The bill was read, and passed to the second reading. Mr. Rusk, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to whom was referred the petition of Wade Allen, submitted a report, (No. 125) accompanied by a bill (S. 290) for his relief. The bill was read, and passed to the second reading. Ordered, That the report be printed. Mr. Gwin, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the memorial of W. P. S. Sanger, reported a bill (S. 291) for his relief; which was read, and passed to the second reading. Mr. Gwin, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the memorial of Richard W. Meade, submitted a report, (No. 127) accompanied by a bill (S. 292) for his relief. The bill was read, and passed to the second reading. Ordered, That the report be printed. Mr. Gwin, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the petition of James D. Johnston, submitted an adverse report, (No. 181) which was ordered to be printed. Mr. Pratt, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the petition of the legal representatives of Captain William G. Williams, submitted a report, (No. 128) accompanied by a bill (No. 293) for their relief. The bill was read, and passed to the second reading. Ordered, That the report be printed. Mr. Stockton, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, who were instructed to inquire into the subject, reported a bill (S. 294) for the relief of Charles G. Hunter; which was read, and passed to the second reading. Mr. Stockton, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom the subject was referred, reported a joint resolution (S. R. 26) authorizing the completion of a war steamer for harbor defence; which was read, and passed to the second reading. Mr. Stockton also submitted a report (No. 129) on the subject; which was ordered to be printed. The Senate resumed the consideration of the joint resolution (S. R. 17) to authorize the continuance of the work upon the two wings of the Capitol, with the amendment of the House of Representatives thereto; and, Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Buildings. The Senate resumed the consideration of the engrossed bill (S. 162) for the relief of William A. Christian; and, On motion by Mr. Gwin, the bill was amended, by unanimous consent. Resolved, That this bill pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (S. 1) granting the right of way and making a grant of land to the State of Iowa, in aid of the construction of certain railroads in said State, with the amendment reported thereto. On the question to agree to the following amendment, proposed by Mr. Underwood-amended on the motion of Mr. Bell, by the insertion of a proviso at the end of the seventh section-at the end of the bill insert the following: SECT. 7. And be it further enacted, That there shall be granted to the States named in this section for purposes of education and of internal improvement, so much of the public domain as is specified for each: that is, to the State of Maine, five hundred and eighty-three thousand and forty acres; to the State of New Hampshire, three hundred and seventeen thou sand seven hundred and sixty acres; to the State of Vermont, three hundred and thirteen thousand nine hundred and twenty acres; to the State of Massachusetts, nine hundred and ninety-four thousand two hundred and forty acres; to the State of Rhode Island, one hundred and forty-seven thousand five hundred and twenty acres; to the State of Connecticut, three hundred and seventy thousand five hundred and sixty acres; to the State of New York, three million ninety-seven thousand two hundred and eighty acres; to the State of New Jersey, four hundred and eighty-nine thousand two hundred and eighty acres; to the State of Pennsylvania, two million three hundred and eleven thousand six hundred and eighty acres; to the State of Delaware, ninety thousand five hundred and sixty acres; to the State of Maryland, five hundred and forty-six thousand eight hundred and eighty acres; to the State of Virginia, one million two hundred and thirty-one thousand six hundred and eighty acres; to the State of North Carolina, seven hundred and fifty-three thousand two hundred and eighty acres; to the State of South Carolina, five hundred and fourteen thousand two hundred and forty acres; to the State of Georgia, seven hundred and fifty-three thousand two hundred and eighty acres; to the State of Tennessee, nine hundred and six thousand five hundred and sixty acres; and to the State of Kentucky, eight hundred and ninety-seven thousand nine hundred and twenty acres; which lands so granted shall be located in parcels conformably to sectional divisions and subdivisions of not less than three hundred and twenty acres in any one location, if so much can be had, on any public land, except such to which a right of pre-emption may have attached, or such as is or may be reserved from sale by any law of Congress, or proclamation of the President of the United States, which said locations may be made at any time after the lands shall have been surveyed according to existing laws; and it shall be lawful for the governors of said States, respectively, to appoint one or more agents to locate the