The Congressional Globe, Volume 14: Twenty-Eighth Congress, Second Session Page: 53
This legislative document is part of the collection entitled: Congressional Globe and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
CoMgrSssioNal globfi.
53
eral title to the lanrls within the limits of the States,
we shall find advocates in the ranks of the State-
rights men in all parts of the Union.
While it ia yet in our power, let us, I bestech
gentlemen, settle this vexed question upon a fair
and equitable basis, so that we can invite the op-
pressed from each quarter of the globe-to. come
among us, where he can enjoy political and religious
freedom—where the doctrines of Christianity can be
taught to the pagan and the Mohammedan—and
where the great principles of_ equal rights and of re-
publican liberty can be taught to the' subject and
serf of the autocrat, the king, and the monarch.
I conclude, sir, in the hope that the opponents of
this bill will propose such modifications as will pro-
duce harmony and union between the conflicting in-
terests.
Mr. McDOWELL offered the following amend-
ment:
Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be so con-
strued as to subject the alternate sections of land reserved
by the United States within any of the States, opon any
improvement therein, nor such as may hereafter be so re-
served.
Mr. McD. said that, the author of the bill before
the committee had -no objection to the amendment
offered, and he hoped no objection would be raised
from any other quarter. His object was to save the
lands indicated in the amendment from the provi-
sions of the bill, for the reason that a large quan-
tity of land was so situated in his State, belonging to
the government, and would, from the date of its
survey, be subject to entry at the minimum rate of
the bill; and, if made subject to entry now, would
have a most injurious effect upon the lands granted
to Ohio, and yet unsold, within the same vicinity.
Mr. CAUSIN observed that he looked upon this
bill in no other light than that of one proposing an
entire new change in the system of disposing of the
public lands; and it seemed to him that the gentle-
men of the new States treated the subject as if it
entirely belonged to them, and as if it was uncharita-
ble in the members of the old State* to interfere
with it. They had been told by the gentleman
from Illinois that the drain from the new States into
the public treasury was like the tracks into the lion's
den—ail going in and none coming out; and that the
government did everything for the old States, and
nothing for the new. Now there was a singular
difference of opinion between the gentleman and
him as to the state of facts; for, from all his knowl-
edge on the subject of this trust fund, [the public
lands,] it appeared to him that the government had
paid but little regard to the old States, while it had
done too much for the new.
®n the first reading of" this biil, it would appear
that it was a simple graduation bill, according the
number of years the lands have been in market; but
this was not so; and he would assert it as a fact
that could not be controverted, that it was a naked
proposition to sell nearly all the public lands at
twenty-five cents an acre. Had any gentleman told
the House how many acres of the public lands
would be liable to be purchased to-morrow at twen-
ty-five cents per acre? Mr. C. then referred to the
public documents to show the number of acres that
had been surveyed and that have been twenty years
in the market. He then went on to argue that the
old States had as great an interest in those lands as
the new, since they were acquired by the common
services and sacrifices of the old States in the war of
the revolution. He went on to contend that these
lands were not conceded for the exclusive benefit of
the new or western States, but for the common ben-
efit of all; and he asserted that the use of this trust-
fund had been capricious in the hands of its trustees,
everything being given to the new States and noth-
ing to the old States, He had never tasted a hot-
bed producion that was well flavored; but this bill
was calculated to produce an unnatural growth in
the new States; it was offering a bribe to them to
force their population. Tt was a temptation to the
poor and industrious to abandon their present homes
and present employments, by which they now suc-
ceed in living, though their condition be poor, for a
sphere and an employment for which they were not
adapted.
Mr. ROBERT SMITH next obtained the floor;
and, on his motion, the committee rose and reported
progress.
POST OFFICE BILL.
Mr. HARDIN, from the Committee on the Post
Office and Post Roads, reported a bill to reduce the
rates of postage and to prevent frauds on the Post
Office Department; which was read twice', and com-
mitted to the Committee of the Whole on ths state
of the Union, and ordered to be printed.
