The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-25
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
TUESDAY, Feb. "a, 1854.


The Speaker announced that the first business
IN order was the consideration Of the bill granting
the rig ht of way and portion of the public lands,
TO the State OF Missouri for the benefit of two
railroads therein
Mr.. ORR, of South Carolina, who was entitled
to the floor, said that, having examined the bill
with great care and attention, and come to the con-
ciusIoh to vote for II, ne would proceed to give his
reasons therefor.
First he would consider the constitutonaliy of
the bill. Has Congress the power to make these
grants' tie believed that 1t had and TO support
this position, he read that portion Of the Consti-
tuition authorizing Congress to make all needful
rules and regulations respecting the territories and
other property belonging to the United States. He
further cited the remarks of Mr. Calhoun, made
IN the Senate IN lS4S on bill making donation Of
public lands TO the State of Illinois, in which he ad
vocated the power of Congress give aid to States
for internal improvements Mr. c. then voted for
that BILL and subsequently declared that he had SCI
dom given vote with greater satisfaction. Gen
CAss had also supported the same principle con-
tending that although the general government hau
no right to levy taxes to raise money for internal
improvements, it clearly had to dispose, to States
of It's proprietary interest in public lands which
such improvements would benefit. Mr.. O. replied
to the gentleman from Tennessee; (Mr JONES'
who had objected to the bill as anti Democratic
II was, the same principle had received the votes
of such leading Democrats as Messrs. CAss,
DOUGLAS, HoUsToN and others The present bill
was more favorable to the government than one
for the benefit Of the State of Mississippi, for
which they Rave voted. Mr.. o. concluded by
reviewing the benefits which the construction Of
the proposed railroads would bring to the govern
ment in increasing the value Of the public IL nds,
and also to farmers and cotton planters, in afford
ing them markets for their produce. He hoped
the bill would be acted on without going to the
Committee of the Whole
MIR. WEIGH sent an amendment to the clerk .
desk to be read. which he stated that he would
introduce at the proper time, as follows
"That for the purpose of aiding in the construc-
ton of railroad from the said city of st. Louis,
by way of Cincinnati, and through the county of
Washington, in the State of Ohio, to Three
Forks, or some other point IN the State of Vir-
GINA, or on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, there
be, and is hereby granted to each Of the States
through which the same shall be located, to wit:
the States OF Illinois, Indiana Ohio. and Virginia,
the right Of way for the same, and also six Sec
tons of the public lands belonging to the United
States, and not otherwise appropriated or pledged
for each and every mile in length of said road (,
which shall be located in each of said States
spectvely, to be selected by the governor of such
State subject the appeal Of the Secretary of the
Interior, and TO be disposed Of by the legislatures
respectively of each Of said States, MS provided
in the 5th and It'll sections Of this act; and the
proceeds to be applied to aid in the construction
of said road from st Louis, in the section men,
toned, which road, as well as the dividends ac-
cruing to said States stock therein, shall be
subject to all the provisions aforesaid, respecting
said roads through the State Of Missouri"
MIR. WEIGH was proceeding to support his
amendment, when he gave way to
Mr.. FOWLER, Of Massachusetts who said
that at the proper time he should move an amend
merit, substantially the same that introduced by
Mr. UNDERwooD, to the Iowa bill in the Senate.
which was read. 1t grants to the States named
below, for purposes Of education and internal i'm
provement, the following number Of acres of pub
lie lands:
Maine. 583 040; New Hampshire, 3l7 ,760; Yer
mont, $500; Massachusetts, 1914 ,24O; Rhode
Island, 147, $780, Connecticut, 370, $50; New York,
1907 $50; New Jersey, ass, $3.50; Pennsylvania,
2,3ll $50; Delaware, 90,560; Maryland, 546,S80;
Virginia, l,231 $50; North Carolina, u.s., 280; s..
Carolina. 5l4,240; Georgia, $3.50; Tennessee,
906,560; Kentucky, 897 ,92O.
Mr.. WEIGH concluded his remarks.
BILL EXPLANATORY OF THE BoUNDY LAND ACT.
Mr.. HOUSTON moved that the House go into
Committee Of the Whole on the state Of the Union,
which was agreed to, and the committee took up
the bill explanatory Of the bounty land act passed
September %, 1850, (Mr. OLDs, Of Ohio, in the
chair)
The bill was debated from o'cl ock until the
hour OF ad jOurnment.