Washington sentinel., 1854-01-04


Navy TO communicate 10 the House information
as to The number and names of United States
steamers built since 1885, their tonnage their
original cost, the amount expended uponthem, etc.
PUBLIC LANDS.
The House resumed the consideration OF the
bill heretofore introduced by Mr.. BENNETT grant
ing lands equally to the several States in aid of
the construction Of railways and for the support
of schools. He had moved that it be referred TO
the Committee on Public Lands, and Mr. JONES,
of Tennessee, had moved that il be laid upon the
table,
This latter motion was now announced as be-
fore the House, and upon it the yeas and nays
had been ordered.
Mr.. BENNETT raised question of order, that
the motion to lay the table did not take prece-
dence Of that to refer to the Committee on Public
Lands.
Mr.. JONES, ofTennessee, maintained the op-
posite side of the question.
The SPEAKER overruled the point of order.
s.. Mr.. McMULLIN desired the gentleman from
New York, (Mr. BENNETT,) to accept the following
amendment. Mr.. JONES having Withdrawn his
motion 10 lay the bill upon the table.
R,solsed That the Committee on Public Lands inquire
into the @ saS nna h 70 the
repairs building up of the navy and the surplus
any the annual support Of the navy and that the said
committee have leave to report by bill or otherwise
Mr.. McMULLIN said that this land question
has given rise to great deal OF discussion in the
country, and none more so than that embraced in
the gentleman's bill OF the last Congress. He
hoped that the gentleman from Tennessee would
not renew his motion to lay the bill on the table.
Let il be referred to the Committee on Public
Lands. according 10 the courtesy of the House.
When the committee shall have reported upon il,
he thought there would be no difficulty in defeat
ing il. The subject commanded the careful con-
sideraton of Congress. He moved that the bill be
referred to the Committee Public Lands with
the instructions embodied in his resolution.
The SPEAKER said that the motion now pend
ing was TO refer the bill to the Committee on Pub
lie Lands
instructions. He was thankful that the gentle
man from Virginia, although opposed to the bill,
was in favor of it taking the usual course. lie
wished % remark that this bill was not precisely
the same as that which he introduced during the
last Congress-. 1t did, however, embrace and
assert the principle that all the States have an
equal interest in the public lands. There were
now before the Committee on Public Lands forty
or fifty railroad applications for western States,
and lands were granted year after year for such
purposes. He did not raise any question as To the
constitutional power to give lands for railroads,
nor did he oppose reasonable grants TO western
States but he contended that if grants We're made
TO western States, the old States should receive
some assistance AT future day he would de-
monstrate the fact notwithstanding the report Of
the Secretary of the Treasury, that the public
lands cost much more than we have received
from them. II is not fair to give away the lands
altogether to the western States.
(The bill grants 1500 900 acres for each senator
and representative, and TO the western States from
100000 10 100000, in addition. The western
States TO use their lands for railroads. and the old
States for railroads or schools)
Mr.. CLINGMAN said, that the amedment of
Mr.. McMULLEN was an evaslve one. lie sug-
gested that the gentleman would alter his resolu-
ton, so to put it out of the power OF Congress
TO vote lands for railroad companies or for any
other purpose.
Mr.. McMULLEN thought hehad so framed the
resolution as to provide 10 that effect. The ques-
ton must be met somehow, and the committee
should have full power 10 act upon the subject.
Mr.. BENNETT resumed his remarks, contend
ing that the old States should share in the public
lands, and that although the bill does not give
much to the old States the new, it shows all
are interested. In conclusion, he moved the pre-
vious question.
