The New York herald., 1870-06-12
COngress-Another Huge Land Grab-The
New Provisions OF the ARMY Biil.

COnSress-Another Huge Land Grab-Tho
New Provisions OF the Army Bill.
The land grabbing bill which failed to come
up in the Senate on Friday, owing probably to
the retiring bashfulness of the lobby that has
it in charge, was brought up quite forcibly
yesterday 1t is essentially job, and 1t goes
somewhat beyond the average land grabbing
job in the fact that 1t gives to the Central
branch of the Union Pacific Railroad exclu-
sive right to all the lands within twenty-five
miles of the road without any reserve of the
usual alternate sections for settlers. Even
its friends claim nothing better in its
defence than that it is compromise
for subsidy bond due the company
under previous legislation. The fact of its
being seriously considered in the Senate is
evidence enough of the almost unlimited power
of the jobbing lobby, and the fact that the
Franking Privilege bill was laid aside to con-
tinue the discussion on it would indicate that
the Senate is becoming absolutely shameless
in its corruption. Such was the fact, however;
and more than that, the bill, after consuming
the entire day in discussion, was passed by
vote of 32 to 13. This. too, almost at the
moment Red Cloud and his warriors were
begging the President to give them the right
to live on their own lands, which they said
were being taken from them by the railroads,
and threatening war If such wholesale rob-
berries were continued.
In the House, Patrick Dooley, of Richmond,
who made murderous assault on Congress-
| man Porter, OF Virginia, was arragned for
that crime, having been brought forward on
an order of the House by the Sergeant-at-
| Arms. Pat was somewhat astonished and
most probably gratiied at the sudden emf
nence to which harmless little shilelah play
! had raised him, and as he was rather warmly
| defended by his democratic friends and
returned to the custody of the Sergeant-at-
| Arms only for safe keeping, which of course
includes free lodging and boarding, until his
case can be decided by the Judiciary Com
mittee, he will doubtless consider that he has
very high inducements indeed to try his hand
on the sacred person of even higher authori-
ties than Porter when he next yearns
after q relief from the monotony OF
hod carrying. The Senate amendments to
the Legislative Appropriation bill were
discussed, and most of those increasing the
original appropriations were rejected. Among
them were those relative to giving female
clerks in the depar tments mems pay. and in
creasing the salary Of the Chief Justice and
| Associate Justices Of the Supreme Court-two
measures in which the Senate has shown more
sensible craftsmanship than it is usually
7 credited with, and the House more spigot
economy. Mr.. Logan, from the conference
committee, reported the new provisions OF the
Army bill, the full text Of which will be found
under the Congressional proceedings in another
column, and it was agreed to. We regret that
he persists in reducing the pay of the brave
men who took their lives in their hands at the
country's call, and to whom in its crisis the
country thought too much could not be given.