The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-08-18

@ Thus NAV we hope that the society mere ma
o ever be such as to make it an object for thos
i who may come seeking new homes in Minnesc
ia, to come at once to Traverse des Sioux, wher
they may not only share with us "the fat Of tn
land but the rich blessings and privileges
that gospel on whose banner is inscribed
y Peace on earth and good SciH 10 men"
$ NJ. N. ADAMS.
From the Cleveland True Democrat
OFFICIAL ACTS OF SENATOR CHAsE.-No. O.
One Of the first measures of importance
! winch Mr. Chase carried through the Senate
specially beneftting his constituents, was al
, amendment to the Civil and Diplomatic bill
providing for the construction, by the Natlona
Government of an edifce for the accommoda
ton Of the post Office. national courts, and Gus
toms, in Cincinnati No such buildings hat
been constructed IA the West while Congress
bad lavished its hundreds of thousands IL
erecting them in the Southern and Eastern
States. MIR Chase consulted Col Benton OF
the subject; and, by agreement between them
the Colonel first offered an amendment PROV
ding for the erection of such buildings in st
Louis. This was defeated MIR. Chase thei
followed with q similar amendment for erect
ing such buildings in Cincinnati 1t was re
jected also. Late at night the bill was report
ed to the Senate by the Committee OF the
Whole; when Mr. Chase, nothing daunted by
the former defeat, by agreement with Colonel
Benton, united the two propositions in one, and
offered it again. He supported the motion with
few able remarks, and an earnest appeal tC
Senators not longer to delay doing justice to
the great West Mr.. Benton followed in sup
| port of the proposition, and it was adopted in
| the Senate. In the House, however, it was re-
jected, and again appeared to be lost. In con-
| sequence, however of disagreement between
the two Houses on amendments, the bill bad to
pass through Committees of Conference Mr..
Chase applied TO the chairman of the Senate
committee, and by his influence he was induced
to use his efforts to persuade the House COM
mittee TO recede from their disagreement.
These efforts were successful. The House re.
ceded, and the amendment became a law. We
have been particular in showing these proceed
ings in detail, as they prove what perseverance
and close attention can accomplish in legls-
lative body Nor in itself was it small mat
ter. 1t esta blished precedent which has since
been FOLLOWED by similar appropriations for
erecting like houses in Pittsburgh and Louis
vile. II ID worthy of remark, that Senator
Underwood, from Kentucky, the only Senator
then present from that State, opposed and voted
against the appropriation for the building in
Cincinnati but when, at subsequent session,
proposition was brought before the Senate
by the Kentucky Senators for erecting SINH
lar building in Louisville Mr.. Chase not only
voted for it, but spoke in its favor, when the
Senate was 80 equally divided that his opposi-
ton would have defeated the measure. We
have referred to it particularly, for the purpose
of making the further remark that Congress
has seemed to act upon the principle that be-
cause the revenue is mostly paid in the Allan
tic cities, that the disbursements of the Govern
ment should mostly be made there; not reflect
ing that the great West is the chief consumer
of our imports, and in the end pays the most
of these duties We hope that the day is at
hand when justice will be done to the West by
the General Government, in the disbursement
OF its revenues .
When the bill was before the Senate, appro-
priating land scrip in full and final satisfaction
of Virginia military bounty land warrants, Mr..
Chase offered and succeeded in ENGRAVING on
the bill, an amendment providing that the State
of Virginia should, by proper act of the Legis-
lature thereof relinquish all claim to the lands
of the Virginia military land district in the State
of Ohio. The quantity of land thus released
was 5000 acres; and all lien of Virginia upon
lands in this State was thus forever terminated
The way is thus prepared for another measure
Of vast Importance to Ohio, and for the success
Of which Mr.. Chase has increasingly labored
We refer to bill which he introduced and
carried through the Senate ceding to the State
of Ohio the unsold residue of the public lands
in the State. The quantity unsold is about
300 900 acres. No measure of the kind had
ever before been adopted, and yet it is evident
that while the policy of giving away the public
lands to the States in which they are located
ia not to be advocated, still there is point at
which, when reached, the ownership of the
Government in lands in State ought to cease
| Mr.. Chase believed that point had been reached
| in the sale OF Government lands in Ohio On
examining into the matter, he found that the
farmers Of Ohio had paid to the General Gov
eminent and its grantees more than thirtu mil
hons Of dollars for their lands He could not
feel that any Injustice could be done by the
Governments relinquishing to the State the
remainder of its unsold lands within it, while
great benefits would accrue from the measure,
especially as it would enable the State to es-
tabsh fund sufficient TO offer the advantages
OF the highest education, free of expense, to
every youth of the State,
10 preparing this bin, and the minds Of SEN
ators for its passage, he spent much time and
great labor, consulting frequently with tho
Commissioner of Public Lands, and with the
chairman of the Committee on Public Lands
in the Senate The tables of statistics which
he caused to be made, in reference to the pub
lie lands and the sale thereof have been extern
slvely published, are very valuable, and have
been Incorporated into the speeches Of many
members of Congress. At Mr.. Chase's special
request and for his especial accommodation,
to enable him to be absent from the Senate on
private affairs, this bill was taken up out Of its
order, and passed. The speech he made on
the occasion is a model Of its kind reminding
us OF those of Franklin, by its precision, its con-
clseness, and its statistics It is to be regretted
that so meritorious o bill, and one in which
the people of Ohio, and especially those of the
northwest, are SO deeply interested, did not
pass the House; and 1t is little remarkable
that when acted upon in tho House, it does not
appear that any member from that part of the
State 70 deeply Interested in its passage opened
his mouth in its favor. We're they too deeply
interested in the coming Presidential election
to attend to the interests OF their constituents
Or were they fearful that the success of the
measure would confer too much honor upon its
originator? IL is 70 be hoped that this defea
Is but temporary, and that the constituents o.
these members will cause them to be NOR,
watohful of their interests in future, and thai
the making of Presidents and securing ia
Offices for themselves or friends ought not to b,