The true Democrat., 1855-05-01

1dOUSc CO21l1lalttoe
 MT. GREENWOOD. I ask the gentleman from Illinois to withdraw the demand for the previous question until can make an inquiry of the gentleman?
 MT. Washburne. withdraw the demand
 MT. GREENWOOD. understand the ob- ject of the section that has been reported by the committee of conference to be this: In the event of State failing to make their returns to the general land office within ninety days from the time of the passage of this act, then the entries made at the general land office are declared to be valid. That is what I under stand to be the effect of the section as reported by the committee of conference.
 MT. Washburne. I understand that to be the case.
 MT. GREENWOOD. If that be the case Congress will have undertaken, by the adoption of this report, to legislate with regard to the interests of parties or assume a judicial discre- ton rather in settling titles to conflicting inte- rests, whereas this matter should belong to the courts. That is the view which take of this matter, and it seems to me that it is the con- structon which the section will evidently bear Congress has no right to interfere with or de- termine the rights of parties as proposed.
 MT. Washburne. As understand the mat ter it is this: The amendment which the com mittee of conference proposes provides that where any State has sold lands in good faith, and has sent notice of that fact to the land off, flee here within ninety days-which time is considered to be sufficiently long-then pa- tent to the purchaser is not issued. On the other hand, where a purchaser has gone on and purchased of the United States from the land office in good faith, and the State has not sold the land, then the commissioner of the general land office Is directed to issue patent. can- not conceive how such provision can interfere with the rights of any person. Let me here say, that all interests were represented in the committee of conferences and although it was supposed that this matter would give rise to some difficulty, yet we were agreed unani- mously upon the report that has just been read.
 Mir. GREENWOOD. I will state, in re- sponse to the gentleman from Illinois, that by the original act no such restriction was placed upon the State whatever. This provision pro- poses to place a restriction upon the States to which these swamp lands have been granted, which was not intended to be placed upon them by the original bill; and 1t Is proposed now, that If you pay for the lands within gi- ven time, and report the sales made in good faith, that your title to the lands will become forfeited, and the purchasers at the government land offices shall acquire a title. That is, as understand, the sum and substance of this re- port move to lay the report of the commit tee of conference upon the table, and upon that motion ask for the yeas and nays
 MT. Washburne. was not aware that the gentleman from Arkansas had the floor for that I vialIoJ to bi,,, for +bo pose of explanation.
 claims the floor and the gentleman from Arkan- that he proposes.
 MT. Washburne. I ask for the previous question upon the adoption of the report of the committed
 Mir. GREENWOOD. I move to lay the report upon the table.
 MT. Hem. If the report is laid upon the table, will 1t not carry the bill with it?
 The speaker. Certainly.
 MT. Hem. hope the gentleman from Ar kansas will not press the motion to lay the re- port upon the table, for if it prevails it will cause the loss of the bill.
 MT. GREENWOOD. I would prefer to see the bill defeated than have the report of the CO1IultGee duOpIeu
 MT. Jones' of Louisiana, demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered.
 The question was then taken upon MT. GREEN WOODS motion; and the House refused to lay the report upon the table.
 The previous question was seconded. and the main question ordered.
 The question recurring upon the adoption of the report.
 MT. GREENWOOD demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered
 The question was then put; and the report was adopted.
 MT. Dawson moved to reconsider the vote by which the report was agreed to, and to lay the motion to,reconsider upon the table; which latter motion was agreed to.
 Saturday. Feb. A.
 SENATE.-Mr. JOHNSON. l report, from the committee on printing, the following reso- lutions:
 Resolved That there be printed, for the use of the Senate, ten thousand copies of the se- veral reports of surveys for railroad to the Pacific, made under the direction of the Secre- tary of War; and also of the report of F. w. Lander, civil engineer, of survey of railroad route from Puget's Sound, by Fort Hall and the Great Salt Lake, to the Mississippi river; and the report of John c. Fremont, of route for a railroad from the head waters of the Arkan- sas river into the State of California; together with the maps and plates accompanying said reports, necessary to illustrate the same; and that five hundred copies be printed for the use of the Secretary of War, and fifty copies for each of the commanding officers engaged in said service. And the binding of such books as have been ordered to be printed in quarto, shall be executed in such style and paid for at such price as the committee on printing shall direct.
 Mr. Weller. should like to have an ad- ditional number of copies printed of a report and map made by the late surveyor of the Mex ican boundary, which was sent in some ten days ago. The committee on printing, I believe, recommended the printing of two thousand extra copies. If it be in order I move to amend this resolution by adding a provision that five thousand additional copies of that re- port be printed. s .o f'5
 The president. Under our rule, that must go to the committee on printing, to be reported upon. l MT. Weller. Is it not in order to move tt increase the number reported by the commit tee?