The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-12-24
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


The House resolved itself into a Committee OF the
Whole on the state of the Union--Mr. HIBBARp in
the chair-and resumed the consideration Of the bill
explanatory OF the act approved September 2S,
1901, entitled Gan act granting bounty land to
certain officers and soldiers who have been en-
gagged in the military service of the United
States"
The first section of the bill was read 1t pre-
scribed that nothing in the act of September 2S,
$780, shall be so construed to prevent the sale
and transfer of any certificate warrant issued by
virtue OF said act prior to the location of the same
or the ISSUE OF the patent thereon.
Several amendments were pending from yester-
day; one offered by Mr.. TAYLOR to add to the end
of the original section the words 'in conformity
with form to be prescribed by the Commissioner
of the General Land Office"
MIR. HARRIS, of Tennessee, had moved to
amend the amendment by adding thereto the fol-
lowing, viz
"Prorided, That in all cases the assignment
shall be acknowledged or proven by two subscrib-
ing witnesses before officer authorized tc uk
the probate of deeds, who shall certify under his
seal of office, that the person making the assign
inent ID personally known 10 him, or that his or
her identity has been proven by two creditabe
witnesses"
The question was taken on agreeing to this
amendment TO the amendment but no quorum
votlng-yeas 81, nays 56-the roll was called to
note absentees.
quorum having now answered to their names,
the question was again taken, when the amend
ment OF Mr. HARRIs was agreed to--yeas 81,
nays SO.
An amendment of Mr.. SrErHENs, of Georgia.
was adopted, affirming that land warrants may be
assignable.
| Pending amendment proposed by Mr.. FleK
LIN, to the effect that the assignment shall be en-
! dorsed on the land warran-
| Mr.. STEPHENS, Of Georgia, moved that the
committee rise, with view that the bill might be
! referred to the Committee on the Judiciary which
was competent TO frame one calculated to accom-.
| plish the object to meet the views of ALL and
to avoid difficulties which perhaps would otherwise
occur by hasty legislation.
! Mr.. JOHNSON, of Arkansas was satisfied of the
entire sincerity of the intentions of the gentleman;
| but he knew, at the Same time, that if the bill was
! placed beyond the reach OF the House, il would
hardly be worth resurrection. II gentlemen want
the land warrants made assignabe, all they had to
do was to go on and consider the bill, and act upon
It. ifthere was not sufficient degree of intelligence
with gentlemen to perfect the bill, the subject OF
which was discussed during the last session and for
several days this, nothing could be accomplished
| by sending il to the Judiciary Committee. The
debate has been limited to five minutes, and the
business may coon be disposed of to send the bill
to that committee would have the effect OF putting
| it buck, and, when il shall be reported, the same
| process of discussion and amendments would have
to be gone through with. If the committee rise and
| report the bill, without perfecting it, gentlemen
would be at the point where they commenced yes
terday. The whole country demands that these
land warrants shall be made assignable, and
! prompt action was therefore necessary
| Mr. STEPHENS, of Georgia. did not agree with
the gentleman In what he had said concerning the
Judiciary Committee. That committee, he was
understood TO say, is composed of gentlemen ac.
| quainted with law, and ia more competent than
| the House generally to frame bill in proper form.
A large number OF the members of the body are not
lawyers, and might make mistakes in their laud
able efforts to accomplish act which was dcsi gn
! cd TO benefit the soldier lie was Of the opinion
that, by referring the bill TO the Committee on the
Judiciary, its passage would be facilitated If need
be, the committee might be directed 10 report the
bill without unnecessary delay. Gentlemen might
a ba IN icct for IL,
perfect bill at last Therefore. be insisted on his
motion that the committee rise with view of re =
ferrlng the bill 10 the Committee the Judiciary
Inc question being taken, the committee rose,
and the motion of reference was stated
Mr. ORR moved also 20 refer TO the Judiciary
Committee a bill prepared by tue Commissioner Of
the General Land Once. which, he said, embraced
all the points touched in that which had been un-
der discussion, and was preferable TO any other.
The House refused TO refer the subject TO tho
Committee on the Judiciary-yess 50, nays So