Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-08-31

the Dill on the account OF this arnendmeL for one shal
hazard its by insisting on its being inserted Id
not wish TO any demand on the treasury but believe
that these soldiers, who my friend from Missouri says, per-
haps entitled to something are really entitled to great
deal and that at all events ought to give them little
public land have no DESIRE for one TO insist upon th.
amendment.
Mr.. FELCH. am member of the committee which
reported this amendment and wish to say word in regard
to before the vote is taken have particular tenac
to retain desire hazard the bill by insisting upon any
amendment which may meet the appreciation of the Sc
mates but there considerations connected with
this proposition to which wish to call the attention of the
Senate This last clause providing for the drawing of money
out Of the Treasury instead of receiving grants of public
land is in accordance with the provisions Of the law granting
bounty lands for services in the Mexican war Il was not
the law granting bounty lands the soldiers in the last war
with Great Britain. Under the provisions of that law the
soldier entitled his land and nothing else He was
not able to dispose of his warrant all he could only receive
patent for and then dispose of that patent the same
any other person could
Under the provisions Of the bill in reference to the Mexican
war, the different The soldier was authorized to
sell his warrant receive bis money at the rate of
the minimum price of the public lands which he was emit
tied Under the provisions of this BILL without this amend
men the soldier not enabled TO sell his warrant at all He
only dispose the land after he it. the same
person who received patent The object
the soldier from selling his warrant previous his application
for patent And further nducement for him not to do
So this amendment proposes TO allow him to draw from the
treasury sum OF money equal to onehaf of the minimum
enable him to his claim readily into money II
seems to be supposed that this will be g Of money
from the treasury and not compensation donation made
in land But that is not the view which take of it. The
land given away by this bill will reduce precisely that amount
the quantity Of land which the General Government will SELL
and consequently will reduce the of money received
from that source into the treasury.
The history Of our land sales particularly since the grant
OF Mexican bounty and shows that 10 proportion the
lands entered under Of this description Just in
that proportion there dmnuton in the receipts into the
Treasury from the sales of those lands The lands proposed
to be granted by this bill will probably to two and
half millions of acres which is be of from the
sales OF public lands and of will diminish the receipts
of the treasury that extent What will be the operation
of this land should be entered the year the Gov
could make any saes for the whole amount in
mcket would be covered by these entries But suppose this
amendment be adopted The amount allowed in in lieu
OF the land opeha the present minimum price, and the
would be that we should pay Of the Trea
sury only half the which would pay if all the
entries of land made That precisely the operation
of the amendment Without it should pay the SOL
der the whole Of the minimum price of the lands entered or
the receipts into the Treasury would be diminished to that
tent and with it. whenever the money taken in prefer
to the land should pay only onehaf the minimum
price, and the receipts into the Treasury be increased to that
extent Ibave however, tenacy for the amendment and
have merely the considerations which induce
favor it. If they with the favor of the Senate they will
perhaps adopt the amendments if they do not they will, Of
course, reject It.
and it must be obvious to the honorable Senator from Illinois
that pass this bill this morning In pursuance OF
the suggestion he made therefore that the further
sderaon Of the bill be postponed till tomorrow.
The further consideration of the subject then postponed
till to morrow