Mr. POMEROY. I move to take up senate bill No. 223. The motion was agreed to; and the Senate, as in ComWhole, proceeded to consider the bill (S.No.223) to revive and extend the provisions of an act ranting the right of way and making a grant of land to the States of Arkansas and Missouri, to aid in the construction of a railroad from a point upon the Mississippi, opposite the mouth of the Ohio river, via Little ck, to the Texas boundary, near Fulton, in Arkansas, with branches to Fort Smith and the Mississippi river, approved February 9, 1853, and for other purposes. It proposes to revive and extend the act I mentioned in its title, with all the provisions therein made, for the term of ten years, and all the lands therein granted, which reverted to the U.S. under the provisions of that act, are restored to the same custody, control, and condition, and made subject to the uses and trusts in all respects as they were before and at the time such reversion took effect. There is also hereby granted, added to, and made part of the former donation of lands, and to be held and disposed of in the same manner as if included in the original grant, all the alternate sections and parts of sections, designated by odd numbers, lying along the outer line of lands heretofore selected, and within ten miles on each side thereof, excepting lands reserved or otherwise appropriated by law, or to which the right of preemption has attached; but this additional quantity of lands when added to the lands heretofore granted is not to exceed, in the aggregate, sufficient to amount to ten sections for each mile of railroad. All the lands mentioned in this act, and granted by it, are to be reserved from entry, preemption, or appropriation to any other purpose than that contemplated, for the term of ten years from the passage of the act; but no person who has held any office or appointment under the government of the socalled confederate States, or who has home arms against the U.S., is to he a director in any railroad company receiving the benefit of this grant. The ComPubLands reported the bill with amendments. The 1st amendment was in section 2, line ten after the word “preemption” to insert “or homestead settlement;” so that the clause will read: by Excepting lands reserved or ctherwise appropriated law or towhich the right of precinption or homestead settlement is attached. The amendment was agreed to. The next amendment was to add at the end of section 2 the following proviso: ti tAyndof plraonv did sesdhfaulrlthbeer.d Tishpaot sseadidofaodndliytional nan whenever proof shall be furnished. Satisfactory wtso: the SecyInterior. that 20 consecutive miles of said railroad have been constructed. in a good substantial and workmanlike manner. thenall Foflf ldsacidomadpdleittieod naplorltaine dnsmlyaiynsion and opposite to a sol and so on antithe work is completed. The amendment was agreed to, The next amendment was in section thre line 4, to strike out the word “from” an to insert the word “foi;” and also to strike out the following proviso at the end of the section: Provided. That no person who has held any office "ora ppointtnentunder the government of the socalled confederate States." orwlio has borne armsagainst the U.S shall be a director in any railroad company receiving the benefit of this grant. The amendment was agreed to.