Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-21
HOMESTEAD BILLS.

to enable him to introduce the following resolutions
Resolred, That House bill No. l. being bill to encour
age agriculture commerce. and manufactures and oil other
head Of family and citizen Of the United States home
stead of hundred and sixty of land Of the public
domain upon condition of occupancy and cultivation Of the
for the period herein specified graduate and
duce the price of public land and House bill No. 81 bill
encourage agriculture commerce, manufactures and ali
other branches Of industry by granting every who is
the head of family and citizen OF the United States
of Of land Of the pub
o domain upon condition of occupancy and cultivation of the
for the period herein specified be the special order
day in the order in which they reported House
for Tuesday the 14th of February next and for each
cesdng day (pryae bill days excepted until disposed Of
Resore That all debate said special order bills shall
terminate in Committee Of the Whole the state Of the
Union three o'clock p NJ Tuesday the 2Ist of Febru
ary next when the House shall proceed the pend
amendments and such be offered to said bills after
which the committee shall rise and report to the House
The motion to suspend the rules decided in the Of
frmatiye: Yeas l28, nays 53. ...: ..<. +
Mr.. JONES then submitted his resolutions, and they
we're agreed to. ..
BRANCH OF THE MILITARY ACADEMY.
Mr.. ZOLLICOFFER submitted the following resou-
tion, which was not agreed to-
Resolred That the Committee Military Affairs be in
ructed to inquire into the expedency and praccabity of
establishing branch of the Military Academy Of the United
States at the Hermitage, in the State of Tennessee.
STEAM FRIGATE BILL.
Mr.. ZOLLICOFFER also submitted the following reso-
luton
thoriz the construction of six rscas frgates
for other be made the special order the day
the Committee of the Whole for Thursday the 10th day
January instant and for each succeeding day thereafter,
(prvae bill days excepted till the shall be concluded
Mr.. BOCOCK stated that this resolution was offered at
his request and he hoped twoud be concurred in by the
House He could give good why this bill should
be made the special order.
a.. HOUSTON regretted that tho resolution did not
contain some limitation as to the time of debate The
House knew that when this kind of debate arose
thing else excluded.
Mr. BOCoCK expressed himself perfectly willing to in
in the resolution provision limiting the debate but
discussion could be stopped any time the House might
desire to terminate it. '.~ |4@
The question was then taken and the resolution was
disagreed to.
...s>...,, PUBLIC LANDS.
Mr. CHAMBERLAIN offered the following preamble
and resolution, which were adopted -.
Whereas in opinion of this House. the true policy of
the Government of tho United States dsposng of the pub
lie lands requires that they should be disposed in such
commercial interests Of the nation and whereas the udg
ment of this House. both of these important ends will be best
attained by granting donations of land actual settlers and
by making such appropriations thereof to aid in the
on of such railroads of leading national character
may clearly within the exercise the constitutional
powers of the General Government to which class of rail-
roads think those belong which shall extend from the
States lying the east side Of the Rocky mountains those
which are or hereafter be organized the side of
said mountains: Therefore,
Resored, That the Committee Public Lands be instruct
ed to inquire into the expedieney of reporting bill the
lst To provide for the of such surveys by the
General Government of railroad commercial points
in the States and Territories the side the Rocky
as may already have been commenced and such
additional surveys be determine the
tcabiy Of constructing railroads of the charac
above described and the completion of such
the perfection and establishment Of railroad lines pera
nenty not exceeding three in number the practical
BILE, suitable, and direct routes aforesaid.
I'd To provide for grant by donation Of hundred and
sixty of land to be selected quarter sections equal to
four sections out Of each three sections to each actual
settler within forty miles each side Of the railroads here
matter mentioned, in such the President may d
rect with the proper restrictions the time Of settlement
and cultivation the character of who may avail them
selves such grants and the mode of percng such grants
and such other provisions be deemed necessary give
each settler permanent homestead.
3D. the incorporation of companies upon such
conditions shall enable them avail themselves of the pro-
visions hereinafter named, Of said line.
of railroads No one company however to be ncornored
for the construction of less than hundred miles road
and for the whole of such road roads to be laid of
into divisions of one hundred miles each.
4th To provide that the shares of stock in each
companies shall be $500 each that when any
share of said stock shall produce the proper certificates
to show that he has paid in cash. its bona de equva
lent the full amount thereof that the has been applied
by such to the actual construction and equipment
d such railroads and that such railroad is finished
actual operation throughout entire division of one hundred
miles such holder ofstock upon the production
fcate to the proper Department of the Government shall
each such share Of stock be entitled land
of land upon any of the unoccupied land hereinafter
appropriated to that purpose and in the and subject
to the restrictions hereinafter provided.
5h To provide for the free grant to such companies of the
right Of way for such railroad roads throughout the whole
extent thereof the public domain Of sufficient width
double track road and also for reservng at least sufficient
width of land along such railroad roads for free
wagon road of such construction Congress may any
time hereafter provide for with the privilege crossing
railroad roads Herewith any points which may be found
neeesar and requiring such company companies
struct the necessary crossings and provide such
reservations as the public interest may require.
6th To provide for the surveying into townships sections
and quarter sections the in whoh public lands
surveyed of the public lands the distance least
miles each side right way and
and of tho reservation Of every sixteenth section schools
and also for such other reservations educational and such
other purposes rs tho public interests REQUIRE con-
formy with the present policy of the Government in these
particulars.
h provide for the application of the pre-emption laws
to that portion Of the said lands forty miles side of said
railroad roads, which shall not have been designated by
President for donation actual settlers above pro-
vded for the protection of the rights of such of the stock
holders in each of said companies shall by actual
and improvement thereon cntitle themselves to
empton claim also the rights Of such may
have settled the residue, every third quarter
thereof herein reserved by the United States.
Sh To provide for the location upon hundred and sixty
of said land surveyed forty miles on each side of
said railroad roads, to be selected equal
to four quarter sections Of each sections
issued upon each share of railroad above
provided in such the President may direct with
the proper provisions for the protection of the and
rights of those who entite themselves preference
such location by virtue of their presumption claims above
provided each holder of such land being authorized
to locate the of the unoccuped portion said
lands apart for this purpose only within the limits
length of that division of said railroad roads within which
the certificates of stock shall have issued upon which such
warrants shall have been granted and preference
cation shall be given in the order Of the date of the payments
aforesaid OF each OF such shares Of stock.
9th To provide for the in which several companies
upon each either of sad lines Of railroads shall conso
date the service thereof as best to subseve the public