Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-12-21
LATEST NEWS.
BY ECrRAPEI
TO THE WORCESTER DAILY SPY.
THIRTY-FIFTH CONGRESS. -seoOnd Session.
w ASH Nc TON, Dec. ~.
SENATE.
The Senate met at noon.

The joint resolution to adjourn from Dec.
23d to Jan. 4tll, was taken up. Mr.. Foot call
ed for the yeas and nays. The resolution was
adopted. The following senators voted against
it :-Messrs. Chandler, Clark Clngman, Col
lamer, Dixon, Davis, Doolittle Durkee, Fes-
sender, Fitzpatrick, Foote, Foster Evans,
Jones, Hamlin, Hammond, Hunter, johnson Of
Tennessee, Reid, Rice, Wade, Ward-22.
Mr.. Rice of Minnesota offered a bill, which
was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Territories to organize the territory OF Da-
cotah.
Mr. Crittenden moved to take up the French
Spoliation BILL for the purpose Of assigning
some day for its consideration, and gave notice
that he would call it up January 9th
The Pacific Railroad bill came up as the or
der ofthe day. The following is the substance
of the bill which was introduced by Senator
Rice on the 18th inst, and which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Pub
lie Lands:
Section lst authorizes the President to cause
the public land, to the extent Of forty miles
on each side Of the route, to be conveyed, and
the Indian titles eXtinguished; and that, on
the payment Of ten cents per acre, by presept
settlers, the presumption laws are to be extend
cd thereto. Sec. ID provides that every alter
nate section, for ten sections in width, on each
side Of said woods and branches be granted to
the states and territories upon the line of the
proposed roads, namely, from Lake Superior
to Puget's Sound, with a branch to the navi-
gable waters Of the Columbia; from the west
em border of the State of Missouri to San
Francisco also from the western border of the
State Of Texas to San Pedro; and from San
Diego to the bay of San Francisco, Sec. 3D.
provides that the said lands so granted to the
States and Territories, shall be subject to the
further disposal Of the legislatures thereof for
the purposes expressed, and no other Sec.
4th defines the conditions of the said lands
Sec. 9th requires that the United States mails
shall be transported over the said roads, at pri-
ces to be fixed by Congress, the President be.
ing authorized to name the price, temporarily,
until fixed by law. Sec. 9th provides that the
Government shall have the priority of right,
for all purposes of transportation Sec. It'll
sets aside the 10th and Both sections for school
purposes. See 8th provides that the Presi-
dent shall determine the termini, with consent
of the United States and Territories in which
they are situated
Mr. Wilson of Massachusetts,, offered new
bill as Substitute, Of which the following is a
synopsis.
'Ihe President and Senate shall appoint
five civil engineers, practically experienced in
the laying out and construction Of railroads,
who within two years shall locate the route of
Railroad from the Missouri River to San
Francisco, through the region between the 34th
and 43d parallels.
If the President approves of their decision,
the railroad, as located by them, shall be built
by the Government, under the direction Of a
Board to consist of the Secretaries of War
and the Interior the Postmaster General, and
the Attorney General who shall contract with
the lowest bidders for its construction, in sec
tons of not more than twenty-five miles in
length.
Money to build the road shall be raised by
loan, as needed, in sums of not more than $10,-
100000 annually.
From the passage of the act till the location
of the road, all public lands between the atore-
said parallels shall be withheld from sale, but
shall be open to presumption by actual settlers.
After the road is located, the proceeds of the
sale of lands, for one hundred and fifty miles
on each side, thall constitute a fund for the
construction Of the road, and the payment of
the debt incurred for it."
Mr. Folks amendment to strike out, "from
the Missouri River, between the mouths of the
Big Sioux and Kanzas Rivers, between the
10th parallel on the boundary Of Minnesota,
and the southern boundary of the United
States" was lost by-ayes, II; nays, %.
Mr. Foster, of Conn, discussed the merits of
the road chiefly in regard to the question of
the tariff on the material, and moved, as an
amendment, that the road be built exclusively
of American iron. This ELECTED considerable
discussion.
Mr.. Gwin of California, considered that the
bill at present provided for all legitimate pro-
lection to the American iron interests
Mr. Simmons of Rhode Island, was strong
ly in favor of the use of the best materials, as
a matter of economy, even if it should cost
double But there was no doubt the require
ment of three hundred thousand tons, if offer
ed by contract, would bring out offers at the
lowest price, it would be profitable to manu-
dIcture at, and he did not want it at less.
Mr.. Clingman of North Carolina, after ask
ing the Senator from New York whether there
bad not been a breakage of American iron, to
Che Erie Railroad, to which Mr.. Seward re-
piled he had not so heard, and thought not
went on to discourse upon the relative
cost of the production of iron in England and
America, proving that at the lower rate of
wages, England can produce it cheaper, mas
much as nine-tenths of the value of manufac-
tured iron consists in labor
He incucated the idea that English manu-
6cturers had lowered the price ten dollars
ton, for the purpose Of breaking American
manufacturers, for, as the English manufacture
100000 tons annually, ten dollars would re-
present forty millions, which is rather expen-
sive rivalry. We might as well say that
American cotton planters have lowered the
price of cotton, to break down the competition
of Algeria.
Mr. Seward expressed himself generally in
support of Mr.. Fosters amendment. He would
consider it a reproach that an American road
should be made with foreign iron, to pass over
American coal and iron beds,
Mr.. Bigler of Pa, also spoke in favor Of
American iron, and instanced the case OF the
Pennsylvania and the Baltimore and Ohio
roads, saying one was built with American and
the other with English iron.
Mr. Iverson, of Ga, opposed the amend
ment, as likely to produce a combination of
ironmongers to raise the price of iron. He
agreed with Mr.. Clingman, to admit iron duty
free.
Mr. Fosters amendment was then carried
by yeas 25 nays %.
Mr. Rice of Minnesota, then spoke at length
on his Pacific Railroad bill introduced on
Thursday last.
Mr. Rice introduced bill to organize the
territory Of Dacotah, when, on motion of Mr..
Seward, the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr. Hughes Of Indiana introduced a resolu-
ton instructing the Committee on Ways and
Means to inquire into the expediency of re-
porting bill making an appropriation for tax
ing the eighth census.
Mr. Whiteley of Delaware offered substi-
tnte to conine the census simply to an emu
meraton of the people.
The latter was reiused-51 against 40.
Mr.. 1ughess resolution was then adoptod
The House then went into Committee of the
Whole, and resumed consideration of the bill
granting pensions TO soldiers Of the war of
1872
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