The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-02-03
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS-.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3l.-HoUSE.-
Maynard, from committee on ways and
means, reported bill authorizing the
secretary of the navy, after consultation
with the attorney general, to institute
the proceedings by law OR otherwise to
obtain full damages andfndemnihcation
for the destruction and loss of the sloop
of war Oneida in the Bay of Yeddo,
Japan, by collision with the steamboat
Bombay; passed. Sergeant introduced
bill authorizing Mr.. Schnell. of Cali
fornia to enter at proper United States
Land Office, 81 acres of land at minimum
prices, per acre = for tea gardens and
other culture. Sergeant explained that
Schnell was making successful trial
in the establishment of a colony of
japanese and cultivating tea, raising
silk worms, &C., and wanted more land
than he could enter under preemption
laws; passed. The house then resum-
ed in morning hour the bill reported
from the committee of military affairs
to extend the bounty land system to
soldiers and sailors. Stoughton, who
reported the bill, explained and defend
ed its provisions: 1t was not true, he
argued, that soldiers would be swindled
out of their rights by land sharks. They
had saved the country from treason, and
he thought they were capable of taking
care of one hundred and sixty acres of
wild western lands. The bill required
q soldier to enter the land, and then
give him one year in which, if he pleas
ed, he could assign the right to the title,
which he had in land to some person
who wished to go west and locate on
the land, and if he did not it would be
reverted to the government. The bill
could not operate for the benefit of land
SPECTATORS, because it required actual
settlement. He believed that soldiers
willing to admit that the bill reported
was a great improvement on the exist
ing law, but preferred an amendment
to which he had offered emitting honor
ably discharged soldiers who had served
; months or less to land warrant to
locate 40 acres; those who have served
one year or less to locate so acres; and
those who had served years OF less to
locate 160 acres. Garfield, while inclin-
ed to favor the general principles of the
bill, was rather dubious about the
policy of allowing assignments of SOL
diers titles, and proceeded to show how
injuriously that would work.
The debate was at length closed, and
the House proceeded to vote on the bill
and amendments. The amendment Of
fered by Crebs was rejected. The sub
stitute proposed by Julian, allowing
time served in the army to be counted
in the time required for cultivation and
settlement under the homestead act, re-
jected. Substitute proposed by Hol-
man, extending the bounty land law of
the 18th of Sept, 1850, to soldiers of the
late war, their widows and orphans, re-
jected. The bill was then passed with
but two voting negative. Those were
Gibson of Virginia, and Smith of Ore
gon. =
The bill provides that all honorably
discharged sailors and soldiers, who
served in the late rebellion 80 days,
their widows and orphans children, can
acquire homesteads on public lands
of the U. S.,or if discharged by account
of wounds received, or disabled in his
line of duty, their enlisted term shall be
deducted from the time heretofore re-
quired to perfect the title. In case of
death of any person who would be en-
titled to homestead under provisions of
the first section of this act, his widow,
if married, or in case her death or mar
risge, his minor orphan children shall
be entitled to all the benefits enumera-
ted in the act. Provided, that such per-
sons died during their term of enlist
ment, the whole term of enlistment shat
be deducted from the time heretofore
required to perfect the title. Every
private soldier, and every seaman,
marine and officer who served 80 days,
and is now inscribed on the pension
rolls, are entitled to the benefit of the
act.
The speaker laid before the House a
message from the Senate requesting a
committee of conference on the question
of the issue between the two Houses as
to the right of the Senate to originate
bill repeating income tax. Hooper
moved House to concur IN request of
Senate. Maynard appealed to Hooper
to postpone the action till tomorrow.
After a debate, the conference was
agreed to, and Hooper, Allison and
Voorhees, were appointed to confer on
the part of the House. Roats intro
duced bill extending the time within
which debtor can discharge bank
ruptcy, whose assets do not pay so per
cent claims on estates. On motion of
Logan, the Senate substitute for bill
abolishing the Office of Admiral and
Rear Admiral of Navy was non-con-
CURED in /; no action taken. Butler, of
Mass, from Committee on recoastruc-
ton, reported back with request that
1t pass, Senate bill presenting the oath
OF Office to be taken by persons who
participated in the late rebellion, but
who are not disqualified from holding
Office by the 14th Amendment Contri-
button. After some discussion, and
without disposing of the question, the
House adiourned