The southern press., 1850-10-01
co.. N RES $40 AL
IN SENATE.
MoSpAr, September 80, 1850.

MONDAY, CepttIIiDef ~, iSJU.
The Senate met this morning at nine clock.
Among the incidental business or the day,
MIR. WALKER introduced i'll explanatory
of the act grantiog bounty lands to soldiers, passed
Saturday night Through error of one of the
clerks, the word s patent" had been omitted In
the engrossment. The bill was intended to pro-
vide that no soldier ould have the option of as
signing his land to another party, until he shall
have received his patent for the sane. The omis-
sion made by the clerk in copying this amendment
destroyed IFS force and left the soldier free to sell
his bounty land on his own terms, and before get
ting out his patent if he chooses. In view of this
fact, MIR. WALKER hoped the explanatory bill
would be permitted to pass by general consent
MIR. DAWSON. No, sir.
Mr.. WALKER Well, that, suppose, sir is
the end Of the bill. The object of his amendment
was 10 prevent the soldiers bounty lands from be-
coming the prey Of the spectators and land sharks.
Unless this bill was passed that object would be
defeated; and the mistake of the engrossIng clerk
would enure to the benefit Of the land jobbers and
their monopoly of the public lands. Mr. WAL
kER appealed, as personal favor to the senator
from Georgia to withdraw his objections to this
explanatory bill.
Mr. BENTON presented the case. Here is a
bill passed, the intention and object of the Senate
being one thing, and the mere mechanical oms-
sion Of an important word or two by the Clerk,
changing it to an entirely different thing And
while il is the desire Of the Senate to repair this
mistake, which threatens to turn over the whole
Of these land bountes to the mercy of the specu-
Iators, it is in the power of single senator to de-
feat the intent of the law by an objection. One
single senator, sir, rises in his place to do it.
| Mr.. DAWSON. Well the senator need not be
in such rage about it,
| Mr.. BENTON. 1t is enough TO put man in
a rage.
Mr.. DAWSON said that as the mistake in the
bounty land bill was a mistake of the Clerk, he
would withdraw his objection to the passage of
this explanatory bill. But if the mistake had
been made by the Senate, he should have adhered
| to his objection.
! And the explanatory bill was passed, explain
ing the law to mean that the soldier shall not have
power to assign his bounty land until he shall
have taken out patent for the same. This ex-
planatory bill was sent over to the House, where
it fell to the grouud-so that the object of Messrs
| BENTON and WALKER is defeated at last.
| Mr.. BERRIEN moved that Professor Espy :
report on Metoerology be printed on folio fools
| cap to accommodate it to the Plates.
| Mr.. HALE suggested that the printing be sup
pressed as more expedent alternative.
| Mr.. BERRIEN explained that but little would
be saved in that way, as the main expense had al
ready been incurred in the printing Of the plates
| Resolution agreed to-
| The Committee on Military Affairs, through
Mr. JEFFERSON DAVIS, reported back the unfn
ished business in their hands, and were dis
charged.
The Senate then had an Executive session Of Q
couple of hours.
ADJOURNMENT.