of the Western States might ask that another should be erected, in which case it would be desirable that the various sites which might enter into the competition, should all be fairly and fully examined. Mr. COCKE said, he regretted the necessity that he was under of making a few observations in reply to what had just fallen from his colleague. Really, he said, if time had allowed for the examination now proposed, he would most cheerfully have acquiesced in any measure which might have been desired, in order to effect it But, under an impression that no examination of a site for an armory could be made, so as to be reported to Congress at the present session, he was averse to a measure which would throw the establishment of an armory in the West beyond the present session. If, however, it should be determined that the site o an Armory was not to be fixed at the present session, he would vote cheerfully for the examination, not only of the country proposed by the amendment, but of every other section of the country, of which an examination might be asked. But suppose this amendment were to be adopted, would his colleague, or any other man, pretend to say, that, during the present session, any examination, such as it contemplated, could be made and returned to this House? He thought not. He adverted to the wide extent of ground covered by the amendment, which, he said, embraces all the waters of the Cumberland and the Tennessee; includes a portion of Alabama, and portions of East and West Tennessee, a portion of Kentucky, the Western portion of Virginia, and, he might add, part of North and South Carolina, and part of Georgia. Was it expected that the gentlemen now surveying the road to New Orleans could survey all this country? He was willing to vote for surveying any part of the country; but, knowing the facts, how could he consent to go into an examination of a site for an Armory in West Tennessee, without a previous examination of the sites in East Tennessee, where no examination has yet been had? If an examination were to be made in East Tennessee, he had no objection to surveys being also made any where else. He had risen to repel the idea that he had any objection to the examination of sites in West Tennessee: he had no such objection. If the natural advantages of West Tennessee entitled her to preference in the location of an Armory, in the name of justice let her take it. [II. of R. which had fallen from the gentlemen from Tennessee, that Mr. ISACKS said, he should only say a few words in reply to the remarks of his colleague, (Mr. COCKE.) The House had already manifested a disposition to refer the resolution to a committee. Should that be done, the amendment could not possibly embarrass the inquiry-it gave to it a wider range-it included as well what was desired on the Eastern side of the mountain, as the West. The committee, if they presented any report (as he hoped they would) to the House, could either enlarge or confine it, according to their views of the subject. And, as to the survey, he was at a loss to find the difference between none at all, and one which rather tantalized expectation, Mr. STEWART said, he rose for the purpose of than satisfied it. He said he hoped there would be a re-renewing his motion to refer this subject to the Comexamination, for another reason. If, contrary to the ex-mitice of Military Affairs, to whom several propositions, pectation of several States when this law was passed, and together with the Report of the Commissioners, had althe fair construction which should be given it, the present ready been referred. This committee would consider the Armory should, on account of present, and not future whole subject, and report a bill for the establishment of considerations, be located near the heal waters of the the Armory at once, or further surveys, if they were by Ohio, the time would come when the Government might them deemed necessary. Before submitting this motion, think it necessary to establish another among the People however, he felt himself bound to assure the gentleman who would be expected to use the arms when made-from Tennessee, who appeared so solicitous on this suband, while the subject is still open, he hoped something|ject, that his motion was not made from any hostility to would be done to prevent the section of country to which Tennessee, or from a disposition to do her injustice; but the amendment referred, from being forever concluded from a conviction that the adoption of the resolution, in its by the survey already made. He hoped the amendment would be adopted, and the resolution take the course best calculated to effect the object of a re-survey. Mr. LINCOLN said he was satisfied, from the remarks present shape, would be attended with no good, but many bad consequences. It would have the effect, in his view, if not to defeat, at least to protract, the establishment of an Armory in the West to a very distant period. We will open a door, said Mr. S. which it will be found very difficult, if not impossible, to close. Send Engineers to East Tennessee, and for the same reason, and with general justice, you will be bound to send another set to Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania-all have sites which have not been examined; but the amend ments also propose the re-examination of those which have been examined and reported on. Thus the whole work is to be revised where will you find Engineers? They are not to be had. When will you receive their reports? and, when received, how are you to decide? The reports are at war with each other, one recommending one site, and another a different one. It was now, Mr. S. said, nearly three years since measures were adopted by Congress for the establishment of this armory-a board