Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-05-08
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP. :

every vote
by about twenty majority.
The Public Lsnds.-We now fnd no differ
ence Of opinion as to the fact that the Pre.ident
will probably veto the Homestead bill. if that
measure passes the Senate. Nor do we find
many public men disinclined to the CON-
mencement Of the new era in the management
OF the public domain initiated by the recent
veto. Many, indeed, among the members.
have voted somewhat extravagantly upon land
donating bills, only under the belief that the
public domain Was being lavishly wasted, and
that as there was no hope Of being able to put
stop to that state Of things. it was well to Sc.
cure portion of the lands for this or that
object The veto comes rs a relief to them.
and they hail it as such. This fact will be
substantiated in both Houses of Congress, when
they come to vote on the question of passing
the vetoed bill over the Presidents refusal to
append bis signature to it, r.ea
From the indications we are inclined to be-
lieve that in lieu of the Homestead plan, Con-
gress will adopt an extended presumption sys
tenn embracing features which will ultimately
secure for the Treasury at least the minimum
price of the land, while it will accord to the
actual settler, without money in hand, ample
time in which to acquire the means Of getting
from the Government fee simple title to the
property. 1t is certainly the policy of the
Government to encourage the settlement of its
vacant lands by all reasonable and proper ex-
pedients, among them not being the donation
of property of the old States, only for the ben
eft of the new States. Yet, if the new States
can be benefited by permitting the vacant
lands to be ocenpied without parting with the
title to them, it strikes us that Congress will
grant that permission, accompanying it with
an agreement that the Government will wait
long time for its money for the property,
which, it will be remembered, cannot possibly
dsteriorate in value below 81 Is per acre. 1t
cannot be that any settler, to whom it might BIS
prudent to give land. if the General Govern
ment could do so constitutionally aud proper
ly, can fail to be able to pay the minimum
price for homestead, after living on it ten,
twenty, or thirty years, as may be agreed
upon.
We have conversed with quite a number Of
the members on this subject, and find that a
bill proposing to permit settler to occupy
any land open to private sale for specified
number Of years, before being obliged to pay
for it, and, of course, securing him pre-emp-
ton right to it for that time will probably
fiud favor with majority of both Houses.
An Amusing Mistake.-The Indians located
next to our frontier settlements are great pa
irons of travelling menageries, &c. They will
walk fifty miles at any time to get peep at
the contents of one of the big tents which Pc
riodically visit even those far out of the way
places A few days since Agent Nanderslyke
piloted some of the Nebraska Indians now i,
Washington, to the Capitol, and they remained
for half an hour in the House gallery. gravelv
listening to excited speeches on polygamy
in Nebraska, and seeing divisions, by tellers.
taken upon various amendments Il happeu.
ed to be an excited season In the Hall; iJkes
were passing, followed by roars of laughter,
and, on the whole, the place was rather bear
garden-ish for the time being. On their re-
turn, the agent asked what they thought of ii?
and was promptly answered that the house
(the building) itself was most wonderful But
they couldn't get the hang of the show
They had heard the peals of laughter, and
catch sight Of something. they could not dis
cover what. On the whole, they had seen
shows, better worth quarter sight, out on
the frontier. They actually mi.took the Hall
for sort Of menagerie arena.
The Scheme Of its 0pponents.-"L egisla-
tive expedients" have been determin ed ON by
the minority in the House, by way of defeating
the Nebraska bill. This involves, first, a con.
fession that they know they are in minority;
and next that they are determined, if possible,
that the minority shall rule in disposing of the
bill. An agreement has doubtless been made
to essay its defeat by multiplying calls for
yeas and nays, motions to adjourn for calls of
the House, dc. An effort is doubtless being
made to induce one fifth of the member. TO
agree to band together to carry out such pol
icy, In the hope Of wearying out the majority.
to the extent of forcing them to abandon the
bill
The plan will fail. We have again and
again known minority of the House to essay
to defeat the will of the majority by attempting
these fantas ic tricks, and have never vet
known them to ed where the measure be.
ing thus opposed was of public importance
An obnoxious claim has now and then bee
defeated after that fashion-it not being deem.
ed Of general interest; and more than once we
have known the passage of a public bill to be
thus delayed for day or two; but, eventually,
never
There are opponents of the Nebraska bill in
and out OF Congress, who counsel such oppo-
sition to the point of defeating all legslati on
for the balance of the session, if ne.
cessary to accomplish that end. These usually
great sticklers for the rights of the msiorit,
are now reckoning without their host there
being clauses in the House rules which. fairly
Interpreted, will always enable chairman o,
peaker, siding in sentiment. with the majority,
Q rule minority disposed to insist that they, !
md not the majority shall govern, flat On |
heir (honorable) backs"
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