Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-10

He then resumed his argument against Mr. Benefits
bill granting lands equally to the several States to aid in
the construction of railroads and for the support Of
schools contending that in all its donations the Govern
ment had not, in single instance omitted to make each
grant enure, directly and immediately, to its pecu
MARY advantage and not to that Of respective States
He also argued that never in the history of the
ment nor in the history Of private ownership of vast
tracts of lands there rigid economy prac
sed as had been pursued by the General Government in
relation to its domain and that its had been
gorous exacting, and oppressive That the States
had been favored by grants Of the public lands was
eminently and par excellence the most absurd idea that
had entered into the minds of men. He reviewed
the report Of Mr. Bennett declaring that it did not
tain single truth.
Mr. McDOUGALL referred to the objection urged by
Mr. HENDRICKS against the bill under consideration and
explained that since had been reported the committee
had agreed to change the limitation it contained to the
northern route in the east to conne 1t to the route
which might be found be the most practicable for that
line.
Mr. HENDRICKS expressed his qualification at the
statement Of the gentleman, it removed great OBJ
lection he had to the bill
Mr.. CHANDLER said that, representing commercial
community he naturally felt deep interest in the bill
before the committee He did not however, feel prepar
ed to enter into any elaborate discussion Of the question:
but should proceed to oppose the bill proposing prepay
ment all mail matter, and increasing letter postage
from three five cents He opposed this measure be-
cause if adopted it would disturb the existing arrange
ment to which millions of the people of the country had
become accustomed, and with which they were fully
satisfied.
Another objection which he had to the measure was
that it would have the effect of forcing publishers send
their periodicals through private expresses which would
carry them safely and expeditiousy the mail and
less expense while the Department would have pay
the amount for the transportation Of the mails.
Thus the very designed to increase the of
the Department would practically diminish them If the
Post Office Department to be made self sustaining
machine, he should demand in the of the reading
and writing people Of the country, that it should be
credited with all the of income which had been
poured into the national treasury former periods
MIR. PERKINS, of New York. did not doubt the power
of the Government under the Constitution, to grant
sections of land for the purpose of constructing rail
roads, especially for national in its object
that which to connect the great valley Of the
from the shores of the Atlantic the Mississippi
convenience for travel and transportation which the in
venons Of the age had supplied and he understood that
there was now in progress OF and authorized
by law railroad from St. Louis to the junction of the
Kansas river with the Missouri which likely to
completed in the course of two three years This
the position of the country and he could not doubt the
Importance of connecting the Valley Of the Mississippi
with the Pacific But the question whether
this proper bill He proceeded to show that it
not agreeing with his colleague (Mr. SMIrH that
substance, proposed to be constructed by the bill
Mr.. GIDDINGS then made q personal explanation in
regard the debate which occurred between himself and
Mr.. SMITH, Of Virginia, in April last.
The committee then rose
MIR. PERKINS, of Louisiana by consent, from the
Committee Foreign Affairs, introduced bill to
del the diplomatic and consular systems of the United
States which was read twice and committed
The House then adjourned.