The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-08-31

ceive in lieu Of money land scrip in proportion tn,
amount OF land they may be entitled to- that Is to say
that the provso should be modified 10 authorize the
persons entitled under this provision TO receive warrants
OF bounty land or at their option to receive IN lieu OF
hhi.a,y sau 'o'ip WIN tha' view have Piepaicu ~
amendment to the proyiso, which will send TO the
Chair.
The amendment was read by the Secretary as follows
To b. issred by The Secretary of Interior
Of VI 20 fo each which such person
be ened which scrip shall be receivable in payment fo
any iaIds subject 10 sale at private entry.
Mr.. SHIELDS Mr. President, the objections which
have been urged by The selor from Virginia. and by
others, on yesterday. think have great force and
believe that il is very imprudent TO insist this provso
Not only would endanger the bill and hazard that
which avn very anxious should pass but do thnk is
gong little TOO far suggested by the senator from
Virginia. 10 throw this burden IN any event upon the
treasury But will appeal 10 that gentleman TO with
draw his amendment Il am willing TO surrender the
whole rovso do insist upon it bur the great object
is TO prevent this scrip from floating about the community
a. means OF speculation. Now, sir, The amendment
preseRted by the gentleman from Virginia would throw
into the market amount OF land scrip which would be
nssgnable, and, o course very likely to circulate
the country and a into the hands OF spectators The
only objection the country have this
ure-it s general objection, ana applies 10 the whole
country, but particularly interested in this in the
VESTS that, instead of throwing the lands open
up these lands and prevents them from being settled and
that settlement is beneficial 10 New England as TO l
nois see stronga very powerful objection to throw
ing this scrip into the market Tor speculation. hope the
gentleman from Virginia will withdraw his amendment
and let this proyso be voted down, as am willing il
should be.
Mr. MASON Mr.. President have no disposition in
the world embarrass the bill by the amendment have
have said my views present are favorable to the
passage of the bill Buff object of the bill is upon
face give this bounty those for whom is provided
Now really and in fact will confer bounty upon very
large class OF individuals to whom it is given The bill
will be perfectly illusory to them, however efficient it
may be those who avail themselves OF its pro-
visions How will It be Of any practical benefit to the
very large class in Virginia and the ether southern States
militia and volunteers who called out during
the for special service to defend their frontiers This
the with Virginia and other States 10 a very
large extent. Thousands upon thousands were called
out KEEP, from home to defend the frontiers OF those
States They 10 be entitled to receive. each OF them,
prvates forty of land; but the bill disabes them
from receiving that bounty unless they take measures
each individual OF them-to have those forty acres Of
land located somewhere upon the public domain and a
patent issued for H. 1t will not be done il cannot be
done utterly impracticabe that it should be done
and the result will be that in effect they will receive
nothing Wherever these claimants the western
States, and have knowledge OF the mode and means OF
having their locations fixed and obtaining their patents,
they will receive the benefits OF this bill bu. those who
scattered through the southern States, who have
knowledge OF the organization OF our land scheme-beng
generally OF the less enlightened portion OF
nifty, the farmers and laborng men of the country
cannot derive any advantage from the provisions OF This
bill Suppose they are entitled TO forty acres OF land 1t
small matter, and will lie upon their hands perfectly
useless as If this bill had never been passed
Now sir, the object o tkis to make il charge upon
the public lands. The amendment have proposed will
have that effect because thus land scrip will be charge
upon the government when is brought in payment for
sobed Now the objection made by the honorable
tor the way that il will throw large quantity Of
land scrip into circulation may be true but who will
ceve the benefit of 1t when II is thrown into the market
fhe SPECTATORS will perhaps derive considerable profit
because they viii purchase il for small sums still those
for whom it is intended will get something's whereas as il
stands they will get nothing whatever. am little
disposed 10 do anything which would cause this govern
ment TO throw materials into the market TO ench specu-
aiors There is class OF men less entitled 10 SYM
pahies yet. this object cannot be effected wihou,
placing, 10 extent those for whom this IS designed
within the power OF that class OF people, say you must
either incur that risk deny them that avorihe
the other II the amendment should not prevail and if
the provso should be stricken from the bi-though
on-l shall ask fa, there be struck from the bill
much prevents the holders OF this scrip from transfer
ing or assigning il before they have their patents. think
that will be better than to leave II as At stands The
purpose OF the bill is 10 constitute charge upon the pub
lie dom aim and the effect OF the amendment have Of
fered will be to carry out that object.
| Mr. SHIELDS. Mr.. President see great deal OF
force in the argument urged by the gentleman from vr;
GINA so far the western States concerned IL had
not struck me in that light before. The volunteers and
soldiers who reside in the South will lind II very neon
yenent 10 make these entries think the argument very
lators will derive the whole benefit OF this scrip How
ever much prefer that this amendment should prevail,
rather than that the amendment he threatens should pre-
vail do not that this amendment would materially
affect The bill II may be convenience to those who
in the States OF Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina
and along the Atlantic shore generally. As such,
shall make objection to IT,
! Mr. SMITH Mr.. President conceive that the bill
as stands with the amendments reported by the commit
tee will extend those soldiers residing on the frontier o
the Atlantic States all the relief which be desired by
The senator from Virginia. do not concur at all with
my honorable friend from Illinois IN regarding this
amendment as being unimporant; but II the amendment
TO be rejected earnestly hope the amendment proposed
\ by the senator from Virginia will not be sanctioned by
the Senate II mistake not this amendment reported
from the Committee Public Lands accords in terms
exactly with the provision OF the b granting bounles to
soldiers who engaged in the Mexican war. had
occasion 10 look somewhat cafefoy some time since INTO
the amount Of the charge the treasury OF the United
States created by The provisions OF the bill granting
bounty lands to soldiers engaged in the Mexican war;
and found on inquiry the Treasury Department that
il was a trihe The whole amonnt OF these boun
ties according the report OF the Secretary OF the
Treasury something like lIaO0,O00 acres ot land
Amounting, value, calculated al the minimum price. TO
about Ss 900 900 and the Communication money under The
provision OF the law to which referred amounted only
to about one quarter of mllion dolars-some S26o00o
or little upwards The for that suppose. is to
be found in The TACT that the parties holding scrip could
get into market and sell H. where, believe It uniformly
brought abou 500 to 1925 for each quarter section OF
land Consequently the soldier could Obtain IN The mar
ke Than The Communication price provided or IN he
bin TO which referred But is proposed by The pro-
visions OF this bill that his land shall be granted directly
TO the soldiers that they shall take title TO the land
which to be conferred upon them by the government,
and that they shall have the scrip Tor the purpose ol
taking II into market, and there selling II Tor such
price as they obtain That's the provision OF The
amendment already adopted by the Senate Well, SIR, l
most cordially approve OF that provision OF the bill
Now, have TO remark that this scrip for quarter
tion oi land which, according to the minimum price.
would amount 10 the oil $500, has been uniformly
-, ,lce ,k.,f, haze In