Statement showing the number of Acres of the Public Lands donated by Congress, the purposes for which donated, &c., in reply to resolution of the House of Representatives of Jan. 30, 1854. Roads. | 48,909,535|| 4,060,704 57,260 422,325 4,669,449 231,355 5,836,873 8,383,151 35,798,253 45,440 279,790, 25,990,157 134,204,392 Total number in Treasury Department Navy Department, exclusive of Navy Persons employed by the General Government in 1854. The Department of 3,245 30,480 707 232 Over 1-6 Wisconsin 109,932 68,595 197,912 Over 1-2 1,653,174 410,210 5,849,170 More than 1-4 and less than 1-3 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, May 29, 1854. MR. PERKINS-SIR: In reply to your inquiry concerning the state of the business referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims. I have to inform you that the claims referred to that committee this session amount to over one hundred. They have been referred at different times during the whole course of the session. Early in the session, while the committees were called for reports, there were but few claims pending before the committee, and we were able to report upon them to the House nearly as fast as they were referred. At a later period of the session, the committees not being called, we have not been able to report. The com mittee have agreed upon many reports, which are ready to be reported whenever there is an opportunity of doing so. The Committee on Private Land Claims has not been called since the 6th of February last, because the morning hour since that time has been consumed by other business; and I am not able to give an opinion as to when our committee will be again called. Respectfully, JUNIUS HILLYER, Chairman Committee on Private Land Claims. COMMITTEE ROOM COMMITTEE OF CLAIMS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, May 25, 1854. SIR: During the Thirty-Second Congress there were referred to the Committee of Claims four hundred and forty. two cases. The number acted upon by the committee was one-hundred and eighty-seven, although the actual number 238 was much larger; the committee frequently passing upon classes of cases, which were disposed of by one bill or one adverse report. But a very small number of the cases acted upon were ever reported, to the House, for the reason that the committee was not called for reports. The "morning 35,456 hour," devoted by the rules to the calling of committees for 263 205 Swamp lands.b Deaf and dumb. reports, was consumed, for a great part of the first session, by the Committee on Public Lands. The precise time I do not know, but I believe it to have been nearly five months. I think the Committee of Claims were not called for reports after the 1st of March in the first session of the Thirty-Second Congress. This denial of justice to private claimants was occasioned by permitting other committees to put the bills reported by them upon their passage, and particularly the Committee on Public Lands. A larger number of cases have been acted upon by this committee during the present session of this Congress. The number now ready to be reported is eighty-four; but the committee has not been called for reports since February, and probably will not be called for months; certainly not, if other committees are permitted to put bills upon their passage. I am, very respectfully, yours, Hon. JOHN PERKINS, Jr., N. P. EDGERTON, Chairman. House of Representatives. 149,145 This estimate includes the debates in the Thirty-Second Congress on the homestead, assignability of land warrants. for railroad grants, and on the proposal to grant lands to the indigent insane. It is not too high, because we have not included the speeches made on other subjects of legislation while the House was in Committee of the Whole on some one of the various projects connected with the disposition of the public lands, and which would have been made on other bills in committee. The estimate enclosed is lower than the probable average cost of the debates on the land question in the present Con gress, judging from such an examination as I have been enabled to make, so far as the debate has gone. Very respectfully yours, JOHN W. FORNEY, Clerk House of Representatives United States. Hon. JOHN PERKINS, Jr. Black, J. S., Attorney-General. Opinion of, on Thompson's Bocock, Thomas S., of Va. Extract from speech of, 539. Brodhead, Richard, of Pa. On power of Congress over ter- Bronson, Green C. Letter of, on slavery, 74. Brooks, Preston S. Brown, A. G., of Miss. Buffalo and Utica Bargain and Intrigue letter of, 76. Hon. II. M. Fuller's charge against, 80. On distribution, 465. On the political power of the Supreme conventions. Proceedings and platform of, 83. Anti-slavery sentiment of, M. Calhoun, John C. On abolition petitions, 8. Fort Hill address of, 85. On the deposite bill, 130. On the Missouri compromise, 357. California. Admission of, 92. Law of, relative to foreign convicts, &c., 252. Extract from speech of, on power of Congress Catron, Associate Justice. On the Dred Scott case, 190. On abolition petitions, 10. On alien suffrage, 32. Extract from speech of 323. Report of, on the public lands, 448. On the cession of the public lands, 458. Land system, 458. Opinion of, upon slavery, 507. On slavery in the territories, 548. Amendment to celebrated resolutions of J. C. Clayton compromise, 102. Cobb, Howell. On the relations of a government employee Colonial laws ou relative position of slaves and whites, 140, Convention act of Kansas, 408. Compromises of 1850, 105. Fuller, Henry M. Allegheny City speech of, 94. Connecticut. Law of, relative to foreign convicts and pau- Gardner, Gov. H. J., of Mass. On Abolitionism, 21. Constitution of the United States, 110. Convention system, 117. Davis, W. R., of S. C. On the political power of the Supreme Debate in the House of Representatives on the first Nebraska Debates upon Nebraska and Kansas bill, 371. Decision of court in Prussia in regard to a slave, 447. Defence of American party, by a writer signed "Madison," Delaware. Laws of, relative to foreign convicts, &c., 252. Deposite bill, 128. Dexter, Samuel, Jr. On naturalization, 311. Distribution of public lands. Congressional history of, 473. Alien suffrage, 33. Missouri compromise, 359. Dowdell, James F., of Ala. Extract from speech of, 539. Dred Scott case. Opinions of Supreme Court on, 135. Duval, W. O. On abolitionism, 20. Garrison, Wm. Lloyd. Sentiments of on abolition, 19-21. Gerry, Elbridge. On naturalization, 319. On the dissolution of the Union, 15. 121. Extract from speech of. 368. Gilbert, Ezekiel. On naturalization, 312. Harper, Robert Goodloe. On naturalization, 312. Resolutions of American party of. 273. | Indiana. History of admission of, 285. Upon slavery, 508. On a religious test, 485. Jackson, Andrew. Remission of fine imposed upon, 288. Veto of Maysville Road bill, 499. Jackson, James, of Georgia. On naturalization, 310. Johnson, W. Cost, of Md. Elliott, Thos. D., of Mass. Proposition of, to repeal Fugitive Keitt, L. M., of S. C. Extract from speech of, 541. Emancipation party of St. Louis, Missouri. Resolutions of, 245. Emigrant Aid Society. Origin of, 245. Etheridge, Emerson. Resolution against revival of African On the relation of the Democratic Eustis, Geo. Jr., of Louisiana, on Americanism in his state, Leigh, Mr., of Va. Upon slavery, 509. 305. Expunging Resolution, 246. Faulkner, C. J., of Virginia, Address of, against Distribution Featherston. W. S., of Miss. Opinion of upon slavery, 508. Letter of to Hon. John Gayle, 247. Florida. History of admission of, 248. Foreigners. Arrival of in the United States, 250. Foreign criminals and paupers. Extract from Report of State laws relating there- Foss, Rev. Andrew T. Abolition sentiments of, 20. Freeman's Journal on Know-Nothingism, 331. Fugitive slave law of 1850, 265. Fuller, Henry M. Answer of, to certain interrogatorics, 269. Letcher, John, of Va. Extract from speech of, 540. On the power of Congress over terri On a religious test, 485. Mann, Horace. Abolition sentiments of, 25. Maryland. Laws of, relating to foreign paupers, 252. Mason, James M. On naturalization, 319. Mason, Geo., of Va. On alien suffrage. 34. On the doctrines of the Kansas bill, 550. Maysville Road bill. Gen. Jackson's veto of, 499. |