The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-21
DEBATE IN THE HOUSE ON THE
BOUNTY LAND BILL.

/
Mr.. MASON asked the unanimous consent Of
the House TO offer resolution, providing that the
/ debate in Committee of the Whole on the state
of the Union should terminate in two hours (after
it should have been taken up) upon the bill pro-
yiding for the soldiers of the war of 1912, 49, IA,
and rs, with Great Britain, the Indian
Of 1911, the (F'lorida) Seminole war of 1856,
&C., and the war known General Wayne's, Of
l79 2 to l795, that have not heretofore been pro-
vided for.
Several yolcEs. No, no !; we might as well
not take up the bill at all.
MIR. THOMPSON, of Mississippi. | make
! the point of order.
The SPEAKER. The Chair will state, in reply
to the gentleman from Mississippi, Mr.. THoMP-
SON, that il will not be in order TO offer resolu
ton closing debate until the bill shall have been
taken up in committee.
| Mr.. MASON. Then l move that the House
resolve itself into Committee of the Whole on
the state Of the Union for the purpose of taking
up the bill. The House will recollect that it has
been made the special order Of the day.
/ ISeyeral VOICES Let the committees be called
for reports.
| Mr.. MASON. l would cheerfally withdraw
my motion to permit the call Of committees for
reports, If there.was any prospect that that object
could be accomplished. But the whole of yesier-
| day was spent in an Improbable and useless dis
cussion, and it is probable, If ! should withdraw
the motion, that this day will also be consumed
in a similar way upon some other proposition. !
adhere to my motions
Mr.. WENTWORTH put an inquiry to the
Chair in relation to the order Of business, to
which
The SPEAKER replied, that the bounty land
bill being the special order of the day, If the
House should resolve itself INTO Committee Of the
Whole on the state of the Union, the committee
would have no discretion, but would be compelled
| to take up that bill. IL was not in the power of
| the Committee Of the Whole on the state of the
/ Union to change an order Of the House.
| Mr.. WENTWORTH. If the bill should not
be disposed of to-day, viii the special order have
been exhausted? @
The SPEAKER. II will not. The special
order is to continue from day to day until the bill
shall have been disposed of.
| The question was then taken on the motion Of
| Mr.. MASON, and was decided in the affirmative,
without division.
| So the House resolved itself into Committee of
| the Whole on the state of the Union, Mr.. RICH
ARDsoN, of Illinois in the Chair,l and proceeded
| to the consideration of the special order of the
day, being the bill 'sprovidng for soldiers Of the
war Of 1912, 1913, 1914, and l015with Great Bri-
tain, the Indian wars Of 1871, the (Fiorida) Sem
| mclean war Of 1885, 1886, &C., and the war
known as General Wayne's, of 1892 to 1875. that
have not heretofore been provided for"
| Mr.. McLANE, of Maryland, rose to put an
inquiry to the Chair. He understood that the
gentleman from Inniana MIR. ALBERrsoNl had
Lprepared an amendment in behalf Of minority of
| 4
the law to militia as well as volunteers, and took
off the limitation to the time Of service, leaving
| the law like the law giving land TO Mexican sol
diers. He tMr. Mel. ] desiredto know whether
| it would be in order for the gentleman from In
! diana to move that amendment If it would not
be in order, then it was his Mr.. Mel. 81 intention
to move that the committee should go back into the
/ House, in order that that amendment might be
moved.
The CHAIRMAN said, il would be in order
for the gentleman from Indiada MIR. ALBERTsoNl
| to move his amendment in committee.
Mr.. PRESTON KING called for the reading
/ Of the bill.
| A brief conversation followed between Mr..
JONES and the Speaker. III,
| The bill was then read, as follows:
BE il enacted by the Senate and House Of Represen
tatires OF the United States Of .4erica in Congress
assembled, That each non-commissioned officer,
musician, and private enlisted regularly mus
| tered into, and served in, any volunteer company
| for period of six months and over, in the war
with Great Britain ofeghteen hundred and twelve,
thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen, the Indian wars OF
| eighteen hundred and eleven, Florida,) Semino-
lean of eighteen hundred and thirty five, thir
| ty-six, &C., or in the war, known as General
Waynes war, Of seventeen hundred and ninety
two to seventeen hundred and nnety-fve, that
have not been heretofore provided for by the Cen
eral Government with bounty land, pension, or n
bounty of more than fifty dollars and who have re-
ceved an honorable discharge, shall be entitled to
| receive certificate warrant from the Depart
ment of the Interior, for those who served six
months, and less than twelve months, eighty
| acres; and those who served twelve months and
over, one hundred and sixty acres of land; which
may be located by the warantee or his widow, at
any land Office Of the United States, In tracts OF
not less than,eghty acres each and in conformity
with the legal subdivisions thereof, in such district
then subject to private entry; and upon the return
of such land warrant certificate, with evidence
Of the location thereof having been legally made,
TO the General Land Office, a patent shall issue
therefor; and that, in the event OF the death of
any non-commssoned officer, musician, or prl-
vate, who may have received his discharge, and
before the issue Of the certificate warrant, then
il shall be issued in favor, and inure to the benefit
of his widow, if living at the time Of the passage
of this act and in the event Of her death before
the issue of the certificate warrant then 1t shall
go to his children, if any; and all sales mortgages,
powers, or other instruments OF writing, gong TO
affect the title claim to such Bounty right, made
or executed prior to the issue OF such warrant or
certificate shall be null and void to all intents and
purposes whatsoever; nor shall any such claim to
bounty right be, in any wise, affected or changed
by any soldier prior to the issuance of such certif-
cate or warrant: Prorided, That no land warrant
or certificate, issued under the provisions of this
act, shall be located upon any lands of the United
States to which there Shall be pre-emption right,
unless by tho consent, in writing, of the pre-emp-
| tor, attested by two respectable witnesses, and
| filed i'm the Office where located.
Mr.. COBB, Of Alabama, made few remarks,
| (Which will be published hereafter with the gen
| eral debate.)
| Mr.. G.. having concluded
! Mr.. ALBERTSON offered the following as a
substitute for the bill; which was read:
| Strike out after the enacting clause and insert,
| .'That each non-commssioned officer, Musician,
or private, who served in the military service of
the United States during the last war with Great
Britain, commenced in the year 1912, or IN any OF
| the Indian wars before since that period, m
GLIDING regulars, volunteers, spies, rangers sea-
fencbes, and militia, for period Of not less than
| six months and who shall have remained in said
service TO the date of their death, or who was
honorably discharged shall be entitled TO receive
a certificate of warrant from the Department of
the Interior, for the quantity of eighty acres of
land, which may be located by the WARRANTED, or
his assignee, or heirs-a-law, at any land Office Of
| the United States in one body and in conformity
10 the lenI sihdyisinns of the nublIc lands, upOn