of the ablest and most experienced Engineers, in this, or perhaps any other country, was promptly constituted by the Executive, with proper instructions to carry into effect the object of Congress, by examining the Western waters, with a view to the location of the Armory at the most suitable position. The Board at once entered upon the discharge of the duties assigned them. After nearly two years of faithful, active, and untiring industry, they had communicated a very able and voluminous report, which, if examined, could not fail to convince every gentleman of the impartiality, ability, and fidelity, with which they had discharged their duty. From this report, it appeared they had visited all the Western States, as low down as Alabama, wherever sites were to be found sufficiently near to the great navigable streams, so necessary to the supply of the Armories and the distribution of the areas. The reasons of not visiting East Tennessec and the interior of the Western States, must be obvious. They did not furnish those indispensable facilities of transportation and distribution, afforded by the sites found at the head of the great arteries of communication. Mr. S. contended, that, to adopt this resolution, after what has been said, would be a direct vote of censure upon the Board-it was saying, Gentlemen, you have been unfaithful and incompetent-your work must be revised; he, for one, was not prepared to give such a vote, nor would gentlemen do so who would give their report a full and impartial examination. Another reason against the resolution, as it now stands, is to be found in the fact, a fact which he had from the highest and best source of information, that, to divert the Engineers sent to examine the Southern Road, from the discharge of that duty, would defeat the great object for which they were ordered on that service, which was to enable the Board to communicate a report on that subject to Congress during the present session. [DEC. 20, 1825. Most Mr. COOK said, he thought it was not necessary to refer the resolution to the Military Committee. of the Western country that had set up any claim to this establishment with any propect of success, had already been examined. The particular section, however, that now sought an examination, from what had fallen from gentlemen, he thought entitled to an examination The Commissioners now on duty in the South, it had been stated, would very shortly be at leisure to make that examination, and it was obvious that there would be some reluctance on the part of gentlemen residing both in, and out of Tennessee, to establishing this work, unless this country should be previously examined. With a view, then, to giving satisfaction to those thus situated, before the subject came up, he thought it desirable that the resolution should speedily pass, and not be committed. This, it had been said, was the time to act. But if we commit this resolution, and the object should finally be considered of sufficient importance to render its passage necessary, it must be obvious that it was not likely to be adopted until the favored moment might pass by. In order, therefore, to prevent division amongst those interested in having a Western Armory established, it was important, before that great question, if a great question it could be called, should be brought up, that all well founded dissatisfaction should be removed-and it was ap parent that, unless this country should be examined, it would be the source of dissatisfaction, and probably of division, in acting on the subject. It was probable, indeed, that, on that question, we should see Greek meeting Greek, and by our own divisions be defeated. He said if was true there were other points in the West, possessing eminent advantages for such an establishment, that had not been examined; but, owing to the sparseness of the population of the country in which they were situated, had not been brought forward. One such, he believed, from information, and such too, as he relied on, would be found in his own State, towards its Northern borders. Its contiguity to the lakes, which bounded us on the North, and its convenient location to an immediate outlet through the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers, to other portions of our frontier, gave it advantages, that, he had no doubt, would at some day attract the attention of the Government, and secure to it a just share of the public patronage. The amendment offered was unnecessary. The country itembraced had been examined, and that ought to be sufficient to satisfy the People residing in it. He hoped the reference to the Committee would not be made. Mr. STEVENSON, of Penn. was in favor of the refer ence, and wished briefly to state the reasons which induced him to vote for it. He thought that, as other parts of the general subject had been assigned to the care of the Committee on Military Affairs, it was proper to assign the whole to that committee. If the House had entrusted that committee to make some of the inquiries on this subject, why should they not be entrusted to make all that were to be made? If, after taking the proper measures to inform themselves, that committee shall not be satisfied that Mr. S. however, protested against the argument of the gentleman from Maine, (Mr. LINCOLN,) who alleged that there was no occasion for an armory in the West; so far from this, he thought that, if not now, there soon would be, occasion for two. There were two in the East, and, looking to the rapid increase of the population, the wealth and resources of the West, and to the extent of its territory, he could see no good reason why two should a full examion has been made by the Engineers, they not also be established there. The Board of Commis- will so report