RESOLUTIONS.
On the motion of Mr. WILLIAM WRIGHT,
it was
Resohed, That the Committee on Commerce be, and they
are herehy, instructed to inquire into the expediency of
makiat; an appropriation to remove the obstructions at the
mouth of the Passaic, river.
On the motion of Mr. PATERSON, it was
Resoh-fd, That the Committee on Military Affairs be in-
structed to inquire into the expediency of constructing a
fortification at or near the mouth of Genesee river, upon
Lake Ontario.
On the motion of Mr.
was
SHEPHERD CARY, it
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be re-
quested to inquire into the expediency of authoring the
construction of a military road to Fort Kent, on the river
St. John, in accordance with the recommendation of the
Secretary of "War.
PEA PATCH ISLAND.
At the request of Mr, JOSEPH R. INGER-
SOLL, the Senate bill to settle the title to the Pea
Patch Island, in the river Delaware, was read twice,,
and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS.
The SPEAKER laid before the House the fol-
lowing executive communications:
A letter from the Treasury Department, in an-
swer to a resolution of the House of Representa-
tives of the 5th instant, furnishing estimates of the
.coat of again placing the branch mint at Charlotte,
North Carolina, in a condition for resuming its oper-
ations.
A letter from the Navy Department, accompanied
by a statement of the expenditures under the head
of contingent expenses of the navy, as settled and
allowed at the office of the 4th Auditor of the Treas-
ury, during the year ending Septembev 30, 1844;
prepared in compliance with the requirements of
the 5th section of an act approved March 3, 1809.
A communication from the Navy Department,
accompanied by a statement from the 4th Auditor of
the Treasury, showing the receipts and expendi-
tures of the navy pension fund fox the year ending
30 September, 1844, and its condition at that date.
A letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, trans-
mitting a report of the revenue marine service,
which presents a detailed statement of the vessels
employed, those in the course of construction, and
estimates of the expenditures thereon.
These communications were severally referred to
appropriate committees, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. PARMENTER, from the Committee on
Naval A flairs, to which was referred the bill from
the Senate entitled "An act granting a pension to
James Duffy, reported the same without amend-
ment, and it was committed to the Committee of the
Whole.
The House then adjourned.
The following notices of petitions presented to-
day, were handed to the reporters by the members
presenting them:
By Mr. J. E GARY: The petition of Laura Reddington,
pra\ lug foi pa\ inent to her of the pension to which her hus-
band, John Reddington, a re\ olutionary soldier, -was en-
titled: referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Pen-
sions.
By Mr. IIERRICK: The petition of Samuel Gould, that
money paid Tor land, to which he obtained no title, be re-
funded: referred to the Committee on Public Lands.
By Mr R. Si.NilTK: Tne petition and papers m the case of
the heirs of William Arnold, praying the right to change
the location of a military land warrant: referred to the Com-
mittee on Public. Land«.
By Mr. MLrRPHiT: The petition of Samuel Jackson, John
8 Wily, and others surgeons and assistant surgeons in the
navy of the L nited States, praying that the same kind and
degree of rank now accorded to the medical otricers of
the army, may be extended to the mcdical officers of the
navy.
liv Mr. R. J. MORRIS: Two petition'? from citizens of
Pnifadelphia, asking Congress icr an appropriation for the
shipping piers at PortPonn,on the river Delaware, and for
the erection of a light house on the Biandywine shoal.
By Mr. HOLMES: The memorial of the South Carolina
Railroad company, pr<i) ing that they may import, free; ofdu-
ty,one mile ol the pipes and rmchmery necessary to bo work-
ed on the atmospheric pressure on an inclined plane, where
a rope is now u'-ed
By Mr CATI.IV. The petition of the heirs of Rev David
Avery, deceased, for a pension: : relerredto the Committee
on Revolutionary Pensions.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Friday, December 20, 1844.
The minutes of yesterday wer« read and ap-
proved.
