Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-03-27
NO..l2


t comes here, some two thousand miles ffou
, home, and, in letter, states from recco]
lection only, that which will impeach III,
acts Of the legislature which have beer
published to the world as part ofthe lawl
ofthe State OF Wisconsin. #
! Mr.. Letcher. And that Is the explana.
ton Of the gentleman The governor oil
the State of Wisconsin says that his AZ.
tention was called to this matter Il the
time. He informed me in conversation.
after examining the records, that the
proviso Yves there; and shall show you
what sort Of PRO, iso it was from another
law. Theh, in addition to that, the gen.
tleman ever The way says that it is not
usual for governors to sign such things.
How came he to sign all the acts, fcsolu-
tons, and memorials. except this oac,---
The gentleman near M Mr. DssNe$4
| says bat he was stspid. Il. signing any 81
them. What, sir stupid in conforming
his action to a requirement of the con.ti-
tuition of the State of Wisconsin! What
sort Of proviso was it3
"Prorided the terms of the grant so MADE
shall in no wise prevent the sale OF such
lands, al The minimum price, and l., The
same quantities., at which lands are now
sold BY the United States government
With all due Difference to the opinions
of other gentlemen, 4 think that. il il :
very sensible proviso, and think that L
would be calculated TO prevent the public
lands, donated to that State for the pur.
poses of the internal improvements, fiom
going into the hands Of corporations and
spectators who would keep them out Of
market, and SO manage them as to make
out of then, Tie largest amount of profit
l nave TIE BOX here with these merito-
rails, ard. es far as have observed, thi, i.
the only one-standing out isolated from
all thef est--not having the approval Of
the executive Of the State. II eve.
rythlng was fair In regard TO this
road, ho,y did this happens win
tell YOU how ! understand it came about.
The secretary of the state OF Wisconsin
was III favor Of unlimited grants, aud was
opposed &c the proviso which has been an.
pended ~ the general assembly. / under-
stood the governor to say that the proviso
was taken oil by some one in his office,
and withheld it from publication.
Is there not enough in this case to excite
the suspicious of this House, Is there
not enough in it TO demand at our hands
that the bill under consideration should TO
to the Committee of the Whole House on
the state of the Union, and that the,reo.
pie Of Wisconsin should have an opportu-
nifty of being heard Let the people OF
that State decide whether they are for Or
againstit. Let us have time to send to
the. State. Of Wisconsin and get a certified
copy Of the memorial, as it passed the L..
gisiaturc, from the Office of the Secretary
of State. Give the people of the State an
opportunity, of speaking out, and see how
far they sustain the governor in the course
which he has taken in regard to this rail-
road bill. hope then, that the House,
taking lesson from what has slrea.ly oc.
CURED in the history of thi. case, will re-
fer this bill to the Committee of the
Whole. hope that the House, whenthe
friends of particular schemes have been
heard to their own entire satisfaction, will
not allow the gag to be applied when any
ether member desires to raise his voice
against scheme which he believes to be
OF doubtful character, to say the least Of il;
that they will teach this Committee on
Public Lands that they must take their
chances with the other committees in the
House for the consideration and examine
ton of their bills. There is nothing in
this BILL il strikes me. that slould commend
it TO the favorable action of this House.
hope, sir, this is the last time the Gem
mttee on Public Lands will attempt Ia
gag the opponents Of their bills, and
force them through the House under
the operation of the previous question.
But, sir, design, at a proper time, to
offer substitute for this bill. send it to
the Clerks desk, and ask that it may be
read in the few minutes Of my time that
are yet left. was prepared some years
ago by my distinguished colleage in the
other end of the capitol. Mr.. Hun.er.1
| think It's provisions are just and wise, and
| hope it will receive fair consideration
from those who are interested in the land
question. shall offer it, and see how far
it will receive the appreciation Of our
friends from the land States.
The Clerk then read the bill.
A bill to provide for the sale OF certain
portions Of the public, lends to the States
within which they lie, for. the pur.
pose OF constructing railroads and can.
ais.
BE il enacted By he Senate and House Of
Representatives, Of the United States Of
America IN Congress assembled, That when-
| ever state proposes to charter railroad
or canal to run through the lands of the,
United States. and to accept the benefit az
the provisions Of this act, upon due no.
tice Of the fact being given TO the Secre.
tary Of the Interior, it shall be his dnty TO
set apart, Of the lands subject to private
entry seven thousand six-hundred and
eighty acres per mile Of railroad or canal.
within six miles on each side of said rail-
road; or if that quantit, of such lands
cannot be found within those limits, then
that amount of lands. subject to private en-
Try, within twelve miles of each side of
said public work shall be set apart by the
designation of legally authorized State
officers, with the consent Of said Secretary
as near as may be IN one body; and the
same shall be wiihdrawn.from private en-.
try, by public advertisement of the Secre-
tary Of the Interior except in the manner.
and form herein after prescribed. The min-I
imum price per acre Of these lands shall
be one dollar and twenty-five cents for
those which have been subject to private
.,ntrv NOT .,or, tl,o~ 49,. III.