Mr.. WENTWORTH, OF Illinois, moved that
the bill be laid upon the table; and, the question
having been taken, it was decided in the negative
yeas, 62; nays, 90 as follows
YEAS-Messrs. Aiken, James G. Allen, Willis
Allen, .Ashe Thomas H. Bayly, Bardsdale, Barry,
Benton, Bssell, Boyce, Brooks, Chrisman, Cook,
Craige Cutting. John G.. Davis, Eastman, Eddy,
English, Faulkner, Florence, EULER, Greenwood,
Hamilton. Andrew J. Harlan, Sampson w. Har-
ris Hendricks, Hem, Hubbard, Houston, john
son. George w. Jones. Roland Jones, Keitf, Knox,
Lamb, Lindsey McNair Mcqueen, Mace, Max
we'll Smith Miller, Nichols, Noble, Norton, Orr,
John HerklnS, IT., fnelpS, hODDlnS, nuIHH, SHuli-
non, Gerrit Smith, Hestor l.. Stevens. Andrew
Stuart, Vansant, Warren, Ellihu b. Washburne,
Wells, jr., John Wentworth, Daniel b. Wright,
and Yates-62
NAYS-Messrs. Appleton, Ball, Becher, Ben
nett Benson Bocock, Bridges, Lewis ID. Campbell,
Carpenter, Caskie, Chandler, Chase, Chastain,
Churchwel, Clingman, Cobb, Corwin, Cox, Crock
er, Cullom, Dick, Disney, Dowdell, Dunbar, Ed
mands, Edmundson, Ellison, Etheridge, Ewing
Farley, Fenton, Giddings, Grey, Grow, Aaron
Hughes, Hunt Ingersoll Daniel T. Jones, Kid
well, Latham. Letcher, Lilly, Lndley, McCulloch,
Macdonald McDougall McMulen, John G. Mil
Ter, Millson, Morrison, Murray, Andrew Oliver,
Mordecai Oliver, Parker. Peckham, Bishop Per-
kins, Phillips, Powell, Pratt, Puryear, Ready,
Reese, David Richie, Thomas Ritchey Rogers,
Russell, Sabin, Sapp, Seymour, Simmons, Skel-
ton, William r. Smith, George w. Smyth, Fred
erick p. Stanton. Richard II. Stanton, John J.
Taylor, John L. Taylor, Thurston, Tracy, Vail,
Wabrdge, Walsh, Israel Washburn, jr. Tappan
Wentworth, and Zollicofer-90.
The instructions of Mr.. McMULLEN were voted
down, and the bill was referred to the Committee
on Public Lands.
THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY AND En-
COLLECTOR BRONSON.
Mr.. CUTTING offered the following resolution,
which was read for information:
Whereas publications have appeared in the public prints
prporting copies of correspondence between the
Secretary Of the Treasury and Greene Bronson the
to 'he subject g as etanae drision in as democratic
party Neo York." the distribution of Offices 'an,ong the
different sections q epdty and in which, after referring
"io TINT portion Of The party TO aoiic M Bronson adhered
Secretary Of the Treasury expressed expectation
that the collector would "scogne Tie other portion Of te
party in tho only ioay that scod carry completion oiM
IT, which publications consist Of alleged letters from the
Secretary Of the Treasury to the collector aforesaid bear
ing respectively the third fourth and TWEEN tysecond
days October last and Of letters from the latter to the
former bearing date the seventeenth and twenty days
of October last
And in the newspaper called "the Daily Union
Of Wednesday, the twentyeighth of December last 1t Is
stated eby authority that the removal Of Mr.. Bronson
was the of the President who reely shoulders The
entire responsibility and justifes his act not merely upon
the ground Of alleged official INSTRUMENTATION, but upon
the further distinct ground that the late collector had
"prosed his Office for political ends and otherwise abused
his official trust for party purposes" therefore
Resoed That the Secretary Of the Treasury be- and he
hereby requested to communicate to this House copy
Of above referred TO- W such there
be Of any other loters that may have passed be-
tween himself Greene Bronson, the late collector Of
customs the port Of New York. relating to the sub
ject matter aforesaid
Mr.. CUTTING said the resolution simply calls
for copies Of the alledged correspondence, if any
such exists The moment has not arrived when
r II