to the House. They certainly will enjoy a sioners, for reasons that were unanswerable, had recom- better opportunity of knowing all the facts of the case mended the present armory to be established at the head correctly, than the House, as a body, possibly can. If he of the Western navigable waters, which at once facilitat- knew how to do it consistently with the rules of order, he ed the procurement of supplies, and the distribution of wished to point out to that committee the particular office Had the resolution of the gentleman from to which they might apply, and where they would obtain Tennessee proposed the examination with a view to the information bearing directly on the point now in controverestablishment of a second armory, he should not have ob-sy. And, since, in the course of this debate, reference jected to it. Upon the whole, the report of the Board he had more than once been made to the character of the considered able and satisfactory. The period had arriv- Engineers formerly employed, he begged leave to read a ed when the question should be settled, the site fixed, letter which went strongly to shew the circumspection and the work commenced. With a view to prevent fur- and prudence which distinguished those gentlemen, and ther delay, he therefore renewed his motion to refer the with which, as a Board, they had constantly acted. [Here resolution, with the amendments, to the Committee on Mr. S. read part of a letter addressed by the CommisM.Litary Affairs. sioners appointed to survey the Western waters, to the the arms. Secretary of War, in relation to a letter received by them from Mr. Rhea, in which that gentleman recommended their attention to an examination of East Tennessee.] [H. of R. vice will not be there forever, and they ought to take care, lest, whilst devising means for retaining those whom we have got, they throw obstacles in the way of obtaining others when these are gone. By depriving the soldier of the command of his own purse, a very serious discouragement will be presented to enlistment. But, as to preventing desertion, if no considerations of honor, or even of life, had been found sufficient to prevent it, he felt confident that no two dollar considerations would have greater power. Mr. MALLARY was opposed to the reference to the Military Committee. Although it was true that the Commissioners were now employed on a previously assigned duty, yet they could act in this matter, on their return, and it was desirable that the examination, if made at all, should take place as early as possible, in or der that the report might reach this House before it rose. If any delay took place, the report, instead of being made Mr. HAMILTON said he would thank the gentleman to Congress, would have to be made to the President. If to withdraw his motion for a moment, to allow him to regentlemen wished the former, they ought to expedite the ply in a few words. He apprehended, as the question measure, and not delay it by sending it to a committee. The was not one of very serious importance, the House might effect of the examination might indeed be, that the gentle- come to a decision on it in a very few moments at the premen from Pennsylvania would be disappointed in their ex-sent time. [The motion was accordingly withdrawn]-pectations of having the Armory located at Pittsburg. That When Mr. H. remarked, that some of the observations of hope, it was possible, might be blotted out forever, but, the gentleman from Tennessee had served rather to inshould this be the case, what was that disappointment to crease than diminish his confidence in the wisdom and pothis House, or to the country? The duty of Congress re-licy of the measure under consideration. If the passage garded the general interest. All that was sought by the reso- of the bill will have a tendency to prevent those from entution was, information. Whom would this hurt? Possi- listing who would otherwise have made up their minds to bly, Pittsburg. But what then? That was nothing to desert, in ease they enlisted, on the first convenient occathe Union at large. It was necessary that the House sion, it would unquestionably have a salutary effect on the should act with promptitude on this matter. The public interests of the Government; or if it prevented those from good required it, and they could do this without the opi- enlisting who were burdened with families, the effect nion of the committee, as well as after they had called and would be equally advantageous: for it was well known to waited for it. those who had any experience on the subject, that soldiers with wives and families, occasioned serious embarrassment to the operations, as well as injury to the discipline of an army; and if the bill has the effect of preventing such from enlisting, he should say that it subserved an Mr. WARD, feeling opposed to the course proposed by the resolution, moved that it lie on the table. The question being taken on this motion, it was negatived-and, the question being then put on its reference to the Committee on Military Affairs, it was carried-important object. What really is the proposition before Ayes 85, Noes 79. DESERTION IN THE ARMY. An engrossed bill "making alterations in the present mode of paying the enlisted soldiers of the United States," was read a third time. Mr. HAMILTON said that he should not, at this late hour, fatigue the House by entering into a discussion on the provisions of the bill under consideration, without, indeed, some gentleman present should state any objections to its passage; as it involved a measure not only advantageous to the service, but (as the Committee on Military Affairs thought,) ultimately beneficial to the soldier himself. the House? Why, to provide, without trenching on the Mr. MITCHELL, of