The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-02-20
NATIONAL NEWS NOTES.
THE TEXAS & PACIFIC HALTED.
They Can't Transfer Those Lands for the
Forfeiture Bill Passes-The House
Through With the River
and Harbor Bill.


bill. Placed on the calendar.
MIR. ALLlLON, from the same cora
mittee, reported with only verbal
amendments, the joint resolution ap-
propriating $500 to defray tho expenses
OF the inaugural ceremony. Passed.
Mr.. MORGAN addressed the senate
on the bill, but with MIR. Lapham S
amendment still pending. The bill
Went over, and
Mr.. VANW YCK called up the Texas
d Pacific forfeiture bill, and it was read.
MIR. HALE asked unanimous consent
to take up the agricultural appropria-
ton bill.
Mr.. CULLOM objected by saying that
he did not think the forfeiture bill
ought to take up much time. The CON
sideration of the forfeiture bill had been
entered upon and the committees
amendments agreed to.
a, Mr.. MORGAN offered an amendment
similar to that offered by him in the
case @f the Atlantic u Pacific, providing
Tor reference to the United States courts
all controversies concerning the rights
and equities claimed by the United
States or by private parties in the lands
forfeited.
Mr.. MORGAN addressed the senate
in support OF ms amendment. In order
that ho might not be misunderstood he
desired az once to emphatically an
nounce his conviction that the
Texas Pacific grant should be
forfeited and mis- determination
to vote for the bill, whether the senate
adopted the amendment or not. He had
never rented II foot Of land, aud he did
not believe any valid transfer of it could
have been made without the express
sanction OF congress. Having said this
much as TO his personal position, he adj
dressed himself TO the merits of the
legal questions involved, and the course
of congress generally in regard to land
grants.
MIR. MORGAN explained the circum-
stances surrounding this special grant.
The Texas ~ Pacific company, he said,
which had got the grant, had made Il
transfer, or attempted tran sfeI, of its
land grant to the Southern Pacihc Rail
way company, aud Mr.. Evatts and 9TH
or influential lawyers had maintained
that the Southern Pacific company had
q perfect right to transfer that land,
whether by mortgage orsale.
Mr.. VAN WICK asbed whether Mr..
Morgan understood that there was a
mortgage on these lands.
Mr.. MORGAN said it had been so
argued by cuuuci.
Mr.. YANWYCK said it was u mis-
take.
Mr.. MORGAN said the claim made
by the company, a. he understood il,
was that their mortgage effected all
their lands. He was not presenting his
own view, but merely what was
claimed, and if IL was dlsreputable to
represent it in tue senate the blame
should rest on such members aud Judge
Dillon.
The debate WAS continued at length
after which Mr.. Murgan's smendmeut
was rejected-yeas, u; nays, 81
Mr.. SHERMAN offered an amend
ment Withholding the lands from settle
ment for two years. Rejected
The bill having been perfected in the
committee OF the whole, was reported
to the senate, whegeupon
: Mr.. MORGAN offered his amend.
ment, which WAS again voted down.
yeas, %; nays, d.
The olli was then read third time
and passed-yeas, 50; nays, 2.
: Adjourned.
The vote on the passage of tho bill
= was:
. Yeas-Dawes, Dolph, Edmunds
George, Gibson, German, Groome, Hall
Hampton, Harris, Harrison, HAwley
HUI, Hoar, ingalls,, jackson. Jones
: OF florida, Lamar, Mcmillan
J, Mcpherson, Malone, Henderson
) MaXey, Miller ot California, Miller, o
Sew York, Mitchell, Morgan. Pendle
0 ton, Pike, Platt, Plumb, Pulh, Random
n Sabiu, salisbury, Sawyer, Sowell, Shor
man, Slater, Van Wyck, Vest, Walker
Williams and WisOn-56.
Nays-B air and Bowen.
IL In the course ut sOuIe remarks on TIL,
q bill during debate
Mr.. BECK said no had supposed il
1878, when the Thurman bill was pass
x ed, that congress had secured sum
l. practical control OF lhe Pacii; roads
,r but he had been mistaken. Now TIN
n house bill was met by
l. counter proposition. Toe Reagan bill
A. had been met by counter proposition
N Before adjournment
= The CHAIR announced the next spe
ia cial order 80 10 the bill Tor the improve
~ ment of Galveston, and this was lai,
Of formally before the senate prior to ad
40 journment.
n, HOUSE.
W The house met In continuation of yes
n terday's session.
IN Mr. BOLMAN introduced Joint ros
olutiOn requesting the president ~ ope
negotiation with the French republic
with view To negotiating new COZ
o. VoutiOn with that government Tor th
10 establishments Ut another French an
d, American claims commission, whiu
W shall have ample jurisdiction TO re-op I
w examine and iiuUily determine n
of claims which were filed before the lal
IN commission, under tho convention
al January Ii, 1880
no The house went into committee of III
a whole on the river aud harbur bill. IN
w committee soon rose aud the house uI
X journed, and the ses ion OF Thursds
began.
Consideration OF the river and harbt
bill was resumed in committee of III
ct whole.
Nn Mr. BAYNE moved TO reduce tho al
" preparation OF $2SO,OOO to 5000 The al
re- preparation tor improving tho Missi
IN sippi river from its head passes To Il
,st mouth of the ohio river. lusl-40 10 |
he Mr.. HlSCOCK offered an ameudmel
NJ prohibiting Improvement of the mouth
of Red and Alacheiayu rivers upon an
El plan which in the opiuiO
", of the Mississippi river commi
sion would render 1t necessal
N. to build a levee on tho Mississippi fro
of the mouth of the Atcheialaya down Il
Mississippi
.ss MIR. ELLIS offered AS n substitute Il
nd the amendment an amendment provi
ma Ing that no portion of the appropriation
far Tor tho Improvement of the Mississip
shall be expended to repair or hui
for levees for the purpose OF reclaimil
M lam or preventing injury to lands /
overlows, provided, however, that II
commits Ion IL authorized u repair ~
build levees IT done as part OF the
- plan to afford ease and safety To Il
w navigation and tho commerce of Il
his river aud To deepen the channel. III
Nv, substitute was agreed to-lOl Ia 81.
ma large number oi hmendm nts W
nd offered To the paragraph relative to 81
lce Mississippi river appropriation, b
Ak, they were severally voted down, W,
In one OF them, however, the polut VI
cot raised that mo quorum had voted, aud
re- accoruauce with an arrangement wi
ab. the appropriation committee.
Mt WI LIS moved that the comm
40. tee rise. Carried
Al. The SPEAKER (Mr. Carlisle) to,
ma. the char, AID the wolcome px,eud
HIN npon his return to his uillcia q
OK. Ties WAS heartily applauded. Ban sid
of the hOuSp bfOkp min "A ,,a,unr,.