The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-02-20
AMERICAN AFFAIRS.
Congressional Proceedings in
Both Houses.
THE TEXAS PACIFIC R,R. BILL.
Cleveland at Work on His inaugural
Address-Serious Collision
Buffers Retreat.
The Senate.

The Senate.
WASHINGTON, February 10. = Van
Wyck called up the Texas Pacific for
feiture bill, and it was read. The bill
was then entered upon and the commit
tee amendments were agreed to.
Morgan offered an amendment sim
liar to that offered by him in the case
OF the Atlantic and Pacific bill, proyid
ing Tor a reference to United States
courts OF all controversies concerning
the rights and equities claimed by the
United States or by private parties in
the lands forfeited.
Morgan addressed the Senate in sum-
port of his amendment. In order that he
might not be misunderstood. he desired
at once emphatically to announce his
conviction that this Texas Pacific grant
should be forfeited and his determine
ton to vote for the bill, whether the
Senate adopted his amendmentor not.
The company had never earned foot
OF land, and Morgan did not believe
any, valid transfer could have been
made without the express sanction of
Congress Having said this much as to
his personal position, he addressed hinr-
sell to the merits Of the legal question
involved and the course of Congress
generally with regard to land grants.
Morgan explained the circumstances
surrounding the special grant to the
Texas Pacific company.
Z Van Wyck asked whether Morpon
understood that there was mortgage on
these lands dam ,sl1.eIa IL
Morgan said it had been so argued by
counsel. ga rsFlf r-I'77lS'
Van Wyck said that was a mistake
Morgan said that the contention and
the claim made by the company. as he
understood it. was that there was a
mortgage which affected all their
lands. He was not presenting his
own view, but merely what was
claimed, and. it were disreputable to
present it to the Senate Let the blame
rest on such gentlemen as Evarts and
Judge Dillon.
Morgan had no reason to doubt that
such eminent counsel had given their
honest convictions in that opinion. He
h(Morgan) had asked Evarts, when that
gentleman was before the Senate COM
mittee on public lands: do YOU ask
Congress for any affirmative legislation
to ratify this grant, which you claim
you have bought from the Texas Pa
eific company" And Evarts replied,
I'VE do not; we think we have a good
title" Morgan differed with Evarts in
Iithat respect.
Blair supported Morgan's amend
ment.
Lapham proceeded at length to argue
hthe legal aspects of the case.
Van Wyck said the lands had never
been mortgaged by any company
Lapham said it was claimed the
lands were mortgaged and that the
bondholders claim that the bonds of the
company are lien on the land.
Van Wyck said that no person had so
claimed before either of the committee
of Congress.
Lapham replied that the failure so to
do was, because the committee could
not have tried the question if it had
been brought up.
Van Wyck repeated that there were
no mortgages on the land.
LONDON, February I9.-Goyernnent
will introduce bill in the House to en-
able the British colonies in Australia to
organize confederation. II
Gladstone in his remarks to-day
said: "Our policy in the Soudan is still
for an evacuation. Recent events there
prevented the immediate application of
this policy. The fall of Khartoum has
altered the military sense of the whole
situation in the Soudan. Lord Wolseley
Is authorized to use what measures he
sees fit to overthrow the Mahdi at
khartoum. No further communication
will be made to the Mahdi, but any re-
ceived from him will be considered. ;,
Adjourned till to morrow. ~.
The discussion of the redistribution
of seats bill is fixed for Monday.
| Gladstone gave notice that he should
move this bill TO take precedence Of the
motion of censure.
Morgan's amendment was rejected,
yeas "a, nays31.
/ Sherman offered an amendment with
holding the lands from settlement for
two years. Rejected.
| The bill having been perfected in COM
mittee of the whole, 1t was reported to
| the Senate, whereupon Morgan reoffered
his amendment, which was again voted
1 down, yeas 26, nays %.
The bill was then read the third time
and passed, yeas 90, nays 2.
1 Blair and Bowen voted nay.
Adjourned
Before adjournment, Hoar endeavored
! to get up the Pacific railroad bill in an
amendment to the Thurman act, but
the Chair announced the next special
order to be, the bill for the improve
ment of the Galveston harbor, and this
was laid formally before the Senate
prior to adjournment.
The House
WAsHNGToN, February 10. = The
House met in continuation of yester-
days session.
Holman introduced a joint resolu-