Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-04-13
House Of Representatives.

Mr. COBB said that it was the wish of several
members that the further consideration OF the bill
to graduate and reduce the price OF the public
lands should be postponed for two weeks With
every disposition to be accommodating, he ac-
cordingly made motion to that effect.
Mr. HAMILTON objected; and therefore,
unanimous consent being necessary; the motion
was declared out of order.
DELEGATE FROM WASHINGTON.
Mr.. COLUMBIA LANCASTER, the delegate
from Washington Territory, was introduced by
Mr. LANE, Of Oregon, and took the usual oath TO
support the Constitution of the United States.
RED RIVER RAFT.
Mr. MURRAY, from the Committee on Printing,
reported the following resolution, which
adopted:
Resolved That there be printed by the printer Of this
House ten thousand copies Of Captain r. D. Marcys sur
vey ana exploration oi ue heo river a',u H souises, -
geher with the accompanying and plates for the
of the members Of the House
MAILS BETWEEN NEW ORLEANS AND SAN FRAN
CISCO.
The House resumed the consideration Of the
bill, heretofore reported empowering the Post
master General TO contract for the transportation
of the United States mails from New Orleans TO
San Francisco. according to time.
Mr. HAMILTON opposed the BILL viewing il
as a measure merely to grant additional mail facil-
tiles between those two points at an increased
expense 10 the Post Office Department
II. Il
entitled bill to increase the deficiencies Of the
revenues OF the Post Office Department from two
millions annually TO three and half" and, at some
length, he stated the reasons of his opposition to
the bill
Mr.. McMULLIN replied to remarks heretofore
made by Mr. LATHAM on this subject.
Mr.. CHURCHWELL said that neither the
gentleman from Maryland nor the gentleman from
Missouri had touched upon the merits of this bill,
but had merely animadverted on details. To him
~, -or tha pf
nothing; his main object was TO offer inducements
for CARRYING the mails in the shortest time. He
further advocated the passage of the bill.
Mr.. KERR moved that il be laid upon the table;
and the question having been taken. 1t was de-
cided in the afirmative-Yeas 80, nays SO.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
The House resolved itself into Committee of
the Whole on the State OF the Union, Mr.. FULLER
in the chair, and took up The special order, being
the homestead BILL No /, introduced by Mr.. CoBB
on the 18th Of December last. and reported back
from the Committee on Public Lands with an
amendment in the nature ola substitute.
Mr.. DISNEY raised point of order, to the ef-
feet that they had already disposed ofthis question
by the passage Of the homestead bill, mo- 37) and
that the order Limiting debate did not apply 10 this
bill il having heen executed
The CHAIRMAN decided that the bill (No. II
had no, been disposed OF. and was now before the
committee.
Mr.. CLINGMAN, with view Of asceraning
the sepse of the committee, appealed from the
Chairs decision, which, the question having been
taken was sustained.
The committee struck out the homestead fea-
lures of the original BILL and the sections propos-
ing 10 reduce and graduate the price of the public
lands were now the subject for discussion under
the five minutes rule.
Messrs DUNHAM, BISSELL, PHILLIPS,
HARRIS, OF Mississippi, and COBB, (under the
fve.ninutes' rule.) advocated the principle of the
bill. and Mr. DISNEY opposed il.
Without coming TO conclusion upon the sub
iect the committee rose.
or Senate bills, a large number were severay
referred to appropriate standing committees; and
The House adjourned.