Tennessee, observed, that the bill involved very important principles, and appeared to be calculated to inflict very serious injury upon the soldier and his dependent family. The object it proposed was to prevent desertion-but he did not think it at all calculated to obtain this end. When a man had once determined to forsake his post and desert the standard of his country, it was not one or two dollars consideration which would be likely to detain him. If any measure of this character must be resorted to, he thought it would be better to enhance the present allowance of the soldier by adding two dollars a month, and retain that addition till the expiration of the time of his enlistment. This might have some little effect; but, to deduct two dollars from his present monthly allowance, was to cut off his only means of supporting his little family. The misery of a wife and chil-ration. dren, thus rendered destitute, would have more influence Mr. TRIMBLE said, that he had risen for the purin producing desertion than almost any other motive which could be brought to bear upon a man. There might, too, be a lover in the neighborhood, and such considerations, every body knew, were calculated to exert a strong influence on the uninformed minds of our soldiery. He thought it would be better, instead of passing this bill, to lay it on the table until some better means could be devised for accomplishing the object proposed. Gentlemen should not forget that those who are now enlisted in the public ser pose of making an inquiry of the Chairman of the Military Committee, (Mr. HAMILTON,) and if the answer to it was such as he expected it would be, he did not see how the House could refuse to pass the bill. By a report, submitted a few years since from the Department of War, the House were informed that the number of desertions amounted, if he recollected rightly, to about one-fourth of the entire number of enlistments, and the then Secretary had recommended this measure, for the best possible reasons. He remembered that he had then felt satisfied that such a bill ought to pass, and, if the same fact still existed, he should still retain the same opinion. Mr, HAMILTON, in reply to Mr. TRIMBLE, said that he had the best authority for believing, that the evil had rather increased than diminished, [DEC. 21, 1825. longing to such district or township, shall be adequate to the permanent support of schools therein.] Mr. V. observed, in explanation, that it would be perceived, by a reference to the bill, that the tracts of land proposed to be sold, were owned separately by the townships and districts in which they lie; and that, as the Mr. BUCHANAN said, that he was sorry this sub-funds arising from the sale of the land in each townject had not taken the accustomed course. It had not been referred to a Committee of the Whole, and had been ordered to be engrossed for a third reading before it was printed. He did not think it had received that portion of attention from the Members of the House which its importance demanded. He had been opposed to the measure at the last session, and he had not as yet seen any reason to alter his opinion. It is certainly of great importance, said Mr. B. that the rank and file of your Army shall be as respectable as possi ble. Any measure which would have a direct tendency to defeat this result must be impolitic. In case this bill should pass, what will be the probable result? At present, in consequence of the low wages given to laborers in many portions of the country-men who are respectable in that class of society enter the ranks of your Army; as soldiers, they receive $5 per month, and are fed and clothed by the Government; many of them are bound to Society by domestic ties. They have wives and children they have parents, dependen for support on their exertions, Take from them two dollars per month, as this bill proposes, and you reduce the pay which they will receive to a monthly allowance of three dollars only. You thus deprive them of the means of assisting to support those who are in any degree dependent upon them. The consequence will be, that none but the most worthless men in the community will enter your Army. You destroy its moral character; and, in this manner, there is great danger that you will increase instead of diminish the crime of desertion. Mr. B. said, that, in his opinion, much weight should be attached to the remarks of the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. MITCHELL.) If death, and the other severe penalties already denounced by your laws against the crime of desertion, were not sufficient to deter the soldiers from committing it, would the distant prospect of receiving the two dollars per month at the end of their term of service, be productive of this desirable result He thought it very doubtful, particularly as the new recruits under this system would generally be taken from the dregs of society. Mr. B. observed, that the House had no correct information before them, as to the number of desertions during the last year. He thought this information should be obtained. It was not known whether that crime had increased or diminished, Besides, the measure was one of importance, on which the House should not act hastily. He therefore moved to lay the bill on the table. The motion was carried by a large majority. