Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-05-22
his State. Mr.. Sweat. of Maine. a member of

LIS OtftbC. uuI. bW0&l, VI uudlu0, d uolQD6T Oh
the Special Committee, made an elaborate
speech in favor of the bill. combating the
positions of Mr.. W~ashburne, of Illinois. The
bill then went over as the regular order till the
next day, when it was promptly called up by
MIR. Stevens. The several amendments were
voted on, till that proposed by Mr.. Washburne,
to strike out the section subordinating the
Government lien to that OF the railroad COM
pany, was reached. Mr.. Washburne having
demanded the yeas and nays, they were or
dered, and resulted: Yeas, SO nays, 81.
The bill not having been engrossed, went to
the Speakers table, and then went over till
the next day. Mr.. Brooks, of New York, then
called it up. ard demanded the previous ques-
ton on the bill and amendments. Mr.. Daw-
son then demanded a call OF the House, and,
when a quorum answered, he demanded the
yeas and nays on the passage of the bill.
They were ordered, in spite of all efforts to
effect such a contingency, and here is the i'm
perlshable record which is commended to the
consideration of the people of the United
States:
YEAs-Messrs. Allison, Ames, Ashley, Augustus
G. Baldwin, Beaman, Blaine, Blair. Blow. Brapde-
gee, Brooks, VINO. Brown, Ambrose ". Clark. Coff-
roth, Cole, Creswell, Thomas T. Davis, Dawes,
Deming, Dixon, Donnely, Elliott, English, Fenton,
Garfield, Grisweld, Hale, Highly, Hooper, Asahel w.
Hubbard, John H. Hubbard, Hubbard, Jenckes,
Julian, Kalbdeisch, Orlando Kellogg, Knox, Little
john, Loan, Longyear, Marvin, Mcbride, McClurg,
Moorhead, Morrill,, Morrison, Amos Myers, Noble,
Odel, Charles ONeill, Patterson, Perham, Pomeroy,
Price, John II. Rice, Ross, Schenck, Shannon, Sloan,
Smithers, John B. Steele, William G. Steele, Stevens,
Stuart, Sweat, Thayer, Epson, Webster, Wilson,
Window, and benjamin Wood-7o.
NAYs-Messrs. Ancona, Bailey. Bliss, Boutwell,,
Chandler, Dawson, Denison, Eden, Edgerton,
Gooch, Order. Harding, Harrington, Benz. 6. Har-
rls, Holman, Philip johnson, Herman, Knapp, Law,
Leblond, Mallory, Marcy, Mcdowell, Mckinney,
John ONeil, Orth, BEDFORD, Robinson, Rogers.
Edward H. Rollins Scofeld. Stiles TLonas' EiihIi
u. Washburne, William B. Washburn, Chiffon A.
White, Joseph ". White, and Fernando Wood-3S.
THE SENATE HAD NO DISSENTING VOTE.
The bill then went to the Senate. and was
there referred to the Pacific Railroad Commit
tee. On the 9th day of June, Mr.. Howard.
OF Michigan, reported it back, with amend
ments, and, after a consideration of ten min
utes, the reading of the bill being dispensed
with by unanimous consent, it was passed with
out a single dissenting voice. Has such action
a parallel in the history of legislation in any
country? On the 29th of June, the bill came
down to the House with the Senate's amend
ments, which were disagreed to and a Com
mlttee of Conference appointed on the part of
the House, consisting of Stevens, McClurg,
and Cole. The Senate appointed, as q Com
nlttee on its part, Harlan, Foster, and Con-
ness. The committee having agreed upon
their report, it was adopted by both Houses
without a vote by yeas and nays being per-
mitted. Mr.. Stevens made the report, a very
long one, to the House. Mr.. W~ashburne de-
manded that it should be printed, so that mem
bers might understand what they were voting
on. Mr.. Stevens refused, and demanded the
previous question on the adoption of the re-
port, and 1t was seconded. Mr.. Washburne
then demanded the yeas and nays, and tellers
on the yeas land nays on the main question,
but the railroad men were too strong and they
were refused. He then demanded tellers on
agreeing to the report of the committee, and
even they were refused. The report was then
agreed to, and the bill became a law
so far as Congress was concerned, and was
very soon thereafter signed by the Presi-
dent.
In this review of the passage of this bill no
allusion is made to the character of the infiu-
ences which procured its passage. This is a
matter which challenges investigation. The
country never ought to be satisfied until the
whole business is probed to the bottom, and
if there shall be good reason to suppose the
bill was passed by corrupt means, measures
should be taken to have the Supreme Court of
the United States declare the legislation null
and void Estimates have been made by per-
sons who may be in position to know the
facts, that $500, 900 were expended among
members in carrying the bill through the
House of Representatives,. 1t is not unnatural
that many should ask why a bill giving to q
private corporation nearly 800, 900, 600 and
public land enough for an empire, wsas passed
IN the House of Representatives with only SO
opposing votes, and unanimously in the SEN
ate. Why was it that only two men in all
Congress, Messrs. Washburne. of Illinois, and
Holman, of Indiana, were found to lift their
voices in opposition to it ? Legislation which
resulted not only in giving the company the
railroad and all the public land. but in add
ton to hat put $50. 600, 900 into the pockets
of favored individuals in the company, will
scarcely remain unchallenged. 1t is not too
late. There is yet time, and the people have
their remedy.