The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-27
; CON G RES SION A l.. y
IN SENATE. %
THURSDAY, September 26, 1850.
soLIIRs' BOUNTY LAND. tt

|
! The Senate, pending the business of tee mora
| ing hour, resumed the consideration of the sol
diers' bounty land bill from the House, with the
various amendments pending
| As the bill passed the House, IL grants bounty
lands, in classes Of 100, so and 40 acres, accord
ing TO the term Of service, tothe surviving officers,
prvates aud musicians OF the Indian war of 1880,
and all subsequent Indian wars of the United
States, aud of the of 1912; and to the officers
also of the Mexican war, not heretofore provided
for aud to the widows of such Of the officers and
soldiers, deceased, of the said wars, provided
such widows have not again married.
One of the amendments made in the Senate pro-
vides to extend the same bountes to the sail
ors and marines Of all the aforesaid wars from
1890 down to and including the Mexican war.
The amendment pending on the resumption OF
the bill, was by Mr.. DAWSON, to extend the boun-
the widows Of the officers and soldiers de-
ceased, whether said widows have since married
| or not, and to their orphan, minor children, IN
cases where the parents both deceased.
MIR. CASS hoped all the amendments would be
rejected, and that the bill would pass as il came
from the House Otherwise there was little hope
of passing the bill. N
Mr.. DA " SON appealed for the widows and
children.
| Mr.. WALKER made strong appeal against
the bill measure calculated to introduce a ru-
nous asslgnat paper currency into circulation, by
the spectators upon the public lands Such
bill should not pass if he could prohibitit. "A
with some conversation upon this declaration
between Mr. CAss and Mr.. WALLER, the ques-
ton was taken and the amendment of MIR. DAw-
SON was agreed to.
UNDER FIRE.
/ Mr.. PEARCE moved to amend by comforting
l6O acres upon any officer or soldier, regular,
volunteer or militia man, who shall have been
| tually under fire in battle with the enemy in any
of the wars aforesaid. Agreed to, including sal
Tors and marines on Mr.. BALDwiN's motion.
The bill and the amendments were reported to
| the Senate for concurrence.
! Mr.. SHIELDS hoped all the amendments
would be rejected with the view ofpassing the bill
| as it came from the House. He hoped the ques-
ton would be taken upon all the amendments at
once. t5J
Mr.. HALE desired the sailors amendment to
be voted upon by itself. He did not care to have
them mixed up with every thing else; but called
for separate vote for the sailors and marines.
Mar. DA WSON desired the same exception to
be made for the widows and orphans. F
| The question of postponng the sailors bounties
to the next session, was debated by Messrs. RusK,
| HALE, DAWSON, JEFFERSON DAVIS and BADGER,
when the question was taken upon Mr. DAwsoN's
amendment, extending the bounties to the widows
and children. Concurred in-34 to IL. 4
Mr.. CASS submitted that as this was test vote,
] whether the House bill should be amended or not,
the friends of the bill had better agree to all the
other amendments in the lump.
Mr. HALE desired separate vote for the sal
Tors. One vote worth hafa dozen speeches.
Mr.. BRIGHT explained why he had voted
against the amendment. ,ftt b
And Mr.. HALE at length consented that the
sailors and all other amendments should be taken
in the lump, which was done, and they We're all
concurred in.
Mr.. MASON again renewed his amendment
extending renewal of certain military land war
rants heretofore not satisfied, with the privilege. of
selecting in the States carved out Of the Virginia
Northwest Territory
| An animated debate followed between Mr.. MA
| SON in support Of the amendment, and Messrs.
| BALDWIN and UNDERWOOD against him, and at tie
! conclusion,
| MIR. BALDWIN moved to lay the bill on the
table. Motion rejected, 10 to 49,
And the amendment of Mr. MASON rejected
IL to "a
Mr.. BADGER moved to extend the bountes to
| widows and orphans of sailors and marines Of the
wars embraced in the bill. Agreed to.
And the bill providing, amended. for grarSS
of bounty lands to soldiers and Sailors seamen and
| marines, engaged in all our wars, Indian and for
! eign, since 1880, was ordered to Il third reading.
| LIGHTHOUSE BILL.
On motion Of Mr.. HAMLIN, the Senate took
up the bill for the support of the Light house
tablishment Of the United States, including a,ppro,,
pratons for California and Oregon And the bill
was ordered to a third reading. Read third
time and passed. ft E9gI
rs INDECENT INSANE.
Mr.. BELL made an eloquent appeal to the SEN
ate to take up the bill appropriating ten millions
of acres Of the public lands for the support of the
INDECENT insane, among the several States Of the
Union. sTgttl 5ler W.
MIR. RUSK opposed the taking up this bill with
so much indispensable business still pending. -
MIR. JEFFERSON DAVIS opposed the con-
sideration of this bill now. It would necessarily
involve the discussion of the constitutional power
to make such grants among the States
NJ Had
The CHAIR decided that the merits of the bill
could not be discussed the question to take up.
Mr.. JEFFERSON DAVIS replied that he was
simply presenting his objections to taking up the
bill. 1t involved constitutional question
The bill was taken up. The 10000, 900 acres
of lands to be divided among the States, accord
ing to and census Of 1850, provided no State
shall be counted ms exceeding $4,000 square miles
Mr.. JEFFERSON DAVIS thought the bill
contemplated the making the Federal Government
the great dispenser OF charity. The memorial of
Miss Dix appealed to our sympathies for the in
digent insane; but this Government was one of
specified powers If we appropriate lands or
money to the relief Of the insane, have not the
orphans ofthe country, the uneducaed poor chill
dren the blind, the deaf, and the dumb, an equal
right upon our charityi And where is the con-
stitutonal power of becoming this general dis
penser ofcbarity? We are rapidly wasting our pat
rmony and il rs time that the Senate should pause
| Mr.. JOHN DAVIS replied, producing prece
! dents OF similar Legislation. lE4 A 91BNi
| The bill and amendments We're discussed for an
hour by Messrs. JoHN DAVIS, JEFFERSON DAVIS,
FooTE, BELL, YULEE, CHASE, WALKER, ArcHl-
| SON, and others, when 1fa 2otiake 403srlF
| MIR. ATCHIsON moved to lay the bill on the
table Motion lost % to 49, "a US,
Mr. CHASE moved to amend so that the lands
coded shall be sold under the authority Of the
General Government, instead of the State to whom
they may be ceded Rejected.
Mr.. YULEE renewed the motion to lay the bill
on the table. Lost "a to &C.
Mr.. CHASE renewed his amendment.
MIR. WHlTCOMB objected to the bill. twas
the old scheme a small scale, the distribution
of the proceeds of the public lands among the
States, and it could not be disguised.
Mr.. FOOTE,woud vote for the bill, because it
distributed the lands; but under the amendment
Of Mr.. CHASE, it would be distribution of the
proceeds, and TO that he was opposed
Mr.. BENTON rose. and moved to strike out
the third section, and was proceeding to make
speech IN opposition TO the bill, when he gave way
upon request, and