The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-02-08
CONGRESSIONAL.
sPEEoH OF mR. CLARK,

5fGA1Ch OF
OF IOWA,
In e House Of Representatives., January 81 and 22 1852
on ne Dill provdiag for tie assignment Of land ear.
Tanis.
"WEDNESDAY, January 2l, 1852.
The House having under consideration the Joint reso.
luton reported rem the select committee 10 which the
same was referred, with an amendment explanatory OF
Inc act o $780, granting 10 certain officers and soldiers
bounty land &c, the pending question being on the mo-
uon submitted by the gentleman from Indiana, Mr.. Dun
HAM,I 10 commit the said joint resolution and pending
amendments to the Committee OF tue Whole House on
the state OF the Union
Mr. CLARK said: The grounds of my desire TO pre-
sent lew reflections upon the bill which before
the House will be found in the fact that the provisions
OF his bill intimately interest my constituents Perhaps
the people OF no State will be seriously affected by
theproylsons Of this bill than those OF the State which
lave the honor represent here and this remark Mr.
Speaker appies generally not only 10 those who are
now czens OF that State, but TO all who expect be-
come citizens hereafter. And not only so. but there are
ihose there who are personally interested in this bill and
II IS upon hls account that propose briefly 10 consider
some Of the provisions both OF the original bill and of the
substitute. IL will not be my object travel over The
whole ground, and consider all the sections and all The
provisions which arise upon these two bills
was glad Mr. Speaker, 10 learn that the chairman of
the special committee which reported the substitute sent
up an amendment the other day 10 the first section OF the
bill, IN reference TO the mode by which the warrants
shall be assigned. Think that it would unquesonably
create great confusion ii there should be thiry-on diff
feent modes of assigning land warrants in accordance
with the laws OF each OF the thiry-one States of the
Union. Now, the very TACT that you propose to make
warrants assgnabe Iesupposes another fact, that you
mean to give them marketable value tina, you mean
an advantage shall accrue TO the warranee well
those who shall purchase them Now sir, ii they shall
be attended with such clogs as will prejudice their value
IN The market why then your original purpose Is to that
extent contravened and defeated. How would these
warrants pass from hand TO hand except at diminished
price, unless they shall pass freely, without any restric
ton, and under such circumstances that those who pro-
pose to purchase them shall know that their assignments
are according 10 law Where do these warrants go for
mar kel, and where do they find purchasersi In the
first place they find them in the cities of the East and in
the next place IN the neghborhoods Of the land Offices in
The various districts OF the West And there it is, as
well as here that they purchased by those who ex
pect to use and locate them upon the public domain
Wl these purchasers sir, give much for these land
warrants when II cannot be known, Or if known, yet
with great difficulty and uncertainty, whether they have
been assigned according TO law' And how shall they
know, unless they have The OF referring TO the
statutes OF the different States, whether they have been
assigned in the in which deeds required be
signed and authenticated in the several States in which
such assignment shall be mades 1t is impossible that
the purchaser know with that certainty upon which
reliance may be placed and whenever warrant ia offer
ed to him, his natural answer would be- lha inasmuch
as have something 10 risk in reference TO this matter
cannot and will not give much for il though there
was that certainty upon which can rely" This will be
his natural reply But ii the mode prescribing the trans
Ter OF these made by the Secretary OF the In
terror, it will be uniform; and within perhaps less than
twenty days after the mode prescribed, will be known
be none ignorant OF IT, Think them decidedly that the
amendment offered by the chairman OF the select commit
tee Mr. puNAal in regard to the mode Of assignment,
one IN itself wise and eapeden and that it ought TO
be adopted.
The next provision in the substitute which has
been offered, 10 which shall cali the attention OF the
House for few moments that in reference 10 the com
pensaon OF those who have heretofore ormed service
IN the location oil land without pay The gentle
man from Indiana a1r FrrcH,l who last spoke, has
fully investigated the facts OF this case, that shall not
stop to consider them, but merely The principle involved
believe 1t is an admitted fact. that those who have
rendered services IN your land offices, in the loca.
uon OF land warrants have not received that compensa
ton TO which their services entitled; and ask,
upon what principle is that those who have heretofore
performed services for this government shall be left
without compensation ! ask the chairman who report
ed this bsiiue, why it s that those who have already
performed services left 10 leanness and injustice
when those who are hereafter to perform like services
are 10 be paid Tor their labor! Can the gentleman tell
us what is the distinguishing principle between those
who have rendered services and those who TO render
service, in reference 10 compensation Is there any' |
wlsh TO call the genemans attention 10 that pont-l
wish 10 lasten his mind upon il; and wish him 10 sat
siy the House what distinguishing principle there is be-
tween those officers who have performed service and
those who are hereafter 10 render the same service If
there any, Is IN favor OF those who have already per-
formed the service Why, have they not performed them
in view OF the honor the justice ana the good faith OF this
government Whenever you have invited individuals TO
labor for you and have provided specific compensa
ton, is Il TO be tolerated precedent, matter Of
principle that they shall 20 unrewarded hear gentle
men say that they were under no obligation TO have
required OF them. Are they to be disposed OF in
this summary way might say IN this inequable way
Whenever You absolye yo1nSi from your good faith
whenever you tread your good 'ah under loot and do
perform that which You reasonably expected TO
perform towards your cItzens-,hai nomeni you do an
injury to the citizens which will fecoI upon you and
which you will be made 10 feel You bold out no induce
ment TO fahuness and devotion the part oil those
upon whom you call Tor labor Why, seems 10 me, IL
there is anything in declaration OF Ibis kind, that IT APP
plies only TO those who 10 Md olce hereafter.
When you have refused to grant compensation they will
you do not TO reward ihem and they will protect
themselves But such is not the TACT with reference TO
those who have already performed services will read
brief extract from letter 10 by one OF the officers
OF The land office in my district de says in addition 10
the above, referring 10 his memorial 1--WE beg leave TO
add that of the for which there no com
pensaion allowed there have been located at this Office
during the last two weeks nearly one thousand, the la
Dor attending which would employ three competent
clerks" can vouch for the truthulness oi This man.
Mr.. DUNHAM. | should like TO know from the gen.
leman at what place that officer resides
Mr.. CLARK. Dubuque, Iowa. Now, lei gentlemen
bear in mind there a limit fixed by law beyond which
the compensation Of your officers cannot go. have no
objection 10 n modihcaton-to scaling OF their compen-
saon il the House think proper to DO so but contend
Tor the principle the main principle that they shall he
paid as much they reasonably deserve Another fact
that may not be known 10 gentlemen here VINO are NOT
Intimately conversant with affairs OF this kind s, that
the land officers allowed nothing for rent and nothing
for clerk henoihing for fuel or stationery They have
10 provide themselves with all these things, and Their
salary is but $500, and the other remnant OF their COM
pensaton is made up Of per centage upon moneys re-
ceived. Now, yon have set aioat large amount o.
land scrip, with which your public domain is 10 be en-
tered upon and natural consequence, you have cur
tailed, in great measure, The purchase OF lands with
cash Therefore there is but little per cenage and me