The New York herald., 1876-01-15
Proposed Revision of the
Homestead Law.
ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT AMNESTY
The Bill as Amended Defeated
by the Republicans.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS COMMISSION.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


moved the previous question on It's passage.
Mr. KAssoS, (repl OF Iowa, suggested that the motive
OF the bill excellent and its object admirable II
seemed to violate the constitution involved the Su
prcmc Court Judges and the President He therefore,
thought should be referred to committee. Tho
previous question was seconded and the bill was
referred to tho Committee Appropriations.
Mr.. HAND, tdem.) of ~ ", from the Committee on
Commerce, reported bill providing that the hailing
place OF every registered enrolled licensed vessel OF
the United States may hereafter be tho town or city
where the vessel built, where the managing
owner or owners shall reside, and that the name of
such town city shall be painted on the stern He
explained that the necessity for the bill grew Of
recent construction of the Treasury Department
making the hang place OF vessels the ports OF entry
from which their papers were issued Tho Oil was
passed.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
Mr MoREY, Gep) OF La. from tho same committee,
reported tho bill repeating section 1903 OF the Revised
Statutes, which confines the disposition OF tho puolc
lands in Alabama Mississippi Louisiana, Arkansas and
Florida. He explained that In 1866 act had been
passed restraining the disposal of the public lands OF
the United States in those n:c States and the object
OF the bill was to remove that restriction.
Mr. WRIGHT, (deml OF Tenn, suggested a amend
ment, exempting tho Hot Springs Reservation in Ar
kansas from the operation of the act.
Mr MoREY said he had no objection at all to that
amendment
| Mr. WALLS (rep) OF Fla. said that representing in
part State in which there nearly two millions of
OF public lands which had been aside for the
poor people of the country, he could favor the
| Mr. LAWRENCE, (rcp) of Ohio opposed the bill which
he described as measure by which millions OF
might be gobblcd up under the Pre- emption law and
pass into the hands of spectators
Mr. DrNSELL, lrer) OF MINI, favored the recommit-
tai OF the bill, and argued that the time had for
Congress to protect the timber lands OF the country
and keep them out OF the hands OF spectators.
Mr. TowNsENp, rep,) of Pa, said:-i also favor its
plying the Homestead law exclusively TO all the public
lands of the United States
|
said that there were organizations all the country
waiting Tor the passage of this b in order to
the pine lands OF the South and absorb them He be-
eved that in two weeks after the passage OF such
law all the valuable bodies of pine lands In the South
would be absorbed by spectators and bought up at
from twelve to twenty five cents
Mr. McDILL, (rep) OF Iowa, also a member of the
Committee on Public Lands, reported that under all
the circumstances the bill should be recommittcd.
Mr.. HEWITT, (dcm OF Ala, spoke in favor Of the bill,
and said that the people OF Alabama were almost unan
imously IN favor OF II.
Mr. MoRKY, Of Louisiana, repcllcd the insinuation
that the bill was IN the interest of spectators but said
that out Of deercncc to the wishes OF many members
he would consent to its recommittal
Mr.. HOLMAN OF Indiana, proposed that the commit
tee be instructed to inquire into the expedency of
pealing all laws authorizing the disposal OF the public
lands except 10 homestead settlers
Mr.. sArLER said that the Committee on Public Lands
had already that subject under discussion and did
need To be instructed
Mr.. HOLMAN thcreupon withdrew tho proposition and
the bill was recommtted.
AMNESTY mLI.
Mr.. KNOTT, (dem OF KY, reported back the Amnesty
| bill
| The bill reads as follows:-
That all the disabilities imposed aud remaining on any
person by virtue the third section the a
Gle ofthc amendments the constitution Of the United
States he aud hereby removed, and each every
person Is and shall be forever relieved therefrom on his
orof any of record in the State in which he
and SS the following oaA d"
A. b. do solemuly swear (or anlrm that will support
and defend Of the United states against
enemies foreign and dome that will bear faith
S.Teo and Rs this Obligation smd
without any mental reservation or purpose oil evasion what
Mr.. KNOTT movOl the previous question tho
passage OF the bill.
