Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-02-23
Senator Dodge.

In the senate TtU ctu upoi' P'"s"o> "
the bill granting lands to Arkansas and Mis-
souri, to aid in the construction OF certain rail
roads, the following debate ensued =
Mr.. DopGE, of Iowa. wish to inquire OF
the Senator from Arkansas if the roads as pro
vided for in this BILL and the bill itself, meet
the appreciation ofhs colleague,L Mr. Borland,l
who is not now in his seat?
Mr.. SrEApMAN. I will answer the inquiry
so far as know the facts. My colleague III
troduced at the last session and procured their
passage through this body. bills for system
of roads corresponding precisely to those EN-
braced in this bill, with the exception of about
one fourth. Three four,hs of the road or roads
provided for in this bill were included in the
bills which were passed by the Senate at the
last session. The difference simply is, that
his bill provided for the termination of but
one road upon the Mississippi, anG this pro-
vides, in addition to that, for one to end oppo-
site Cairo. would say further to my friend
from Iowa, that the difference between the bills
of my colleague in the Senate [Mr. Borland
and my colleague in the House Mr. johnson
was the subject of some discussion in the Ar
kansas Legislature. l am not informed that
they have instructed for either; but they have
passed acts for the incorporation of a company
or companies to construct the very roads for
which this bill Provides and l am acting upon
that as an indication of the acquiescense Of the
Legislature in this scheme.
Mr.. DODGE, of Iowa. My purpose was not
to oppose this road, or this bill. l wished
simply to know whether the Senator from Ar.
presumed that he was, or else the other Senator
from that State, who is present, would hardly
have moved to take it up now, in the absence
Of his colleague.
Mr.. SEBASTIAN. l have conferred with my
colleague upon the IN after, and l understood
from him that he would offer no opposition to
this bill. He declined taking its paternity,
but was willing to allow me to take just such
course in regard to it as my judgment might
sanction, and have done so.
Ar. DoDeE, Of Iowa. Mr.. President, I made
the inquiry because ola conversation to which
the Senator from Arkansas, Mr.. Borland, not
now in his seat, the Senator from Michigan,
| Mr.. Felch, the chairman of the Committee Oh
Public Lands, and myself, were parties, and
not with any view to embarrass my worthy
friend who is SO solicitous for the passage of
this bi |.
Mr.. President, mfr. Atkinson being in the
chair,) you will remember that, although at
the last session of Congress the House of Rep
reseDtatives treated the State from whence
come with the most manifest injustice, new
ertheless aided you with my voice and vote in
affecting the passage of your Missouri land bill.
That bill passed the House by very large
majority on one day, and ON the next the Iowa
bill. with the same number of roads, 1.-TWO }
with exactly similar provisions in all respects.
and appropriating a like quantity of land, was
voted down and killed by an equally large
majority.
When struggling for the Iowa bill, which
passed this body before any other at the last
session, declared that wished it to pass or
be rejected on its own merits, and that if de-
feated, should sustain the Missouri and Ar
kansas bills, which were then pending in this
body, and behind ours, with the same alacrity
and good will that did my own. then wan
ted, and now want all these measures to stand
upon their own merts-being then las now op.
posed to clog rolling" through, or carrying
them through in an omnibus. still intend
to act in the same spirit, and not to play the
part of the dog in the manger. l will not at
tempt to amend this bill. or to obstruct its pas
sage, notwithstanding it has another appro-
priation for Missouri, besides the one for Ar.
kansas. But do here, in my place, seize the
occasion to enter my solemn protest against
the injustice that has been done the State
which in part represent, by the co ordinate
branch Of Congress-the House of Representa-.
tives.
Another reason why vote for this bill is,
because cannot turn deaf ear to the impas.
stoned appeals which have been made 90 me
by the gallant and able Representative from
Arkansas Mr.. Johnsonl not to amend his bill
and thus send it back to the House of Repre-
sentatives-that grave of the new state land
bills.