Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-01-25
rHRry.r1rrH coNeREss.-sEcoSD SESSION
TnuRspAY. JANUARY 20. 1859.
SENATE.

lVt I Ialr presented u lucS>aec nun ~
President transmitting a list Of the claims oi
citizens of the United States upon foreign Go
vcrnmcntS.
Mr.. BENJAMIN offered 4 substitute for Mr..
Mason'> bill, authorising the President 10 use
force IA certain eases, which was received IN
formally and ordered to be printed.
Mr.. Dousla> presented the petition of Henry
O'Rcillv. T. p. Schatlncr and j. j. Speed, pray
ing the passage Of the bill to facilitate ic'e.
! graphic Intercourse with the Pacific coast. and
plci-ing themselves if the bill is passed t" have
the line open for the transmission Of messages
at the next session of Congress.
Mr.. Collarnar reported back the bill pre-
Scribing the time and manner of %clectins / INTEL
States Senators. with 4 substitute, which was
made the special order for Tuesday next.
The invalid pension bill was then passed.
The Pacific railroad bill WAS taken up, an!
Mr.. Pueh Withdrew his amendment.
NJ. Davis moved the substitute reported by
him ~ expressing tie views of a minority Of
the <clec, committee. lie explained It's proin'-
ncnt features. and advocated Il at some length.
1t. rive, $1,000 ono in the aggregate and ten
sections OF land per mile, leaving parties VINO
contract to locate the route for Themselves
lie also went into grca; statistical detail TO
show that the route along the Sod parallel of
latitude WAS the most practicable and least
costly.
Mr.. Green. Of No. replied to Mr.. Davis, sta
ting that he hoped and believed i Pacific ra!!-
road bill would pass the Senate at this session,
but hc objected 10 the cXtolling of one route at
the expense Of the others. Tie thought all the
routes proposed should hc allowed to stand on
equal terms.
Mr.. Doolittlc .aid he desired 10 amend the
substitute hy advertising for proposals for three
routes. u Northern. Southern AMI Central, lcav'
in. Congress 10 select the best.
Mr.. IycrSon argued To show that the central
route was impracticablc. owing to deep SHOWS
and the severe cold. and advocated an extreme
northern and al extreme southern road. lie
quoted from Lieut.. Maury to show that his
objections TO tie central route were well
founded.
Mr. Brown. Of Miss. argued against the con-
stitutionali,y of the hill on the ground that lis
necessity for military purposes must be abSo-
late. to Justify government aid. lie said the
road hal been urged upon commercial rather
thar upon military grounds. lie also combat
ted the views Of Mr.. Pngh. who thought II
constitutional for Congress TO appropriate mo-
ncv for building it through 4 Territory and not
through a State, and contcnded that Congress
had equal power to build in Estate or Territory.
Admitting that there was some necessity for
this road rs Il military measure. it did not justify
this vas; appropriation. He held that there
WAS some limit to these powers expressly
granted in the Constitution. For example, 1t
was constitutional for Congress To build vessels
Of war. but ne would consider it a violation of
the spirit Of the Constitution for Congress 20
authorize the building of Il thousand ships.
Mr.. Mason moved 10 adjourn; which motion
prevailed by yeas -. nays 81.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The sneaker announced the select committee
TO investigate the charges Of corruption against
officers of the navy. TO be composed As io'Iow>
Mason. Sherman, Bocock, Richie, Groc>beck
and Ready.
The speaker said the first business in order
MAS on the motion tn refer Ia the committee
Of the whole the bill amending the 'act granting
the right of presumption To settlers on the
public lands"
Mr.. Walhriige remarked that he had exam.
incd the hill since he made the motion and hal
found many good features in il, and therefore
Withdrew his motion to refer, and proposed an
amendment to strike out the 9TH section, which
rcncalcd the special acts heretofore passed.
Mr.. Cobb said he had no objection to the
amendment.
Nr. Reagan. of Texas. moved 80 To amend
as To continc the benefits Of presumption t.
those who occupy ami cultivate the soil. and
deprive those engaged in other pursuits ~
them. :,
Mr.. Jones. ofTcnn.. said the bill was intend
cd 20 amend the prc-cmp,i"n Laws To when nc
had no objection 80 far H. tic benefits were
confined 10 the cultivation Of the soil. but nc
lid object to the second and AL subsequent sec
,;ou>. because they were not calculated Ia pro
mote the benefits Of this class. but extended
tl,. prc.c,up,ion laws 10 the reserved section,
on the lines If the railroads. After some iur'
thcr discussion. Mr.. Jones moved to refer th'
hill and amendments Ia the committee oil th'
whole on the state Of the mon. which mo
ton I'D noi prevail.
The question recurring on the amendment o
Mr.. Wal,ridgc to strike ont the sixth section
Mr.. Hughes moved to lay the bill on the Ia
be. Lost iy yeas -. nays l23.
The amendments Of Mc>>r>. Wa!hrld-c AIT
: Reagan were then agreed To-.
Thcquc>'irn recurring ulon the amendment
of Mr.. Grow Ilia; from and after the passage o
hi, act, no public land snail be exposed 1" SAIL
BY proclamation Of the President, unless ;h'
sane shall have been surveyed. and survey
fled for at least ten years previously. 1t wa
carried by yeas -. nays
Mr.. Curry movelt" lay tie bill on the table
which was lost by yeas -. nays -.
The question then recurring on the cn-ro>>
mc,,t and third reading of the bill, it WAS dcci
dcd in the negative by yeas 81. nays -; 80 tn
bill WAS rejected.
Mr.. Marshall. of KY. moved a rccon>iiera
ton, pending which Mr.. Win>low morei a cal
ofthc House. which was agreed TO.
subsequently further proceedings were I'll.
pcnScd with. and the House took 4 recess III!
i. ". having first gone into committee 81 TIE
whole on the President message.
Ereming .Session-Mr. Purrianec inaie
speech advocating an increase Of the tariff an'
specific duties.
Mr.. Thompson made a speech Tor the mon
All GOOD and true men would. he said. 20 VIII
the Republicans in the future elections. ~
also advocated tie protection of home industry
Mr. Phelps. Of Minnesota. aivocatei N
mnendmcn, Of the prc-empti"n laws TO proven
fraud.
Other speeches we're made. after which III
committee rose. ans! the House adjourned.