Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-08


ing donation Of public land to the States OF Mississippi
and Louisiana in aid Of the construction OF railroad from
New Orleans in the State of louisiana 10 Jackson in the
State Of Mississippi reported the same back with amend
ments and the bal and amendments were committed
Also, from the committee TO which was referred
the bill of the House granting the right OF way and max
ing donation of public land to the States OF Louisiana
Mississippi and Arkansas in aid Of the construction o.
certain railroads reported the back with amend
ment-
| Mr.. MOORE of Louisiana, submitted an amendment
to this BILL having for its object the granting Of the right
of way only of these roads, without any donation
| of land.
| The bill and amendments were committed.
Mr.. FREEMAN from the committee, reported a
bill granting the States Of Illinois and Indiana the right
of way for and portion of the public lands aid the
construction of railroad from Lafayette Indiana via
Middepor, lroquos county, to La Sale county, Illinois
which was read twice and committed.
Also from the committee, to which referred
the bill Of the Senate granting the State of Arkansas
the right OF way and portion of the public land to aid
in the construction of railroads in that State reported
the same back with amendments and the bill and amend
ments were committed.
PRINTING.
The House then resumed the consideration of the
luton reported by the Committee Printing, providing
for the printing of fifty thousand copies of the mechanical
part of the Patent Office report for the of the House.
and three thousand additional copies for the Of the
Commissioner ofPatents which Mr.. CLScMAN had moved
to commit to the Committee Printing with instructions
to report to the House what If any, arrangement has
been made to have the public printing executed and If
any other than the public printer has been employed to
report what prices they have agreed to pay and that the
said committee be instructed to let out such printing
the present contractor cannot execute to the lowest
sponsble bidder, after ten days notice" The pending
question secondng the demand for the previous
question.
The previous question was seconded, and under the
operation thereof the motion of Mr. CLIEGMAS to commit
the resolution to the Committee Printing with instruc
tons, was agreed to-
HOMESTEAD BILL.
On motion Of Mr. POLK the House then went into
Committee Of the Whole on the state of the Union r
HIBBARD of New Hampshire, in the CHAIR and re-
sumed the consideration of the bin to encourage agrcul
ture commerce. manufactures and all other branches Of
industry by granting to every who is the head of
family and citizen of the United States homestead of
hundred and sixty of land out of the public do
MAN, upon condition of occupancy and cultivation of the
same for the period of five years
The bill having been read through
The committee proceeded to consider the first section
of the BILL it being follows, the words in italics being
those proposed to be inserted by the Committee Agr
culture:
Be enacted DC, That every man or widow, who is the
head Of family and citizen Of the United States the fret
day Of January, 1882 pho the Of any land
north the Of hundred dollars, and co has NOT disposed
OF has her land for the purpose Of obtaining the benefit Of the
provisions this SHALL from and after the passage Of this
be entitled enter free Of cost onequarer section of
and unapproprated public lands quantity equal
thereto located in body, conformity with the legal
subdivisions of the public lands and after the shall have
been surveyed.
The question being on the amendment proposed by the
Mr.. MOORE of Louisiana, moved to amend the amend
ment of the committee by striking out the words nor
worth the of five hundred dollars" He could no
reason why the Committee Agriculture had inserted
these words The public lands, he understood it,
the property of the whole people of the United States
while, under the amendment proposed by the Committee
Agriculture person could obtain the benefit of them
who worth the of FIVE hundred dollars Be-
ites n proy
the part Of to commit perjury, by swearing that
they worth FIVE hundred dollars when the con-
trary was the fact This provision would make nvid
distinction. The object to bring the lands into
cultivation and great good would result from their settle
ment by who possessed five hundred dollars.
Mr. JOHNSON, of Tennessee said that if the gentleman
from Louisiana would examine amendment he had
heretofore offered he would perceive That it designed
to accomplish the object he had in view. He r
j. would be willing to take the section either way; but
he believed that the amendment he had offered would
House should adopt his amendment in lieu Of the first
section, he thought the bill would be in acceptable
form as ii could be made.
This bin intended to ameliorate and elevate the
condition of people, and he desired to make
appeal those who its friends and its foes
Let them adopt the first section and the remainder of the
b he thought perfect it could be made; for
what would suit one would not suit another. 1t would
be utterly impossible TO perfect the bill to satisfy
every member. The Senate, if the House should
make it perfect would do something to render il more
complete. After having routed the enemy, horse, foot
and Dragons, and driven them from the field should
the friends Of the bill have this struggled He appealed
both to the friends and enemies of the bill to orbear and
let this bill have fair test Let it 60 to the country and
let the country pass upon Il.
The amendment Of Mr.. MOORE was then agreed to.
Mr.. BEALE then moved pro Jorma amendment, and
spoke against the bill, declaring it unconstitutional
MIR. SWEETSER opposed the amendment Of Mr.. JoHs-
SON. Of Tennessee which that gentleman had alluded TO-
The amendment he said proposed to conne the benefits
Of this bill to persons resident within the United
States and to cut off all persons who might hereafter emf
crate TO this country In order that he might not be mis-
he would say that he was in favor Of extend
ing the benefits Of this bin not only to foreigners
sden in this country but TO those who might here
and hle their declaration to become citizens of the United
States before entering the public lands.
Mr.. STEVENS, Of Pennsylvania moved to amend the
amendment proposed by the Coftittee Agriculture,
land for the purpose of obtaining the benefit of the pro-
visions Of this act" He knew Of reason why man,
the owner Of farm in old State who wished to i'm
prove his fortunes in one should not be placed IN
The same condition who sold his personal pro-
perry. aman chose 10 sell his lands and remove to
lands for the purpose Of improving them he should be
permitted TO do The great doctrine to have the
lands cultivated and it desirable that they should
be cultivated by poor meR altogether. 1t would be an
unhappy condition to society If persons but paupers
should settle in the West.
Mr.. McMULLEN understood the amendment of the
gentleman to be to allow persons to sell their lands and
emgrae to the West to become benefcares of this
law He hoped would not be the pleasure Of the House
adopt this amendment, for it not the purpose Of
the friends Of the bill TO allow persons who able to
purchase homes to receive at the hands Of the
hundred and sixty Of land free Of cost If the
friends Of the bill should allow amendment after amend
ment to be made, they might make the bill objection
~ IL Il - -~cs A L..