Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-10


struction of ship-canal around the Falls of ST.
Mary, in said State.
bill granting the right of way to the State of
Alabama and portion of the public lands to aid in
the construction of railroad from Memphis, in the
State of Tennessee, to intersect the Charleston,
Chattanooga, and Nashville Railroad
A bill granting the right of way and making
grant of land to the State of Florida, in aid of the
construction of railroad from the waters of Pen
sacola Bay, in Florida, to Montgomery in the State
of Alabama.
There were probably twenty others of similar
character, involving heavy amount of public lands,
and each warmly pressed by its patrons. The guam
tity of land thus proposed to be granted would be
little short of ten millions of acres.
Among the benefcent schemes proposed was one
granting public lands to all the States of the Union
for the purpose of establishing a permanent and
efficient system of common schools and one making
grant of lands to the several States of the Union
for The relief and support Of INDECENT insane per-
sons The latter bill is under the care of Senator
SHIELDS and the public cannot forget, in connection
with it, the philanthropc and greatly successful la
bors of Miss DIX, who has visited almost every
State in the Union for the purpose of awakening a
public interest in the condition Of the insane To
her unfagging zeal may be attributed the construc
ton of an Asylum for the Insane in the District of
Columbia
The Homestead bill will doubtless again be press
ed by its friends 1t has winning title at least, if
not an honest one I: g An act to encourage agricu-
ture commerce. manufactures, and all other branches
of industry by granting to every man who is the
head of family and citizen of the United States
homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land
out of the public domain, upon condition Of occu-
pancy and cultivation Of the same for the period
herein specified"
Senator BRoDHEAD's bill for the payment of out
standing loan Office and final settlement certificates
issued for money lent or for services, for supplies
during the Revolutionary war, will probably be re-
newed by him. as well as his bill for extending the
provisions of the several laws granting bounty lands
to officers and soldiers of the several wars since the
Revolution, giving to each person therein described
a quantity not exceeding one hundred and sixty
acres including also persons engaged the naval
vice. The latter subject has engrossed the attention
of several public meetings, and convention of old
soldiers is to be held in Philadelphia on the 9Th of
January next in furtherance of the object.
Several matters pertaining to the interests of the
District of Columbia fell through for want of time
to give them due consideration. We may mention
the joint resolution for the location and construc-
ton of bridge on new site across the Potomac
river in accordance with the intentions of the late
President Andrew Jackson; )" bill to prevent ma
cious mischief and protect property in the District
of Columbia bill to authorize the business of
banking and to regulate the issuing and circulation
of notes money; and bill to establish library
for young men in the District of Columbia.
Of the private bills, not less than one hundred
and twelve in the Senate and one hundred and
twenty in the House of Representatives were lost
for want of time to consider them How much of
that heart-sckness which I" hope deferred" usually
produces followed the last hours of the session It
would be impossible to estimate but all these cases.
if the parties interested be not worn out with wait
ing, must undergo the ordeal of investigation,
and take their turn upon new calendars among the
innumerable throng which each session generates.
How many thousands of claims never passed
through the committees, received kindly glance
from members, it might be useless to conjecture.
it not for the hope that the attention of Con-
gress may be awakened and some plan suggested
to secure patient and just consideration
We were near emitting to notice bill providing
for contract to carry the mail between some South
port of the United States and the port of Para
on the river Amazon and other ports The readers
Of this paper already in possession of the views
Of Lieut. MAURY upon the Importance of CONNER
cial intercourse with the rich valley of the Amazon
and Congress may adopt some measure for obtaining
for merchants the free navigation of that great
river, as well as the great tributaries of the La
Plata
The Presidents Message and the Reports of the
Heads of Departments will doubtless present other
and varied topics Of legislation but as these will
soon speak for themselves we shall not anticipate
their contents
There is one subject Of inquiry, however, the re-
Spouse to which we shall look for with no small
degree of interest At the Executive session Of the
Senate, on the 4th April last Mr.. BRoDHEAD of
Pennsylvania, introduced a resolution, which was
passed. directing the Secretary of the Treasury to
procure, SO far as practicable, and furnish the
same to the Senate, the following information,
viz The aggregate amount of Federal, State, city,
county, railroad, canal, and other corporation
bonds, stocks, and other evidences of debt held in
Europe and other foreign countries, on the 30th
June, 1858, specifying separately, SO far as the
same can be ascertained, the amount of each of