lands granted as aforesaid, for the State of which he is the governor. Such agents, in making their loca tions, shall be governed by such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may from time to time prescribe; and when the lands for each State have been located and selected, patents therefor shall be issued to the State entitled to the same: Provided, That the lands to be selected for the States, under the provisions of this section, shall not be located within the limits of any State, but shall be selected within the Territories organized, or to be hereafter organized, east of the Rocky mountains. SECT. 8. And be it further enacted, That the lands granted to the States according to the preceding section, shall be disposed of by said States, respectively, in such manner as their respective legislatures may direct: Provided, however, That no portion of said lands shall be sold at less than one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, until otherwise authorized by a law of the United States, and the net proceeds of the sales of said lands shall be faithfully applied to objects of internal improvement, or to purposes of education, or to both, as the legislatures of the States respectively owning the lands granted may direct: Provided, further, That all roads, railways, bridges, canals, and water-courses which shall be exclusively built, con structed, or improved by the funds arising from the disposition of said lands, shall be free for the transportation of the United States mail and munitions of war, and for the passage of their troops, without the payment of any toll whatever. SECT. 9. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the agents aforesaid, or any one of them, in selecting lands and making locations for his State, to select and locate any of the alternate sections or any part thereof which may have been or may hereafter be reserved from sale by any act of Congress granting lands in aid of the construction of any railroad or canal whatever: Provided, however, That in locating any such section or part of section, the State for whose benefit it may be selected and located shall be charged with, and the quantity of land granted to such State shall be diminished by double the quantity of acres contained in the reserved section or part of section thus selected and located. Nothing in the three last sections contained shall authorize the location of any lands granted by them or either of them, within the limits of the State of California or the Territories of Utah or Oregon: It was determined in the negative, (Yeas- On motion by Mr. Underwood, The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative are, 15 26 Messrs. Badger, Bell, Clarke, Cooper, Davis, Fish, Foot, Hamlin, James, Mangum, Pratt, Seward, Smith, Underwood, Upham. Those who voted in the negative are, Messrs. Atchison, Bayard, Borland, Brodhead, Brooke, Cass, Chase, Dodge of Wisconsin, Dodge of Iowa, Douglas, Downs, Felch, Geyer, Gwin, Jones of Iowa, King, McRae, Mason, Morton, Rhett, Rusk, Shields, Soulé, Stockton, Wade, Walker. On motion by Mr. Geyer, further to amend the bill by inserting, at the end of the third section, the following: Which lands shall, from time to time, be offered at public sale, to the highest bidder, under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, and shall not be subject to entry until they shall have been so offered at public sale: The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative are, 34 6 Messrs. Atchison, Badger, Bayard, Bell, Borland, Bradbury, Brodhead, Brooke, Cass, Clarke, Clemens, Cooper, Davis, Fish, Foot, Geyer, Hamlin, James, Jones of Iowa, Jones of Tennessee, King, Mangum, Mason, Morton, Pratt, Rusk, Seward, Smith, Soulé, Stockton, Underwood, Upham, Wade, Walker. Those who voted in the negative are, Messrs. Chase, Dodge of Wisconsin, Dodge of Iowa, Douglas, Gwin, McRae. No further amendment being proposed, Ordered, That this bill be engrossed, and read a third time. On motion, The Senate adjourned. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1852. Mr. Gwin presented the credentials of the honorable John B. Weller, elected a senator by the legislature of the State of California for the term of six years from the 4th day of March, 1851; which were read, and the oath prescribed by law having been administered to Mr. Weller, he took his seat in the Senate. Mr. McRae presented the credentials of the honorable Stephen Adams, elected a senator by the legislature of the State of Mississippi, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of the honorable Jefferson Davis; which were read, and the oath prescribed by law having been administered to Mr. Adams, he took his seat in the Senate. The President pro tempore laid before the Senate copies of the journal and acts of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Oregon, of the second session thereof, begun and held at Oregon city, December 2, 1850, transmitted by the Secretary of the Territory. Ordered. That they be referred to the Committee on Territories. The President pro tempore laid before the Senate a memorial of John Randolph Clay, praying that provision may be made for the temporary relief of destitute American citizens in foreign countries, and for their return to the United States. Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Mr. Soulé presented the petition of A. Boyd, praying the reimbursement of certain expenses incurred in taking the census in the parish of Iberville, in Louisiana; which was referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Badger presented the memorial of Rhoda McRae, praying the appointment of a tribunal to review the decisions of the late board of commissioners for the settlement of claims of American citizens against Mexico; which was referred to the Select Committee appointed on the subject. Mr. Shields presented a petition of merchants and other citizens of Savannah, Georgia, praying that further aid may be extended to Collins's line of steamships; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. Mr. Shields presented the petition of Edward Milton, late a sergeant in the army, praying an increase of pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Shields presented a memorial of officers of the army stationed at Fort Monroe, praying that the quarters of officers at the permanent military posts may be furnished: which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Shields presented the memorial of the widow of John Balster, who was killed at an arsenal while in the discharge of his duty, praying a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Norris presented a petition of citizens of Hinsdale, New Hampshire, remonstrating against the further extension of Woodworth's patent for a planing-machine; which was referred to the Committee on Patents and the Patent Office. Mr. Brodhead presented the petition of Emily H. Plummer, widow of Samuel M. Plummer, late an officer in the army, praying a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Brodhead presented a petition of iron workers of Norristown, Pennsylvania, praying an increase of the duties on iron; which was referred to the Committee on Finance. Mr. Brodhead presented ten petitions of citizens of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, praying an increase of the duties on iron; which were referred to the Committee on Finance. Mr. Brodhead presented a petition of citizens of Middletown, Pennsylvania, remonstrating against the further extension of Woodworth's patent for a planing-machine; which was referred to the Committee on Patents and the Patent Office. Mr. Borland presented the petition of Raphael Semmes, a lieutenant in the navy, praying extra compensation for the time he was employed in making a survey of the coast between Apalachicola bay and the Mississippi river; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Shields submitted the following resolution: which was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be requested to inquire into the expediency of so amending an act entitled "An act to provide for the better security of the lives of passengers on board of vessels propelled in whole or in part by steam," as to exclude steam ferry-boats from the operation thereof, so as to obviate the injury and detriment that have been occasioned to the owners of such boats by including them within the regu lations and requirements of such law; also to provide for the release of such ferry-boats as may have been seized under the provisions of such law, and dismiss all legal proceedings instituted against them, and repay all fines and penalties that may have been assessed or decreed against the owners of such boats for the violation of the provisions of said act; and to provide that the law shall hereafter be construed as originally intended, not to apply to steam ferry-boats. Mr. Upham, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to whom was referred the petition of H. N. Denison, submitted an adverso report, (No. 134) which was ordered to be printed. Mr. Felch, from the Committee on Public Lands, to whom were referred the documents relating to the claim of John Newton, submitted an adverse report. (No. 135) which was ordered to be printed. Mr. Felch, from the Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the petition of citizens of the county of Guthrie, Iowa, submitted an adverse report, (No. 186) which was ordered to be printed. Mr. Shields, from the managers on the part of the Senate, on the disagreeing votes of the two houses on the bill (S. 146) entitled "An act to make land warrants assignable, and for other purposes," reported: That they have met the managers on the part of the House, and after full and free conference, have agreed to recommend to their respective houses to strike out the word act' where it first occurs in the third line of the first proviso proposed to the first section of the bill by the House, and insert in lien thereof the word 'laws;' insert after the word 'located,' in the said third line of the said first proviso the words, according to the legal subdivisions of the public lands, and in one body; and with these amendments they recommend that the Senate recede from their disagreement to the amendment of the House to the first section of the bill. Strike out all after the word warrants,' in the twelfth line of the 6 6 |