Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-02
FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
WEDNESDAY, February ?.

IN that county. Referred 10 Committee on
Indian Affairs.
Mr.. Cameron Wis., presented memorial
Of $50 citizens of Wisconsin in favor of the
10 and Wisconsin river Improvement. Com
merce.
Mr.. Sherman presented a petition of citi-
zens OF Ohio in favor OF the repeal of the
specie resumption act. He said he did not
agree with the prayer OF the petitioners. Re
feTred 10 Finance Committee.
Mr.. Clayton called up the bill TO repeal
section 1888 of the revised statutes,
making certain restrictions In the dis
positions OF the public lands in the
Arkansas and Florida. He explained that
the object OF the bill was to place the public
lands In the states named on the same foot
ing as the public lands in other states. Tn
der the operation of the section which the
bill proposed 10 repeal, lands could only be
taken up under the homestead laws. What
WAS desired was that they might be pre-.
empted as the lands in the western states.
Nine tenths of these lands are unit for agri-
cultural purposes, and are only valuable for
the timber which is upon them. One fourth
OF the whole area OF Arkansas was held by
the government, and would continue
TO be SO held forever unless the re-
s s now resting upon IL should
western states, Mississippi, for instance,
was very valuable and productive. IL these
timber lands in Arkansas were thrown
open as IN the western states, q most pro-
ductive interest would spring up in that
state, and the productive wealth OF the state
would be much increased thereby. No peo-
pie knew that these lands could not be made
profitable for agricultural purposes, aud
hence they would not take them up under
homestead laws. He hoped that tue bill
would be passed without objection.
Mr.. Jones (Fla-) stated the same reasons
as Mr.. Clayton why the bill should pass. He
spoke OF the TACT that this restriction now
sought to be repealed, had beed imposed for
the benefit of the cOlored people, 10 give
them the opportunity to acquire homesteads.
but in consequence OF the natural condition
of the land and for the reason that IL could
not De probably devoted TO agriculture, the
freeomen had not awaited themsel YES OF the
opportunities afforded to them.
Mr.. EdInunds said the restrictions as 10 the
disposition OF the lands in the states named
had been put ON for the benedt of the poor
colOIed people, and was thought at the time
wise provision. II prevented these lands
from falling into the hands of SpecuIatOrs
He was not satisfied as To the propriety of re-
peallng the law without further examina-
ton. He moved 10 postpone the further
consideration Of the bill until day after to-
morrow.
Mr.. Thurman moved an amendment, pro
viding that the repeal of the section shall
not be constructs 10 impair the rights OF any
homestead settler, and no land occupied at
this tippe by any homestead settler shall be
liable TO pre- emption. The amendment was
agreed 10.
The morning hour expiring, the bill then
Nj. Logan introduced a bill to amend the
act providing for the furnishing of crufch S
go
on Military Affairs.
The unfinished business, being the bill TO
pay for the interest On
THE DIsTRICr 3G5 BONDS,
Mr.. Sargent said, in view of all the facts il
was very extraordinary spectacle present.
ed here tie last few days in the unmsasured
and Wholesale denuuciations which had
been heaped on the Board of Public Works.
The committee which hal Investigated the
action Of the Board of Public Works, and
mad taken SO immense mass OF testimony,
had not reported that they discovered any
crlminality on the part OF the Board OF Pub
lie Works. lie hal read carefully the re-
port Of that committee, and he had sifted the
evidence taken by IL, and he here boldly
said, and deted contradiction, that there
was nothing in il all TO show that any mem
Der OF this board had taken a bride, or had
done anything dishonorabie or ulbecOming
a gentleman. Now that these gentle
men had retired to private life, IL was
uDjrst and unsenatorial to stigmatiZe
them so h6rshly. BE granted that there
might be some ground on which TO
say that the board had taken a somewhat
vile view of their powers, but there was
nothing in 1t at all to show that they had
been guilty OF corruption. The Committee
of Investigation had before them the argos
OF the memorialists, the evidence had been
taken TO establish or refute the truth of those
charges, and with the facts before them The
committee had scrupulOusly RETAINED from
imputing anything criminal to the board
III they had any proof of fraud and cOrrup-
ton, then IT was the duty of the committee
70 report IL, and as they did not do IL, IL did
not become any member Of that committee
10 rise here at this day and denounce the
members OF this board as they had done. He
then referred to the experiments used by Nj.
Bayard yesterday, whose speech, ne regret
tee TO say, was not in the Record this morn
ing, as II ought to have been; that Senator
had charged these Commissioners with pay
ing the counsel fees OF Gov. Shepherd, and
also with doing other Illegal acts.
Mr. Bayard (who was then revising his
speechp rose and read from 1T his allegations
as to the matters spoken of, that s25, 900 had
been paid TO Governor Shepherds counsel,
ard that the advertising bill OF one OF The
city papers for reporting and printing the
evidence had also been paid.
Mr.. Sargent called him TO order, and said
be did not wish to be interrupted for inc
Ser ator TO read over his speech.
The CHAIR (Mr. Cameron, of Wisconsin
reading until he had finished that part OF his
speech bearing on the matter alluded to.
HOUSE OF PRESENTATIVES.-M
OBrien (Md.) offered resolution directing
the Committee on Foreign Affairs TO inquire
INTO the eXpediency OF requesting the Pres;-
dent to negotiate commercial treaty with
France. Adopted.
The various Senate bills on the Speakers
table were then taken up and referred TO ao-
piopriate committees.
The House, in the morning hour. resumed
The consideration of the bill reported from
the Committee on Public Lands yesterday
Dy Mr.. Gordon, for the sale of Kansas Indian
lands In Kansas TO certain settlers, and 10
dispose OF the proceeds by retaining II as a
1und for the settlement of the Kansas In
dams in the Indian territory. The bill was
passed.
Mr.. McCrary (lowa). from the judiciary
COMMITTEE, reported a bill To reorganize the
Judiciary OF the United States with sub
stltute for the same. The substitute was
ordered printed and made the special order
for Wednesday, February 10th.
MI Knott (ky.l, from the same commit
tee, reported bill 10 regulate proceedings
In the United States Circuit and District
Courts as TO the time of instructing juries
and arguing causes. Passed.
AT the close OF the morning hour the
House resumed the consideration of the bill
in relation to the Presidential term.
Mr.. Woodwork (Ohfo) continued his re-
marks upon the bill. He opposed any pro-
position limiting the occupancy OF the office
by any Individual to one term.
EMMA MINE AND THE N. Y. TRIBUNE
In The suit of Trenor w. Park against the n.
Y. Tribune association, plea has been filed
for judgment in the United States Circuit
Court I'm that city, as to whether the action
MIN nj no Of mt ND 6tp Co.