The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-09
CONGRESS- LAST WEEK.

l.
be construed as to prevent the sale or tr,D.e.-.
any of the certificates or warrants nrio. - ~,
location OF the same, or the issue of the patent
thereon, was carried by vote ofl3l 70 %
Under the operation Of the Previous o.
moved by Mr.. Caldwell, this resolution Wa.
dered to be engrossed for third re,dir. -
Mr.. Vinton moved reconsideration, and mad.
few remarks, showing that the effect ~ tbo -
ton OF Mr. Caldwelps resolution would be n
throw si5O,ooO, 900 worth Of the public lands int
the hands of few graspiDg spectators who
would obtain the warrants for a mere son, :,
stead Of benefting the persons for whom this
Government bounty was intended. Mr. Win
toms motion was los, and the resoI,to, roo
adopted, as follows:
YEAs-Messrs. ALezaader, Alston As5,sr,
Ashe Averett, Bayly, BocOck, Boorr, Bowdon.
Bowiin, Boyd, Breef, Briggs, Buel, Balilrd, Burt,
BmIer, u A. Caldwell, j. p CaldrsR Cartier,
cleveland, Cobb, Corw6, CropeH Danner, Dim
mick, Disney, Edmundson, Ewing, Featherston,
enow, Cot, Could, Hall, Hamilton, Hampton, |. G.
Harris, 5. w. Harris Raymond, Hibbard Ill.,
hard, Hoagland. Houston, Howard HowE Huh.
bard Inge, ]. w. Jackson W. T. Jackson. Jones
Kaufman, La Sere, Littlefeld, H. Mann Mann
Marshall, Mason, McClernand, Mcdowell M.
GaDghey, McKSSoek, McLanahan. McLans. Ne.
Lean, McMullen, McQ ueen, Melville M.qcLgm
MOrehead, Morris, Morrison, Ogls, Olds, Orr,
Parker, Peaslee, Penn, Ptmoa, Potter, Robinson.
Savage Sawtelle, Shepperd, Sluester, Spaldiag
Sprague, F. P Stanton, r. II. Stanton, T. Serrs
Stetson, J. Thompson, j. B Thompson Toomls
Walden Waldo, Wallace, Watkins, Wentworth
Mr.
NAYs-Messrs. Albertson, Be1le, Bsanett. b.
kee, w. J. Brown, Cable, Campbell Cbqa4.r,
Clarke, Cole COnger, DsJqry, Dolly, Drsr, Dps-
BEE, ~ Exams, Fovler, Gilbert, German, H.Bq, .
may Hamilton, Harlan, HoS R14yd, Hsu,g -
Hunter, Julian, Kerr, j. G. Kong, j. H. Kag. P.
King, Madison, J. X Miller, d. F. MILF Ois
( !. - :, 2 -.-.S .c, sS6ss ~ t,s,
Seheack, Jacob Thompson, Tuck, UaderhM, Vu-
ton, Whte, Wright-45
ABSENT OR NOT VoTINe-Messrs ALLEN, AsL.
nun, Baker, Bay, Bingham, Bissell, Borie Brooks,
A. G. Brown, CabeH, Caluin, Casey, Cingnna,
Colcock, Daniel, Diekey, Diron Duncan, Durham,
Hackett, Harlan, T. l.. Harris, Holiday, Hoilaes,
A. johnson, j. L. Johnson, r. w johnson, G.. G.
KING, Letter, Lsvm Mcdonald, Meade, Moor,
Morse, Morton, Nelson, N,reH, O'alaw, O,rH,
Phelps, PhGair, Reynolds, Risley Robbins, Roe,
Ross, Rumsty, Sackat, Schermerhorn SchOolcraE
Seldom, Staniy, A. H. Stephens, Strong, Sweetzer,
Taylor, Thomas ThurnmH, Van Dixie, Venable,
Wellborn, Wildrick, Woodward-71.
Wings in Idlies; Free-Soilers in SMALL CARS;
Opposition in Roman
The Bounty Land bill consummated one series
Of wasteful appropriations Of the public lands,
and this vote perfected the iniquity of the bill
by facilitating the transfer of the Peoples pasr-
mony to the hands of spectators.
Several bills were introduced during the same
day, granting the right of way to railroads, anil
appropriating portions of the public Jspds to Aid
in their construction. We learn that there arc
now no fewer than eighty or ninety such bills
before Congress each sustained by strong local
interest, which is willing, by sustaining every
other, to secure support in return. Thus by
one vast, complicate system of log-rolling egisla
ton, the public lands, which ought to be held for
the benefit of the landless men of the country,
are to be delivered over to spectators and soul
less monopolies We hope Mr.. Johnson will neg
lect no opportunity of urging his bill, as .he
only preventive of this profigate species Of le-
gislation.
The Postage bill was taken up the next day in
Committee of the Whole on the state Of the
Union, and Mr. Potter declared his intention to
obtain a vote upon it, if possible, the Monday
following Various topics were discussed, such
as the proposition to exempt newspapers from
postage within a range of thirty miles from the
place of publication, the reduction of postage on
magazines, prepayment on newspapers, &c.
Mr.. Fowler made strong speech in favor Of
the two cent rate, and the abolition of the frank
ing privilege, which shall notice more at length
hereafter. Mr. Otis urged speedy action, and
was also earnest in favor of two cents, prepaid
The House then adjourned over till Friday.
Friday, after an unsuccessful attempt by Mr.
Potter, to get up the subject of cheap postage
the House resolved itself into Committee of the
Whole on the Private Calendar, and really
showed disposition to do something. Eighteen
bills were laid aside, with the recommendation
that they pass. Several were amended sixteen
bills were objected to- and went over till next Fri
day The Committee rose, the House concurrci
in its action, and adjourned. The next day, lSai
urday,l the Cheap Postage bill was considered in
Committee Of the Whole on the state Of the
Union Mr. Gerry of Maine made good speech
Ia favor of low postage. MIR. Watkins Of Ten
nessee was apprehensive that the reduction of the
rates would curtail mail facilities. Mr.. Root
for the abolition Of the Thanking priv
lege the printing abuse he said, had grown out
Of the franking privilege-as members print, be-
cause they can frank, and frank, because they
can print
Mr. Sweetzer of Ohio signalized himself by the
of wonderful discovery lie
found on a close examination, that the numerous
petitions on the subject were precisely alike in
form, and had evidently emanated from one
source! Sagacious Mr.. Sweetzerl We thought
In New York city, for the purpose of pushing
forward the cause Of Cheap Postage, and that
had been most dligent in its efforts to enlighten
the members Of Congress by valuable documents
and to produce concerted action among the people
everywhere, appealing to them 10 circulate pe'
ions in favor of Postage Reform. We suppose
% quite immaterial who draws up or who prints
he form Of petition, so that the People sanction
t with their names We know something Oh 'ne
character and intelligence Of the People OF ono
md we know that Mr.. Sweetzer Is Infinitely Dc
hind them in his views of Postage Reform. ms
he will find out to his cost IL the SUBJECT Do
brown over All his clamor about burdening inc
Treasury Department and high Tariff, Is mere
tuF. He holds that low duties arc more isV'fS
Die to revenue than high. Why is not .ne '."'
principle applicable to low postage,
member onno,ed as he Is to reducing the tax on
he Peoples correspondence 'n0u,a V ;. i s,snr
Franking Priviege--in other "0ru'' &c - a .a
Il taxing the People to pay bis private aoa pom.
cal correspondence not at oil surprising M