The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-15
HOUSE.

Mr.. Blair, Of Michigan, from the
Committee on Claims, reported bill to
reimburse Kansas for enrolling, equip
ping and providing troops to aid in sup
pressing the rebellion, and approprl-
ating $4,000 Tor that purpose, which
was passed.
Several bills Of a private nature were
reported and passed, including bills for
the relief of Hasson & Powell, OF Chi
cago; D. c. Garrett, Of Peoria, Illinois,
and Robert Williams, Collector for the
Third District Of Ohio.
Mr.. McCreary, from the Committee
on Elections, reported resolution in
the contested case Of Morris Us. Handley
in the Third District of Alabama, de-
clariug Handley entitled to retain his
seat. He gave notice that be would
call the bill up one week from today.
Mr.. Slater, from the Committee on
Public Lands reported bill to create
an additional land district n Oregon.
Passed.
The House then resumed the bill to
extend the time for the completion OF
the St. Croix and Bayfield, railroad, the
consideration of which had been spe.
cially ordered for to-day.
Mr.. Ketchum, who reported the bill
from the Committee on Public Lands,
gave notice that he would call the pre-
yious question at four o'clock.
IL InI
Ketchum leading OF. He said he had
reported back the bill and amendments
by order of the House, and he proceed
ed to give history Of the road and to
call attention to some important facts
which had come to his knowledge and
which warranted him in opposing any
legislation renewing the grant the bill
made OF lands, which were to-day as
much the property OF the United States
as any other part Of the public domain.
In addition to the two points made by
him, that the land had reverted to the
United States, and that this was there.
fore a new grant, he maintained that
there was no valid reason why Congress
should make this q new grant. The
Government was not equitably bound
to make it by reason OF having sold the
land in alternate sections to settlers at
8. 50 an acre. He moved substitute
for the bill, declaring the lands all
forfeited to the United States, and
reserving them for homesteads and set
Elements under the homestead act OF the
Goth OF May. 1862
Mr.. Barker replied to Mr.. Ketchum
and advocated the passage Of the bill as
it came from the Senate. He denied
that It was new grant, but claimed
that it was q mere extension Of the
terms of contract between the United
States and the State Of Wisconsin. He
showed that the work Of the railroad
had been Interrupted, first, by the
financial disasters Of 1857, the effect o
which had not subsided at the breaking
out of the war, and then BY the war, tc
which Wisconsin had contributed 90, ,00C
men, nearly oue-eighth of the entire
population. He denied that the coun
try through which the road was to pas:
was wealthy or populous. On the con
trary FIVE counties through which II
was to pass contained, according to the
census Of 1871, only $500 inhabitanti
and 1876 townships less than Is inhsbit
ants to the township. How then coulc
the road be built without Governmen
aid? He also contradicted the state
ment that the State of Wisconsin hac
a large land grant from the Unitet
States and quoted report from tn