The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-10-12

that sales and mortgages, &c, were made available
after the issue Of the "tcarvawt," instead Of the
issue Of the 'pate~t." And the result is manifest.
A speculator might buy up thousand warrants
for l60 acres each and locate his $50 900 acres all
in lump, thus converting the land into scheme
for the benefit Of the land jobbeIs. But by requir
ing each claimant first to get patent for his land
located and designated, the convepences OF large
land jobbing operations are very much embarrassed
The Senate on the last morning OF the SEES
sion. UNANIMOUSLY passed an explanatory bill, de-
timing the law TO prohibit an assignment until the
patent for the land in each case Is taken out: The
bill went to the House: The ayes and noes
were called on suspending the rule, to take it, and
when the clerk was about half way through, the
Speaker announced that the time fixed was up,
and that the House was adj ourned sins die. Thus.
the clearest possible explanation of the law As
defeated for the want of half an hours time.
Mr. Walker, who got up the explanatory bill,
was very active in the morning in tracing up the
| person guilty Of the mistake in the engrOssment.
| The clerks OF both houses were found to be iuno-
cent, and Mr.. Dickens, Secretary of the Senate, as
We understand, frankly confessed that, in the
hurry of business, he had omitted reporting this
important amendment of the patent TO the
crossing clerks.
Any man who knows Mr.. Dickens, and his estab-
ished character Of fidelity and integrity as man
and as public officer, will at once absolve him
from all suspicion of design; but the objections
made TO the prompt passage OF The explain ttory
bill in the House are open TO the suspicion of either
|
| to make the law as odious possible, by convert
! ing il into a grand scheme Of sordd speculation,
which would render il in its operation unpopular in
! the eyes of the country.
The President, however, has come up bravely
te the rescue. Ii was at his discretion TO take the
letter of the law as il stood, or TO construe il ac-
cording TO the truth and not the letter Of the act.
IL the mistake OF a clerk were to be the law, hive
hundred thousand dollars might be drawn from
the treasury for putting board fence around a
public lot, instead of hive hundred dollars.
The President has faithfully executed the law,
and the circular of Mr.. Stuart is what we tould
call a splendid document, intelligent, intellble,
benignant, benefcent, humane, patriotic, manly,
just, and proper, and true, and correct.
| The law, We suspect, originated in demagogHism
in design 10 throw dust into the eyes OF the old
soldiers, 10 secure their votes and there may have
been also some scheme at the bottom, of sPecula-
ton in the public lands. The circular o. Mr.. Stu.
art, far possible cuts OIL any calculations OF
large fortunes in land jobbing.
The Presidents Interpretation of the law was
tanned by the opinions of Mr. Webster and Mr.
Crittenden.
No definite, and scarcely an approximate, esti-
mate can be made without a tedious overhauling
Of the records of all our wars-lndian, British, and
Mexican-snce 1880; but, assuming that all the
claims of all the classes OF recipients will be equal
to 10000 meB, al l60 acres each, the bill covers
a surrender, by the Treasury, Of H,000000 acres
which, at the minimum price of 81 % per acre, is
equal TO an appropriation OF thirty millions of
money, 10 single bill. Setting down the regular
lions, including the deficiency bills, and we have
draft upon The public resources, this session,
equal TO eighty millions of dollars, saying nothing
of the ten millions pledged 10 Texas.
At this rate Of disbursements, we shall have the
President begging Tor a loan Of twenty or thirty
millions, before many months are over.
WASHINGTON, Oct 5, 1850
The Distribution Of Presents 10 D,ainguished
Characters That Silro Curry Comb
The presentation by Hon w. II. Seward of that
silver curry comb to Old lack, with which to
curry sold Whitley" stands by itself as the mo st
elegant present the calendar. There was an
omnous meaning in that curry comb, which ha,
just been explained by the wing Syracuse conven.
| ton.
! Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Webster have had their pre-
sents Of gold chains and gold watches.
Gen. Cass has recently received a present of
beautiful walking stick.
Gen. Houston has received cane from The birth
place of Washington carved all over with birds
and quadrupeds-a very proper present for such an
eccentric character as Houston.
Commodore Jones has received a beautiful gold
goblet from the people OF California
Gen Riley has received gold sauti box from
the people of California, encrusied all over with
oRPs OF native gold %a the is,ssT IN ths
thing, and specimen Of American produce and
skill which ought to he exhibited the great fair
]
medal from the citizens Of Monterey
Commodore Moore has just received splendid
pistol-a six shooter-from Samuel Colt, with the
/ splendid sea fight between the Commodore's and
the Mexican feet al Campeachy, engraved upon IT,
But none Of oil these beautiful things will
pare with tbat silver curry comb OF Gov. Seward,
and the awful cuIying down Of the wing party,
with the said comb, al Syracuse Asa legacy TO
the vhgs IFS value promises 10 cast all the presents
l Of Jenny Lind into the shade.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 1850
The Current Ondifs Of the Day-7As Presidents
Message.
The re-opening of the Foote and Fremont diff
Guilty, presents a most belligerent aspect but
the departure, some days since, of Mr.. Foote for
Mississippi, and the departure, we apprised,
Of Col Fremont in a day or Two for California
will give them an interval Of two months for re-
flse,ion. Sixty days, we should say ought to be
enough to cool dswn a dispute OF this Galore,
Mr.. Foote hrs his accounts to settle with the
people Of Mississippi, and IL is to be hoped that
they will give him fair hearing, and disposition
ate judgment His independent, self sacrificing
course on the slavery questions, entities HIM lot
only TO the respect Of his constituents, bat Of the
people Of the United States. With the current G.
popular feeling strongly against him, he took his
position alongside Of Clay, Cas- and Webster and
held 10 the end not alone regardful of h duty
TO Mississippi, but VI his duty to the Union.
Thus much we consider due to General Foote.-
His personal controversies are another thing, W N
which we prefer TO have nothing to do.
Col Fremont will lind u important 10 look after
his interests IN California: and after being so I'M
lucky rs % draw the ticket which cuts down his
Senatorial term TO the 18th Of March next, we should
regret that, with his promising talents, aud with
'he splendid career opening before him, anything
should occur 10 mar the prospects Of MS re.elec
ton. But having got himself entangled in a snar,
prefer outs ider, not 20 interpose any sss.s
lance until satisfied that u iswanted.
The last letter of Mr.. Squier, in the Herald, gives
q very curious review IT the proce edings OF the
British gents m Nicaragua. IL goes o. establish
the correctness Of The Hraids interprt tat Of the
Clayton treHty-that It was nothing more than the
81. cog OF future trouble with John Bull and ha