Mr. HENDERSON. I offer this amendment to come in as a proviso at the end of the 3rd section of the hi I: Provided, That all lands heretofore given to the State of Missourifor the construction of the Cairo and Fulton railroad or for the usoof said road.lying in the State of Missouri and all lands proposed to be granted by thisvact for the use or in aid otp the said road herein nzuned, and lying in the State of misrouri, shall be yrunted and patentedto the said State whenever the road shall be completed throunh said State. which lands may beheld by the state of Missouri nnd usedfor paying the State for the amount of bond she retofore issuedby it to aid said company, and all interest accruing or to accrue thereon. In 1853 a grant of land was made by congress to the State of Missouri for the use and benefit of this road, or to aid in its construction; and the State granted the lands to the compan. There was a company organized called e Cairo and Fulton Railroat company. There was a magnificent grant of lands, as understand, given also to the State of Arkansas for the same purpose. A company was organized about e ear 1854, 1855, or 1856, who obtained, in adition to the lands that were granted by Congress, a grant of some $700,000 111bonds from our State; and they used those bonds, built some 25 or 30 miles of road with the proceeds of the hon s they sold, and the State of Missourihas been compelled ever since that time to pay the interest on the bonds. The company has never paid a dollar of interest since the issue of the onds, I believe. I really do not know the condition of the lands, because I am not now so familiar as I was in 1856, 1857, or 1858with the history and condition of this company; nor am I so well acquainted with the condition of these.lands as res EOIS the right of my State to them. Whatever lands of this grant are unsold now in the State of Missouriand I do not know what quantity of lands there are unsold by the company of course will be reg ranted under this bill. I desire that the State of His sourI shall hold a lien upon those lands and that conrcss shall not revive this and so as to pass the title out of the State of Missouri, but I desire that the State shall hold a lien on these lands or any lands that may be granted in this bill within the borders of that State in order to pay back to the State of Missourithe amount that she has already issued in aid of this road. The company have not built road enougimu I understand, to have prorly and legitimately consumed the amount O bonds issued by the State of Missouri. In other words, I mean to say that with a most magnificent grant of lands they have never built any more road than they could build out of the State grant. We gave them the lands, and in addition to that gave them $700,000 of bonds; and they have not used any money according to my impression, not, perhaps, one cent of money, exce it what the State of Missourigave to them; an having used those bonds they have failed to pay back one dollar of interest; they have not reim bursed the State for the grant. I make no opposition to the passage of the bill. It may be passed; I desire to see these railroad improvements put forward as rapidly asit can be done. I have no objection to it whatever. I do not look upon these railroad grants as damngin to the public, for the reason thatwc charge ouble rice for the reserved sections of land, and I believe that the double price is more readily paid than the single price without the construction of the roads. I make no objection to it; but I do desire that my State shall be reimbursed now while I have an op ortunity of doing it. I hope no objection whatcver will be made to the amendment.