for this com
pensaon to be paid to soldiers to any other class Of
persons the proposition presented naked 70 give
them so much money. am willing TO vote this bounty
land to the soldiers Of the Of 1872 and Of the subse
quent Indian wars; because, the first place. think
there s perhaps something due to them and in the next
place. because think i is the policy of this government
But protest against the policy Of contracting enor
nous debt by giving in lieu OF the land the money we
have treasury, and trust the Senate will con-
Mr.. SHIELDS i have stated. Mr. President. that this
matter was fully discussed in the committee. took
s a Nn a inc baS
scrip is undoubtedly more valuable than this money
which we propose to pay in its stead and the individual
70 allow him for it. l. for one, then. would not be will.
ling hazard the bill at all by insisting upon this amend
ment, there is any substantial objection to it, My hon.
orabe friend from Missouri says that perhaps the sol
dies are entitled TO something for their services for
one. think they entitled to great deal go, there
fore, Tor giving them the bounty land at all events; and
instead OF II, l will consent TO have The amendment
stricken out
Mr.. FELCH was one OF the committee who re-
ported this amendment, and therefore desire say
word in regard to il before the vote is taken have no
particular lenacity about this proposition that should in
sst upon its adoption, if il does not meet the approba
ton OF the Senate. But there one two consdera-
tons connected with this provision to which wish 10
call the attention OF the Senate.
This last clause providing for giving Of money
from the treasury instead of the land is in accordance
with similar provision contained in the law relative
to Mexican bounty land warrants That provision was
not IN the law relative TO land warrants for soldiers in
the last war. There 49, however, this amendment made
in the BILL different from that providing for sodies in the
with Great Britain Under that provision the
soldier could only take his land and nothing else He
was therefore not able 10 dispose OF his warrant at all
lie could only receive patent for his land and then dis
pose OF any other purchaser would Under the pro-
visions the bill for granting land soldiers in the
Mexican war, the different. There the soldier
authorized TO sell his warrant, receive his money
at half the minimum price OF the public land. Under
that provision the soldier received his warrant and
enabled to sell it in the market usually for higher sum
than half The minimum price OF the land Under the
provisions OF this bill, however, il stands he
not enabled TO sell the warran, at all His only aerna
tive, the bill now stands, is TO retain H. and receive his
land before he dispose OF IT, The object of the bill
prohibit the soldier from selling his pre-
bis application and to the entry OF his land and
the committee have reported this ndment in order TO
enable him obtain one-half the minimum price OF the
land In money
I, seems to be supposed that this is gift, and that il
will prove burden upon the treasury. That is not the
view oil III. III DesOW the PROVIDED by
this bill, we cut of precisely much from the receipts
upon the annual sales OF the public lands until the land is
disposed Of The land entered by the soldier is thrown
nso market and the history OF the sales of land shows
Icleariy-partcuarly the history while the Mexican
bounty land warrants were IN clrculatonthat Just IN
proportion tue land is entered under warrants OF this
description IN that proportion IS there dImlnuon OF the
receipts into the treasury from other sales. Now sir,
grant land TO the amount OF two and half millions OF
amount most OF which will De cut of the first year Now
what is the operation OF this upon the fiscal affairs Of the
government Why, II we cut OFT the whole OF the sales
Of the public lands Tor year, that would be the amount
OF the grauty given to the soldiers This would be the
effect il we cn of all the sales But suppose, instead OF
that that this provision wefe adopted The consequence
then would be thai would pay from the treasury
half the which would receive in the other way
That is precisely the operation OF IT. We pay by this pro
the sale OF the lands which these bounty land warrants
would otherwise cut off, by paying TO the soldier hal
the minimum prce OF his land. That is my opinion in
regard this provision But stated before, have no
epacy about IL; and II il does not meet the appreciation
of the Senate, they may dispose Of it as they TT
Mr.. BADGER. The hour OF O'Clock has very
nearly arrived, and II very obvious that get
through this bill this morning In pursuance therefore
of the suggestion made by the senator from Illinois,
now TO postpone the further consideration OF the
till tomorrow, with view to 90 into executive session
notion and allow this amendment TO be acted on am
not disposed TO go into discussion OF IT, but am willing
to submit il 10 vote Immediately.
Mr. HUNTER. hope it will be postponed till to-
morrow, in order to enable us TO examine the amendment
before act upon IT,
The question being taken on the motion TO postpone, it
was agreed to-