Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-04-30
FORTY-FIRST CONGRESS.

/ LOT painting OF General thomas was re-
fcrred to the Library Committee. Several
petitions were presented.
The Committee on public lands reported
favorably on the land grants to certain rail-
roads in Florida and the Oregon branch of the
Pacific Railroad.
Mr.. Wilson introduced bill providing for
competition in the examining for Cadet APP
pointments, and Military and Naval Acad-
envy
| The Senate concurred in the House resolu-
ton appropriating So, 600 for experiments in
| yenilating the Halls of the Capitol.
! The bills Incorporating the Boston and
| Washington Steamship Co. and authorizing
the issue of arms for instruction and practice
to certain Colleges and Universities, were
passed.
The bill to pay the claim of Colan and
Dickinson of Knoxville, Tenn. was objected
to by Mr. Trumbull, on the ground that it in
volyed the principle whether the govt should
pay for the cotton used by our army in erect
ing Notifications.
Mr.. Wiley sustained the claim and said the
Senate had just passed precisely similar
claim, and the only reason for its assent in
the one case and its refusal in the other, was
that one claimant lived in Missouri and the
other in Tennessee.
Mr.. Fowler stated that Dickinson, one of
tuc CldlilldUts. TGIustu ~ tdhc tHe
oath of allegiance to the Confederate govern
ment.
Mr.. Trumbull said that if the bill passed
and involved the same principle as that now
pending, it was equally Objectionable, and
asked unanimous consent, which was granted,
to enter motion for its recall from the House.
Adjourned.
HOUSE. Mr. Schenck gave notice of a mo-
ton to ad ourn from Thursday next to Mon
day, TO allow time to take up the carpets, and
the House then proceeded to the business on
the Speakers table. where twelve bills had
accumulated.
The Senate amendments to a resolution al
lowing the sale of certain lands to the Spring
field, Mass. Armory, were concurred in.
The Senate bill granting 100000 acres of
public land in aid of the construction of the
Portland and Astoria (Oregon) Railroad, was
opposed by Mr.. Holman of Ind. He said
there were now ninety bills pending approprf-
ating over two hundred and fifty million acres
to build fortunes for crafty and INSCRIPTIONS
men, and that at the present rate there would
soon be no land left for homestead and pre-
emption purposes, for which over hundred
millions were taken last year. He also read
remonstrance from the working men of New
York against further absorption of public
lands by railroad corporations.
Mr.. Sargent-What prevents these men of
New York from going out to the West and oc-
cupying these public lands!
Mr.. Holman-Are they not going at the
rate of million year?
Mr.. Sargent-They only go where the rail-
roads have gone before.
Mr.. Holman also read joint resolution of
the Ohio Legislature instructing the Senators
and Representatives to vote against further
grants of land to railroad corporations.
Mr.. Roots of Ark. remarked that that was
the legislature which rejected the 10Th amend
ment.
Mr. Wood of n Y. corroborated the state
ments of Mr. Holman and said that while in
Europe last year he found in Frankfort, Paris
and London, representatives of the American
railroad corporations borrowing money on the
security of lands granted them by Congress-
showing conclusively that those lands formed
their only capital.
Messrs. Sargent of Cal, and Fitch of New,
replied to Mr.. Holman.
The latter declared that the policy of railroad
land grants had been prolific of great nation
al benefits. and but few abuses. 1t was not
the homestead seeking, nor the man who
proposed in good faith to become pre-emp
ton settler, who helped to swell the new born
clamor against railroad land grants. The
man who proposed to obtain homestead,
would never build his cabin outside of the
limits of railroad grants, if he could find
lands within those limits. The voice that
made itself heard. crying aloud against the
development of the country by means of rail-
road grants, was not the voice of the pioneer,
it was the voice of political partizans, who
saw signs of a tempest on the horizon. and
were casting about for planks to strengthen
their rival cookie shells. After description of
the region to be developed by the proposed
railroad, he said that if these lands were
to be settled by settlers, they must be fur
nished with cheap and rapid communication
with tide water if they would sell public
lands they must make market for them, by
making them accessible; if they would have
railroads. either the grant must built them or
offer inducements to private capital; if by
giving up half of the lands, they could sell
the other half, and settle communities at all,
it seemed to him that they would benefit the
treasury, benefit the people, and benefit the
settler. As to interfering with the Indians.
he thought that the experience of centuries
had shown that the Indians could not be do
INVESTIGATED. 1t was time to demonstrate the
idea that it was not necessary to continue
their useless existence any longer. He was
in favor of letting the dirty Indian, human
wild beast, be banished from eastern litera-
ture and the western frontier, and having or
uer, peace anu progress, anu lthu Vi MONIES
and harvests. In his place, he had no doubt
that the passage of the bill would be advan-
tageous to the persons around the lobby, who
would invest no money in the enterprise but
who were beasts of burden as well as beasts
of prey, and it would be small statesman
ship that would refuse proper legislation, be-
cause some dugold dalgetty of the lobby
might thereby secure some ducats.
Messrs Mccormick and Smith followed in
support of the bill, after which it passed, 81
to 60.
Mr.. Holman's motion to refer it, to the
Committee on Public Lands was negatived,
IS to 90.
The House here took recess.
At the evening session the Tariff bill was
taken up and several paragraphs discussed.