The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-12-12
CONGRESSIONAL.

SENATE,
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1O.-A memo.
rial was presented from Mexican
veterans asking pensions.
Standing and other committees
were then appointed.
Bills introduced:
BY Hill, providing for coinage at
the branch mint at Denver.
By Cameron, (Wis) to regulate the
actions Of representatives in congress
and punish violations thereof.
BY ingalls,, to prevent unlawful
j enclosures of public lands.
The resolution of VOORHEES, was
agreed to authorizing the committee
on military affairs to inquire into the
e%xpediency Of purchasing the en-
camrment grounds occupied by the
revolutionary army at Valley Forge
for a national park. He also offered
the following, which he asked to have
printed:
Resolued, That in the judgment of
the senate a public debt is not a pub
lie blessing, and any measure of fin
ancial policy looking to the prepara-
ton Of the present interest-bearing
national debt for the purposes of ma
ti0nal banking or any other account
meets the disapprobation of this body
and should be viewed with alarm by
the taxpayers of the United States.
Hale called up his resolution ask
ing the secretary of the interior to
furnish copies. of all papers relating
to the transfer of the land grant Of
the New Orleans, Baton Rouge &
Vicksburg railroad company to the
New Orleans s. Pacific railway COM
pany, He said about 100000 acres
were at stake in this matter. The
land had been granted in 1871, and by
the terms of the act the claim had
lapsed FIVE years ago; that at the time
the road IS not being built and there
is now an attempt to transfer it to
the New Orleans Pacific railway.
ingalls, said the matter had been
before the attorney general, who had
gwen an opinion that the grant in
the present and vested company was
an interest in the lands. bat the grant
need not acquire precision and at
tach to any specific lands until the
route of the road was definitely locat-
ed. A provis0 requiring the road
to be built in five years was merely
a condition subsequent which did not
forfeit but enabled the United States
to declare a forfeiture by proper judi
cial proceedings. Until such decla-
ration of forfeiture the grant re-
manned in the grantee and the Baton
Rouge company had the right to
transfer its interest to the New Or
leans & Pacific company. Such was
the syllabus of the attorney generals
opinion.
ingalls, stated he had heard this
session will be characterized by an
onslaught on the department of the
interior. He did not know whether
the senator from Colorado (HilD
shared this opinion, but ingalls,
thought this was the first of a series
Of assaults intended to be made on
the administration Of that depart
ment. He was informed and be-
lieved it is to be followed by assaults
on the pension bureau, the general
land office and the Indian service.
The secretary of the interior, he said,
invites the utmost scrutiny Of his
acts.
Hill said he was merely performing
his duty in the matter. The facts
are that during the FIVE years allowed
not one foot of railroad had been
built. He believed the source
OF his information as good as that of
the gentleman from Kansas and he
believed the statement that the land
in question is 100000 acres IS sub
stantially correct. In regard to the
public impression referred to by the
senator from Kansas he (HilD had
heard that onslaughts rather will be
made by railroad companies, not only
to prevent Legislation against their
own interests, but to secure legisla-
ton against their interests, but to Sc
cure legislation against the interests
of the people and in favor of cOrp0-
ratiOns.
Ingalls, said he did not know and
did not care whether the assignment
in question IS valid or not. He SIM
ply wished to say that until some
competent authority overturned
the decision of the attorney general
there is prima facie evidence and au-
thority for the transfer. He had no
objection to the call for papers. but
thought the resolution as formed will
not accomplish the purpose, if that
purpose was to prevent the transfer
of the land, as by the time the papers
are ready patents may be issued, and
he inquired if the gentleman did not
desire mainly to prev ent the transfer
of the land.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE speak
er having a v cold, Cox IN. "
occupied the chair.
Bills introduced:
BY Hatch, to establish a bureau of
animal industry, to prevent the i'm
portation of diseased cattle and the
spread Of contagious diseases among
domestic cattle.
BY Burns, to admit free of duty all
grades of sugar; also, for the relief OF
landowners whose land has been de-
stroyed by any navigable river.
H.---~ No- m T.oo N.,ur