The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-04-07
What Did Congress po9

Thisquestlonisfrequentlya asked us, and
we are enabled to say that, although it
was put off to near the close of the ses-
sion, yet much important business was
dispatched. We find in the Pittsburgh
Gazette the following intelligent synop-
sis of the leading measures matured:
The bill for the Reorganization of the
Navy, the creation of Retired List, the
Texas Creditors bill, the bill creating
the rank of Lieutenant General, the bill
increasing the army, the incorporation of
a company to construct a Telegraph from
the Mississippi to the Pacific ocean. the
Bounty Land bill, the Diplomatic and
Consular bill, the new Postage bill, the bill
establishing Board of Claims, and the
Shipwreck bill. The French Spoliation
bill and the Collins Line appropriation
were also important measures, but defeat
ed by the President'sveto.
The Bounty Land bill in favor of the
Soldiers of the War of 1919, and of all
who served in any of the wars of the q.
States since 1890, provides thateach shall
be given $50 acres of land, and it extends
also to widows of revolutionary soldiers.
Those who have already received 40 or
80 acres, will now be entitled, the first to
100, and the last to 80 more. The
amendments adopted by the House, after
it passed the Senate, materially changed
its character. The estimate of the amount
of land required by the Senate bill, as
communicated m an official report of the
Commissioner of the Land Office, was
over 200, 600, 900 of acres. That guam
tity is reduced by the operation of the
House amendment to one tenth, or 90
0OO,OOO acres. 1t includes only the
surviving soldiers of the war from 1890
to this time, their widows, and children
who are noao minors. This description
embraces comparatively small number
of persons. The vast majority of the sol
diers are dead, their widows have follow
ed them, and their children are advanced
in life. The bill requires the holders of
warrants granted under the act to pay the
fee of the Registers for its location, which
is about dollar and half
The Diplomatic and Consular bill
makes various alterations in our diplo-
matte system, and while it increases the
salaries of our Ministers and Consuls,
takes away the outfit, and does not make
the cost much larger in the aggregate.
The new Postage bill provides that for
letters going less than 5000 miles the
postage shall be three cents, and over
that distance it shall be FIVE cents, except
where the postal treaties with other coun-
tries shall prevent. 1t further provides
that, after the first of january, 1856, all
the letters shall be pre- paid, and that done
with stamps; also, that letters containing
money can be registered, so as to show
that they have been sent, but in no in
stance to make the Department response
BILE for them. a
The Shipwreck bill is intended to
increase the facilities of rescue in case
of wreck or danger along the Allan
tic coast. This was one of the ear
liest acts of the session. and is now law
The best act of the session is the one
establishing a Board for passing upon
Private Claims against the government;
this is measure long called for by the
public necessities. 1t removes from
Congress very burdensome impeachment
in the way of public business, gives suit
ors a much better chance with their
claims. and uproots very fruitful source
ofcorruption.