Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-11
THIRTY-THIRD CONGR Ess.
SECOND SESSION.
SENATE.


/
| SENATE.
| "WEDNESDAY, January 10, 1855.
| Among the petitions presented was one from
thrty-four members of the bar Of the District Of
Columbia, in favor Of the passage of the bill from
the House to reorganize the courts, and improve
the laws OF this District A memorial was also
presented in opposition TO the bill.
petition was presented from the Hon. George
p Marsh, late minister resident at Constantine
Pile, for compensation for services rendered In
Greece, to which he was sent while minister near
| the court Of the Sultan Of Turkey TO make inqu
ries respecting the Imprisonment Of the Rev. Mr.
| King, an American missionary Other petitions
were presented In unusual numbers, of which Mr.
| PRATT presented one, numerously signed, repre-
| sentng the evils to which the mercantile marine
had been subjected by the abolition of dogging.
| After numerous reports had been made, and
some bills of private character passed. the
concentrations Of standing committees, Mr.. CAss
formally submitted Mr.. UsDERwooD's resolutions
| In relation TO the enjoyment Of religious liberty
| abroad and, on his motion, they were made the
special order for the first Monday in February.
| joint resolution to authorize the Secretary Of
! the Navy to despatch a steam vessel in search OF
DR., Kane, in the Arctic regions, was reported by
Mr. BRoDHEAD, who urged its immediate passage.
After brief conversation, il was laid aside for
the present
The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill
to reform the judiciary system Of the United States
The pending question was on the amendment Of
| fered by Mr.. CHASE to reduce the number ofjudges
| on the bench Of the Supreme Court.
Mr.. T0UCEY opposed it, not being disposed to
embarrass the bill, at present, with minor conside-
rations.
Mr.. BAYARD opposed the amendment for
similar reason.
Without coming TO conclusion on the subject,
the Senate, after an executive session, adjourned
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Mr.. PHILLIPS introduced bill regulating the
| carrying of spirits of turpentine; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Commerce.
Mr.. ELIOT, Of Massachusetts,, introduced four
bills, each making appropriations for harbor i'm
provements In Massachusetts,. They were seve-
rally referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Mr.. RICHARDSON introduced bill to improve
the Mississippi river and its tributaries. Referred
to the Committee on Commerce.
The SPEAKER announced the first business in
order, to be the motion Of Mr.. ORR to commit to
the Committee Of the Whole on the state Of the
Union, the bill anendatory of the act to reduce
and graduate the public lands to settlers and culti
vators, Ito which several amendments were pend
ing including that Of Mr.. DAWSON, in the nature
of homestead principle-the lands to be sold to
actual settlers at fourteen and half cents acre
Mr.. CAMPBELL said he was opposed to engraf-
ing the homestead bill on the proposition now pend
ing He did not like this way of lacking on to the
graduation bill this measure, and then driving it
through the House under the operation of the pre-
vious question. Let gentlemen wait until the
homestead bill which passed the House, and was
amended in the Senate at the instance Of Mr.. Hun
TER, shall be taken up.
Mr. ORR withdrew his motion, as the friends Of
the bill desired direct vote on 1t. The sooner 1t
was disposed Of the better. He was prepared to
vote now, though he was opposed to the passage
Of the bill If the bill shall be passed, it would
take a fund belonging to the States, for the pur-
pose of holding out inducements to the population
of the old States to settle the new States and Ter
ritories thus depriving the former of population
and wealth.
In reply to a question asked by Mr.. JONES, of
Tennessee, he said he supposed the natural in
crease Of population and emigration would settle
up the new States. There was a deluson held out
to citizens of the old States to emigrste. Instead
of lettering, they would injure, their present COM
Portable condition.
Mr. OLDS asked whether it bad not been the
policy of the government to grant lands for the
purpose Of encouraging the settlements of the new
States and Territories
Mr. ORR replied, the policy was of recent origin,
commencing with the passage of the bill to estab-
fish the territorial government of Oregon. Oregon
was remote country, and the grants we're made
with view of encouraging emigration, so as to
afford protection in the event OF war.
Mr. DAWSON replied, contending that the poll
cy Of granting lands had been pursued almost from
the foundation of the government to the present
time. II was not new idea. The whole Atlantic
was settled by such grants.
Mr.. ORR repeated his assertion that the policy
was OF comparatively recent origin. The tendency
Of the tSnes was to make the people lean on the
the government lean on the people. II was time
this should stop, as ii has centralizng tendency.
In his opinion, the price Of the lands, instead of
being fourteen and-a-haf cents as proposed by Mr..
DAwsoSs amendment, should be twenty-five cents
an acre, as twenty-three and-a-hslf cents would
cover the cost of the original purchase, and the
tinguishment Of the Indian title.
Mr.. WASHBURN, of Maine, Indicated an amend
ment TO repeal the graduation bill of last year. as
frauds were perpetrated under IL.
Mr.. CAMPBELL renewed the motion 10 refer
the bill and pending amendments, TO the Commit
tee OF the Whole on the state Of the Union.
The question was taken, and the motion disa-
greed to-yeas 50, nays SO.
The House then refused to recommit the bill
and pending amendments to the Committee on
Public Lands-yeas So, nays 50.
| ing amendments First, that Of Mr.. Dawson, FAC
cepted by Mr.. Jones, Of Tennessee, as a modifica-
| ton OF one offered by the lastnamed gentleman,
| granting homestead of one hundred and SIXTY
acres TO every head Of family, at the rate Of four
teen and half cents an acre, on the condition Of
| five years settlement and occupation.
Mr.. COBB opposed this amendment TO the BILL
suggesting TO Mr.. DAWSON that the homestead
measure should stand ON his own merits and not
offered to the bill now pending which 1t might be
the means Of defeating. The bill, thus amended,
could not in his opinion, pass the Senate.
| He referred to the fifth section Of the BILL which
provides that any individual now resident Of any
one Of the States or Territories, and not citizen
Of the United States, but who, at the time OF the
passage Of this act, shall have fled declaration
Of intention, required by the naturalization laws
Of the United States, and shall become citizen of
the same before the issuing Of the patent as made
and provided for in the bill, shall be placed upon
an equal footing with the nstiveborn citizen OF the
United States. He desired this TO be stricken out,
AZ the section was Of questionable propriety. II
II did not exclude foreigners hereafter coming
into the country he would vote against the amend
/ ment.