The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-12

InaG Cn6S6 DT1Vat6 COuIu HOT DC pTOp-
erly settled unless system OF laws was devised
which left their adjudication to the executive
and political branches of the government What
had been the experience under the act undertake
ing to have the executive department., through
the Surveyor general of New Mexico, settle prl-
vate claims in that Territory The Surveyor
general had proceeded to investigate and to re.
port to the Commissioner OF the General Lana
Office, and upon these reports the cases had been
brought before Congress. Now and then claims
had been confirmed for millions of acres IN ex-
cess of the proper amount of land involved
Fraud had been charged and countercharged.
The Maxwell land grant was sampls. These
frauds had arisen from the attempt-which had
been farcical failure-to settle private land
claims by the executive branch of the govern
ment, when the claims were worth millions and
the cupidity of ringsters and schemers was IN
volved.
On motion of Mr.. Reagan. of Texas, an amend
ment was adopted providing that before the title
to any claim shall be confirmed the claimant
shall show that all taxes due the Territorial and
municipal governments have been paid:
On motion OF Mr.. Hewitt Of New York. an
amendment was adopted providing that when
ever claim is presented before the commission,
it shall be the duty of the commission, before
proceeding to hear the same, to determine the
extent thereof in number of acres, and ail the
final decisions shall be limited by the prellmln-
include in it's determination any land in excess
Of the amount intended to have been granted In
the original grant; for the purpose OF such deter.
mnation, the commission shall have control OF
the archives in the Offices of the Surveyor-gen-
era together with the decision of those officers
relative thereto.
Mr. McAdoo, of New Jersey, offered an
amendment providing that no alien or person
not citizen of the United States shall acquire
title to any land subject to the decision of the
commission, unless his right to the same is clear
ly provided by one of the treaties referred to in
the bill.
The committee then rose, and the bill was
passed.
Mr.. Lowry, of Indiana, from the committee
on elections, submitted the unanimous report OF
that committee on the California contested-elec-
ton case The report, which confirms the right
of all the sitting members, was agreed to.
Mr.. Claredy, of Missouri from the committee
on commerce. reported bill authorizing the con-
struction of bridge across the Mississippi river
at st. Louis. Placed on the House calendar
Mr. Perkins, of Kansas, from the committee
on Indian affairs, reported back Senate bill
granting the right OF way through the Indian
Territory to the Kansas & Arkansas Valley Rail
road Company Placed on the House calendar.
The House then went into committee of the
whole-Mr. Springer. OF Illinois, In the Chair
on the army appropriation bill
Mr.. Grosvenor, of Ohio, moved to strike out
the appropriation for the Judge Advocate gener-
ais department.. He said that the department
decided cases without any knowledge of law, and
that the system followed by the department. was
outrageous. 1t was an excrescence on the army,
adding to it nothing of grace, nothing of justice,
nothing Of martial dignity.
Mr.. Wheeler, of Alabama, admitted that
abuses had existed in the department, and, as an
instance of this. he stated that General Holt had
been appointed for the purpose of striking down
Mcclellan. AS Mcclellan could not be struck
down, Porter had been selected for destruction.
But now that the Democratic party was IN pow
err, the abuses which had grown up would be
remedied.
viously made by Mr.. Bragg, in which he alluded
to himself Mr. Hepburnl as the boiling pot
from Iowa" The difficulty with the gentleman
from Wisconsin, said Mr.. Hepburn, seemed to
be congenital and he ought not to be censured
for his language. When he ventured upon the
domain of the BLACKBOARD iii he did, he ought to
be forgiven by all of those who felt sympathy
for others who were not amenable to harsh Judg-
ment The gentleman from Alabama Mr..
Wheeerl had taken upon himself the role Of the
slanderer when he made the charge that he did
against Abraham Lincoln, who had appointed
General Holt to offi:e General Holt had not
been appointed to Office for any purpose that was
inimical to Justice and right dealing. There had
been purpose of assaulting General McClel-
Ian or any other general. 1t i'll became the
gentleman from Alabama, it Ill became any man
situated as that gentleman had been. to assume
the role of the slanderer Of Abraham Lincoln.
Applause on the Republican side.
Mr.. Bragg said that the remarks of the gentle
man from Alabama were not slur on Mr.. Lin
coin, but as he Mr.. Bragg had had occasion to
say once before in this House. the gentlemen
who were opposed to having the drapery Of the
garments drawn aside for fear of showing the
political and moral leprosy that existed, always
dodge behind Mr.. Lipcolns name. AS to the
personal illusions of the gentleman from Iowa
Mr. Hepburn, it had taken that gentleman 80
long to get into action, that out of compassion
for him, he Mr.. Braggl would not stir him up
again just now.
Mr.. Wheeler regretted that the gentleman
from Iowa Mr.. Hepburn had seen fit to make
some illusions to him. In all matters Of legis-
lation he never looked behnd--he only looked
before Every act of his was taken for the pur-
pose of adding. by his feeble efforts. to the great
ness, the grandeur, the weight and the power of
this. the greatest country that ever had existed
could exist upon this earth No word ever
uttered by him had been uttered against Abra-
ham Lincoln 1t had become his duty in this
House to defend Abraham Lincoln against the
assaults made by Republicans in their efforts
to crush and destroy the bravest man that had
ever led their armies to victory. 1t
had become his duty. to defend the
great general U. S. Grant, from gross charges
brought against him on this fioor-charges i'm
pugning his motives his integrity and his ability.
He had made no charge against Abraham Lin
coin. The charges had been against the arch
conspirator Mr.. Stanton misses on the Repub-
lcan sidel who had sought and attempted to
break down officers of the army who had not sus-
tanned the line of policy he had sought to inaugu-
rate
Hr. Hepburn said that this tarch consprator"
had been at the head of the federal army. He
was the man who had directed the"maneuvers of
that army. He was the man who had brought
the confederate banner to the dust, and who had
destroyed the 'lost cause" He was the man
who had whipped the Southern States back into
allegiance to the government, and who had made
it possible for the gentleman from Alabama to
be here to be his slanderer and NAL gner "He
is dead now" continued Mr.. Hepburn. 'and you
try to blacken his memory. though you live to-
day because that man was willing, among Others
that you might live, and not have the halter
that you had won. around your neck" lap
plause on the Republican sidel.
Mr.. Hiscock. OF New York. said that he had
before heard charges and aspersions against