The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-08

is before the Committee on Naval Affairs, and far
hsy % @ss probably sps iii ass %slns
lar to that made for the land service in this BILL for the
officers and seenen who actually engaged IN the
military opxallqhs OF the late war with Mexico. good
deal Of dlfcp3 has been found in the consideration OF
that suhjec! IN the committee from belief that II land
was given TO seamen, it would be almost giving them
stone instead OF bread. The senator over the way IS
much more conversant with the habits OF Than
am but my impresson with regard to the character and
habits q scar en- - such as to render II almost certain
that military snd warrants in their hands will be OF nc
value and Will be sold for song got rid OF in any
way, or will be mortgaged. TIE probability s that
bill oi some other form. remanea!ing Them, will be re-
poredby the Committee on Naval Affairs. agree with
the senator IRON Illinois that II is better not to provide
for them IN this bill but TO place them by separate bill
upon an equal foonng with the land service;
i The question being taken upon the amendment il was
rejected
Mr. -UN DERWOOD Mr. President. will move an
amendment OF an additional section, which | will ex-
plain During the OF 1912 there were two defeats.
where large portions Of the militia captured by the
enemy -Wmchester's defeat and Dadley's defeat A
good many persons thus captured carried OF by
the ndians and some remained for three years..
wish to give hpss thus carried OF and dA&aiaeA
captivity compensation for the time they were detained
IN captivity as II all the time in service II will make
elk months men in some twelve months |;
and in some cases ihree-months' men would be made
twelve-months' men That's the object OF my amend
men which send to the Chair
| The amendment was read as follows:
BE e"aeim, &C., That. the period during which officer
BE- ss 10 s w Of s his
service and the detained in captivity shall
that he would be enlited ia case thar he had
tered the service Tor the whole erm made by the addi-
on Of the term Of his captivity and had been discharged
Mr. UNDERWOOD That isl very simple PROPOSE
ton. The question is whether you will consider them,
when in captivity as being in the service OF the govern
men and will remunerae them Tor that service under
this bill
The PRESIDENT The amendment will come in as
second section.
| The question being taken upon the amendment no
quorum voted Being again taken il was decided in the
affirmative upon division-ayes 25, noes not counted
section, 7th line, the words:
Nor shall any certificate for land, issued under
the provisions OF this act DO assignabe in any manner
Mr., FELCH n understand the bill correctly, that
is precisely the provision at the present time.
Mr.. WALKER Mr.. President, will state my mo-
tive in Offering this amendment These words in
the bill the words contained in the act which gave
bounty lands the soldiers Of the Mexican war and is
upon these words that the originality of these warrants
has been ngraed As an original proposition. should
not look upon these words making instrument
otherwise not negoabean assgnable and transferable
instrument Itappears that the government consue the
words differently from the apparent force OF them. They
consider the words TO contain negative pregnant" and
because declares If made prior to The issue OF such
warrant certificate they shall be null and void.
They maintain that if il be made afterwards il shall be
made valid That is the construction put upon il by the
land Office; and is these very words which will give
assignabe and negotiable character these certh
Gates. Ii the construction to follow these words
in this bill as in the bill for the Mexican soldiers wish
the bill to declare IN express terms that these warrants
tended Tor the benefit of the specuaor and dealer in land
warrants but for the benefit Of the soldier, it is well to
protect him in the possession Of bis warrant
know what the answer is Will you tie up the hands
OF these soldiers, and not permit them 10 sell their war
rants If they wish TO do SO! say, either do that do
not pass the law for we know full well that but little
benefit has resulted TO the soldier under the act giving
bounty lands 10 the Mexican soldier. We know that
the speculator, IN eight cases out OF en-that
would be fair cacuation-has been the only one
who has been benefited by the grant OF bounty lands to
the Mexican ssldieT understand this bill 10 be put
upon the foundation that il is grant of homestead TO
some extent to him that has pered his life in the de-
fence OF his country Then, leit be and lei IT not be
ely mode few dollars TO be spent at once,
when he shall be left aga.n without assistance. The
true benefit result from this grant OF bounty lands for
the soldier when he gets his land and he should at any
time be situated to want II, TO be able al once to set
tie upon 1t, and thus to obtain competency TO save him
from want by making proper selection from the rich
lands OF the West and settling upon them. Living
OF the western States containing good quantity OF pub
hc land | san say that we are more Interested IN this
matter than those who live out OF the State We are in
in having these persons select their land and set
tie upon it and do not wish the warrants to fall into
the hands OF seeuators and land dealers TO take up the
lands IN vast quantities and let them lie, as II were IN
rtmainn situation in which they be cultivated
and improved Ii matter of great interest to and
desire that these should 20 into the hands
Lof the various persons to whom they entitled and
that they shall not be aggregated by the Spectator TO be
bought up and located and the lands held in situation
IN winch De neltner improved nor CuiuVateu
hope thus amendmeA, will be adopted and as understand
from the suggestion OF the chairman OF the Committee on
Public Lands that this the intention OF the commit
tee, hope they will have objection to specific pro-
vision which will render IL certain.
Mr.. FELCH Certainly have no objection TO the idea
contained n the amendment OF the senator from Wiscon
sun but IL is, according 10 my view unnecessary But
think. II you look at the section, that the amendment OF
the committee has accomplished precisely the object
which the senator seeks II entirely obviates the obec
ton TO the bill II from the House Of Representa-
lives, in my view. II reads:
PROVIDED further, That every person who may be entitled
under the provisions of this receive certificate
for bounty land snail be allowed the option 10
ceive such certificate warrant scrip Tor one
hundred dollars where the quantity OF land Is hundred
and sixty acres, Gty dollars where the quantity is eighty
and twenty vc dollars where quantity - forty acres
said scrip - bear interest of six per cent per snnum,
payable semannualy and redecmabe at the pleasure OF
the government
But the committee reported an amendment which pro.
vded that all those should be VOID which made por
the certificate OF the entry OF the warrant, Now every
assignment OF the kind to which the senator refers Is
void If made before the patent issued or before the
land is located upon the warrant The moment the land
located upon the warrant of course return s made 10
the office and paien, issues II may be some time after
the land located the warrant before they are able
TO make out the papers during that time OF delay the
land may be sold precisely as ii the patent was issued
The moment the holder Of the land warrant obtains his
certificate of entry and purchase, IT is sent TO the and
office and the patent issued soon ss II can be conve
niently done. But sometimes a considerable space OF
ntervenes between the location and the issue OF the
patent During that time, sales OF land are informally
made that allowed here after the man has obtained his
patent All assignments before that OF every nature are
made void by the bill il now stands. The section now
accompshes, therefore, precisely the object which the
senator from Wisconsin desires to accomplish. IT, how
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