2 - TWENTY-FIRST CONGRESS.

SENATE


 Judges of the Superior Court of the Territory of Arkansas, under the act of the 26th day of May, i8i4,and for other purposes was read a second time. con- sidered in committee of the whole, and referred to the Committee on the Judi ciary.

 The bill, entitled C Asfa act to continue in force an act authorizing certain sol =diers in the late war to surrender the bounty lands drawn by them, and to lo- cate others in lieu thereof, and fer other purposes" was read third time and PASSED.

 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

 Narch l5.-Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to which the subject was referred made the following re- port, viz:

 The Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to whom was referred a resolution directing them to inquire into the expediency of improving tie road passing through the lands of the Chickasaw nation, in the State of Ala bama, in the direction between Tus- eumbia and Memphis, report:

 That the present path or road through the lands of the Chickasaw nation. in the direction from Tuscumbia towards Memphis, is daily increasing in import ance to the State of Alabama and Ten nessce; that, from the circumstance. however, that about sixty-fve miles of the road lies exclusively in the Indian country, 1t is ill such condition as to make it unfit for extensive use. Your committee are informed by letter from the Postmaster at Tuscumbia, that the Chiefs of the Chickasaw nation have given their consent for said road 10 be opened through their territory ,; they are also informed by the petitions and report heretofore made on this subject. by the Committee on Roads and Canals, that the sum. of eight thousand dollars will De sufficient to put this road in excellent repair, and to constitute it part of the line of communication with the territory and Seat of Government of Arkansas. They therefore report the bill hereto fore reported, appropriating said sum of eight thousand dollars.

 Which bill was twice read and com mitted.

 The House then took into considera- ton the bill " farther extending tie pow CTS of the Judges of the Superior Court of Arkansas

 Mir. SEVER moved to amend the first section of the bill, as follows:

 ( Prouided, hoaeeuer, that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to give to said Court jurisdiction, by bill of review or otherwise, In any case which has been confirmed by said Court prior to the first day of December, 1897, or in any other case of confirmation in which the title has been transferred to, and created by bona fide purchasers after the Ist day of Janua- ", and before the lst day of Oct, lS29." in explanation ot this amendment, MT. SEWER referred to the history of the Spanish Claims in Arkansas, and the laws which had been enacted for the liquidation ofthose claimants. Heurged the necessity, in justice to those indiyid- uais, of adopting the proviso which he had now introduced. He said he would again now repel as he had before re pelled, the charges against the Judges and District Attorney made by the gen. tleman from New \ ork.

 Mir. Storrs denied that he made any charge against the Court or District Attorney, but stated that he had merely urged that the Court had been imposed on by forged grants. So serious had been the extent of this system of fraud, that the President had considered ii worthy of grave reference in his mes sage. He said that he had merely spoken of the abuses which had beer practised on the liberality of Congress and had referred in terms of censurt only to those claimants who had appear ed before the Court with forged war rants, which could only be supported by perjury. It was the duty of Congress If fraud can be prevented freH being carried into effect, to prevent it. li1 admitted that the award of the Cour was just as to those individuals whs claimed lands by virtue of legal war rants. But the message informed u that claims to great amount had beer illegally imposed on the Court, ans awards had been made. A bill had becI filed by the United States Attorney, ane this act continues the Court, and th. necessary powers, so that if it shall bs shown b bJ t the bill bill filed filed b by the Ulittes