The New York herald., 1870-06-12
FORTY-FlRsr CONGRESS.
Second Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, June IL, 1870.
On motion OF Mr.. SHERMAN, (rep.l of Ohio leave
was given to the Finance Committee to SIT during
the sessions Of the Senate
PAYMENT OF INDIAN EXPENSES.
Mr.. MORRILL,. trepJ OF Me-, called up the joint re.
solution TO pay the expenses Of the delegations OF
Indians now visiting Washington, appropriating
$50, 900 for presents &C. Passed.
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD
MIR. PoMERoY, (rep) of KAN, called up the bill re-
lating to the Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad
making a land grant.
Mr.. SHERMAN opposed the bill as extraordinary
and violation OF that feature of land grant policy
by which the government had always reserved to
settlement alternate section OF land. The bill
was TO carry out an arrangement between two roads
by which one should receive the odd ana the other
the even sections. II the bill passed there would
not be left to the United States single acre of land
III bet Of territory ten miles wide, nearly three
allowed to make up deficiencies Of land grants from
within limit OF twenty-five miles on either side.
The morning hour expiring the Franking bill came
up, but was laid aside informally to proceed with the
pending bill-yeas "a. nays 2l.
Mr. YATES, repJ OF H., insisted that lands should
not be voted away 1ndscrlmlnaely without the
usual equivalent 10 the government in re-
serving alternate sections for the settlers.
He was opposed to the BILL as giving to q
railroad The exclusive choice OF all lands within
twenty-five miles OF Its road, compelling settlers to
select rom the remainder. He could not agee that
congress should become q mere playtning OF East.
ern capitalists.
Mr.. THAYER, (rep.) OF Neb considered the bill
without a precedent TO justify it in legislation.
Messrs. HOWARD and HARLAN claimed that the
bill was TO settle equitable claim against the gov
ernment by voting lands as a compromise for sub.
sldy in bonds, TO which the company was entitled
under previous legislation.
Mr.. THAYER said the proposition was to give
the Brownsville and Fort Kearny and Midland
Pacific road the odd section OF land and the
Central Branch OF the Union Pacific the even Sec
ton, thus absorbing solid belt OF land fifty miles
WIDE being twenty-five miles on each side OF the
road and nearly 800 miles long. He protested
against this absorption in the Interest OF the Central
Branch, as the people OF Nebraska did not want that
road. He was In favor Of home road. The bill
would repeal the requirement In the charter OF the
Union Pacific Tor the sale OF the lands hOmesteads.
The discussion OF the bill occupied the entire ses-
sion, the argument being manly that the giving
away OF odd and even sections alike viOatve OF
the implied compact in land grants by the govern
ment 10 railroads, by which the former had the
benefit OF improvement OF reserved alternate sec.
tons. In answer 10 this it was argued that the bill
was necessary, as involving the faith OF the govern
ment in former legislation.
An amendment to cUntine the grant to odd sec.
tions was reJected-yeas 70, nays "a
The bill finally passed--yeas 32, nays 49,
Ihe vote was as fOlows:-
~ YEAs-Messs Ames, Anthony, Brownlow, Buckingham,
Hamln Harlan,,, Harris, Howard johnson, Kellogg,
Mcdonald, Morrill, of Me-, Nye, Osborn Pomeroy, POOL
Ramsey Rice Scott Stewart stockton, Sumner, Tpton,
nays Messrs Davis, HSwei1, Mccreery Morrill, of v,
Ross, Schurz, Sherman Spencer Sprapue Tbaver Thur
man, Vckers and iates-13.
The Senate then, at fifteen minutes past five
O'CLOCK adjourned.