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1825. SCHOOL LANDS IN OHIO. On motion of Mr. VINTON, of Ohio, the House went ipto Committee of the Whole, Mr. McCOY, of Virginia, in the Chair, on the bill "to authorize the Legislature of the State of Ohio to sell certain land heretofore appropriated to the use of Schools in that State." Mr. VINTON moved to amend the bill, by adding to it a new section, to the following effect: [This section proposed, in substance, that if the proceeds of lands, belonging to any township or district, shall be insufficient to the support of schools within the same, the Legislature of said State shail have power to invest the same until the whole proceeds of the fund be ship, might not prove sufficient for the support of the schools in that township, the object of the amendment was to provide, that the interest as well as the principal arising from the sale, should be vested in securities until the whole amount should have become sufficient for that object. Mr. FORSYTH asked from Mr. VINTON an explanation of the motives which led to the insertion of the first proviso of the bill; which is in the following words: "Provided, said land, or any part thereof, shall, in no case, be sold, without the consent of the inhabitants of such township or district, to be obtained in such manner as the Legislature of the said State shall, by_law, direct.” Mr. VINTON observed, in reply, that the reason for that proviso arose from the existing state of things in Ohio. The land, as he had stated, instead of forming a common fund, belonged separately to the several townships and districts of that State; each of these has a sole and exclusive interest in its own land, and the memorial of the Legislature of Ohio, in compliance with which this bill had been drawn, while it asks for the power to sell, does not wish to exercise that power, unless the townships concerned give their assent to the sale. It was possible that some of these townships would be unwilling that their lands should be sold; and the object of the proViso was to leave them an opportunity of expressing their will on the subject. It was inserted merely with a view to preserve their rights. The Committee then rose, and reported the bill as amended; when Mr. LATHROP proposed to modify it in such a manner that such townships as wished, might be permitted to retain their interest, and that the Legislature should not have the power of investing it without the consent of such township. Mr. M'COY was opposed to the amendment, and preferred the original bill. He wished neither that the Legislature should have power to sell the lands without the consent of the townships, nor to appropriate the money after they were sold. He thought that the people of the townships ought to have the sole control of the lands reserved for their benefit. Mr. VINTON observed, in reply, that this was the only school fund which the State possessed, and it was probable that the proceeds within many of the towns, would prove very inadequate to the purposes of education, if the money were permitted to be invested, and suffered to accumulate, the purpose would be answered better in the end than by portioning it out in small sums, which would not avail to obviate the present necessity of taxation, From the state of feeling which prevailed in Ohio, in relation to these lands, it was to be presumed that the Legislature, although it asked for the power to sell them, would be extremely solicitous, in the exercise of that power, to conform itself to the wishes of the towns. He was of opinion that the Legislature of the State was the proper body to regulate the whole subject of public education, and that it ought to be placed under their control without trammelling them by unnecessary restrictions. It would be observed that the amendment did not require the Legislature, but only went to permit them, to do so. The amendment proposed by the gentleman from Massachusetts, (Mr. LatнROP) would be found, in practice, a matter of great perplexity, and that the measures it in volved would be of an intricate and difficult character. Mr. WHIPPLE rose to inquire whether, in case the bill should pass, there existed in Ohio any regulation which would secure to the children their education while this fund should be accumulating. Mr. VINTON replied, that the Legislature had adopted the best system in their power, and the bill would leave it to their discretion to determine, whether the fund obtained by the sale should be employed in the mean while or not. This would depend, in a great measure, on the amount obtained by taxation. Mr. McCOY observed, that many of the Townships in the State of Ohio had recently been settled, and that their inhabitants, having to struggle with the difficulties of a new country, were in greater need of aid on the subject of education, at this time, than they would be at any fu ture period; and though the amount arising from the sale, or from the leasing of their lands, might be very small, yet it was better that they should have it now, in the time of need, than to suffer them to accumulate, so as to become productive hereafter, when the need of it would not be so great. [H. of R. Mr. VINTON said, this bill, having for its object to increase the means of education in the State of Ohio, much interest in its success is felt, both by the People and the Legislature of that State. It proposed to effect this object by a change of the fund heretofore provided for the support of schools in the State, without giving any new direction to the use. The whole fund of that State, for the support of schools, is in land, which the bill now under consideration authorizes the Legislature to sell and convert into money, to be invested in some productive fund, the proceeds of which to be applied to the support of schools, instead of the proceeds of the land, as at present. It will be proper, for the information of the House, to give some account of the origin of this fund, its past productiveness, present condition, and the reasons that have induced the Legislature of Ohio to ask of Congress the assent contained in the bill. Previous to the admission of the State of Ohio into the Union, a