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

by aiding or consepling amendments satisfied
with lie present provisions gives land TO each officer
and colder OF past lwho have not heretofore been
psovded fo in quantities proporionate TO their rank
and lspGth OF service. To this eaure--lhe main one
ia lhs bill LIDO understand my friend from Virginia
a. Directing; indeed believe objection has not been made
this feature IRON any quarter but Is eon'epdsa maj.
bccaue many OF those entitled TO the provisions OF ms
residents OF States where there no public lands
wonld subject all such officers and soldiers % gsa' ~
ana expense e make n ~, ,Hs aernsye LAND
money" al the option OF the party eniilea 70 o an
recsve Looking Al this as practical qoe'nop, "ns
a legislator will permitcertainly sympathlzips WIN
thesn deeply II cannot refrain IRON expressing me opinion
ihnf III ire real friends OF this bill must they wond pass
Il q This s<ssion OF Congress- conhne The grant 10 land
Ire uoment the alternative given, The measure mas to
encounter the opposition OF those who oppose an propo
sons to appropriate msn or money ior such unhoy ana
unrghteous purposes as wars-wbether the war be
righteous unTgheous, just or unjust II further runs
Tie hazard of losing the ardent support OF those who,
because they do not represent constituency inter
ested, as they think, in the "bouny" proposed to be
given, are, nevertheless. in favor OF giving away
ss or 70 actual settlers but If the bill be modified
to give land "or money" this inducement IS lakeH
away, in great misunderstanding. they do, that most
Of those entitled 10 bounty living within States where
there are no public lands, would prefer the money.
thereby avoiding the trouble and expense Of making To-
cation. The moneyed part of all these contracts between
the United States and officers and soldiers employed IN
past wars has been performed, as understand If
II has not It is the fault OF the claimants, and not
the government We have general laws, full and ex-
pic in this particular Ii is the land that ia aske for
not scrip money. would inquire whether, in one
of al the numerous petitions and proceedings of public
meetings that have been presented to the Senate this
subject, amoneyed compensation is sought claimed
Notone. ltsland they ask and, speaking for my own i'm
mediate with the land they will De satisfied
has been said that comparatively speaking but few Of
all those entitled TO the benefits OF this law would ever
settle upon land granted under it. That may be true and
no doubt is to some extent but, nevertheless there
sone who earned The ptance proposed to be given them
and draw their last breath upon this freehold testimonial
voted them BY country they have served whenever
tidal country called And, SIR, Tor this class OF persons,
thsdescpion Of citizens have more care and sympa-
my than for of those whom fortune has singled
out and assigned place beyond the reach of want This
latter class Of officers and soldiers doubt not will gene
rally accept your offer Of land but in many casesyes
most cases will appreciate highly the motives which
prompted the grant and the evidence tcares with OF
devotion to country in the hour of trial than grant it.
Def But to return to the amendments generally should
prefer to take the bill il from the House. If,
1pwever, different course is determined upon still hope
nothing IN the shape OIL and involving the principle
tanned in. the amendment offered by the honorable senator
from Virginia will prevail repeat, believe it will be
fatal blow 70 the at least for this session OF Con
gress wish fe al liberty to appeal TO that honorable
senator to withdraw it. He says he is friend to the
measure. DO not doubt il, and only regre, he does
not seem TO fully realize what believe to be the danger
fes9lting from pressing 80 Objectionable clause.
DIR MASON. My only reason for pressing the amend
ent now was. to make the provisions OF this bill avail
amendment il will be wholly unavailable to them and
although il may nure practically to the benefit Of the
constituents OF The senator from Indiana entirely
willing TO extend the benefits of the bill his constu-
emu. Yet If mine are to be excluded by il, should
pany be wanting IN my duty towards them were not
70 oder this amendment. am perfectly that the
subject ia environed with difficulties am perfectly
aware that ii this amendment prevails, it will throw a
ge portion Of this scrip into the hands OF spectators
But am equally well that if it does not prevail
tie operation Of the bill will be OF the most partial
character 1t will give lands those of fellow
zeps who live IN the western countries and W no desire
permanent homes, and also opportunities TO establish
homes for themselves upon the public lands and ii will
THE same time exclude in the condition OF
certainly in the Stale of Virginia and probably IL
most Of the States south of Virginia These very
who ought 10 have 1.-THE poorer men-mea entitled TO
h forty acres or eighty acreswil not have the benefit
~ this land not because they do not want it, sug
keeted by the senator from Indiana but because they
Qnable IRON their poverty TO make good available
10y That the bill is TO pass creating this large charge
0n the public domain as graiuy to those who have
enved during the war; ought TO be so framed as TO
pad it, benefits to a-equally, if you do but
not equally, then unequay. Now, the object OF this
provision, which prevents these from being
kgnable to to the individuals holding them
the benefits intended for thsm will be exclude the very
larEe class 10 which have. referred from deriving any
Dement'S from IT, understand the senator from Illinois
Mr. SHiELDs] who is charged with this bill, and who
ispobsbly best informed Of the disposition OF the Senate
towards u to be Of the opinion that many OF those who
disagreed to the provso altogether which constitutes
msnf have offered fhe effect will be 10 change III,
charge from the treasury to the public domain. Blu,
i-11f + EEtt. Mr.. President amendment was made
70 This bill yesterday which entirely contradictory
the principle contained in the amendment proposed
by the senator from Virginia, mir MAsosl AS Tins bll
came from the other House, provided Substantially tina
the land warrants issued under might be assigned be
fore locating the laid II thought by the committee
on account OF the many evils and difficulties whict
were experienced by the department under the Mexicar
land bounty law, that ii would be best to pecdd in th
bill the adoption OF the principle of the Mexican b-ihs
principle which allowed the sale OF the warrant befor,
the grantee OF the government had located his land un
DEF IT. IL the senator will refer the third section
VIII lind that the amendment proposed by the committee
was adopted yesterday the effect which is 10 preclude
the sale or assignment OF the The psoposuor
now made by the honorable from Virginia, il
understand 1t correctly substantially 10 restore the BIZ
to the condition in which !, from the House. and
sushorixe sales to be made of these rights previous 10 The
grantees obtaining his patent
VT MASON, I'm his seat) Not at all not al all
Mr. FELCH. understand the form TO be somewha
different The form is TO issue certificate TO The
man who is entitled TO the land Iii imnaeria whether
we call IT warrant a certificate This paper is assign
able y goes into market II goes into Wall street
~ sold and specuatcd upon. and the soldiers, who
should De benefited by the law, deprived OF theiI
rRbs IN the same manner as they under the Mexi
'cSnhw The senator says this il not the same princi
PIE az All Let us see how this matter H. Then the,
ass'gned the warrant What do they do now Instead
Of fecsving warrant they receive what is now called
scrip What is this SCRIPT Ii authorizes the 10 fson hold
Ing Inc scrip 10 assign his original claim and the as
agnee OF that scrip to enter land II does VIVA,
tho Mexican bounty land law did except that IL does ii in
dieerent way Now wish TO cali the attention of the
esnaof for moment 10 the great difficulties which arise
iron this course oil proceeding The department here has
bsen already Obliged to suspend very large number OF
nnfa nm ounfo f he