Mr.. McCRARY, rep.) OF Iowa. a member Of the
Judiciary Committee, asked Mr. Knott to yield him the
noor for moment
Mr. Kxorr replied that It would afford him pleasure
each side of the House, but he felt that neither the
peace of the country nor the harmony OF the House re-
quired any further discussion Of the proposition
Mr.. FRYE, (rcp) OF Me- also member of the Judi.
ciary Committee, asked Mr.. Knott to permit him to
Several democratic members objected, and Mr.. Cox
Of New York. said:-"we have had enough OF talk.
Knott allow me, without one word OF debate, to have
letter readY"
Mcssrs Cox, RANDALL and several other democrats
objected
Mr.. KNOTT cannot consent to open tho debate at
ali. insist on the previous question.
Mr.. FRYE-I simply desire TO ask whether tho re-
publican minority on the Judiciary Committee con-
CURED in the report
Mr. Coz (vocilerously)-I call the gentleman to
order Maine is always out OF order. (T.aughter.)
Mr. BLAME understand that the gentleman from
Kentucky declines either TO admit an amendment or
Loud calls OF "ordcr" on tho democratic side
! Mr.. RANDALL lin tone Of remonstrance)-You know
| Mr. Cox somewhat more angrily)-You have been In
the chair youiscf and ought to know better laugh
teri
Mr. BLnSE-I wants distinct understanding
More shouts of ''ordcr'' from the democratic side.
The previous question seconded and the main
question ordcred-ycas 1S3 nays 81
Mr.. sKrLYE. Gnd) Of Mass, called attention 10 the
faulty grammar In the construction OF the bill, the
phrase leach and every person" being trcatcd tho
plural instead Of the singular
The error was ordered to be corrected.
The House then proceeded to vote ON the bill.
The rcsuted-yeas 49, nays o. SO, the
qusitc thirds not voting favor of IT, the bill
rejected.
There was intense interest manifested as the call OF
the yeas and nays proceeded Some OF the prominent
republicans brought their influence TO bear on some OF
the members Of the party who voted ''yea" the pre-
cedng vote either TO vote in the negative refrain
from voting.
Mr. RAISEY, trcp) OF s. C., was conspicuousy tho
object Of such attentions He did not answer when his
called.
position, also withheld his vote at nrs, but hnay
rose and answered 'yea" amid the platdts Of tho
democrats.
Mr. GxoEGE A. BAGLEY, (rcpl OF n. Y, who had
voted IN tho Affirmative changed his mega
tive, at which the republicans reioiccd.
Mr. WELLS, (dem.l OF Miss, tried TO explain why, al
though he was in favor OF general amnesty including
Jefferson Davis, he voted mo-" but the democrats
SIR LYxcu. (dcm) Of Miss however managed 10
get The chance Of saying that though he was in favor OF
the bill he voted mo with view OF letting Mr.
Blaine oncr his amendment although he u.ynchl
would vote against tho amendment
Mr. PuRNAS, (rep) of F.a. who had also withheld hts
vote when his name was called, ancrward and
voted nc"
THE NEGATIVE vOTE.
The following Is the negative vote In detail
NAYs-Messrs.t q. A. Bagley. Baker OF Ind baker of n
y l'aou blaine Blair Bradley Brown Of KAN. Barchard.
Bueigh, Cannon. Cason. Caswr Cvnger Grape trouus-
Danford. Darrall. Davy, Denisvn. Dubbns Dunneii
Enmes Evans FORT foster, freeman. Frost. Frye Gar
field. Hale, Harris Of Mass. fIahorn Raymond endce
Henderson, Ioar Hoge. Hoskin. Hubbef Hunter Ilurl.
but, Lyman. Joyce. kaSsOn. kctchum, King Laphan
renee Lcavrn~orth Lynch, Mygoon Mncdougal McCrary
MeDhs Miller Monroe; ASH. Norton. Oliver, ONeiii.
Packer Page, Phillips of Kan PlHisted Plat Pratt
man Robinson Ross Of Pa. Rusk. Sanpson sinnlckson
Sma smith of Pa Stakwcather strait StoweIl Thorn,
burgh Townsend oi Pa, Townsend Of n " Tufts Van vor
hes, Waidrou Wallace of \. g., Wallace nf Pa Walls
Wells. Wheeler. white Whiting willard Williams Of Wis
Williams Of Mich. Wilson Of Iowa Wood Of Pa Wood.
worih-OT.