The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-02

Mr.. BUTLER. II the gentleman intends 10 do il al
this session, be il so.
Mr.. NORRIS called Tor the yeas and nays on the nc
uon. and they were ordered.
Mr.. BUTLER. This is OF the most magnificent
humbngs oi the day
Mr.. BAYARD Without committing myself 10 what
may be my vote this bill when il comes up regularly
and can be discussed shall now vote against taking up
this any oher bill that will lead TO discussion during
this session OF Congress, because perfectly satisfied
myself that this not the time 10 enter into the discus
sion OF measures of this kind. We yet have conroven
ed questions connected with the appropriation bills 10
come before us If you desire 10 take up and pass
ures that not Objectionable shall not oppose doing
SO but shall oppose measures that are TO lead TO gen
era discussion. IL we get into the discussion OF such
bills, senators will get into state OF excitement, hal
committees OF conference will not be able 10 make their
reports or II they do, senators will not know anything
about The reports submitted by them
Mr. GWlN. give notice that il the bill is taken up,
and you begin 20 resuscaie bills that have been laid To
sleep and move them as amendments shall be compelled
10 bring up the Pacific railroad bill, which had its brains
knocked out The other day, and move that amend
ment
Mr.. PETIT only want to say that if the bill is
'aken up shall desire TO have il read [Laughterl
The question being taken by yeas and nays, resulted
yeas 23, nays l7--as follows:
YEAsoMessrs. Bell Bradbury. Bright. Chase, Clarke,
Hamn, Houston, Mansum, MIer Morton, Rusk, Ss6a..
usn Shields, smith, Spruance Sumner, Underwood, ana
| NAYS-Messrs. Adams, Atchison, Bayad. Borland
Bfodhead Butler, Dsssussure, Dodge OF Iowa, Douaas
Gwin Jones Of Iowa, Mallory, hison Norris Petit Pratt.
and Waker-l7.
So the motion agreed 10, aud the Senate, III
committee Of the whole, proceeded TO consider the bill
from The House OF Representatives making grant OF
The public lands 10 The several States OF the Union, for
the benefit OF INDECENT insane persons"
Nh. DODGE Of Iowa. | move TO amend the bill by
adding to il what is commonly called the homestead bill,
dvested o! the feature which is so Objectionable my
Trend from Mississippi, Mr.. ADAMs]-that section
which requires man 10 make something like an oath Of
insolvency before he is allowed to take portion of the
public land for homestead. suppose there will be no
sort OF opposition TO the amendment believe that the
Senate is exceedingly anxious to vote for the passage Of
the homestead BILL and therefore will not detain by
/ Mr. BELL. The bill for the relief OF the INDECENT in
sane has passed the rigid examination OF several
ect committees-committees chosen to examine sPec
ally in reference TO the provisions that could be prudent
ly and constitutionay made, appropriaing portion oil
the public domain for the relief not of the thirty thousand
insane persons in the United Slates-the number shown
by the late censusbut for the relief OF fourteen
fifteen thousand INDECENT insane persons who have no
means, no family, no influence, political or otherwise
that reach the heart effect the feelings of this
assembly or the other house OF Congress. You have
passed hundreds of bills founded upon what has been
supposed or alleged TO be extraordinary suffering, prva
lion, or claims upon the bounty gratitude of the gov
ernment You have gone to the remote heirs of
those who alleged 10 have shed their blood
ed their property, or suffered prvaons in the revolution,
and showered your bounty upon them, You argue or
pretend that all this is but JUSTICE and what due pa.
tots and The descendants of natots But neither i'm
paally nor gratitude nor generous and benecent pol
icy can be shown TO lie at the bottom of all this II in
leresed and for display mainly and grants Of this kind
seldom made except under the pressure OF personal po
| litical influences.
ally in the distribution OF bounties by Congress Take
the class OF beneiclaes dslng supposed to be
distinguished. as revolutionary What sort OF justice have
you done to the soldiers and patriots OF the revolution
can hardly suppress nay indignation when | call to mind
The treatment which the gallant who fought the bat
tie OF Kings Mountain have received the hands oi the
people, or at least OF It's organs and of the government
Not who fought in that battle the name OF AM
OF his descendants, s inscribed upon the pension lists
account OF that battle and for that suppose il is
Tor can conceive OF no other, that the battle OF Kings
Mountain no longer accounted OF the battles OF the
revolution. No longer ago than last year going the
rounds OF the leading journals Of the United States and
even IN such respectable journal the lnelgencer OF
this city, what puTported 10 be enumeration OF the
battles OF the revolution, in which Kings Mountain
was left out and tell you, sir, that il is very
ona for those who represent the section OF the country
where there are now some thousands of the descend
ants OF the heroes IA iha, battle; OF those who volun
tarily rallied that occasonperhaps the very crisis OF
the revolution in The Soulh-of the brave who,
moments warning grasped their rifles, mounted their
own good seeds, pursued and overlook the enemy ad
vanlageousy posted on the top OF mountain, but moth
ing dauned attacked him all sdes and after repeated
charges and under discharge Of musketry and rifles,
RAPID as TO envelope the mountains for hours in sheet
OF IRE, and finally compelled his surrender. say IL is
no easy matter Tor the representative of such of
men, when he finds that not cent OF the millions Of
money avshed ia pensions and bounes by this govern
nent has ever been distributed among them, 10 form
any high estimate OF the patriotic spiri, the gratitude a,
the justice OF the government of the dsnerested gen
erosiy OF those who always prompt dona-
onsto soldiers Just consider the Treatment, oil the con
querors at Kings Mountain In the revolution and then
turn TO the history OF the last few years in relation TO
this practice OF granting pensions and bounes to soldiers
Not only every man who fought IN Mexico has either
been put on the pension list made the recipient OF
tract OF land, but all those who enrolled themselves
for that war, and marched though they never reached
the enemys couaIy, heard the report oil an enc.
my's gun. have been rewarded with extraordinary boun.
ties.
Am not justified, them in characterizng this so-called
generous and patriotic feeling which finds vent in military
pensions and bounlies, decefu and hollow-a hum
bug-a practice adopted for the purpose OF winning
principle or sound policy, or TO any sentiment OF justice
OF humanity Bat, SIR IN the bill before we have
presented opportunity for signalling true, and Just,
and disinerested generosity We here invited to
grant portion of the public domain 10 class of
citizens who never know make any return to their
| bepeiactors.
Yes, sir, you have now an opportunity OF showing
what is in your hearts This suffering class OF INDECENT
insane give returns at the pols-no remanera-
ting response the benev voence 10 the charitable dspo
son, and the phanthropc feelings OF members OF Con-
gess Some OF them have canking chains around them
now, eating into their very bones OF them in
desoae log cabins and open pcns and OF them
secluded in dark pits, never seeing the light OF day.
Ans here let me pay tribute TO immortal genius
the celebrated De Foe. He the FIRST man who
brought prominently view and urged with irresistible
eloquence the moral obligation OF society to support ihe
unfortunate and stricken lunatc, whose reason - over
thrown, but who still belongs to the human family and
entitled TO all the sympathes and charities oil the pubic
repeat my appeal to the members OF the Senate 10
consider that here they have an opportunity 70 give
really philanthropc and disinerested vote wbich can
be mpeacbed Tor selhshness because mere can De
no reward except the CONSEQUENCES o JUST ana no.
bic act Those for whose beseht the bill provides can
NO YER be heard here hey have voice IN the public