The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-13

conflicting claims by the Department OF tn
Interior. and giving bonafide settlers. under
the homestead and pre- emption laws prefer
ence over previous entries made at S1.25 an
acre. In the course Of his remarks on the
amendment Morgan said he did not like the
aspect Of the bill in the Senate. 1t looked
to him too much as If some private enter
prise was being carried forward.
Mr.. D0lph ssid there was no necessity for
the amendment, as The Land Once would
decide cases slluding to the law, and il the
law gave the homesteader or pre- emption
claimant e right, be would have il anyhow.
Mr.. Cockrell inquired how il had come
about that officers of the Government Land
Department had utterly ignored the laws.
Mr.. Dolph said there had been many con-
Trajectory rulings by the Land Office &C
cofding to the differing views of those IN
charge of II.
Pending the debate on Morgan's amend.
ment the following joint resolution was sab.
mitted by Van WICK for reference TO the
Con miitee on Public Lands:
Resolved. That it shall be unlawful for ary
railroad company claiming an interest in any
grant of land from the United States or for any
person acting under its authority to sell or Olfer
10 sell, or mortgage or pledge any such lands
while bill for the forfeiture OF the same IS pend
ing in either House OF Congress- or before a Dat.
ent in conformity with the law shell have been
Issued for the same; and any person or persons
selling or Offering TO sell, or mortgaging or pledg
and on conviction shall he fined not exceeding
500 or imprisoned not more than one year
Referred.
The Timber Culture bill was then, on mo.
ton OF Mr.. Allison, temporarily laid aside
and the Army Appropriation bill taken up.
The bill was read by sections, and the Sem
ate Committees amendments were adopted
without debate, except the last one. which
strikes out the following from the House bill:
"Section 2: that Article "a, Section 342 of
the Revised Statues be and the same il
hereby repealed and amended so as to read
ss follows: Article 81. Proceedings OF the
trial shall be carried on during such hours
as the Court Martial shall determine
Mr.. Sherman read a statute relating to
Court Martials, and said the recent Court
Martial bad bsen prolonged two or three
weeks unnecessarily in consequence OF this
statnts- he understood the article had its
origin IN fact that In clden time in Great
Britain, gentlem en- were not expected to be
sober enough after dinner 10 transact busi-
ness, The habits of our people were not
such as required the longer existence OF this
article.
Mr.. Allison, Chairman OF the Committee
on Appropriations, said the article Whichtit
was proposed to repeal was not designed
alone for the convenience of the officers OF
Courts Martial, but was also operative in be-
half OF those accused OF crimes and were on
trial The repeal had not been recommended
by the Military Committee. He hoped the
repeal of an article which "had carried ia
through two or three wars would not DE
undertaken upon an appropriation bill.
Mr. Sherman thought the motion of op.
posing legislation on appropriation bills was
being carried to excess but having called
the attention of the Senate to the matter ne
would not press for decision.
The amendment OF the committee was
then adopted, which has the effect 10 leave
nnchanVaQ w
passed.
The Chair laid before the Senate the IN.
finished business, 1t being the bill for the
repeal OF presumption and timber culture
laws, the pending question being upon the
adoption of Mr.. Morgsn's amendment.
Mr.. Morgan expressed surprise at the 0p.
position OF the Senators from Michigan. He
said ii had now become obvious that the OBJ
ject and intent of the bill was to confirm the
titles OF men who had not required the land
by proper means.
Mr.. Conger resented this. The assertion,
he said, was unworthy of the Senator from
Alabama (Morgan) and OF the Senate.
MIR. Harrison would always be willing to
protect bona fide settlers, but was not will
ing to favor, at the expense of such settlers,
men who had bought greal tracts Of pine
lands.
A modification of Mr.. Morgan's amend
ment was offered by Mr.. Harrison and ives
accepted by Mr.. Morgan, providing that tue
United States Courts should also have juris-
diction OF the conflicting claims.
Mr.. Morgan's amendment, thus modified,
was agreed to-yeas, IS; nays IL
An amendment offered by Mr.. Sherman
was agreed to, providing that no public
lands not heretofore offered at public sale
shall be sold at public sale. or be subjected
to private sale, except military reservations
and mineral lands.
The amendments to the bill being COM
pleted it Was passed. yeas 26, nays 20, Mr..
Edmunds voting with a division against
the bill and MIR. Brown with the Repubi-
cans for il.
The Chair then laid before the Senate the
bill which was this morning restored TO the
list OF special orders, namely, the bill 10
perfect the lesse of the Pacific land grant.
Mr.. Blair's amendment was brought up,
and the foreign contract labor bill, bat on
learning this would displAce the forfeiture
bill, MIR. NsnW WICK refused TO Weld.
After an executive session the Senate ad-
inurnpd