The Portland daily press., 1884-01-23
Pictures of Congress.
Interesting Proceedings ON Mondny-The
House Expressions Against Land Grants
and the Test Oath-Maine Representa-
tives Prominent.

The day when members may move a sus-
pension of the rules for the purpose of passing
bills and resolutions without reference to
committee is apt to 5e an interesting and is
sometimes an exciting one in the House.
Last Monday was one OF these days and
the special correspondents give lively accounts
of the proceedings, in which some Maine Con-
gressmen had q prominent part We reproduce
some Of these reports:
FORFEITURE OF RAILROAD LAND GRANTS.
From the Boston Advertisers Despatches.l
Mr.. Holmsn, who is bitter against all cor
porations, offered resolutions directing the
public lands committee to report bills forfeit
ing all the unearned railroad land grants, and
modifying the land laws so that the public
domain shall be obtainable only under the
homestead law. They also gave the reports
from this committee precedence next after the
money and appropriation bills 1t was evident
that a stampede would occur. Kasson, with
easy SKILL asked that the section relative to
changing the land laws be stricken out, for it
would reverse the entire policy of the govern
ment and deserved longer consideration. Hol-
man refused to alter his resolution. 81 am
for the land-grant forfeiture" explained Kas-
son. Ne one appeared to oppose Holman. FL
nally Belford of Colorado, las usual, made an
attack on the csttle-kings of the West and
the money-kings of the East. Then Reed
rose and said he was convinced that it was
unwse to forfeit these grants in body, for
some of the roads are honestly attempting to
earn them, and deserve better treatment than
the roads which have never done anything in
that direction. He advised more consideration.
1t was a temperate speech, but it fell perfectly
dead. Then came Horr of Michigan, defend
ing the policy of land grants, and denouncing
as unbusiness-like, Holman's wholesale confs-
it, too, went for naught. Cobb of Indiana,
whose mania is against the railroads, de-
nounced them as tho gigantic frauds of the
day. Half the Republicans and Democrats
understood that the resolutions were purely
buncombe, but very few dared to oppose them,
so when the vote was taken, 251 voted yes and
only 18 were found to take the other side.
They were Messrs Barksdale, Bisbee, Bing-
ham, George, Horr. Kean. Lyman, Morse,
Muldrow Poland, Post, Ranney, Reed Rice,
RUSSELL Stone, Van Eaton and Whiting.
THE IRoNcLAD OATH.
Especial Despatch to the Bangor Whig.l
The House to-day, by vote of 1856 to IL,
voted to abolish the "iron clad OATH" Mr.. S.
s. Cox, who represented and advocated the
measure expressed great astonishment that
any man twenty years after the war should de-
sire to perpetuate a distinction between those
who had been traitors and men who had re-
mained loyal to the Union. He repeated
portion of his well known speech against test
oaths and was rewarded with hearty applause
from the Democrats. The oath which he
wants to repeal he described as "rotten rem
nant Of one of the butresses of arbitrary power"
and he declared that it differed In degree only
aud not in kind from the tests of the inquisi
tion, the thumb screw, the rack and the faggot
He spoke of the "odium" cast upon loyal men
by requiring them to take this abominable
oath while the mon who had been disloyal are
let off with an easy one. Mr.. Boutelle made
vigorous speech against the bill. Fer his part,
he said, he believed that the distinction be-
tween treason and loyalty should be maintain.
ed always. The loyal men of this country had
gone to the very verge of msgnanimty and
generosity in dealing With those who engaged
in the rebellion. Every concession, eyery ACT
of generosity had been repaid by fresh outraoes
against liberty and constitutional government.
until now in nearly one-third of the states the
voice of the majority has been stifed. Uniyer-
sal amnesty had been answered by Coushatta
and Hamburg, aud every act of grace since
had been responded to by some fresh barbarity,
from that time down TO tue assassination In
Copia and the massacre in Danyille, Mr..
Boutelle began to read some passages f. ON the
Compendium History of the United States. y
by the late Alexander H. Stephens, in order to
show now conciliatory acts have been met by
the south, but had not proceeded far before
MS ime expired and his voice was drowned BY