The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-22
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.


WAsH1NGToN. March 21.--Mr. Window s. reso-
luton to limit debate to five minutes speeches
in discussing the appropriation bills was
Mr.. Dorsey made n personal explanation. de-
| nyng that he had any Interior object in view In
Offering bis amendment aI to the Hot Springs ap-
Tho bill to establish the territory of Lincoln
was then taken up md discussed.
! ing hour expired. and the Pacific Railroad
funding bill came up as unfinished business
Mr.. Taller addressed the Senate in advocacy
OF tho bill reported by the Railroad Committee,
aud argued that the Judiciary Committees bill
was yoa'ion Of the rights of contract,
MT MeRonaId ID was M recognized as the next
| Senate resumed the consdera ion Of tho bill to
authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to em-
pMHy NJ Jopes of Piorda I took exception to the
| appropriation OF $4,000 In gross for the expen-
ditures Of the Land Qfice, and claimed that the
also opposed that porto OF thesecton because
II embraced general legislation. He opposed
the policy inaugurated b., the Secretary OF the
to law and detrimental to tho interests of q
large class Of people Of the United states. He
into States and resort to State laws to protect its
| interest The United States could only avail
itself Of tho laws found in the United States
He repeated that as the law now stands he saw
no authority for the Secretary of the Interior to
detail clerks to go into his State and act spies
| authorize 1t he would acduiesce In it,
MFR. Morgan said the Senate was mislnformed
upon the timber subject, and the misinforma-
ton came from the head OF one Of the depart
] ments. who bad listened to men unworthy of
crdeit. and refused to listen to those who were
entitled to credit r, This was q fact within his
the Interior in relation to public lands had been
evasive and uncandid. He had sent out agents
to act as spies and informers and whom he
was informed of unlawful acts of the agents.
even under this pretended authority, he had
shut his eyes and ears to the truth Of these
Less than per cont Of the land within wagon
haul Of the places where seizures are made
wore public lands, and yet when this fact is
ton. The Secretary had taken unlawful action
In relation to the timber depredations. and
created deficiency which he now asks Con
deficiency appropriation he must say to the
Secretary of the Interior: You must read the
statutes Of , the h; United Unite States oa
2 2 raid on, the people Of Florida. He thought
should revise It's e poey e and look 1 to he peope
for the enforcement Of the laws. rather than
resort to the employment of spies aud pimps.
Mr., Morgan objected to the proposed amend
of timber cut on public lands wherever found
outside Of the territory where grown. BY It,
the mast Of ship could be taken out on
lands. or the roof taken from mans cabin for
the same reason.
Mr.. Matthews said one good to be derived
from this debate would he hoped, be the enact
ment OF wise legislation: There had been
1p American "a. forests, forests Tad eHe ef I'll, the measures
which has been prepared to allay such fears
was the appointment Of a commissioner to go
abroad and make inquiries relating to the care
Of forests in older countries, and how they
could be applied here.
The government was, he claimed, the owner
Of the public lands: holding it by the clearest
title. and had right to follow and recover its
lished. The government had, he maintained.
the same right to proceed in the local courts as
property owner.
Mr.. Matthews then went On to point out the
extant to which the public lands were being di-
vested Of timber. and said that Congress
should not be deferred by personal feeling from
making proper laws.
Mr.. Jones' Of Florida. said that Pensacola was
the great outlet for the lumber pr2duciions Of
gil the timber shiPped from Pensacola came
libel upon the people there. To his knowledge
large tracts of lands had been bought, and the
timber eut for the market. There WAS nothing
In this statement Of Hester worthy OF belief. ex-