The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-09

The Hon. SAM. HOUSTON, oil appedreu w.
day for the first time this session.
USE OF AMERICAN INVENTIONS IN CANADA.
MIR. SEWARD presented the memorial Of sundry
citizens of West Troy New York, setting forth
that they inventors, assgnees oil patents un
der the laws of the United States, and that they
suffer great injury and wrong on account OF the in
PRODUCTION into the United States OF produce manu-
featured by their machines and inventions in Can
ada and the British provinces.
JAMES ROBERTSON.
Mr.. CLEMENS presented the memorial of James
Robertson requesting that the Senate would refer
his petition asking remuneration for personal in
juries TO a select committee.
Mr.. HALE said that he thought the Senate should
take such steps as would prevent further annoy
ance in relation to this matter. He moved, there
FORE that the prayer of the petitioner be reected
and, on a division, the motion was agreed to-yeas
l9, nays II.
MAIL STEAMERS FROM BALTIMORE.
Mr.. PRATT presented petition signed by over
one thousand merchants and others, in Baltimore,
asking the establishment of line of mail steamers
between that city pia Norfolk, to some port in Eng
land, having communication by railroad with
London. And the petition was referred to the
Committee the Post Office and Post Roads.
The CHAIR laid before the Senate communca-
ton from the War Department, enclosing 6tate-
ment of the contracts and purchases made by that
Department during the year 1850.
POWERS SoTARIEs PUBLIC.
Mr.. BERRIEN, from the Committee on the Ju-
dietary, reported bill to amend the act entitled
an act ''to authorize notaries public to take
and certify oaths, afhrmations and acknowledge
ments in certain cases" He explained that the
bill Of the last session gave certain authority TO nota
ries public in the Territories of the United States,
but through inadvertence the District of Columbia
omitted. This bill was TO remedy the omission,
and to place the notares in this District the
footing as those of the Territories. The bill was
then considered, and was ordered to be engrossed
for third reading.
EVIDENCE IN CONTESTED ELECTIONS.
Mr. from he CpDni pitt he Ipii-
ciary, reported back, without amendment, the bill
from the House TO regulate the mode of taking tes
timony in cases of contested elections.
RAILROAD FLORIDA.
Mr.. SHIELDS, from the Committee on Public
Lands, reported back the bill granting alternate
sections of the public lands to the State of Florida
to aid in the construction of railroad from the At
lantic 10 the Gulf Of Mexico.
vNTED STATES COURTS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Mr. DAYTON moved and the Senate proceeded
to the consideration Of the bill 10 change the time
for holding the United States circuit and district
courts for the eastern and western districts of Penn
syvania The bill was then ordered to be engrossed
for a third reading.
PRIVATE BILLS.
Mr.. SHIELDS, pursuant to notice, introduced a
bill for the payment of debt due the heirs of An
tome Peer, and bill for the relief of the heirs of
Nicholas Lachance and others.
ARKANSAS AND MISSOURI RAILRoAD.
Mr. SEBASTIAN introduced q bill granting to
the States of Arkansas and Missouri the right of
way for, and portion of the public lands TO aid
in the construction of railroad from ST. Louis, in
Missouri, via Little Rock, in Arkansas, to some
for branch of said road in Arkansas to the Missis
sppi river.
William A Richmond.
MILITARY BOUNTY LAND WARRANTS.
MIR. UNDERW GOD moved that the Senate pro-
coed the consideration of the joint resolution from
the House authorizing the assignment OF military
bounty land warrants.
After some debate the motion was withdrawn,
MIR. U. stating that he would renew 1t tomorrow
PRIVATE LAND CLAIMS IN CALIFORNIA.
The Senate then resumed the consideration of
the bill to ascertain and settle private land claims
in California. The question pending was on the
following amendment proposed by MIR BENTON:
Strike out all after the word That at the begin
ming of the first line, and insert:
For the purpose of ascertaining and settling the
private land claims in the State Of California, re-
corder of land titles. learned in the law and skill
ed in the Spanish and English languages, shall be
appointed by the President by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate, who shall collect and
keep all the public archives of California in relation
land grants and also shall call in for record all
the evidences of land titles in California; and after
recording the same shall reurn the originals to the
parties, except where forgery or stimulation shall
be suspected by the recorder, and where there may
be written evidence exant of the original grant,
written statement may be made Of the claim and
received for record stating all the circumstances in
relation thereto, and especially all that relates 10
the fact of actual possession.
SEC. 3 And be II further enacted, That it shall be
the duty of all towns, cities, villages and pueblos,
and of all missions which have not been secularized
and of all individuals claiming lands In California
by virtue of any claim whatever, whether derived
from the Spanish, the Mexican, or the California
authorities before the conquest of California, or by
any American officer since the conquest to present
all such evidences of title to the said recorder upon
due and public notification to that effect by the
corder.
dnJ h.. -
ing such evidences of title the said recorder shall
cause the same to be recorded in bound books, and
shall make out duplicate abstracts of all elaine,
classified according to the authority from which
they issued and, retaining one abstract in his
office, shall transmit the other to the Commits
soner of the General Land Office, at Washington;
and it shall be the duty of the recorder, in con-
junction with the district attorney of the United
States for the district in which the claim may lie,
to examine the came, and II believed by them, or
either of them, to be invalid for any cause, it
snail be the duty of the district attorney to issue
facids, stating the against the party in
possession, claimant, requiring him TO appear in
the district court, and show cause why his claim
should not be held to be invalid and his grant
cancelled and report OF all such decisions by the
recorder and district attorney, whether for or
against the validity of the claim shall be made TO
the Commissioner of the General Land Office, to be
by him laid before the Secretary Of the Interior, to
be submitted to the Attorney General, who may
order scre (aeids in any case in which he deems
the claim invalid
SEC. 4. And be IL further enacted That in decid-
ing upon the question of issuing scne Jacias
against any claimant, the said recorder and dis
trict attorney shall be governed by the treaty of
Guadalupe Victoria, the law of nations, the laws,
usages, and customs of the government from which
the claim is derived, the procamations of the COM
manding officers at the time of the conquest and
the capitulations made with such commanders, the
decisions of the Supreme Court Of the United States,
far they applicable, and the law of pre-
scrpton in favor of possessory rights the same as
fit was question between individuals, and in all
actual possession before the conquest of the
country shall be held to be prEa dcis evidence Of
valid title
SEC. And be IL further enacted, That the quantity
OF four common leagues, measured from the centre
OF the town. city, pueblo, Except Francisco,) two
leagues in every direction, shall be confirmed to all
such towns, ctles, and pueblos, (incudng the city
OF San Francisco, formerly Yerba Buena, the occu-
pied parts TO their possessors having title, and the
vacant parts, If any, to the municipal or town au-
thorities, except such parts may be required for
military purposes within the United States; and,