tract of 640 acres, or one section of land, in each township, owned by the Mr. COOK suggested the expediency of adding a United States, had been reserved from sale, for the supproviso, that these lands should not be sold at a less port of schools within the township where situated. The price than the public lands of the United States. They title continued in the United States during the Territorial amounted, if he was rightly informed, to somewhere Government. At the time of the admission of Ohio into between seven hundred thousand and a million of the Union, the provision of a school fund became the subacres, which would all be thrown into the market at one ject of compact between the United States and the Contime; and unless some restriction of this kind were add-vention that formed the Constitution of that State. This ed, he apprehended that this valuable fund might be- compact resulted in an act of Congress, passed March 3d, come the prey of speculators. 1803, granting to the Legislature of the State, in trust for the support of schools, one entire section of 640 acres in each, of what is usually denominated the “originul surveyed townships," being six miles square, and composing the principal part of the territory of the Statethe land, in each township, being granted for the support of schools within such township. Mr. CAMPBELL observed, that the suggestion of the gentleman from Illinois, (Mr. Cook) appeared to he offered in a good spirit. But he was apprehensive that, if it was adopted, it would be found impossible to effect any sale of the lands at all. Some of them were of poor quality, and would not bring twelve and a half cents an acre. The restriction would occasion great perFor the several districts of country known by the name plexity, and the funds, when collected, would amount of the "Viginia Military Reservation," "The United to a mere trifle. Mr. C. observed, that a quantity of land, States' Military District," and the "Connecticut Reserve," equal to one-thirty-sixth part of the Virginia Military Dis- a quantity of land, equal to one thirty-sixth part of the trict, as that part of Ohio was called in which he resided, districts respectively, was granted for the support of had been originally reserved for the support of schools. schools within the same, to be located in quarter townThere were eighteen quarter townships, and three sec- ships, the whole number of which, I believe, is forty-nine, tions of such land. It had been leased for a term of and the whole amount of school lands in the State someysars, but had been in its result very unproductive. Af what exceeds seven hundred thousand acres. The act ter various attempts, it had been found impracticable for vested in the Legislature the whole title to these lands, the State to avail itself of the friendly purpose of Con- and left it in the full exercise of its discretion, both as it gress by any other means than by obtaining the leave to regards the means by which money should be raised from sell the lands. He presumed that if such leave should be them for the support of schools, and the manner of apgranted, the Legislature of Ohio would of course plying it to that object-neither having been prescribed adopt some such regulation as that which had been re-by the grant. In other words, the manner of executing commended by the gentleman from Illinois, in order to prevent a sacrifice of the lands. But he thought that it would be best to leave it to that Legislature to fix upon From the nature of the grant, and the manner of its the minimum which they should deem most expedient. acquisition, being by purchase, the consideration of which He was aware that, in the opinion of some gentlemen, is expressed in the compact, it has been the prevailing the Legislature of Ohio had committed a great error in opinion of legal gentlemen in that State, that the Legis making this application: but he had just observed, in lature possesses the power to make such disposition of one of the morning papers, that the Legislature of Geor- these lands, either by sale or otherwise, as in its opinion gia had been obliged to sell the lands appropriated for will best promote the object of the grant, being account. The support of Franklin College. The lands had been able only for the faithful application of the proceeds to sold, (according to the statement published) and the the support of schools. This doctrine is maintained in amount vested in Bank stock. If the statement was un- the memorial of the Legislature now upon our tables. founded, he presumed the gentleman from Georgia would | But a doubt having been entertained by some, of the corcorrect him. rectness of this doctrine, that body, anxious to act in good Mr. STORRS thought that the words "any produc-faith, and unwilling to trespass beyond the acknowledged tive funds," in that part of the bill which relates to boundaries of its compact, as well as from an apprehenthe investment of the proceeds of sale, were very in- sion that the rule would be retarded and the proceeds didefinite, and open to misinterpretation and abuse. It minished, if they were thrown into market with even the was very important that the fund should be secured shadow of suspicion hanging over the title, has solicited, against fraud or imposition; and he, therefore, moved to from policy, not from what it conceives to be a legal obliStrike out these words, and to insert, in lieu of them,gation, the assent of Congress contained in this bill. Imin the public stock of the United States, op of any of the States," the trust was not prescribed, but left to the unqualified discretion of the Legislature, as it ought to be. inediately after the acquisition of these lands, the Legislature set about devising the means of making them pro |