Mr. WENTWORTH asked leave to introduce
a bill, of which lie had heretofore given notice.
Mr. VANCE objected, and suggested that the
House should resolve itself into Committee of the
Whole on the private calendar—this being Friday,
the usual day devoted to such business.
The SPEAKER satd that motion was not in or-
der, except by general consent.,
Mr. DROMGOOLE said there were many notices
on the rccord of the intention of members to ask
leave to introduce bills and resolutions; and he
thought it due to those members that they should
have an opportunity to ask the leave of which they
had given intimations, that such bills and resolutions
might take their course, and be sent to committees
for consideration.
Mr. VANCE objected to any debate.
Mr. DROMGOOLE then would move for leave to
introduce a joint resolution to amend the constitu-
tion of the United States., in relation to the election
of President.
Objection was made to the reception of that mo-
tion.
Mr. DROMGOOLE moved a suspension of the
rules, for the introduction of that resolution, and
such others of which notice had been given as would
not give rise to debate.
Mr. A. V. BROWN requested the gentleman
from Virginia to extend his motion so as to include
bills from committees, which many gentlemen were
prepared to report. .
Mr. C. J. INGrERSOLL wished it to be further
extended so as to include notices of bills and reso-
lutions to be hereafter introduced.
Mr. YANCE inquired what rules were to be sus-
pended, this being private-bill day.
The SPEAKER replied that the gentleman was
mistaken in supposing that the private calendar was
now in order: the regular order of business was
the consideration of those resolutions and other
business which had been laid over under the rules.
The question was then taken on Mr. Drom-
goole's motion, by Messrs. Hall and Brengle, as
tellers; when 68 voted in the affirmative, and 53 in
the negative.
So the-rules were not suspended, two-thirds not
voting in the affirmative.
Mr. DROMGOOLE then .moved a suspension of
the rules, for the purpose of going into Committee
of the Whole on the state of the Union, with a view
of taking up a bill on thv calendar which had been
there from the last session.
The vote was taken, and 72 voted in the affirma-
tive, and 32 in the negative.
No quorum voting—
Tellers were called for and ordered, and Messrs.
Causin and Burke were appointed; and they re-
ported 83 in the affirmative, and 35 in the negative.
So lhe motion prevailed.
The House accordingly resolved itself into Com-
mittee of the Whole on the state of the Union—
Mr. Cave Johnson in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN stated the first business in or-
der to be the bill to graduate and reduce the price of
the public lands in favor of actual settlers and culti-
vators.
Mr. SCHENCIv moved to lay aside that bill;
but he was informed that the gentleman from Illi-
nois [Mr. Robert Smith] was entitled to the floor,
and therefore he could not now sttbmit such a mo-
tion.
Mr. DROMGOOLE appealed to the gentleman
from Illinois to give v/ay, so that the land bill might
be postponed, to enable the committee to take up
the bill No. 216, being a bill to establish an inde-
pendent treasury.
Mr. R. SMITH intimated his willingness to do
so, providing he should not lose his right to the.
floor when the land bill should again come up.
Mr. A. V. BROWN suggested to the gentleman
from Virginia [Mr. Dromgoole] that his motion was
susceptible of division. He (Mr. B.) might be.
willing to postpone the land bill and yet not desi-
rous to take up the independent treasury bill so ear-
ly in the session. He should prefer to have the first
bill on the calendar taken up—being a bill to repeal
the districting section of the apportionment act.
Mr. ROBERT SMITH said, if the time of the
House was to be consumed by this wrangling about
the bill to be taken up, he should prefer to go on
now with his remarks.
Mr. THOMASSbN submitted that he desired, at
the appropriate time, to submit a substitute for the
bill under consideration.
Some conversation ensued, in whi«h Messrs,
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This document can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Legislative Document.
United States. Congress. The Congressional Globe, Volume 14: Twenty-Eighth Congress, Second Session, legislative document, 1845; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2366/m1/69/?rotate=270: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.