Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-04
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

hOUoE Ot REIhESENIAI1pE S.
The House then resumed the consideration of the bill
of the Senate granting portion Of the public lands to the
State Of Wisconsin to aid in the construction of railroad
and branch railroad in said State the question being
the motion TINT 1t be committed to the Committee OF the
Whole on the state of the Union.
Mr.. BISSELL said that the principle of granting por
ton Of the public domain for the purpose Of aiding the
construction of public works. especially railroads. was
he thought well settled in this House and in the country
and that the country Congress- aud the Executive
had become convinced of the correctness of that policy
Nor was it recent policy 1t which dated back
as for the birth Of the oldest State formed out of the
public domain No State had been admitted out of the
public domain that had not received the benefit OF this
particular policy not always in the precise form provided
for in this BILL but substantially in the same mode, He
tLs-e especially ainea their experience within
the years. that this policy might be regarded
settled policy Of the country; and he surprised
hear the gentleman from Tennessee Air JoEEs) allude
to the experience connected with the Illinois Central
Railroad and attempt deuce therefrom arguments
opposition to this policy His purpose at the time he
obtained the foor mainly refer the history
this road, for which magnificent donation made by
Congress- for the purpose of sustaining the
of the policy embraced in the bill. .'@
He then replied to the assertion made by Mr. JONES
that the State of Illinois had been great sufferer and
loser in consequence of the action which had been had
reference to the grant made by Congress TO that State for
the construction Of the Central Railroad lie declared
there never was greater mistake, and argued to
show that THE grant had operated benefcaly to the
Treasury Of the United States to the State of Illinois, and
to the settlers .t~. .=... -..~
Mr.. B. then replied to Mr.. SHELTON, who few days
ago said that these grants might the States
become the victims of moncpoizing companies. He
(Mr. b. considered the States shrewd enough to
take care of their interests and did not think it became
the gentleman from New Jersey lecture the West upon
the of monopoes. Was the State of New Jersey
herself any thing more than railroad company
of FIXTURE sort Of attach nen to these companies Why
he believed her entire sovereignty in the keeping
of railroad companies the directors thereof and
he was indie hptt ar brnod o1of
that State of which they had heard much had been
handed to and now in the possession of Of
these companies. He did not know that this was So
but believed that the Camden and Amboy Railroad Com
pany would like to be in possession of it at any rate and
he thought there some danger of their getting it.
He received the admoniion of the gentleman with per-
feet good will, and hoped the State of Illinois would
profit by it.
Mr. SHELTON said that he could not, consistent
ly with his of duty, permit pass by unnoticed
such an imputation the sovereign State which he in
part represented here had been cast upon it by the
gentleman from Illinois. The people of New Jersey had
always been in favor Of State rights and their past his
tory would show that they capable of selfgovern
Even when their territory in possession of the
enemy the people his State ceased to fight in
tie for their rights and eventually succeeded driving the
hostile force from their soil 1t would not become her
representatives at this time to allow other
to undertake to dictate them questions of internal
policy nor yet to cast aspersions upon New Jersey He
was not the defender of railroad companies and wished
to be distinctly understood that what he had to saw was
not behalf of chartered institutions of any kind but
in defence of the rights of sovereign State He would
tell the gentleman from Illinois, and all others who might
rise here and make reflections upon the State of New
Jersey, that she sovereign State and that she had
the right to and was capable ofgoverning herself
Mr.. COBB hoped the gentleman would not begin dis
cussion of the State rights question 1t question
not connected with the subject of railroads. and if it
should be commenced they would never be able to
get through with the bill ..
The SPEAKER stated that it competent for the
gentleman from Ohio to yield the floor for the purpose
explanation only and the Chair therefore ruled the gen.
tleman from New Jersey out Of order.
Mr. DISNEY then replied to objections which had been
urged against the BILL He corrected mistake he COM
mied in explaining the bill when he first reported it
from the Committee the Public Lands, having then
stated that the number of involved therein was
two millions ana half The precise amount of land it
proposed to donate but 500, $50 He ex-
planned that in reporting bills Of this character the
mitee endeavored to equaze the grants among the diff
ferent States not to give undue proportion
any State. Before he concluded the morning hour
expired. '...
The House then proceeded to consider the bills from
the Senate the Speakers table; when all of them
were taken up, read twice. and appropriately referred
THE HOMESTEAD BILL. @".
On motion of Mr.. DAWSON, the House then went into
Committee of the Whole the state of the Union mr.
OLps of Ohio in the chair and resumed the considera
ton of the Homestead bill.
Numerous amendments were offered and discussed at
was one by Mr. WRIGHT of Pennsylvania to make the
provisions of the bill apply exclusively to free white
males He alluded to decisions Of various States in
gard to the citizenship of negroes and halfboods and
thought proper that the bill should be relieved of
all judicial questions He approved of the principle of
the bill, and would give it his hearty supports but
not willing to the black population put upon
footing with the free white people in this country lie
considered they were in this measure.
Mr. DAWSON replied that it never contemplated
that the black population of the country should be put
upon equality with the white population regarded
the privileges OF the BILL Its language considered
by the committee ample secure its benefits to the
white population of the country alone.
Mr.. DAVIS, of Rhode Island, hoped the committee
would leave the question open the construction which
the law would put upon it. It. would be cruel thus
outlaw the colored man. and epve him place in our
land where he could co. merely because his
skin was not the color of lie protested agants
and of our common rights This class should be per-
mitted to occupy soil which their forefahers helped to
acquire and shed their blood to defend.
Mr. GlDDlNGS moved to amend the amendment so rs
10 make it read more than half free white male citi-
lens." Laughter. He remarked he was frank to say
ng the original amendment ridiculous The gentleman
rom Pennsylvania Mr.. WRIGHT) had expressed his alb
lorrence OF the coored BY what right had he done
10Y Did they not fight for the liberties enjoy Did
hey not shed their blood upon the battles OF the
Reyoluton Did they not stand by Gen. Jackson Mt New
)reansE Had they not immortaized themselves? But
few years ago the House called upon TO estimate
he value of who spoke and wrote four different
He doubted whether the gentleman from
'ennsylyania could do il. He offence 10 the
negro. Laughter. He would always oppose such at
empts at oppression he cared from what source they
ame He would protest against it here and everywhere
An opportunity should be given this prosecuted class TO
10 30 -