The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-06

The two hours rule having expired, within
which all debate on the original motion was linn
tied, the CHAIR decided that the mover was not
entitled TO his hour IN reply, until the House bill
had been dis posed of. To this decision there was
some demur but was ultimately submitted to az
ter telers were appointed, although the yeas were
not taken.
Mr.. DUNHAM, ofIndiana, moved to lay aside
the bill from the Senate, for the purpose of taking
up that of the House.
Mr.. MASON, of Kentucky, said the bill pro-
vdes that all public lands may be entered on un-
der the warrants, which subject to the right
of private entrance. A bill passed the House last
year by an immense majority, having for Its OBJ
ect TO make bounty land warrants assignable, and
failed for want of time IN the other; this year a
joint resolution had been passed, which comes
back with amendments The bill, he said, should
not be adopted for the purpose Of remunerating
receivers in land offices, nor should there be tack
ed on to BILL which every one is in favor OF and
which the whole country demands, provisions to
which there are objections. If those officers are
entitled to compensation, there was no doubt the
House will pass bill for the relief of the recev
ers.
Mr.. HALL, of Missouri, moved an amend
ment to enable persons holding land warrants to
enter upon public lands Of greater value than
dollar and quarter per accre, upon paying the
difference between that and lands valued at ten
dollars and fifty cents per acre, or taking half Of
Mr.. TAYLOR, of Ohio moved similar amend
ment, but differing in some particulars, which
could not well be detected. They were both re-
jected however.
Mr.. SWEETSER, of Ohio, called the attention
of the committee TO what took place last session,
and reminded gentlemen that the question of
transferring the warrants was amply described. IL
his own judgment were TO control him, he would
give his vote against making bounty land warrants
assignabe. The Mexican warrants, he said, had
TO be suspended on account of the frauds that
were perpetrated. The petitions which had been
Forwarded, he continued, were not the sponta-
neous appeals of the people, but originated with
SPECTATORS and other interested parties. As to
the receivers, the bill ought to be silent; those
men should rely on Congress to do them justice
As to the rejection of the office which they held,
he was not afraid Of that; and with reference to
Illinois, of which so much had been said by gen.
tlemen on previous day, $500 year would
command the best talent in the State. IL has
been said, although it might not be correct, that
those officers had themselves been specializing In
these bounty land warrants If these gentlemen,
however, have claims, they should have his vote
lie was for passing the bill at once, and letting
It become law, and although he was willing to
be guided by the wishes of his constituents, yet
he should remain opposed to other amendments
being tackled on to it.
Mr.. JONES, of Tennessee moved to strike out
all after the first section, and hoped vote would
be taken on his proposition, as test question:
If 1t were voted down, then gentlemen might go to
work and make the bill what they wanted.
Mr.. DURHAM called the attention of the COM
mttee to the fact that the value of land upon
which it was proposed to give per centage, was
fourteen millions Of dollars the commission on
which would amount to S200,0OO. lie then al
luded to land office at which business was trans
acted much less than at the generality OF offices,
but where in two weeks one thousand warrants
hab heep asued uI thirteen and a halt dol
lars day for every clerk that was employed
At this state of proceedings he was interrupted
by Mr.. BssELL, of Illinois, who charged the gen
teman from Indiana with foistng an absurdity
upon the House on the bill which he had intro
duced, and good deal of warmth OF feeling was
displayed on both sides.
The second section Of the Senate bill was then
passed, giving to receivers the same remuneration
on bounty land warrants, as they receive on cash
sales, to be paid by the assignees.
Mr.. MARSHALL, of Kentucky, moved an
amendment, providing that no fee be paid, where
the warrant should be located by the original hold
Of such warrant, it being gratulty OF the gov
eminent He said he thought the House bill was
further advanced when it left the select committee
than 1t is at present.
Mr.. EVANS, of Maryland, called the attention
OF the committee to the statement made as TO the
amount of lands embraced in the warrants al
luded to- and which had been estimated at twelve
millions of dollars, and referred to an abstract
made up from the pay roll, from which it APP
peared that the amount thus implicated IL eighty
eight millions Of dollars--and this under laws al
ready is forces and should like to know what the
commissions on this sum would amount to at one
per cent.
Mr.. VENABLE, of North Carolina after allud-
ing briefly to the subject under discussion, consid-
sdered the bill being extended to relieve those
to whom bounty land warrants had been given,
from the difficulties which legislation had thrown
around them. lie would not :" hold the word of
promise to the and break it to the hope" with
reference to men who are now dropping into
their graves.
Several other gentlemen took par, in the discus
sion, composed chiefly of FIVE minute speeches;
and at halfpast three clock, the committee rose,
and the House adjourned