The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-12
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
TUESDAY, May IL, 1852.


The journal of yesterday having been read
The House resumed the consideration Of the
resolution Of Mr.. JOHNSON, of Arkansas, to ad-
ourn from the LIST to the 4th OF June, to allow
the refttng and cleaning of the hall of the House,
the resolution having been yesterday amended by
making the adjournment from the Is. to the II. Of
May, the pending question being on the motion
of Mr.. SwEErsER to lay the whole subject on the
table.
And the question being put the motion to
Law on the table, it was decided in the negative
yeas SIS, nays l04.
The question was then stated to be on the mo-
ton to reconsider the vote by which the reso-
luton was amended so as to make the recess from
the 18th to the 18th of May.
MIR. HART moved to lay the motion 10 recon-
slider on the table, which was agreed to-yeas 80,
nays 80.
The question was then taken on the resolution
as amended, and it was agreed to-yeas 49,,
nays 80.
HOMESTEAD BILL
On motion Of Mr.. McMULLEN, the House
then went into Committee of the Whole on the
state of the Union, (Mr. HrBBARD, Of New Hamp-
shire, the CHAIR, and resumed the consideration
Of the homestead bill.
Several amendments were offered to the last sec
ton, none Of which were agreed to, when
Mr.. BROWN, Of Mississippi, moved a sub
stitute for the bill having for its object to per-
-petuate presumption to actual settlers the pub.
lie lands
Mr.. HALL raised the question Of order that
the substitute was not germane to the bill, as it
changed the existing presumption laws.
The CHAIR so decided, and ruled the amend
ment out Of order.
Mr. BROWN appealed from this decision. The
.orfgnal bill proposed to give land to settlers The
substitute proposed to give them the right of oc-
cupacy. The two subjects, in his opinion, were
precisely the same.
Mr.. HALL called the gentleman to order, as
debate was not in order the decision Of the
Chair.
Mr.. BROWN. lfthe friends of this bill have
determined to choke it down in this way, for
one will vote against it.
The question was then taken the appeal
when the Chair was not sus,ained-yeas Sc.
nays 66. The amendment was therefore decided
to be in order.
Mr.. BROWN, Of Mississippi, said that he was
anxious that the American Congress in disposng
of the public lands should at least guard the per-
sons who will be the recipients of its bounty
against imposition. 1t seemed to him that if they
gave to an occupant the right to settle upon the
public land, and to remain there 30 long as he
chose, they would accomplish all for him which
the most benevolent could desire. They would
secure him in the possession of a home, against
his own proAigacy, his own misfortune, and
against the whole world, including himself His
substitute would accomplish all this, If adopted.
IF they should give the titles to these lands,
they would ex pose him to be turned out by mis-
fortune, waste, and prohigacy, and in thousand
other ways; and then the land which had been
given him would be gone, not only from III e gov
eminent, but from the recipient of it's bounty. He
was opposed to giving land to persons with which
they could discharge their debts.
Mr.. HALL expressed himself opposed to the
substitute.