The Portland daily press., 1870-07-04

| ton bill. The report of the committee of con-
ference on the bill to define the duties of PEN
| sion agents, was asreedto. The naturalization
| bill was then taken up and Mr.. Bayard con-
Glued his speech in opposition to the BILL
Messrs. Johnston and Thurman opposed the
bill. the latter defining its objects to be to dis
| courage emigration from Europe to the United
States; to make naturalization impossible; to
disfranch naturalized voters; to deter nat
uralized citizens from exercising the elective
| franchise; to provide for a correct admlnlstra.
| ton of naturalization laws.
The Senate substitute for the House bill was
further opposed by Messrs. Howell, Schurz
| and CasseIly, the latter remarking that it
would be easier for an applicant for patnraliza-
| ton to Calcutta eclipse than to understand all
| the primary requirements to which he would
| be subjected by the bill.
| The bill as passed by the House, with the
| Two last sections of the Senate substitute as
amendments was agreed to by strict party
vote. Tbs two sections provide for the APP
pointment of two election commissioners, one
| of each party, by the United States Circuit
| Court in each election district of cities of up
ward of 20, 600 inhabitants; the commissioners
| to supervise the election, challenge any name
| proposed to be registered and any vote offered,
etc. The United States marshal in each dis
trict is authorized to appoint deputies to pre-
| serve order at the poles.
Mr.. Sumner offered an amendment, to strike
| out the word white" from all naturalization
| laws so that there shall be no restriction on &C.
| count of race or color; and after being once re-
| jected-22 to 23-was adOpted-27 to o.
Messrs. Stewart Wilson and others object
| ing to decision on so important question as
voting the whole Chinese problem with dis
cussion which was prohibited by previous
| agreement.
Mr.. Williams then renewed his amendment
| that nothing in the act shall be construed to
authorize the naturalization of persons born in
the Chinese empire, which Mr.. Stewart sup
ported at length in "a general argument on the
| Chinese question, and without action the SEN
| ate adjourned.
/ HOUSE.
A bill to forbid the conveyance of Indian re-
| servations by treaty to any other granted than
the United States, after discussion as to the
impolicy and absurdity of making treaties with
rowing tribes of Indians with national;ties, was
passed.
A bill was passed for the protection of set
tiers on lands in the United States. providing
that when any person is entitled to avail him
self OF the the bona ttde settlement of the lands
| subject thereto, that such settlement shall be
deemed to create a contract between the gov
eminent and settlers and his claims shall be
Reconstructed a vested right of property.
| MIR. Holman of Indian, inquired whether
that was not the law at present. m q. i.
Mr.. Julian of Indiana, replied that every
body believed it so until recently, when a con-
trary opinion was delivered by Judge Miller, of
| theSupreme Court of the United States, decis-
| ion which he denounced as monstrous and one
that would be dscreditable to the judge of a
Western county court.
A bill was passed to prevent the further sale
Of public lands in Dakota Nevada, Nebraska,
California, Kansas, Arkansas and Utah. except
under the homestead and presumption laws.
Mr. Julian also reported a bill to confirm to
james M. II utchins and James G. Lamon pre-
| emptiOn claims in the Go Semitic Valley, Cali
fornia, which gave rise to discussion involving
the lmpolicy OF the act ceding the Valley to
the State of California in trust, to be preserv-
ed as national park and in the absence of a
title in the claimants who settled in the Valley
before it was surveyed and opened to settle
ment. Is .'..
Mr.. Schenck of Ohio expressed the idea that
| if squatters or preemptOnsts had any equity
in their claim it would be far better to compen-
safe them for it than turn over to them the
| land on which they or their successors might
establish lager beer garden or distillery or
lay out potato patches and cow yards to be a
| plOtch on the beauty which it was desired to
preserve. The bill was laid on the table. Il %
| The Conference Committees report on a bill
| to re rise, consolidate and amend the patent
/ laws was agreed to. Bill extending the wood
| screw patent of Thomas Harvey and the pillow
improvement of Anson Smith were passed. A
bill to pay $25,O00 to the daughters of Jethro
Wood, the inventor OF cast iron plows, was in
troduced by Mr.. Myers, but withdrawn with
the understanding hat it would be renewed
hereafter. ss+ -. -4-... b.
| The Speaker informed the House that the
Indian appropriation bill had been returned
from the Senate with the request for further
| conference. The House committee was or
dered, on which Messrs Sargent, Niblack and
Paine were appointed
The Louisiana contested election case of
Darrell against Bailey was decided in favor of
| the former (Republican)- 67 to GA land Mr.
Randall's motion to reconsider as made the
| special order for Wednesday.
| The bill to incorporate United States free
l.hold and emigration society in Colorado was
passed and the House adjourned.