Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-03-14
Reported for the Baltimore Sun.
THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS--Firs Session.
WAsHIyGToY, March 2, 1854.


The Nebraska bill was taken up, when Mr.
Clayton concluded his speech in opposition to
the bill, and was followed by Mr. Badger.
Mr. Chase urged action upon his amend
ment abiding to the Territorial Legislature to
prohibit slavery.
Mr. Badger hoped all amenments coming
from the opponents of the bill wouid be voted
down. He alluded with much feeling to
resolution by some meeting in Ohio, which
had been laid on the table by the Senator from
Ohio, in which the supporters of the bill were
violently denounced.
Much confusion eusued, and a running de-
bate in which Messrs. Dixon, Chase, Cass,
Stuart and Badger participated. Mr.. Chase
disclaimed knowing anything of the language
contained in the resolution referred to.
Mr. Stuart, Of Michigan, said unless an a
mendment providing that the repeal of the Mis-
souri, Compromise should not revive, the old
law permitting slavery in the Louisiana terri
tory were added to the bill, he would never
vote for it. He comment ed with great warmth
on the proposition of Mr. Badger that the Sen
ate should vote down all amendments coming
from that quarter. lie said the Senate had
refused to vote for an amendment to the bill
correcting it in a point where it was hlstori-
cay false.
Messrs. Badger and Douglas replied, the
latter charging on Mr.. Stuart disposition to
embarrass the bill.
Mr. Stuart replied with great warmth, and
much confusion occurred. Mr.. Stuart re-as-
serted that the clause declaring the Missouri
Compromise superseded by the acts of 1850 was
untrue. He said he had great political and
personal friendship for the Senator from Illinois,
but he must not attempt to put him down.
Ee was not made of stuff of that kind. lie
could not be dragooned.
Mr. Douglas disavowed any such design.
Mr. Chase said he had proposed his amend
ments because they were in his opinion right
He knew no rule of propriety or constitutional
right by which Senator representing Ohio,
the third State of the Union, and truly repre-
senting the sentiment of that State, was to be
denied the privilege Of Offering amendments
to this or any other bill, or why amendments
offered by the Senator from Ohio were to be
rejected because he offered Them When once
the Senate had resolved on the principle Of non
Intervention, he had offered amendments not
against it, bat to carry it to its full extent.
/ Mr.. Mason, responded, denying that any
amendment offered by the Senator was intend
ed to carry out ltLe principle Of non-interyon-
ton. Their sole object was to defeat the BILL.
I
shields covered with seven bulls hides and close
ly studded with brass. The Senator from Ohio
must suppose himself covered with some such
shield from the Just condemnation of the coun-
try. This was the last struggle of that party
of which the Senator was an illustration. If
this bill was passed, their vocation would be
gone, their last plank in the shipwreck taken
/ from them, and they would die as they deserved
/ to die, bowling, bowling like fends, because
they had not been able to destroy the country
which protected them. The South had not
proposed this measure. 1t had never origina-
/ ted any measure upon the subject of slavery
] Though the bill contained much of injustice
to the South, he was still willing to take it as
/ a small advance towards justice, and as meas
ure of peace.
| The question whether the repeal of the law
| of $40 would revive the law of the old terrific
/ ry of Louisiana, was debated at length by
Messrs. Walker, Butler, Toucey, Benjamin,
Badger and Weller. The latter said if the
democratic party was to be killed for uphold
ing the principles of this bill, it ought to die
and be damned too.
Mr.. Chase's amendment was then rejected
! by yeas 10, nays &c.
| An amendment of Mr.. Badger, providing that
/ the repeal of the Missouri compromise should
not revive any former law, was adopted by yeas
! 3d. nays 6.
Amendments were adopted prohibiting Con-
! gress from controlling the action of the local
! Legislature, and forbidding aliens to vote or
hold property.
/ Various other amendments were offered and
discussed amid great excitement.
At o'clock the bill was ordered to be en-
crossed by yeas 30, nays IL, as follows:
Yeas-Messrs, Adams, Atchison, Badger,
| Benjamin, Brodhead Brown, Butler, Clay,
! Dawson, Dixon, Dodge, of Iowa, Douglas, Ev-
ans, Fitzpatrick, Gwin, Hunter johnson, Jones,
of Iowa, Jones, of Tennessee, Mason, Morton,
North, Petit, Pratt, Sebastian, Shields, SHdell,
! Stuart, Williams.
Nays-Messrs. Chase, Dodge, of Wisconsin,
Fessenden, Fish, Foote, Hamlin, James, Sew
ard, Smith, Sumner Wade, Walker
House Of Representatives..
Mr. Chamberlain introduced bill granting
/ the right of way for not more than three rail
roads across the public lands, from CONNER
cial points on the Gulf of Mexico or the Mis-
sissippi river, to commercial points in Califor-
! MIA and Oregon; and also to grant, by dona-
/ ton, to actual settlers, on condition OF oecu-
pancy and cultivation for length of time there
/ in named, every alternate third quarter sec
! ton of public land for forty miles in width, on
each side of said railroads throughout the whole
! length thereof; and also to grant every alter
nate section of public land within the aforesaid
! limits to aid in the construction Of said rail-
roads. Referred to the Select Committee on
| the Pacific Railroad.
The House then went into committee on the
| homestead bill.
Various amendments we're daily discussed in
/ five minute speeches. In the course of the
debate, gentlemen maintained on one side that
the bill will not benefit the poor man nor the
! Government while the friends of the measure
earnestly took issue on that point. The con-
stitutiona power to grant lands for homeseads
was likewise discussed; among others Mr..
Campbell, who alluded to the fact that the
whole delegation from Virginia, with one ex-
cepton, voted to give away twenty-seven mil
lions of acres of swamp lands to the States in
which they are located.
Mr.. Hamilton offered an amendment pro-
posing to charge twenty-five cents per acre
instead of giving the lands free of cost.
Mr.. Chandler opposed this and it was reject
ed
Mr.. Campbell moved to add after the words
'frec of cost" the words, 'and be provided with
one rifle or gun.
The Chair decided it out Of order.
Mr.. Campbell offered another amendment
to add one copy of the constitution of the Uni
ted States
The Chair pronounced this out of order.
Mr.. Houston-"Say a copy of the rules of
{ Al