The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-03-01
42d CONGRESS.
WAsHINoToN, February 80.
HOUSE.

au I.. WARRINGTON, February 30. e
s,... HOUSE.
The bill giving an extension Of time TO
the State of Wisconsin ior the completion
OF railroad from Lake st. Oroix 70 Lake
Superior, was takenalp, the question be.
ing on ordering It to third reading.
MIR, HOLMAN. asked theyInanimous con.
sent TO have the bill debated for an hour
Mr.. PETERS objected. ...
MIR. STEVENSON asked TO have read a
letter from the Commissioner Of Public
Lands.i 81 u RI" ] ,h ,GtiE II. ~
Mr.. SCOFIEI.D objected 10 anything in
the nature OF debate or flllibustering.
Mr. Cox said they would not illlibuster
il MIR HorAtAN's amendments were al.
lowed t6be offered. - 4t''f
Mr., Holman asked to read a c0mmuni.
cation from The laboring men, s.s .-s D..
Mr.. SooFIELD objected. ..fa.. -,.
Mr.. HANKS moved to reconsider the
vote Ivy which the main question was or.
4 .molion] 10 table the motion to ii.
consider was rejected; yeas SO; nays 97.
The vote ordering the main question
was then recOnsidered; yeas 101; nays S3.
Alr.. HOLMAN moved 70 refer the bill TO
the Committee on Public Lands, with In.
structions to amend II so as to grant to
Wisconsin all the lands specified which
would inure 10 the Northern Pacific
railroad company under the existing laws
il thegrant Wereiiot revived. gs 4 -
Dir. Cox argued In favor Of Mr. HoL.
MANS motion. He referred 10 the con.
slant growth olpublic opinion against
railroad land grants, citing on that point
the platforms Of both political parties in
California, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia
and oil lie late Labor Convention at
Columbus Members Of Congress who
were recfeant 70 public sentiment on this
point would not only hear from the peo-
pie in general, but especially from the
wOrkIngmen OF the country.
Mr.. STEVENSON spoke Of creating mo-
nopolies by giving away the timber lands
which were said to be OF no value, and
then creating new monopolies by putting
o tariff on lumber so as TO make these
timber lands valuable, and said II Con-
gress did not stop this policy Of land
grants in obedience to the people, he be-
lieved and trusted that the people at the
next opportunity would make Congress
stop It.
Mr.. HAY agreed with Mr.. STEVENSON
that it was the duty Of every Representa-
tive tosignalize his opposition in the most
emphatic manner TO the robbery Of the
national domain, and let every member
record his vote aye or nay whether the
railroad land grant policy should cease
or not
MIR. SPEkR, Of Pennsylvania, took the
ground that the public domain should be
kept for poor people and for soldiers who
had fought for and maintained the Gov
ernment.
% Mr.. HOLMAN declared that this bill
affected three and quarter million acres
of land, worth from fifteen TO twenty dol
lars per acre, and was a movement in
tavorof the Northern Pacific Railroad.
He referred TO the demoralizing influence
of these land grants, citing on that point
the allegation Of Kansas Senators buying
their seats through means OF such grants,
and said that in order TO test the sense of
the House he should now move to lay the
bill on the table, The motion TO lay on
the table was rejected-yeas 90, nays 9l.
Mr.. BECK then took the floor, and de-
Tended his position in supporting the bill,
his principal reason being that the people
had settled along the line OF the road, pay
ing the Government $3.50 per acre for it
on the faith Of the grant. He would say
to the gentleman who had threatened the
House with the condemnation Of the peO-
pie that no labor convention, no intelli-
gent laboring man, no man who had the
interest of the country at heart, would
say that this land should not be reserved
TO the people OF Wisconsin, instead Of be.
ing given to the Northern Pacific Rail-
road.
After further discussion, involving the
question as to whether Col. Scott, Presi-
dent Of the Southern Pacific and Penn.
sylvania Central Railroads, was or not
opposing this bill, and on which opinions
varied, Mr.. HOLMAN again moved 10 lay
it on the table. Rejected, 81 TO II. Mr..
HOLMAN then moved TO refer the bill to
the Committee on Public Lands, with in
structions. Agreed to, yeas, 1O9; nays n.
Mr.. HAzLEToN asked that the Commit
tee have leave to report at any time,
Mr.. Cox and others objected. a..
Adjourned. - . ~ - -
y,g SENATE. ~ sv
On motion of Mr.. SHERMAN, a bill was
passed cxempting from internal tax, can
ned fish, preserves, iellies, mustard, &c.
Mr.. TRUABUIL, Of the, Judiciary Com
mittee, reported adversely on the bill to
permit criminals to testify in their own
defense. The bill was placed on the cal.
endar. He also reported bill to protect
the purchasers Of lands sold for non.pay'
ment of taxes in tho late insurreclionaIy
States.
Mr.. SAwYER, OF the Committee on; ;Edu'
cation, reported adversely on the memo.
rial for the establishment Of educational
lists Of suffrage.
Mr.. CHANDLER rising for persona
explanation, read letter from a gentle
/ man in Jackson, Michigan, stating thai
somebody had sent him certain "reform
movement" and "liberal Republican" doc
uments, under his (CHANDLERs) frank
and that OF Mr.. MoRToN's., The writel
expressed his astoniRhmenti thereat, and
asked MIR. CHANDLER to send him NJ
more documents, unless they had the truI
ring. Mr. CHANDLER said his frank wa
a forgery, but as the whole liberal Iepub
lican movement was a fraud, he was no
surprised that those engaged therein re
sorted to forgery, ".
Mr.. MORTON pronounced his iranl
thereto. a forgery.
Mr.. 'rRToNsin a,peponal explanation
! said he had bceh altn6stas Unfortunate a
Mr.. CHANDLER. Hc had sent one Of tha
/. Senator's speeches to q constituent, AM
had had 1t Indignantly returned, with til
. request that If he endorsed such sent